Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Arthur Lubin

Arthur Lubin was an American film and television director and producer renowned for his versatile career spanning over five decades, during which he helmed more than 60 feature films and numerous TV episodes, including classics like the 1943 Technicolor horror remake “Phantom of the Opera”, several Abbott and Costello comedies in the 1940s, the six-film “Francis the Talking Mule” series in the 1950s, and the creation and direction of the long-running CBS sitcom ‘Mr. Ed’ (1961–1966).

Born Arthur William Lubovsky in Los Angeles, California on July 25, 1898, Lubin graduated from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) before entering the entertainment industry as a stage and screen actor in the 1920s, appearing in silent films starting around 1924.

 By the early 1930s, he transitioned to directing, making his debut with the 1934 drama “A Successful Failure” for Universal Pictures, where he would spend much of his career. Lubin founded his own production company, Lubin Studios, and became a key figure at Universal, collaborating with major stars such as Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, John Wayne, and Nelson Eddy on a range of genres from comedies and adventures to musicals and thrillers.

Among his most notable cinematic achievements, Lubin's direction of “Phantom of the Opera” (1943), starring Claude Rains and Susanna Foster, marked a major box-office success for Universal and revitalized the studio's horror franchise in full color.

 He followed with adventure films like “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” (1944) and the film noir “Impact” (1949), before achieving cult popularity with the whimsical Francis series (1950–1956), featuring the voice of Chill Wills as a wisecracking military mule.

 In television, beyond ‘Mr. Ed’, which ran for 143 episodes and became a family favorite for its innovative use of trick photography, Lubin directed episodes of Westerns such as ‘Bronco’ (1958), ‘Maverick’ (1959), and ‘Bonanza’ (1960), as well as the macabre ‘The Addams Family’ (1965).

 He retired in 1981 after a prolific run that blended mainstream entertainment with enduring pop culture impact. Lubin passed away at age 96 in Glendale, California, following a stroke on May 12, 1995.

Arthur Lubin directed on Spaghetti western, “Miguel Pio” (Guns of the Revolution) in 1969.

LUBIN, Arthur (Arthur William Lubovsky) [7/25/1898, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. – 5/12/1995, Glendale, California, U.S.A. (stroke)] – producer, director, actor, founded Lubin Studios [1920].

Guns of the Revolution – 1969

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Manuel Esteba

Manuel Esteba Gallego was a Spanish film director, screenwriter, and producer renowned for his contributions to low-budget genre cinema during the 1960s through 1980s.

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain on April 17, 1941, Esteba began his career in the early 1960s, initially working as a writer and assistant director before transitioning to full directing roles. Over his three-decade career, he helmed 14 feature films, frequently handling multiple creative positions such as writer, producer, and editor, which was common in Spain's independent film scene.1 His oeuvre primarily encompassed exploitation genres, including horror, sex comedies, and parodies, reflecting the vibrant yet commercially driven Spanish film industry during and after the Franco era.

Among his most recognized works is the 1983 science-fiction parody “El E.T.E. y el Oto”, a humorous take on Steven Spielberg's blockbuster “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”, which Esteba wrote, directed, and produced on a shoestring budget. Other notable films include the erotic thriller “Trampa sexual” (1978), the horror entry “Bloody Sex” (1981), and the crime spoof “Agáchate, que disparan” (1969), many of which featured recurring collaborations with actors and crew in Barcelona's tight-knit production circles.1 Esteba also ventured into television, contributing to the 1992 series “Un jardinero en tu casa” as writer and director, marking a shift toward lighter comedic fare later in his career.

Esteba's films, often produced under his own company Manuel Esteba P.C., exemplified the resourceful, genre-blending style of Spanish B-movies, prioritizing quick production and entertainment value over high production values. He passed away in his hometown of Barcelona on February 4, 2010 at age 68, leaving a legacy of cult favorites that continue to attract interest among fans of international exploitation cinema.

Manuel Esteba wrote screenplays for one Spaghetti westerns, “Una cuerda al amanecer” (A Cry of Death) aka The Federal Man in 1971.

ESTEBA, Manuel (aka M. Esteba Gallego, Ted Mulligan) (Manuel Esteba Gallego) [4/17/1941, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain – 2/4/2010, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain] – producer, director, assistant director, writer, film editor, founded Manuel Esteba P.C.

A Cry of Death – 1971

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Gian Maria Rimoldi

Gian Maria Rimoldi is/was an Italian cameraman and cinematographer. He was a cinematographer on three films that we know of “Questo nostro mondo” in 1957, “Whisky a Mezzogiorno” in 1962 but seldom mentioned is his work on “Il piccolo sceriffo” (The Little Sheriff) based on the comic book charater written by Tristano Torelli who wrote the screenplay and was directed by Vittorio Sala.

RIMOLDI, Gian Maria [Italian] – cinematographer.

The Little Sheriff – 1950