Father's Day 2026

 

First Day of Summer 2026

 

From the WAI! vault

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Adriano Domínguez

 [These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Adriano Domínguez was a Spanish actor known for his prolific career in film and television spanning nearly five decades, during which he appeared in 150 films from 1945 to 1994.

Born on January 4, 1920, in León, Castilla y León, Spain, Domínguez initially pursued journalism studies before dedicating himself to acting, beginning his career in theater shortly after the Spanish Civil War with companies such as Teatro Infanta Isabel and Teatro Español, where he gained recognition in productions including works by Antonio Buero Vallejo. He transitioned to cinema in the mid-1940s, taking on supporting roles in numerous Spanish films, including “Los últimos de Filipinas” (1945), “Marcelino pan y vino” (1955), and “Tristana” (1970), as well as international co-productions.

His television work included appearances in series such as ‘Estudio 1 and Policía’. Domínguez also survived the GRAPO bombing of the California 47 café in Madrid on May 26, 1979, which killed nine people and injured dozens. He remained active until the 1990s.

He wrote Memoirs of an Actor, published in 1984 by Dyrsa, publisher of the newspaper El Alcázar, of the National Confederation of Combatants. He died at the "Virgen del Camino" Residence in León, on May 9, 2008. He was 88.

Adriano Domínguez appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “El hombre que mató a Billy el Niño” (A Few Bullets More) in 1967, “La salvaje venganza del Gringo” (One by One) as a Stuart hired hand.

DOMINGUEZ, Adriano (aka Adriano Domínguez) (Adriano Domínguez Fernández) [1/4/1920, León, Castilla y León, Spain – 5/9/2008, León, Castilla y León, Spain] – author, theater, film, TV actor.

A Few Bullets More - 1967

One by One – 1968 (Stuart hired hand)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

 Spaghetti Western Director ~ Renzo Genta

Renzo Genta is an Italian director, assistant director and writer born in Vercelli, Vercelli, Italy on January 14, 1941. He was an assistant director on thirteen films between 1966 and 1972, a writer on seven films from 1967 to 1979 and a director on one film which was also his only co-directed Spaghetti western “Jesse e Lester: due fratelli in un posto chiamoto Trinita” (Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity) with Richard Harrison in 1972.

GENTA, Renzo [1/14/1941, Vercelli, Vercelli, Italy -     ] – director, assistant director, writer.

Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity – 1972 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ 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 co-wrote screenplays for five Spaghetti westerns: “Uno sceriffo tutto d’oro” (A Golden Sheriff) with Roberto Gianvitiand Enzo Dell’Aquila in 1966, “Il figlio di Django” (The Son of Django) with Tito Carpi and Alessandro Ferraù and “Ric & Gian alla conquista del West” (Rick and John, Conquerors of the West) with Tito Carpi, Osvaldo Civirani and Alessandro Ferraù both in 1967, “T’ammazzo…raccomandati a Dio” (Dead for a Dollar) with Tito Carpi and Luciano Gregoretti in 1968 and “I due figli dei Trinità” (Two Sons of Trinity) in 1972.

CIVIRANI, Osvaldo (aka O. Civirani, Glen Eastman, Richard Kean) [5/19/1917, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 2/20/2008, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – producer, director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman.

A Golden Sheriff – 1966 (co)

The Son of Django – 1967 (co)

Rick and John, Conquerors of the West – 1967 (co)

Dead for a Dollar – 1968 (co)

Two Sons of Trinity – 1972

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ James Kenyon

James Kenyon was an English businessman and early film pioneer who, in partnership with Sagar Mitchell, became a leading figure in British non-fiction filmmaking during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England on May 26, 1850, Kenyon initially worked as a cotton spinner before inheriting and operating a cabinetmaking and furniture business, while also engaging in local Labour politics. In 1897, he formed the firm Mitchell and Kenyon with photographer Sagar Mitchell (1866–1952), trading under the name "Norden" and establishing premises in Blackburn to produce and exhibit films using their custom-built cinematograph.

The partnership specialized in short actuality films—typically around two minutes long—capturing everyday life in the North of England, including factory workers leaving mills, street scenes, sporting events, processions, and phantom rides from trams, often commissioned by traveling showmen for fairground and music hall screenings. Their output, which peaked between 1900 and 1905, encompassed over 800 non-fiction titles filmed across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, the Midlands, and parts of southern England, documenting Edwardian society with a focus on regional industries and leisure. Notable works include “Employees Leaving Williamson's Factory” (1901), “Newcastle United v. Liverpool” (1901), and “Blackpool North Pier” (1903), which vividly portray crowds, labor, and public events to engage local audiences. They also ventured into fictional and dramatized films, such as “Boer War” simulations and titles like “Diving Lucy” (1904), produced at an outdoor studio in Blackburn until activities waned after 1913.

Kenyon's contributions gained renewed recognition in the early 21st century following the 1994 rediscovery of approximately 800 original negatives from the partnership's collection, acquired by the British Film Institute in 2000 and preserved as a key archive of early British cinema. By 1904, trade press hailed Mitchell and Kenyon as one of Britain's leading film manufacturers, underscoring their role in commercializing non-fiction filmmaking and bridging photography with motion pictures in the pre-World War I era. Kenyon retired to Southport in 1915, dissolving the partnership in 1922, leaving a legacy of films that offer invaluable insights into working-class life and regional history.

James Kenyon was the cinematographer on one Euro-western, “Kidnapping by Indians” in 1899.

KENYON, James [5/26/1850, Blackburn, Lancashire, England, U.K. – 2/6/1925, Blackburn, Lancashire, England, U.K.] – producer, cinematographer, cameraman, married to Elizabeth Fell [1851-1931] (1872-19??), father of Gertrude L. Kenyon [1873-    19??] grandfather of the eminent diplomat Sir Frank Kenyon Roberts [1907-1998], co-founder of Mitchell & Kenyon Produtions aka Norden [1897-1922].

Kidnapping by Indians – 1899

They denounce the removal of several crosses related to Carlo Simi from the cemetery of Sad Hill

The crosses were missing on the 1st, but perhaps they have been missing for a long time.

[Crosses that refer to people linked to Carlo Simi.]

A group of promoters of the recovery of the Sad Hill Cemetery have denounced that, when they went on May 1 to carry out maintenance work, they found that he had removed the five crosses dedicated, at the request and authorization of the families, to Italian actors and film directors especially linked to the work of Carlo Simi, as well as the close link maintained with Italian associations and institutions.

Among them were those of actor, producer and film director Franco Nero and Bud Spencer, whose figure will be honored this summer on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his death.

Those affected speak of a "deliberate action" against a space that "had been recovered and dignified with effort and respect.

The removal of the crosses has been brought to the attention of the management of the Sabinares del Arlanza natural park and the City Council of Santo Domingo de Silos.

Who Are Those Singers & Musicians ~ Paolo Villaggio

 

Paolo Villaggio was an Italian actor, writer, comedian, singer and director best known for creating and portraying the character Ugo Fantozzi, a hapless accountant satirizing the petty tyrannies of office life, bureaucracy, and modern existence in a series of novels and films. Born in Genoa, Italy on December 30, 1932. He began his career in radio and television during the 1950s and 1960s, developing grotesque and paradoxical characters such as the sadistic Professor Kranz before achieving widespread acclaim with the publication of Fantozzi in 1971, which spawned thirteen sequels and a film franchise starting in 1975 that grossed significantly and defined an era of Italian comedy. Villaggio appeared in over 80 films and television productions, including roles in Federico Fellini's “The Voice of the Moon” (1990), earning him the David di Donatello Award for Best Actor that year, and received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 1992, recognizing his contributions to satirical cinema. His work often blended black humor with social critique, portraying the alienation and misfortunes of the average Italian amid post-war economic and cultural shifts.

VILLAGGIO, Paolo [12/30/1932, Genoa, Liguria, Italy - 7/3/2017, Rome, Lazio, Italy (diabetes)] – director, writer, film, TV actor, singer, married to Maura Albites [1924-    ] (1958-2017) father of Elisabetta Villagio [1959-    ], photojournalist Pierfrancesco Villagio [1965-    ].

In the Name of the Father – 1969 [sings "I quattro del pater noster" with Oreste Lionello]

Special Birthdays

Marcela Russu (actress) would have been 100 today but died in 2002.

Xavier Gélin (actor) would have been 80 today but died in 1999.

Patrice Moullet (composer) is 80 today.

 

From the WAI! vault

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Dorit Dom

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Dorit Dom was a German model and film actress. Born in Cologne sometime in the 1940s she appeared in seven films between 1966 and 1969 and was sometimes credited as Maria Dom. She graced the cover of several magazines. Then she disappeared either changing her profession, getting married or some other reason. I can find no biographical information on her.

Dorit Dom appeared in one Spaghetti western, “Donne alla frontiera” (The Tall Women) in 1966.

DOM, Dorit (aka Maria Dom) [194?, Cologne, Germany -     ] – model, film actress.

The Tall Women – 1966

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Luke Gasser

Luke Gasser was born on April 8, 1966, in Lungern, Obwalden, Switzerland. From 1983-1987 he trained as a sculptor at the University in Lucerne of Applied Sciences and Arts. Since 1991 Luke Gasser has been an independent Sculptor, Painter and Musician and since 1999 he has become more and more interested in Film. At the moment, he lives in Kaegiswil, Obwalden.

Luke Gasser directed two Euro-westerns: “Fremds Land” (Foreign Land) in 2002 and “ Bodmers Reise” (Bodmers Journey) in 2010.

GASSER, Luke [4/8/1966, Lugem, Switzerland -     ] - producer, director, writer, composer, cinematographer, film editor, actor, artist, politician, grandson of politician Hans Gasser [1902-1985], son of politician Hans-Heini Gasser [1932-2022], founding president of the Film Central Switzerland association [2009-2015].

Foreign Land – 2002

Bodmers Journey – 2010

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Sabatino Ciuffini

Sabatino Ciuffini was an Italian screenwriter and assistant director known for his contributions to popular genre cinema from the 1960s through the 1980s, including action-comedies and Spaghetti westerns. Born on October 21, 1920, in L'Aquila, Abruzzo, he began his film career in the early 1950s primarily as an assistant director before shifting focus to screenwriting in the following decade. He is particularly recognized for his long-standing collaboration with director Sergio Corbucci, contributing to several commercially successful films starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, such as “Odds and Evens” (1978) and “Super Fuzz” (1980).

Ciuffini's work spanned various Italian genres, including writing credits for Spaghetti westerns like “The Specialists” (Drop Them or I’ll Shoot) (1969) and “Sonny & Jed” (1972), as well as other action and comedy projects. He also served as assistant director on notable productions, including “Compañeros” (1970), and occasionally took on directing duties. His screenplays helped define a distinctive style of lighthearted yet action-oriented Italian films during the peak of the genre's popularity. Ciuffini died in 2003 in Italy at the age of 83.

Sabatino Ciuffini co-wrote screenplays for three Spaghetti westerns: “Gli specialist” (Drop Them or I’ll Shoot) with Sergio Corbucci in 1968, “Che c’enteriamo noi con la rivoluzione?” (What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution?) with Sergio Corbucci and Massimo Franciosa in 1971 and “J. and S. – storia criminale del far west” (Sonny & Jed in 1972 with Sergio Corbucci, Mario Amendola, Adriano Bolzoni, and José María Forqué

CIUFFINI, Sabatino [10/21/1920, L’Aquila, Abruzen, Italy – 2003, Italy] – director, assistant director, writer.

Drop Them or I’ll Shoot – 1968 (co)

What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution? – 1971 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Chris Keller

Christopher Keller is a German filmmaker. He’s directed, written, been a cinematographer and cameraman and written the music for several films including four Euro-westerns. His latest His latest western “Revolver of Doom” was presented and in competition at the 2025 Almeria Western Film Festival. He sometimes uses the alias Kitosch Keller.

Chris Keller has been a cinematographer on three Euro-westerns: “…And Then the Vultures Feast” in 2014, “Azagaya” in 2022 and “Revólver de perdición” (Revolver of Doom) in 2023 all of which he directed and wrote the screenplays.

KELLER, Chris (aka Kitosch Keller) (Christopher Keller) [German] – producer, director, writer, cinematographer, composer, musician, actor, founded KelTer Productions.

4 Hyenas for Djamango – 2013 [film was never made]

…And Then the Vultures Feast - 2014

Azgaya – 2022

Revolver of Doom - 2023

 

Sonny & Jed – 1972 (co)

Jack Taylor, the "American from Chamberí" who found his Far West in Madrid

Europe Press

June 13, 2026

Jack Taylor, the "American from Chamberí" who found his Far West in Madrid

Jack Taylor was born in Oregon, passed through Marilyn Monroe's Hollywood and ended up finding his Wild West in Madrid. The American actor, who died last May at the age of 99, arrived in Spain in the 60s and ended up putting down roots in the capital, to the point of earning the nickname "the American of Chamberí".

Behind that decision to stay was the western. This is how film director Víctor Matellano, a friend of the interpreter for 30 years who vindicates a lesser-known facet of Taylor, usually associated with fantasy cinema, remembers it. "What really makes him stay here is the western," he explained in an interview with Europa Press.

Taylor landed in Spain in 1961 with a Broadway musical comedy in a Mexican version. He was living in Mexico at the time, but ended up settling in Madrid, although from the capital he worked with directors such as John Milius or Roman Polanski, and shared a cast with performers such as Johnny Depp in 'The Ninth Door'.

Before becoming one of the recognizable faces of genre cinema in Spain, Matellano recalls that Taylor had started in Hollywood at the time of the unrepeatable Marilyn Monroe. The filmmaker also points out that the actor lived closely the world of great stars and shootings such as 'A Star Is Born', with Judy Garland.

FROM OREGON TO MADRID

Born in Oregon in 1926, Jack Taylor came into the world on his grandparents' ranch, with a biography already linked to the imaginary of the West. His great-grandfather was one of the founders of Oregon City, a friend of the real Wyatt Earp, and he met Billy the Kid. In addition, Taylor was an honorary member of the Sioux tribe, renamed Wamblí Glishká, "Spotted Eagle".

His real name was George Brown Randall, but the cinema first baptized him as Greg Martin (Mexico) and ended up turning him into Jack Taylor when he settled in Spain. "George Brown in the United States is like Juan Pérez here," joked the filmmaker.

The new name was used to boost his career in westerns. Even, according to Matellano, he played with the idea that he was Robert Taylor's nephew, "which was absolutely a lie."

The actor participated in titles linked to westerns such as 'The Last Rebel', 'Outlaw', 'Tomb of the Gunslinger', 'Uncas, the End of a Race', 'General Custer's Last Adventure', 'Joe Christmas', 'Trinidad and Bambino, Like Which', 'The Valley of Concavenator' and 'Print the Legend'.

A 30-YEAR FRIENDSHIP

Matellano remembers the beginning of his friendship with Taylor, whom he met when he was very young, in the 90s, after locating his phone in the old white pages. “Back then it was very easy: you looked for whoever you wanted, you called and that’s it,” he recalled.

She went to visit him at his home, in the district of Chamberí, and found “a super friendly man”. From that first meeting a friendship was born that lasted for 30 years. “There was a kind of friendly crush right away,” he said.

Taylor agreed to participate shortly after in one of his first short films and, according to Matellano, he did not want a small role, but the protagonist. He was already about 70 years old and ended up running around the Plaza de Ópera in a low-budget shoot.

Taylor also worked with him in theater and film. His last major starring role was in ‘WAX’, alongside Geraldine Chaplin and Jimmy Shaw. In addition, he participated in ‘The Valley of Concavenator’, one of his last appearances linked to the imaginary of the West.

“I’m still grieving because we were very, very friends,” he confessed in his conversation with Europa Press. As he has related, in recent years it was usual to have breakfast or snack together once a week and call each other every two days.

Matellano assures that Taylor was a decisive figure in his career. “I owe him everything because he was super young and he is one of those who helped me,” he said, before describing the world of show business as “a jungle” in which the American actor reached out to him.

TRIBUTE THIS SATURDAY IN HOYO DE MANZANARES

Hoyo de Manzanares will pay tribute this Saturday to actor Jack Taylor with the screening of 'The Tomb of the Gunslinger' (1964), by Amando de Ossorio, shot in the Golden City sets of Hoyo de Manzanares, together with the short film 'Print the Legend' (2023), directed by Víctor Matellano, co-scripted and narrated by Taylor himself and filmed in the Sad Hill cemetery, in Burgos.

'The Tomb of the Gunman' occupies a special place in Matellano's memory. According to the filmmaker, it was "a very strange western" because it was born as a thriller about bullfighters, but finally the producers proposed to move it to the West taking advantage of the fever of the genre.

After the screenings, there will also be a colloquium and the presentation of 'My 100 years of cinema', the memoirs of the performer edited by Sial-Pygmalion.

Víctor Matellano explained that the "most important" thing about this tribute is that "he was prepared" before his death. "Nothing of what had been agreed with him is going to vary, except that he is not going to be there," he said during his conversation with Europa Press.

The event will be presented by Manolo Fernández, from Radio Nacional, and will be attended by actress Claudia Gravi, a friend of Taylor and also linked to the filming of the West.

Spaghetti Western Locations for “Companeros”.

After the meeting between the students and the Swede the scene shifts outside where El Vasco is told that two of his men Miguel and Carlos have been found dead at the train station.

This scene was filmed in El Argamasón, Carboneras, Spain.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi Yasuda’s location site: http://y-yasuda.net/film-location.htm and Captain Douglas Film Locations http://www.western-locations-spain.com/

Special Birthdays

Dan Greenberg (actor) would have been 90 today but died in 2023.

Philippe Boa (actor) is 65 today.

Spaghetti Western Trivia ~ “God Forgives… I Don’t”

 

Despite rumors to the contrary, the credited composer for this movie was a noted Spanish composer in his own right. Ángel Oliver Pina who was born in Moyuela, Zaragoza, Spain on January 2, 1937 and died in Madrid on April 25, 2005 and won numerous music awards including the Gran Premio di Roma in 1965. The notion that he was a pseudonym of veteran Italian composer Carlo Rustichelli is a misconception. Music publisher CAM's copyright catalog (entry #517) registers the score to two separate composers, namely Carlo Rustichelli and Ángel Oliver Pina.

Juneteenth 2026

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Erich Dolz

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Erich Dolz was a German child actor who was born in Germany on December 7, 1955. He appeared in only one film that we know of and that was also his only Euro-western film, as Erik Johson in 1972’s “Tschetan” (Chetan, Indian Boy).

Dolz died in Germany on September 28, 2023 at the age of 68.

DOLZ, Erich [12/7/1955, Germany - 9/28/2023, Germany] – film actor.

Chetan, Indian Boy – 1972 (Erik Johnson)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Sergio Garrone

Sergio Garrone was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his work in exploitation cinema, particularly spaghetti westerns and controversial genre films during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Rome on April 15, 1925, he began his career as a screenwriter and assistant director before transitioning to directing low-budget genre pictures, often under pseudonyms such as Willy S. Regan.

Garrone became associated with several popular Italian exploitation cycles, starting with spaghetti westerns including ''Django the Bastard'' (1969) and ''No Room to Die'' (1969). In the 1970s, he directed gothic horror films starring Klaus Kinski, such as ''The Hand That Feeds the Dead'' (1974) and ''Lover of the Monster'' (1974), before directing the infamous nazisploitation pictures ''SS Experiment Love Camp'' (1976) and ''SS Lager 5: L'inferno delle donne'' (1977). These later works, produced with largely the same cast and crew, remain among his most notorious contributions to the exploitation genre.

He continued directing various low-budget films, including women-in-prison pictures, into the early 1980s before retiring from the industry around 1984. The brother of actor Riccardo Garrone, he passed away at the age of 98 in Tortola, Virgin Islands on July 12, 2023. His career exemplifies the prolific output of journeyman filmmakers in Italian popular cinema during its peak exploitation era.

Sergio Garrone directed six Spaghetti westerns: “Se vuoi vivere…spara!” (If You Want to Live... Shoot!) in 1967, “Tre croci per nopn morire” (No Graves on Boot Hill) in 1968, “Django il bastardo” (The Strangers Gundown) and “Una lunga fila di croci” (No Room to Die) both in 1969, “Uccidi Django… uccidi per primo!!! (Kill Django… Kill First) and “Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti” (Vendetta at Dawn) both in 1971.

GARRONE, Sergio (aka Kenneth Freeman, S. Garrone, William S. Regan, Willy R. Regan, Willy S. Regan, Willy Regan) [4/15/1925, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 7/12/2023, Tortola, Virgin Islands] – producer, production manager, director, writer, brother of producer, production manager, director, writer, actor Riccardo Garrone [1926-2016], married to Mari Garrone (19??-2023) father of Giorgio Garrone, Claudia Garrone.

If You Want to Live... Shoot! - 1967 [as Willy S. Regan]

No Graves on Boot Hill - 1968 [as Willy S. Regan]

No Room to Die – 1969 [as Willy S. Regan]

The Stranger’s Gundown – 1969 [as Willy S. Regan]

Dirty Dollars – 1970 [film was never made]

Kill Django... Kill First - 1971 [as William S. Regan]

Vendetta at Dawn – 1971 [as Willy S. Regan]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Claudio Cirri

Claudio Cirri is an Italian producer, director, writer, SFX specialist and actor. He was born in Firenze, Tuscany, Italy on January 16, 1979. Claudio’s cinema is a tribute to the Great American Frontier. Over the years, he has dedicated his career to the Western genre, completing five short films that explore its timeless themes. His journey began with 'The Loot' (California Film Award 2014) and reached a milestone at the 2021 Almería Western Film Festival, where 'Abigail' was awarded the Jury Prize. With his latest project 'DUES', Claudio reinforces his commitment to the genre, bringing his Italian heritage and Hollywood dreams to the screen through powerful visuals and atmospheric storytelling.

Claudio Cirri has written screenplays for three Euro-westerns: “The Loot” in 2012, “Abigail” in 2021 and “Gallows Ridge” in 2024.

CIRRI, Claudio [1/16/1979, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy -     ] – producer, director, writer, SFX, actor,

The Loot – 2012

Abigail - 2021

Gallows Ridge – 2024

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Rolf Kastel

Rolf Kästel was a German cinematographer known for his work as director of photography on prominent German television crime series and feature films from the 1960s through the 1980s. He contributed to several enduring productions in the German-speaking audiovisual industry, establishing himself as a reliable and prolific figure in cinematography during the post-war era and beyond.

Born on December 16, 1919, in Cologne, Germany, Kästel pursued a career in film and television that spanned multiple decades, collaborating on both cinematic features and episodic television. His portfolio includes notable crime dramas such as “Derrick” and “Der Kommissar”, as well as adventure and action films like “Pirates of the Mississippi”, “Agent 505 - Todesfalle Beirut”, and “Countdown to Doomsday”.

Kästel's technical skill supported a wide range of storytelling in German popular media, particularly in the ZDF and other broadcaster productions that defined the era's television landscape. He died on June 26, 1987 in Munich, Germany at the age of 68.

Rof Kastel was the cinematographer on one Euro-western, “Due Flußpiraten vom Mississippi) (Pirates of the Mississippi) in 1963.

KASTEL, Rolf (aka Rolf Kästel) [12/16/1919, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany – 6/26/1987, Munich, Unterhaching, Bavaria, Germany] – cinematographer, cameraman.

Pirates of the Mississippi – 1963

"Trinity is STILL My Name", all the curiosities about the film you didn't know

 From poker with fake hands to Italian locations transformed into the Wild West: the cult with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill continues to conquer the public even after more than 50 years

Donna Moderna

By Redazione

30.05.2026

There are films that seem to cross time without losing their charm. ... They kept calling it Trinity, sequel to the famous comedy western with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, is one of them. Released in 1971 and directed by E.B. Clucher, pseudonym of Enzo Barboni, the film has become a fixture on Italian TV over the years, thanks to a perfect mix of slapstick comedy, chases, fistfights and memorable jokes.

To this day, audiences continue to follow him with affection, generation after generation. Behind the most iconic scenes, however, there are many little-known backstories. From the footage shot between Abruzzo and Molise to the tricks used in the famous poker game, here are the most interesting curiosities about the film broadcast on Saturday 30 May on Rete 4.

Where "They kept calling him Trinity" was filmed

Although the story is set in the American Old West, much of the film was shot in Italy. The vast plains that represent California in the film are in fact located between Abruzzo and Lazio.

Many scenes were shot in Campo Imperatore, on the Gran Sasso plateau, one of the symbolic places of Italian spaghetti westerns. Some sequences were instead shot in the plain of Camposecco, near Camerata Nuova, already used in the first They Call Me Trinity.

The mission of the friars, one of the most important places in the film, no longer exists. It had been rebuilt in the De Laurentiis factories on the Via Pontina, on the outskirts of Rome. Molise also appears in the film: some scenes along the river were shot on the banks of the Volturno, near Venafro.

These landscapes helped to create that dusty and ironic atmosphere that made Enzo Barboni's western unique.

Trinity's poker? The hands were not Terence Hill's

He was the one who created the most complex card games, including the very rapid shuffling and fanned openings. In some interviews, Binarelli said that to differentiate the hands of the various characters, the crew even went so far as to make up his fingers.

Shooting that scene took three days of work. According to the magician, the set was interrupted several times because the actors burst out laughing during filming.

A resounding box office success

When it was released in Italian cinemas in 1971, … They kept calling him Trinity, he was a real phenomenon. The film became the highest-grossing film of the 1971-72 film season and won over millions of viewers.

With over 14 million tickets sold in Italy, the film is still among the most viewed in the history of Italian cinema. A huge result, especially considering that the western at the time was experiencing a phase of change.

The success also contributed to definitively consecrating Bud Spencer and Terence Hill as the symbolic couple of Italian action comedy. After the film, the two actors continued to work together in films that became cult, always maintaining that dynamic made up of brawls, irony and brotherly affection.

How Bud Spencer and Terence Hill changed the Italian western

One of the most famous scenes in the film is undoubtedly that of the poker game between Trinity and Wild Cat Hendriks. The spectacular evolutions with the cards left the audience speechless, but there is a detail that many do not know.

The hands you see during virtuosity were not those of Terence Hill. In fact, the movements were performed by Tony Binarelli, a very famous illusionist and magician in the seventies

Before the arrival of Trinity, spaghetti westerns had much harsher and more dramatic tones. The protagonists were often lone gunslingers, marked by revenge or violence.

Enzo Barboni completely changed register. With Him they called Him Trinity… before and… They kept calling him Trinity then, he turned the western into a popular comedy full of physical humor, bewildered characters and surreal scenes.

Child and Trinity were not classical heroes. They were messy, lazy, improvised and often unable to behave like real bandits. It was precisely this humanity of theirs that conquered the public.

The film also helped define the cinematic image of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill that viewers would find again in the following years: one big and gruff, the other cunning and smiling, but both always on the side of the weakest.

The restored full version arrived on blu-ray

Over the years, the film has often been broadcast on television in shortened versions. Some scenes, in fact, had been eliminated in the home video editions and in the TV passages.

In 2016, a new DVD edition was released that recovered the cut sequences. More recently, in February 2026, the film arrived for the first time on restored and unabridged blu-ray, with a full runtime of 126 minutes.

An operation that allowed fans to rediscover the film in its version most faithful to the original theatrical release.

...Trinity is STILL My Name continues to be a cult

The secret of the success of ... They kept calling him Trinity, perhaps it lies precisely in his simplicity. The film does not focus on special effects or great twists, but on characters still capable of making you smile today.

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill have created an unrepeatable couple, which has entered the Italian collective memory. And each TV rerun continues to bring viewers of different ages back to the screen, united by the same desire to laugh.

Spaghetti Western Voices “Ringo the Lone Rider”

As we know most of the Euro-westerns were co-productions from Italy, Spain, Germany and France which incorporated British and American actors to gain a worldwide audience. The films were shot silent and then dubbed into the various languages where they were sold for distribution. That means Italian, Spanish, German, French and English voice actors were hired to dub the films. Even actors from the countries where the film was to be shown were often dubbed by voice actors for various reasons such as the actors were already busy making another film, they wanted to be paid additional salaries for dubbing their voices, the actor’s voice didn’t fit the character they were playing, accidents to the actors and in some cases even death before the film could be dubbed.

I’ll list a Euro-western and the (I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German and (F) French, (E) English voices that I can find and once in a while a bio on a specific voice actor as in Europe.

Today we’ll cover “Ringo the Lone Rider”

[(I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German, (F) French, (E) English

Dan Blake/Capt. Bly/Ringo – Peter Martell (I) Cesare Barbetti, (S) José Guardiola, (G) Viktor Neumann

Daniel G. Samuelson – Piero Lulli (I) Giuseppe Rinaldi, (S) José María Cordero, (G) Erich Räuker

Lucy Corbett - Dyanik Zurakowska (I) Vittoria Febbi, (S) Maite Santamarina, (G) ?

Kid Michael - Paolo Herzl (I) Massimo Turci, (S) Rafael Romero Marchent, (G) ?

Bill Anderson - Armando Calvo (I) Riccardo Mantoni, (S) Armando Calvo, (G) Jan Spitzer

Major Corbett - Jesús Puente (I) Luigi Vannucchi, (S) Jesús Puente, (G) Tilo Schmitz

Viktor Neumann  (1958 -    )

Viktor Neumann was born on August 14, 1958, in Cologne, Germany. He is a German actor and voice actor as well as a speaker of radio plays and audiobooks.

Neumann grew up in Schildgen and completed his training at the Folkwang University in Essen. He was then engaged for seven years at the Schauspielhaus Dortmund. Further engagements followed at the Stadttheater Trier and the Renaissance-Theater Berlin.

In the fantasy series “Merlin – The New Adventures” he was the voice of the character Sir Gwaine. He is frequently heard as the voice of Alan Cumming  in “The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas”, “Garfield – The Film”, “Ripley Under Ground” and the series ‘The L Word – When Women Love Women’ and Benoît Magimel (“The Purple Rivers 2 – The Angels of the Apocalypse”, “The Secret of the Geisha”). He’s also the German voice of Jon Cryer in shorts and in ‘Two and a Half Men’, and Andrew Lincoln in the television series ‘The Walking Dead’.

Special Birthdays

Ingeborg Krabbe (actress) would have been 95 today but died in 2017.

Bob Creese (actor) would have been 90 today but died in 1998.

Jon Lord (composer) would have been 85 today but died in 2012.

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Giovanni Dolfini

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Giovanni Dolfini was an Italian stage, film, and television actor and director, active primarily from the silent era through the mid-20th century. Born in Venice, Italy on January 8, 1885, he built a career spanning over five decades, appearing in more than 38 productions, often in supporting or character roles that highlighted his versatility in Italian cinema and early television. His work frequently featured in adaptations of classic literature, contributing to the post-war revival of Italian film and broadcast media.

Dolfini's directorial debut came with the 1920 silent film Dopo, where he also starred, marking an early highlight in his multifaceted involvement in the industry. Notable acting credits include portrayals in television miniseries such as ‘Les Misérables’ (1964) as Mabeuf and ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (1966) as an elderly gentleman, alongside films like “Sleeping Beauty” (1942) and “Torna!” (1954). His career reflected the evolution of Italian entertainment, from mute cinema to sound films and TV, often collaborating with prominent directors in the neorealist and classical traditions. Dolfini passed away in Rome at the age of 83 on December 9, 1968, leaving a legacy of steady contributions to Italy's cultural output.

Giovanni Dolfini appeared in thirty-eight films and television appearances from 1911 to 1966. He also directed one film “Dopo” in 1920.

Giovanni Dolfini appeared in one Spaghetti western, “Il sogno di Zorro” (The Dream of Zorro) as Don Alonso in 1951

DOLFINI, Giovanni (G. Dolfini) [1/8/1885, Venice, Veneto, Italy – 12/9/1968, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – director, theater film, TV actor.

The Dream of Zorro – 1951 (Don Alonzo)