Remembering Sidney Pink

Sidney W. Pink was born on March 16, 1916 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played a film producer in his high school’s production of “Merton of the Movies” and decided that was the profession he wanted to pursue. He began working as a projectionist in a theater owned by his wife’s family while attending the University of Pittsburgh and receiving a degree in business administration. In 1952 Pink produced “Bwana Devil”, the first widely released 3-D film designed to be seen through the now familiar two-toned glasses. The film was shot with two lenses and was called CineMagic. In 1961, he wrote the original story for “Reptilicus”, which he also co-directed and co-produced at Saga Studios in Denmark. In 1966 he discovered a young Dustin Hoffman in an Off-Broadway production in New York City and cast him in the lead role of “Madigan’s Millions” which was filmed in Italy and Spain. The movie was not released until 1969, two years after Hoffman appeared in “The Graduate” (1967). During the 1960s Pink produced, wrote and directed a number of Euro-westerns including “Finger on the Trigger” (1965), “The Tall Women” (1966), “The Christmas Kid”, “Seven for Pancho Villa” and “Bang Bang Kid” all in 1967. In the 1970's he owned a chain of movie theaters in Puerto Rico and Florida. Sidney died after a long illness on October 12, 2002 in Pompano Beach, Florida. He wrote his autobiography “So You Want to Make Movies: My Life as an Independent Film Producer” which was released in 1989. Today we remember Sidney W. Pink on what would have been his 95th birthday.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing locations for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. After the shootout at Sad Hill, the recovery of the gold and Blondie’s final shot, releasing Tuco from the noose. He rides out as the closing credits are shown. Clint is actually riding towards the location of “Bettersville”. This scene was filmed from the top of the hill behind Sad Hill Cemetery. You can reach this by continuing ro drive the dirt road to Santo Domingo. When you reach the top of the hill and the road turns to the right stop and turn around and pull your car over to the side. You can now look down on Sad Hill and also see the hills on the right where Bettersville was constructed.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi ‘Garringo’ Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/
If you visit Yoshi's site wish him a Happy Birthday as today is his birthday.

Happy 85th Birthday Craig Hill

Craighill Fowler was born on March 5, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. As Craig Hill He spent the first have of the decade of the 1950s as a contract player for 20th Century Fox Studios. Craig was seen in minor roles in such films as “All About Eve” and “Cheaper by the Dozen” both in 1950. “What Price Glory” (1952). He was loaned out to Paramount where he appeared in “Detective Story” (1951) as a prison-bound first time offender. He then appeared at P.T. Cooper along with co-star Kenneth Toby in the TV series “Whirlybirds” from 1957-1963. After the series ended he took off to Spain to appear in “Hands of a Gunman” (1965). He would continue to make films in Europe and the U.S. such as “The Swinger” (1966) with Ann-Margaret for the next year or two but by the late 1960s he had taken up residence in Spain and has never left. Craig appeared in 16 Euro-westerns from the previously mentioned “Hands of a Gunman” (1965) until “Court Martial” (1977). He starred in such films as “The Taste of Killing” (1966), “Bury Them Deep” (1967), “15 Scaffolds for a Killer” and “I Want Him Dead” (1968), “Drummer of Vengeance” (1971), “Return of the Holy Ghost” and “Stay Away from Trinity... When He Comes to El Dorado” both in 1972 and “My Horse, My Gun, Your Widow” (1975). In 1990 he married actress Teresa Gimpera [1936- ] and the couple moved to Barcelona. Craig continued to appear in films and television productions. His last film appearance was in “Platillos volantes” in 2003. Today we celebrate the 85th birthday of Craig Hill.

Guess Who I Am

I’m an Italian actor, screenwriter who was born in 1942 in Genoa, Italy. Guess who I am.

Bill Connolly correctly identified this week's photo as that of George Eastman.

Free Man

Wolny czlowiek - Polish title
Free Man - English title

A 1975 Polish production [Klyk (Warsaw)]
Producer: Jozef Klyk
Director: Jozef Klyk
Story: Jozef Klyk
Screenplay: Jozef Klyk
Cinematography: Jozef Klyk [color]
Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:
Wawrzyn Zlotka - Jozef Klyk
sheriff - Ruszard Iwan

Wawrzyn Zlotka has killed so many outlaws, Indians and Klu Klux Klan members in Texas that he fears for his life and returns to Poland.

[Third part of a trilogy of westerns entitled “Trail of Lawlessness” made by Klyk]

Rip José Conde

Spanish actor José Conde, who had been missing for a month, was found dead last Friday February 25, 2011 in an abandoned building near his home.

Lively and energetic, the actor was widely known for his many supporting roles in numerous films and television series for more than two-decade career. He was 56 years and among his works include roles in TV series such as “Sin Tetas no paradise”', ”Family Doctor”, “Central Hospital 'or' central Brigade". He had also recently appeared in “Time for Jose Mota” and “23-F: History of a betrayal”. Conde had been under going treatment for depression. Conde appeared in one episode “The Pact”, of “Queen of Swords” as Don Miguel in 2001.

Spaghetti Western Night in Amsterdam

The latest in the Selection of Kool Cinema OT301

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Tuesday, March 15, 2011 starting at 8:30 p.m.

Django (1966) by Sergio Corbucci (the original uncut version, in Italian)
Keoma (1976) by Enzo G. Castellari

Django is an early spaghetti western and Keoma was one of the last ones.

The violent and nasty Django will be shown in it's uncut original (Italian spoken) version. This film by ‘The Other Sergio' (Sergio Corbucci) is perhaps even more representative of the genre than Sergio Leone's westerns. It made Franco Nero a superstar in Europe and it had a profound impact on the Italian movie industry. It spawned more than 30 unofficial sequels (some actually quite interesting) that had nothing to do with the original film. Nero returned years after the Italo-western hype in the quasi-official sequel in '87, which bombed.

In many countries Keoma was promoted as “Django Rides Again”, but it is a completely different film. Shot by the poor man's Peckinpah Enzo G. Castellari, this baroque, weird and pulpy western has shades of - don't be startled - Peckinpah, Bergman, Pasolini, Shakespeare and The Bible.

Director Martin Koolhoven appears Tuesday, March 15 in his last introduction Cinema OT301 (Amsterdam). Tickets cost 4 euros. No Reservations, so come early!