Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Josef Mach

Josef Mach was a Czech film director, screenwriter, and actor known for his work in mid-20th-century Czechoslovak cinema and for directing the East German Western ''Die Söhne der großen Bärin'' (1966).

Born on February 25, 1909, in Prostějov, Mach began his career as a journalist and stage performer before entering the film industry in 1938 as an assistant director of short films at Grafo Film Studio. After World War II, he directed numerous films, including ''Nikdo nic neví'' (1947), ''Rodná zem'' (1954), ''Horká láska'' (1958), and the East German production ''Die Söhne der großen Bärin'' (1966), working across Czechoslovak studios and DEFA.

His career as a director extended through the 1970s, though he later found himself outside mainstream critical attention in Czechoslovakia.

Mach died on July 7, 1987, in Prague at the age of 78.

As mentioned above Josef Mach directed one Euro-western, “Die Söhne der großen Bärin” (The Sons of Great Bear) in 1965

MACH, Josef [2/25/1909, Prostejov, Moravia, Austria-Hungary – 7/7/1987, Prague, Czechoslovakia] – journalist, director, assistant director, writer, actor.

The Sons of Great Bear – 1965

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Hal G. Evarts

Hal G. Evarts was an American short story writer and novelist known for his prolific contributions to western fiction in the early 20th century. His stories and novels drew on his experiences exploring the American West, offering vivid portrayals of frontier life, nature, and adventure. Born in Topeka, Kansas on August 24, 1887, Evarts became a writer in the pulp and magazine tradition, authoring numerous novels and over one hundred short stories that appeared in newspapers and magazines. His works often captured the passing of the Old West and themes of survival and exploration, with several novels entering the public domain and remaining accessible today. Notable titles include The Yellow Horde, The Settling of the Sage, and Tumbleweeds, which exemplify his focus on western settings and narratives. His career reflected the popularity of western genre writing during the 1920s and earlier.

Evarts died of a heart attack on October 18, 1934, at age 47 aboard the steamship Malolo as it neared Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hal G. Evarts wrote the screenplay for the U.S.A. western “The Big Trail”, This film was reshot with additional footage for Spanish, German, Italian and French releases with additional starring actors for their specific European releases the following year in 1931: “La Gran jornada” (Spanoish), “Die Große Fahrt” (German), “Il grande sentiero” (Italian), “La Piste des géants” (France).

EVARTS, Hal G. (Harry George Evarts) [8/24/1887, Topeka, Kansas, U.S.A. – 10/18/1935, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (heart attack).] – novelist, writer, married to Sylvia Abraham [1890-1977] (1911-1934) father of writer Harry George Evarts Jr. [1915-1989].

The Big Trail – 1930

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Manuel Rojas

Manuel Rojas Hidalgo was born in Seville Spain on September 23, 1930. He was a Spanish director on four films, a cameraman on five films and a cinematographer on one hundred seventy-three films between 1955 and 1996.

Even though his career spanned forty years plus there is no biographical information that I can find on him.

We do kown Manuel died sometime in Spain in 1995 at the age of 65. Another ignored crew member of the Spaghetti western and Spanish film industry.

Manuel Rojas was a cinematographer on two Spaghetti westerns: “Vivi preferibilmente, morti” (Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid) with Cesare Allione and “Te Deum” (Sting of the West) in 1972.

ROJAS, Manuel (aka Manolo Rojas) (Manuel Rojas Hidalgo) [9/23/1930, Seville, Spain – 1995] – producer, director, writer, cinematography, cameraman, married to model, actress Pamela Sue Martin [1953-    ] (1982-1984)

Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid – 1969 (co)

Sting of the West – 1972