Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Gilbert Lee Kay

 Gilbert Lee Kay was an alias used by Spanish director, writer, cinematographer and actor José Briz Méndez who was born in (Málaga, Spain on December 1, 1938. He worked on films such as “Comanche blanco” (1968), starring Jospeh Cotten, or the documentary biopic “Sara, una estrella” (2002), in which he collects the life and work of Sara Montiel, stand out in his production as a director.

After abandoning his medical career, he began studying audiovisual directing at the Institute of Cinematographic Research and Experiences (IIEC). However, he never formally ended them. That did not prevent him from making a series of short films and becoming a professional in the sector. In 1968 he filmed “Ragan”, co-directed with Luciano Sacripanti. It was an action-adventure piece starring American star Ty Hardin.

In the same way, he directed audiovisual pieces for television such as ‘Del Miño al Bidasoa’ (1990).

José Briz Méndez died in Madrid, Spain on January 14, 2015 at the age of 76.

As Gilbert Lee Kay, José Briz Méndez directed one Spaghetti western, “Comanche blanco” (White Comanche) in 1968.

KAY, Gilbert Lee (aka Jose Briz, José Briz) (José Briz Méndez) [12/1/1938, Málaga, Málaga, Andalucía, Spain – 1/14/2015, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – director, assistant director, writer, cinematographer, actor.

White Comanche – 1968

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Alberto De Martino

Alberto De Martino was an Italian film director and screenwriter best known for crafting low-budget genre movies that cleverly imitated popular Hollywood formulas, spanning peplum epics, spaghetti westerns, spy thrillers, horror, and action-adventure films.

Born in Rome on June 12, 1929, to a father who worked as a film make-up artist, De Martino began his career as a child actor in minor roles before studying law and transitioning into the industry in the early 1950s as an assistant editor, assistant director, and screenwriter, including contributions to an Italian television adaptation of ‘The Three Musketeers’. His directorial debut came with the sword-and-sandal epic “The Invincible Gladiator” in 1961, quickly followed by other mythological adventures like “Perseus Against the Monster” (1962) and “The Triumph of Hercules” (1964), capitalizing on the era's fascination with ancient hero tales.

De Martino adeptly shifted with cinematic trends, directing spaghetti westerns such as “$100,000 for Ringo” (1965), a film later praised by Quentin Tarantino, and “Django Shoots First” (1966), which riffed on Sergio Leone's style with international casts and dubbed English versions for global distribution. In the mid-1960s spy craze, he helmed parodies like “The Spy with Ten Faces” (1966), “Special Mission Lady Chaplin” (1966), and his most ambitious James Bond spoof, “Operation Kid Brother” (1967, also titled “OK Connery”), featuring Neil Connery (brother of Sean Connery), Lois Maxwell, Adolfo Celi, Daniela Bianchi, and Bernard Lee, with a score by Ennio Morricone.

Later in his career, De Martino ventured into horror with “The Antichrist” (1974), an Exorcist-inspired tale, and war films like “Dirty Heroes” (1967), echoing “The Dirty Dozen” and “Where Eagles Dare”, while his action thriller “Blazing Magnum” (1976) aped “Dirty Harry” with stars Stuart Whitman and Martin Landau. One of his highest-profile works was “Holocaust 2000” (1977), a nuclear apocalypse story starring Kirk Douglas that varied on “The Omen's” supernatural themes, often released under the pseudonym Herbert Martin to appeal to international markets. By the early 1980s, as multiplex cinemas and home video disrupted traditional distribution, De Martino's output waned; he retired in the mid-1980s partly due to health issues flagged by his son, leaving a legacy of over 20 films that blended spectacle, imitation, and B-movie charm for audiences worldwide.

De Martino passed away in Rome on 2 June 2015, at the age of 85.

Alberto De Martino co-wrote screenplays for two Spaghetti westerns: “El séptimo de caballeria” with Eduardo Manzanos Brochero in 1964 and “Django spara per primo” (Django Shoots First) with Massimo Capriccoli, Tito Carpi, Sandro, Continenza, Vincenco Flamini and Giovanni Simonelli in 1966 and both he directed.

De MARTINO, Alberto (aka Herbert Martin) [6/12/1929, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 6/2/2015, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – director, assistant director, writer.

Charge of the 7th – 1964 (co) [as Herbert Martin]

Django Shoots First – 1966 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Louis Murrall

Louis Murrall is a British cameraman and cinematographer. He’s produced 10 films between 2027 and 2026, worked as a cameraman on eight films between 2014 and 2026 and as a cinematographer on twenty-eight films between 2018 and 2026.

Louis Murrall was a cinematographer on two Euro-westerns: “The Wanderer” in 2022 and “Dusty Do Good” in 2023.

MURRALL, Louis [British] – producer, cameraman, cinematographer.

The Wanderer - 2022

Dusty Do Good - 2023