Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Osvaldo Civirani

Osvaldo Civirani was an Italian filmmaker, still photographer, producer, cinematographer, screenwriter, and author known for his work in genres such as peplum, Spaghetti westerns, and thrillers during the 1960s and 1970s.

Born in Rome on May 19, 1917, Civirani began his career in the film industry as a still photographer and camera operator, contributing to over 200 films from 1935 to 1965, including notable films like “Don Camillo e l'on. Peppone” (1955). By 1963, he transitioned into directing, helming around 20 films under his own name and pseudonyms such as Richard Kean and Glenn Eastman, often blending adventure, erotic, and action elements.

Among his most recognized directorial works are “The Devil with Seven Faces” (1971), a psychological thriller starring Rosalba Neri, and “Lucrezia” (1968), an erotic historical drama. He also produced and wrote screenplays for several projects, including “Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun” (1964) and “Il pavone nero” (1975), frequently collaborating with Italian and international talent in low-budget yet genre-defining cinema, and author of two autobiographical books on his career (1995, 2003). Civirani's multifaceted contributions helped shape the vibrant landscape of post-war Italian B-movies, though his output tapered off in the late 1970s.

Civirani died in Rome on February 20, 2008 at the age of 90.

Osvaldo Civirani directed five Spaghetti western: “Uno sceriffo tutto d’oro” (A Golden Sheriff) in 1966m “Ric & Gian alla conquista del West” (Rick and John, Conquerors of the West) and “Il figlio di Django” (Son of Django) both in 1967, “T’ammazzo…raccomandati a Dio” (Dead for a Dollar) in 1968, “I due figli dei Trinità” (Two Sons of Trinity) in 1971.

CIVIRANI, Osvaldo (aka O. Civirani, Glen Eastman, Richard Kean) [5/19/1917, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 2/20/2008, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – producer, director, author, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, married to ? father cameraman Dante DiPalma [19??-197?]

A Golden Sheriff – 1966 [as Richard Kean]

Rick and John, Conquerors of the West - 1967

The Son of Django - 1967

Dead for a Dollar – 1968

Two Sons of Trinity – 1971 [as Glenn Eastman/Richard Kean

The Return of the Two Trinities – 1972 [as Richard Kean] [Film was never made.]

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Roméo Bosetti

Romeo Bosetti was born in Chiari, Brescia, Italy on January 18, 1879. He was an Italian-born French actor, director, screenwriter, and film producer who played a pivotal role in the development of early cinema comedy during the silent film era. He began his entertainment career as a child performer in circuses, later transitioning to mime, acrobatics, and stage work in Parisian theaters and dance halls. By 1906, Bosetti entered the film industry, initially at Gaumont Studios under directors Alice Guy and Louis Feuillade, where he specialized in chase films before excelling in burlesque and farce genres that featured absurd situations and character-driven humor.

Bosetti's career gained momentum with the creation of popular comedic series at Gaumont, including the Roméo series—starring himself as the hapless protagonist in shorts like “Roméo pris au piège” (1906) and “Roméo a mangé du lion” (1907)—and the Calino series, featuring Clément Migé in films such as “Calino au théâtre “(1909) and “Calino se bat en duel” (1910). Among his notable early works are the classics “Le Tic” (1907), a farce about a woman's involuntary winking tic, and “Une dame vraiment bien” (1908), which satirized social pretensions through mistaken identities. In 1910, Pathé recruited him to lead its new comedy division, Pathé Comica, in Nice, where he directed over 100 films between 1912 and 1916 and launched additional series like Rosalie (starring Sarah Duhamel, 1912), Bigorneau (with René Lantini, 1912–1915), Casmir (1913–1916), and Gavroche (1912–1914). He also established his own production unit, Nizza, within Pathé, emphasizing working-class settings and narrative-driven comedy that advanced the genre beyond isolated gags.

His prolific output was interrupted by World War I service, from which he was discharged due to injury, allowing him to resume filmmaking postwar. He died in Suresnes, France on October 27, 1948 at the age of 69. Influenced by contemporaries like André Deed and Louis Feuillade, Bosetti's work bridged vaudeville traditions with emerging cinematic storytelling, contributing significantly to the evolution of French film comedy in its formative years.

Roméo Bosetti wrote the screenplay for one Euro-western “Roméo cow-boy” in 1908 which he also directed and starred in.

BOSETTI, Roméo (Romolus Joseph Bosetti) [1/18/1879, Chiari, Brescia, Italy - 10/27/1948, Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, France] - producer, director, screenwriter, acrobat, stuntman, actor, son of circus performers Giovanni Baresi, Filomena Baresi, brother of dancer Henriette Baresi, Founded Nizza Productions.

Roméo cow-boy – 1908

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Dario Di Palma

Dario Di Palma was born in Rome on November 6, 1932. He was an Italian cinematographer renowned for his contributions to cinema and television, particularly in the mid-20th century Italian film industry. Born and raised in Rome, he began his career in the 1950s as a camera operator and assistant cameraman on notable productions such as Michelangelo Antonioni's “Red Desert” (1964) and the epic “The Last Days of Pompeii” (1959), before transitioning to director of photography roles in the 1960s. His breakthrough came with films like Florestano Vancini's “Seasons of Our Love” (1966) and Vittorio De Seta's “Almost a Man” (1966), establishing his reputation for capturing nuanced visuals in Italian arthouse cinema. Among his most celebrated works is Federico Fellini's “The Clowns” (1970), a mockumentary where Di Palma's cinematography vividly evoked the whimsical yet melancholic world of circus life. Later in his career, he extended his expertise to television miniseries and features such as “Toxic Love” (1983) and “Bello di mamma” (1980), amassing credits on 49 projects as cinematographer. As the nephew of acclaimed cinematographer Carlo Di Palma, he carried forward a family legacy in the field, earning two nominations for the Silver Ribbon for Best Cinematography (B/W) in 1967 for “Seasons of Our Love” and “Un uomo a metà” before his death in Rome at age 71 on October 24, 2004.

Dario Di Palma was a cinematographer on two Spaghetti westerns: “Due contro tutti” (The Terrible Sheriff) with Ricardo Torres in 1962 and “Gli specialist” (Drop Them or I’ll Shoot) in 1968.

Di PALMA, Dario [11/6/1932, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 10/24/2004, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – cinematographer, cameraman, nephew of cinematographer Carlo Di Palma [1925-2004], cousin of production designer, costume designer Valentina Di Palma.

The Terrible Sheriff – 1962 (co)

Drop Them or I’ll Shoot – 1968