Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Armando Crispino

 Armando Crispino was an Italian film director and screenwriter, best known for his contributions to the giallo and horror genres during the 1960s and 1970s. Born Armando Raffaele Enrico Giuseppe Pio Crispino in Biella, Piedmont, Italy on October 18, 1924, he began his career as an assistant director before helming his first feature, “Le piacevoli notti” (1966), a comedic adaptation of Boccaccio's tales. Over the next decade, Crispino directed nine films, blending elements of suspense, supernatural themes, and social commentary, often collaborating with prominent Italian actors and writers.

Crispino's notable works include the war drama “Commandos” (1968), starring Lee Van Cleef and Jack Kelly, which depicted a fictional Allied commando mission in North Africa during World War II. He gained further recognition in the thriller genre with “The Dead Are Alive” (1972), a supernatural mystery involving Etruscan artifacts and ancient curses, featuring John Marley and Samantha Eggar. His most acclaimed film, “Autopsy” (1975), is a gritty giallo starring Mimsy Farmer as a coroner unraveling a series of bizarre murders linked to a religious sect; it exemplifies his style of psychological tension and macabre imagery. Later projects included the horror-comedy “Frankenstein: Italian Style” (1975) and the TV movie ‘Due donne’ (1981), after which he largely retired from directing.

Throughout his career, Crispino was married to producer Franca Lumachi from 1963 until his death, and they had two children, including director Francesco Crispino. Armando passed away in Rome at age 78 on October 6, 2003, from an undisclosed cause, leaving a legacy of genre films that influenced Italian cinema's exploitation wave.

Armando Crispino directed on Spaghetti western, “John il Bastardo” (John the Bastard) in 1967.

CRISPINO, Armando (Armando Raffaele Enrico Giuseppe Pio Crispino) [10/18/1924, Biella, Piedmont, Italy – 10/6/2003, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – production manager, director, assistant director, writer, married to actress Franca Lumachi [1932-2024] (1963-2003) father of producer, director, writer Francesco Crispino [1967-    ], actress Gilberta Crispino [1971-    ].

John the Bastard – 1967

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ George Brown

George Brown was an alias used by Lina Wertmüller (born Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmüller von Elgg Spañol von Braueich) on August 14, 1928. She was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actress known for her bold satirical films that blended farce, tragedy, and political commentary on themes such as class struggle, fascism, and gender dynamics.

 Born in Rome to a Swiss family of aristocratic descent, she began her career in theater and puppetry before transitioning to film, directing her first feature, “The Basilisks”, in 1963.

Wertmüller's international breakthrough came in the 1970s with a string of provocative works starring frequent collaborator Giancarlo Giannini and often Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato, including “The Seduction of Mimi” (1972), “Love and Anarchy” (1973), “Swept Away...” (1974), and “Seven Beauties” (1975). These films critiqued Italian society through exaggerated narratives that provoked debate over their portrayals of power imbalances and moral ambiguity, earning both acclaim for their stylistic innovation and criticism for perceived endorsements of controversial ideologies. “For Seven Beauties”, Wertmüller became the first woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, a milestone that highlighted her pioneering role amid a male-dominated industry.

In 1962, Wertmüller transitioned from theater to cinema by taking a position as a script girl and assistant director on Federico Fellini's “8½”, a role that provided her with direct exposure to the technical and creative processes of film production. This experience immersed her in Fellini's blend of introspective surrealism and character-driven narratives, influencing her subsequent approach to storytelling without the overt neorealist emphasis of earlier Italian cinema.

Following this apprenticeship, Wertmüller began writing screenplays and advanced toward directing, culminating in her feature debut with “I basilischi” (1963; The Lizards), which she also scripted. The film marked her independent entry into directing, focusing on observational portraits of southern Italian youth amid socioeconomic stagnation, and secured the Silver Sail award at the Locarno Film Festival.

Her marriage to production designer and set decorator Enrico Job in 1965 further facilitated her control over film aesthetics and logistics, as Job collaborated on the visual elements of her projects, allowing for integrated artistic oversight from inception. This partnership bridged her theater-honed instincts with cinematic demands, enabling self-reliant production amid Italy's evolving post-war film industry.

Later in her career, Wertmüller received an Academy Honorary Award in 2019 for her lifetime contributions to cinema, recognizing her influence on independent filmmaking and her unapologetic exploration of human flaws. Her oeuvre, characterized by operatic visuals and rapid-fire dialogue, continues to be studied for its unflinching engagement with postwar Italian identity and universal ethical dilemmas.

Wertmüller died in Rome at the age of 93 on December 9, 2021.

Using the alias George Brown Lina wrote and directed on Spaghetti western “ Il mio corpo per un poker” (The Belle Starr Story) in 1968.

BROWN, George (aka George H. Brown, Lina Wertmüller Job, Lina Weltmuller, Lina Job Wertmuller, Lina Wertmuller, Nathan Wich, Lina Wertmuller) (Arcangela Felice Assunta Job Wertmüller von Elgg Espanol von Brauchich) [8/14/1928, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 12/9/2021, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – producer, director, assistant director, writer, actress, married to production designer, costume designer Enrico Job [1934-2008] (1965-2008) mother of  actress Maria Zulima Job [1991-    ].

The Belle Starr Story – 1968

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Jean Flori

Jean-Jacques Flori (also credited as Jacques Flori) was a French cinematographer and film director known for his contributions to French cinema during the second half of the 20th century.

Born in France in 1928, Flori established himself as a director of photography on various projects, including the short film “La cappadocce” (1962), the science-fiction feature “Spermula” (1976), and the historical adaptation “The Song of Roland” (1978). He also directed several works, most notably the 1982 film “Musique au poing”, along with earlier shorts such as “Les Razetteurs” (1964) and “Cités oubliées” (1968). His career encompassed a range of formats, from short films and television to feature-length productions, often blending documentary and narrative elements.

Flori died in France on 3 December 1997. He was 69 years old.

Jean Flori was the co-cinematographer on one Euro-western “Une aventure de Billy le Kid” (A Girl is a Gun) with Jean Gonnet in 1971.

FLORI, Jean (aka Jacques Flori) (Jean-Jacques Flori) [1928, France – 12/3/1997, France] – director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, actor.

A Girl is a Gun – 1971 (co)