Wednesday, June 27, 2012

RIP Ethel Rojo


Longtime actress on stage, film and television, Ethel Rojo, died June 24, 2012, aged 74, a victim of cancer. Ethel traveled the world stage with her talent and charm, which earned her the applause of several generations. He was born as Agnes Ethel Rojo Castro December 23, 1937, in Santiago del Estero, Argentina and from a very young age began to study dance. After winning several beauty contests and completing her studies in school, in 1954 she traveled to Buenos Aires, where she debuted as a dancer in the Maipo Theater. Alongside her work in Buenos Aires magazines she started in film in 1955 in a small role in the film “Pobre, pero honrado”, directed by Carlos Rinaldi, and continued on the big screen with “Pobre, pero honrado” by Julio Saraceni and “Amor se dice cantando”  by Miguel Morayta.

In 1959, she was hired by businessman Mark Bronemberg to travel to Spain to perform in the theater Comedian Barcelona as the first star of the Broadway Rhythms, headed by Margarita Padin, Guido May Gorgatti and Avril. That tour lasted for more than a year and covered several parts of the country. Ethen received several film offers and decided to settle in Europe. In 1960 she appeared in “Doña Mariquita de mi corazón” directed by Jose Munoz Roman and a year appeared with with Walter Chiari in Madrid in the Paris Lido show. Soon after, she moved to Hollywood, where, through the actor Alejandro Rey, appeared in two episodes of the television series “The Boris Karloff Show”, and in 1962 was hired by Raul Astor to appear on television in Mexico and participate in the films “Baila mi amor” and “Así es mi México”.

In late 1962, she returned to Spain and in partnership with Horace Beard formed her own company to star on the Martin Theater stage in Madrid, in the show “Dos piernas, veinte millones” Rojo followed that as the star in, “Al Rojo vivo, Del Rojo al verde”, and “Ro-Ro-Rojísimo y Rojomanía”. Her intense stage activity did not prevent her from breaking into Spanish films, which she debuted in for the Festival, Cesar Fernandez Ardavín, then starring in two films of José María Elorrieta: “Mi adorable esclava” and  “Esa pícara pelirroja”. Ethel also acted in the productions” Tres de la Cruz Roja” , “Escala en Tenerife” and two Euro-westerns: “Minnesota Clay” (1964) and  “Fuerte perdido” (Heroes of Fort Grant) (1965).

In 1970 she returned to Buenos Aires and then back to Spain finally returning to Argentina in 1973 where she completed her most celebrated work: “El Maipo Super Star”, with a shocking ending in which he appeared with his sister Gogo [1942- ]. Thereafter, she was ranked as one of the most celebrated cabaret stars, showing great beauty, and a refined technique in dance and a comedic leading lady. Later, he starred in many successful TV series and continued her work in film and with several plays of Enrique Cahen Salaberry, Hugo Sofovich, Julio Saraceni and Enrique Carreras, among others. She also ventured into television sitcoms (El chupete y No toca botón , junto con Alberto Olmedo), ( El duende azul ) for Gánele #2 .

In 1997 she returned to the stage with the comedy “Pobres angelitas”, Juan Jose Alfonso Millan, and on various stages of the Atlantic coast and the following year, she had the lead at the Astros Theater. His performances became fewer, but she returned in 2004 to celebrate its Golden Jubilee with a show starring in “Al Rojo vivo”, and with “Edelweiss, un canto a la vida” (2006), “Por amor al Maipo” (2008), “Pimpinela, la familia” (2010) and “Fortuna 2” (2011).

Ethel was married to Gerardo Gonzalez brother of her friend and colleague Martha Gonzalez, whom she met in 1986. Ten days later they met and lived together and never separated.

THE MAN WHO CAME TO KILL


Doc, manos de plata – Spanish title
10.000 dólares vivo o muerto – Spanish title
L'uomo dalla pistola d'oro – Spanish title
L’uomo dalla pistol d’oro – Italian title
Een colt voor McGregor – Belgium title
Mad Mexican – Dutch title
Un colt pour MacGregor – French title
Der Mann, der kam, um zu töten – German title
O anthropos me to hryso pistoli – Greek title
L’uomo dalla pistol d’oro – Italian title
Mannen med de gyllen pistolen – hamnare foe dollar – Swedish title
Doc, Hands of Steel – English title
The Man with the Golden Gun – English title
The Man Who Came to Kill – English title

A 1965 Spanish, Italian co-production [P.C. Balcázar (Barcelona), West Film, Flora Film (Rome)]
Producers: Carlos Bove, Roberto Palaggi
Director: Alfonso Balcázar (Alfonso Granda)
Story: Miguel Cusso, Alfonso Balcázar (Alfonso Granda)
Screenplay: Giovanni Simonelli, Alfonso Balcázar (Alfonso Granda)
Dialogue: José Antonio de la Loma (José Hernandez) [Spanish dialogue]
Cinematography: Mario Capriotti, Stelvio Massi [Eastmancolor, Total Scope]
Music: A.F. Lavagnino (Angelo Francesco Lavagnino)
Song: “Golden Gun” sung by The Wilder Brothers
Running time: 103 minutes

Cast:
Doc MacGregor/Doc Malvin/ Larry Kitchner/Magic Hand – Carl Möhner (Karl Möhner)
Slade/Slater Carroll – Luis Dávila (Hector Gonzalez)
Norma O’Connor - Gloria Milland (Maria Fiè)
Broga – Umbert Raho
Bob O’Connor – Loris Doddi (Loris Loddi)
Sheriff - Franco Balducci
With: Óscar Pellicer, Irene Mir, Juanita Espín, Pedro Gil, Daniella Gouzzi, Carlos Ronda, Dario De Grassi, Eva Maran (Evaristo Maran), Franco Balducci


Doc MacGregor, aka Manos de Plata, a former physician, gambler and drunkard, has fled because of a bounty on his head. He’s been accused of the murder of Larry Kitchner, known as "The Man with the Golden Gun". To escape the pursuance of Slade, a well-known bounty hunter, Doc passes for Larry. Reaching Balbosas, a small village, he’s given a warm welcome: Larry, in fact, had been called to defend the village from the constant harassment of the bandit Reyes. Making the best of a bad lot, Doc-Larry starts to play the part of the gunfighter even when Slade arrives in the village, who, suspecting the other's identity, gets hired as a deputy sheriff. The battle rages fierce and dangerous, because Broga, an unsuspecting notable of the country, is secretly allied with Reyes. However, Doc and Larry Slade, temporary allies, succeed in the difficult task of exposing and defeating Broga and Reyes. Fighting fiercely and courageously on the same side, puts Doc-Larry in a very different light in the eyes of Slade, who forgets about collecting the bounty.

 

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

New DVD Release


Chacun pour soi (The Ruthless Four)
(1968)

Director: Giorgio Capitani
Starring: Van Heflin, Gilbert Roland, Klaus Kinski, George Hilton

Distributor: Arcadès
Catalog #763039
Duration: 100 minutes
PAL, Region 2
Aspect Ration 2.35 Cinemascope Format respected original
Languages: French, English, Italian
Dolby Digital Sound
Subtitles: French
Extras:
- History of The Ruthless Four Ride by Curd Ridel
- Photo Slideshow
- Trailer

Available June 22, 2012

Who Are Those Guys? - Adolfo Belletti


Adolfo Belletti was an Italian character actor probably born around 1910. Among his most interesting works was his participation in the movie “State buoni se potete” (1983) by Luigi Magni. In 1983 he also worked with Pupi Avati in the making of the film “Zeder”. Belletti appeared in 30 films from 1958 until 1984. He appeared in only one Euro-western “Full House for the Devil” (1968) with George Hilton. Adolfo is the father of actress Nuccia Belletti [1935-1971].

BELLETTI, Adolfo [Italian] - TV actor, father of actress Nuccia Belletti [1935-1971].
Full House for the Devil - 1968