Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Robert Hossein

Robert Hossein (born Robert Hosseinoff; was a French actor, director, and writer of Iranian descent, renowned for his contributions to cinema and theatre.

Born in Paris on December 30, 1927, to composer André Hossein, an Iranian Zoroastrian, and a mother of Russian origin, Hossein trained at the René Simon acting school and debuted on stage in his teens before transitioning to film. He gained prominence in French cinema through roles portraying brooding villains, such as in the crime thriller “Rififi” (1955), and later directed notable works including the 1982 television adaptation of Victor Hugo's ‘Les Misérables’, which earned critical acclaim for its scale and fidelity to the source material. Hossein's career spanned over six decades, encompassing acting in over 100 films, directing theatrical productions, and managing cultural institutions like the Théâtre de Reims, where he promoted accessible popular theatre. He passed away from COVID-19 complications one day after his 93rd birthday on December 31, 2020.

Robert Hossein directed two Spaghetti westerns: “Le goût de la violence” (The Taste of Violence) in 1960 and “Une corde… un colt” (Cemetery Without Crosses ) in 1968.

HOSSEIN, Robert (Robert Hosseinoff) [12/30/1927, Paris, Île-de-France, France - 12/31/2020, Essey-lès-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle France (COVID-19)] – producer, director, writer, actor, son of composer, conductor André Hossein (André Hosseinoff) [ - 1983], married to actress Marina Vlady (Marina Catherine De Poliakoff-Baidarov) [1938-    ] (1955-1960) father of actor Igor Hossein [1956-    ], actor Pierre Hossein [1958-    ], married to writer Caroline Eliacheff [1947-    ] (1962-1964) father of actor Nicolas Hossein [1963-    ], married to actress Candice Patou (Michèle Pauline Patou) [1947-    ] (1976-2020) father of producer, assistant director, writer, actor Julien Hossein [1976-    ].

The Taste of Violence - 1960

Cemetery Without Crosses – 1968

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Fabrizio De Angelis

Fabrizio De Angelis was born on November 15, 1940, in Rome, Italy. He is an Italian film producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his contributions to low-budget exploitation cinema, particularly in the horror and action genres during the 1970s and 1980s.

De Angelis entered the film industry after working as a mailman, beginning his production career in the mid-1970s with films in the erotic and adventure genres before shifting toward horror and post-apocalyptic action. He founded the production company Fulvia Film and collaborated extensively with prominent Italian directors, including producing several key works for Lucio Fulci such as “Zombie Flesh-Eaters” (1979), “The Beyond” (1981), and “The House by the Cemetery” (1981), as well as Joe D'Amato's Emanuelle series.

As a director, often under the pseudonym Larry Ludman to appeal to international markets, De Angelis helmed action films like “1990: The Bronx Warriors” (1982) and “Escape from the Bronx” (1983), along with creature features such as “Killer Crocodile” (1989). His work exemplified the fast-paced, commercially driven style of Italian B-movies, contributing to the global popularity of Eurotrash cinema despite often facing distribution challenges due to censorship and violence.

Fabrizio De Angelis wrote screenplays for four Euro-westerns: “Thunder” (Thunder Warrior) in 1983, “Thunder II” (Thunder Warrior II) with Dardano Sacchetti in 1985, “Thunder III” (Thunder Warrior III) with Dardano Sacchetti in 1987 and “Arizona violenta” (Arizona Road) with Vincenzo Mannino in 1990.

De ANGELIS, Fabrizio (aka David Colby, Larry Ludman, Ted Russell) [11/15/1940, Rome, Lazio, Italy -     ] – producer, production manager, director, writer, songwriter, SFX, actor, founded Fulvia Films.

Thunder Warrior – 1983 (co)

Thunder Warrior II – 1985 (co)

Thunder Warrior III – 1987 (co)

Arizona Road – 1990 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Erico Menczer

Erico Menczer was an Italian cinematographer, painter, photographer, and writer, renowned for his extensive contributions to over 100 films in Italian cinema, spanning roles from camera operator to director of photography.

Born in Fiume, Italy on May 8, 1926, Menczer developed an early passion for photography and cinema, beginning his career as a cameraman at Cinecittà studios in Rome in 1951 under Gianni di Venanzo. He collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni on films like “Le amiche” (1955) and “Il grido” (1957) as a camera operator and later transitioned to director of photography in 1960.

Among his most notable works as cinematographer are “Il federale” (1961), “La voglia matta” (1962), “Il gatto a nove code” (1971) directed by Dario Argento, “Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina” (1972) by Marco Bellocchio, and the blockbuster comedy “Fantozzi” (1975) by Luciano Salce, which became one of Italy's top-grossing films of its era. He also contributed to international projects, including the TV adaptation of Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad for American public television, and taught cinematography and visual arts at Roman film schools in the 1980s and 1990s.

Beyond film, Menczer pursued painting starting in 1982, primarily using acrylics, with exhibitions in Rome in 1985, 1993, 1998, and 1999; he also authored short stories, poetry, novels such as Tutto ebbe inizio... and Facciamo finta di niente, and a memoir Una vita messa a fuoco published shortly before his death in Rome on March 10, 2012. He was 85.

Erico Menczer was a cinematographer on one Euro-western “Zanna Bianca” (White Fang), with Pablo Ripoll in 1973

MENCZER, Erico (Eric Meczer) [5/8/1926, Fiume, Istria, Italy - 3/10/2012, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – cinematographer, cameraman, writer, artist.

White Fang – 1973 (co)