Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Ralph Gideon

Sheldon Reynolds was born on December 10, 1923, and was an American television producer best known for his involvement in the Sherlock Holmes franchise. In 1954, he produced one of the first television shows to feature the Holmes and Watson characters, which (except in two instances) did not directly adapt Conan-Doyle's original Holmes stories for Sherlock Holmes. It starred Ronald Howard as Holmes, and Howard Marion-Crawford as Watson.

In the 1970s, Reynolds attempted to acquire a license to produce direct adaptations of the stories. At that time, the rights were in the hands of the Royal Bank of Scotland, which acquired them after the previous owner defaulted on a loan. Reynolds successfully formed a consortium which acquired the rights at auction. Much of the money for the consortium came from the family of Reynold's then-wife, Andrea Reynolds-Plunket. After their divorce in 1990, she pursued the ownership of the American copyright in a number of court cases, but her claims were rejected. Reynolds would go on to direct and produce several TV series and a handful of films.

In the 1957-1958 season, Reynolds became executive producer of an American sitcom filmed in England, ‘Dick and the Duchess’, starring Patrick O'Neal and Hazel Court. He also, as Ralph Gideon, directed his only Euro-western “A Place Called Glory” starring Lex Barker, Pierre Brice and Marianna Koch.

Reynolds died of emphysema on January 25, 2003, in New York City. He was 79.

As Ralph Gideon Sheldon Reynolds directed one Spaghetti western, "Die Hölle von Manitoba" (A Place Called Glory) in 1965.

GIDEON, Ralph (aka Sheldon Reynolds) (Sheldon Morton Rosen) [12/10/1923, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. – 1/25/2003, Livingston Manor, New York, U.S.A. (emphysema)] – producer, director, writer, married to actress Andrea Plunket (Andréa Barbara Milos) [1937-2016] (1972-1990)

A Place Called Glory - 1965

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ E.B. Clucher

Enzo Barboni was born in Rome on July 10, 1922. Although best known as the director of the Trinity films as E.B. Clucher, the surname of his grandmother, Enzo Barboni started out in the film business as a cameraman and cinematographer.

He began to work in film at a very young age, serving as a war correspondent on Eastern Front of World War II, and starting work as a camera operator in 1942. In 1961 he advanced to a career as cinematographer, working several times with director Sergio Corbucci and gaining a well-respected reputation.

He made his directorial debut in 1970 with the serious western “Chuck Moll” (The Unholy Four), which had little success. Undaunted, he decided to make his next film a slapstick parody of the Spaghetti Western phenomenon. The result, “They Call Me Trinity”, was an enormous hit and made superstars out of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. The three reunited the next year for the even more successful sequel “Trinity Is STILL My Name!”, which became, up to that point, the highest grossing Italian movie ever.

Barboni never strayed from his successful formula; his subsequent films were all slapstick comedies and almost all featured either Hill or Spencer. This collaboration produced numerous hits, but when Hill and Spencer's careers started to wane, so did Barboni's. In 1994 he wanted to direct “Troublemakers”, which was to be the "swan song" of the duo, but Terence Hill insisted on directing instead. The next year Barboni tried to revive the formula with “Sons of Trinity”, which proved to be a disaster at the box-office.

After this disappointment, Barboni retired. He died in Rome, at age 79 on June 23, 2002.

As E.B Clucher, Enzo Barboni directed six Spaghetti westerns: “Ciakmull, l’uomo della vendetta” (The Unholy Four) in 1969, “Lo chiamavano Trinità...” in 1970, “...continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità” (Trinity Is STILL My Name!) in 1971, “E poi lo chiamarono il Magnifico” (Man of the East) in 1972, “Renegade, un osso troppo duro” (They Call Me Renegade) in 1987 and “Trinita & Bambino… e adesso tocca a noi” (Sons of Trinity) in 1994.

Enzo Barboni as E.B. Clucher wrote screenplays for four Spaghetti westerns: “Lo chiamavano Trinità...” in 1970, “Gli fumavano le colt…lo chiamavano Camposanto“ (Bullet for a Stranger and “...continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità” (Trinity Is STILL My Name!) both in 1971 and “E poi lo chiamarono il Magnifico” (Man of the East) in 1972

CLUCHER, E.B. (aka E.B. Clutcher) (Enzo Barboni) [7/10/1922, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 6/23/2002, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – boxer, stuntman, director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, SFX, brother of cinematographer Leonida Barboni [1909-1970], married to Irma Gazzi Barboni (195?-19??) father of writer, Marco Barboni [1952-    ].

They Call Me Trinity - 1970

Bullet for a Stranger – 1971

Trinity is STILL My Name – 1971

Man of the East – 1972

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Franz Koch

Franz Koch was a German cinematographer known for his prolific career in German cinema, spanning the silent era through the post-World War II period.

Born Franz Paul Koch on September 1, 1898, in Munich, Germany, he entered the film industry in 1913 and established himself as a director of photography from the 1920s onward, becoming one of the most active cinematographers in German-language productions. His work extended across several decades, capturing silent films in the 1920s, sound productions in the 1930s and 1940s, and numerous post-war films until his death on April 28, 1959, in Munich. Koch's extensive experience kept him in demand throughout his career, contributing to a broad range of genres and helping shape the visual style of many German films during a transformative time in the industry.

Notable works include silent films such as “Der Schuss im Pavillon” (1925), as well as later productions like “Die Geierwally” (1956) and “Ballerina” (1956). He occasionally ventured into acting and even wrote and directed the short film “Lied der Landstrasse” (1950), though his primary legacy remains his cinematography

Franz Koch was a cinematographer on two Euro-westerns: “Sergeant Berry und der Zufall” (Sergeant Berry) in 1938 and “Wasser für Canitoga” (Water for Canitoga) with Josef Illig in 1939.

KOCH, Franz (Franz Paul Koch) [9/1/1898, Munich, Bavaria, Germany – 4/28/1959, Munich, Bavaria, Germany (stomach infection)] – director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, film actor.

Sergeant Berry - 1938

Water for Canitoga – 1939 (co)