Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Emilio Graziani-Walter

Emilio Graziani-Walter was an Italian director, writer and actor. He directed thirty-one films between 1915-1921, he appeared as an actor in seven films between 1913 and 1921 and wrote the screenplay for two short films in 1916. I can find no biographical information on him and he’s not listed in Italian Film: A Who’s Who.

Graziani directed one Euro-western, “Buffalo Bill” in 1920

GRAZIANI-WALTER, Emilio [Italian] – director, writer, actor.

Buffalo e Bill – 1920

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Melchiade Coletti

Melchiade Coletti was an Italian screenwriter and film director known for his work in 1960s and 1970s Italian genre cinema, particularly in Western and thriller films.

Born on October 25, 1922, in Rome, Coletti contributed screenplays to several Spaghetti westerns, including ''Seven Dollars to Kill'' (1966) and ''Gentleman Killer'' (1967), often under variant credits such as Mel Collins or Melchiade Coletti-Franciolini his birth name. He later directed and co-wrote the thriller ''Fear Runs Deep'' (1976), marking one of his primary efforts in adventure and suspense genres. Coletti spent much of his career in Rome's film industry, collaborating on low-budget productions typical of the era's Italian exploitation cinema.

Coletti died on September 19, 1997, in Rome a month shy of turning 75.

Melchiade Coltetti co-wrote the screenplay for one Spaghetti western “7 dollari sul rosso” (Seven Dollars to Kill) with Juan Cobos. He also supplied the Italian dialogue for “Gentleman Jo... uccidi” (Gentleman Killer) in 1967.

COLETTI, Melchiade (aka Mel Collins) (Melchiade Coletti-Franciolini) [10/25/1922, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 9/19/1997, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – director, writer.

Seven Dollars to Kill – 1966 (co) [as Mel Collins]

Gentleman Killer – 1967 [Italian dialogue]

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Federico Larraya

Federico Gutiérrez-Larraya Planas was born in Madrid, Spain on December 11, 1919. He was a Spanish cameraman and cinematographer. He was a cameraman on five films between 1946 and 1966. He was a cinematographer on seventy-four films between 1948 and 1982. He started working in film in 1940 as a collaborator on the NO-DO newsreels. In 1950 he made his debut as director of photography and throughout the 1960s and 1970s he managed to accumulate over 50 titles on his curriculum. He worked with directors of the stature of Julio Salvador, Pedro Luis Ramírez and José Luis Sáenz de Heredia, among others. “Apartado de correos 1001” (1950), “El tigre de Chamberí” (1958), “Per un pugno di dollari” (1964) “El alma serena” (1969) and “Don Erre que Erre” (1970) are just a few of the titles on which he worked as director of photography.

For television he shot such well-known programmes as 'La casa de los Martínez' and 'Historias para no dormir'. He was also director of photography on the famous film by Antonio Mercero entitled 'La cabina' (1972).

Federico died in Spain in 2004 at the age of 84.

Federico Larraya was a cinematographer on three Spaghetti westerns, “Per un pugno di dollari” (A Fistful of Dollars) with Massimo Dallamano in 1964, “Centomila dollari per Ringo” ($100,000 for Ringo) and “Die Hölle von Manitoba” (A Place Called Glory) both in 1965.

LARRAYA, Federico (aka Federico Larraya, Federico G. Larraya, Federico Gutiérrez Larraya) (Federico Gutiérrez-Larraya Planas) [12/11/1919, Madrid, Madrid, Spain – 2004, Spain] – cinematographer, cameraman, son of painter Tomás Gutiérrez-Larraya y Díaz de la Campa [1886-1968], brother of cinematographer Aurelio Larraya [1921-1992], married to ? father of Beatriz Larraya, awarded an Honorary Goya lifetime achievement [1996].

A Fistful of Dollars – 1964 (co)

$100,000 for Ringo – 1965

A Place Called Glory – 1965