50th anniversary of the premier of “Hallelujah to Vera Cruz”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “Partirono preti, tornarono... curati” (Hallelujah to Vera Cruz) directed by Bianco Manini using the alias Newman Rostel and starring Lionel Stander, Riccardo Salvino and Jean Luis. Sam ‘Tonaca’ Thompson (Lionel Stander) and Joe /John the Timid (Ricaardo Salvino), two wanted outlaws, are roaming around revolution-torn Mexico in search of safety and easy money. General "Stumpy" Migeul (Giampiro Albertini), a revolutionary leader, captures them and pretending to believe they are priests from the clerical disguise they are using, presents to them a plan to steal a non-existent cargo of gold, from the coffers of the governor for a large ransom. The two drifters then get involved in a series of adventures during which Sam and Joe humiliate an arrogant landowner named Don Felipe (Jean Luis), and are involved in shootings in the massacre of "Regulares". Joe also wins Adelita (Clara Hoph), the granddaughter of "Stumpy" living in the rectory of a small town where, to remedy the loss of the statue of St. Theodosius, old Sam is carried in procession disguised as the statue. A gust of wind redistributes the governor’s money to the people. Joe is happy because he will be able to remain with Adelita while Sam takes comfort in the prospect of appearing in a movie in the disguise of a cardinal.

 

The comedy western the film made 217,899 lire and is ranked 313 in Spaghetti western Italian box office returns.

 

Partirono preti, tornarono... curati - Italian title

Odesli jsme jako knezi vratili jsme se jako kurati – Czechoslovakian title

Oi 2 trinita apo ti Vera Cruz - Greek title

Halleluja Vera Cruz - Greek title

Aranyvadászok - Hungarian title

Hallelujah to Vera Cruz - English title

 

A 1973 Italian production [C.I.P.D.I. (Rome)]

Producer: Bianco Manini

Director: Newman Rostel (Bianco Manini)

Story: Ofelia Minaldi

Screenplay: Bianco Manini

Cinematography: Carlo Carlini [Eastmancolor, Cinescope]

Music: Luis E. Bacalov (Luis Enriquez Bacalov)

Song: "Blue Eggs and Ham" sung by ?

Running time: 102 minutes

 

Cast:

Sam ‘Tonaca’ Thompson - Lionel Stander

Joe/John the Timid - Riccardo Salvino

Don Felipe - Jean Louis

General ‘Stumpy’ Miguel - Giampiero Albertini

Adelita - Clara Hopf

Governor of Vera Cruz - Camillo Milli (Camillo Migliori)

Colonel of Regularies - Tom Felleghy (Tamás Fellegi)

clown - Colombaiomi (Falvio Colombaiomi)

revolutionaries - Spartaco Conversi, Osiride Pevarello

with: Giancarlo Badessi (Giancarlo Badese), Rick Boyd (Federico Boido), Sergio Serafini, Francesca Milizia, Stefano Patrizi, Renato Salvini, Anita Strinberg, Alvaro Vitali, Luigi Antonio Guerra, Carla Mancini

Special Birthdays

 Vladimir Vajnshtok (director, screenwriter) would have been 115 today but died in 1978.

Monica Strebel (actress) is 75 today.

TV tonight: Sky’s star-studded Django is the next big TV western series

The Guardian

By Hollie Richardson, Ali Catterall, Simon Wardell

March 1, 2023

Django

9pm, Sky Atlantic

Postponed from last week, this brooding western is set just after the American civil war in a town called New Babylon. Its founders – the formerly enslaved John Ellis (Nicholas Pinnock) and an orphan called Sarah (Lisa Vicari) – are about to get married when a “stranger” called Django (Matthias Schoenaerts) wakes up looking ready to cause trouble.

[Submitted by Michael Ferguson]

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Manuel Alexandre

 

These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be gven and anything that you can add would be appreciated.

Manuel Alexandre Abaraca was born in Madrid, Spain on November 11, 1917. He was regarded as one of the last representatives of a golden age in Spanish cinema, he appeared in many famous comedies including "Bienvenido, Mr. Marshall" ("Welcome Mr. Marshall") in 1953 and "Amanece, Que no es poco" ("Dawn Breaks, Which Is A Lot") in 1988. He also made a name for himself in theatre and television. His last major role was in the 2008 television mini-series "20-N" where he played Francisco Franco during the right-wing dictator's last days. "I think that in this profession luck is decisive. It also plays a role in other areas of life," Alexandre said in an interview he granted in 2007.

Alexandre actor never married or had children. He died of cancer in Slamanca, Castile and Leon, Spain on October 12, 2010.

Manuel Alexandre appeared in four Euro-westeerns: "Zorro the Avenger" (1962), "A Few Bullets More" (1967), "Trinity Sees Red" (1970), "Return of El Coyote" (1998).

ALEXANDRE, Manuel (Manuel Alexandre Abarca) [11/11/1917, Madrid, Madrid, Spain - 10/12/2010, Slamanca, Castile and Leon, Spain (cancer)] – theater, film, TV actor.

Zorro the Avenger - 1962 (soldier)

For a Few Bullets More - 1967 (gravedigger)

Trinity Sees Red - 1970 (Agustin)

Return of El Coyote - 1997 (Julian)

Who Are Those Guys? ~ Jim Dale

 

British actor and singer Jim Dale was born James Smith in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, England on August 15, 1935. He trained as a dancer for six years before his debut as a stage comic in 1951. He completed two years of national service in the Royal Air Force. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In British film, he became one of the regulars in the Carry On films.

In the United States he is most recognized as a leading actor on Broadway, where he had roles in “Scapino”, “Barnum”,” Candide” and “Me and My Girl”, as well as for narrating all seven of the Harry Potter audiobooks in the American market (for which he received two Grammy Awards out of six nominations) and the ABC series Pushing Daisies (2007–2009); he also starred in the Disney film “Pete's Dragon” (1977). He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for portraying a young Spike Milligan in “Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall” (1973

As a lyricist, Dale was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for the song "Georgy Girl", the theme for the 1966 film of the same title

Dale starred in eleven "Carry On" comedy films very popular in Britain.

He’s been married twice and has four children. He was awarded and MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 2003.

DALE, Jim (James Smith) [8/15/1935, Rothwell, Northamptonshire, England, U.K. -     ] –  director, writer, composer, stuntman, theater, film, TV, voice actor, singer, married to nurse Patricia Gardiner [19??-1977] (1957-1977) father of Belinda Dale [1957-1995], actor Murray Dale [1960-    ], cinematographer, cameraman, stuntman Adam Dale [1963-    ], actor Toby Dale [1966-    ], married to actress Julia Schafler [1947-    ] (1980-    ), awarded MBE [2003].

Carry on Cowboy – 1965 (Marshall P. Knutt)

50th anniversary of “Those Dirty Dogs”

 Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of Campa carogna… la taglia cresce (Those Dirty Dogs) directed by Giuseppe Rosati using the alias Joseph Rosati and starring Gianni Garko, Stephen Boyd. Howard Ross and Harry Baird. Korano (Gianni Garko) a bounty hunter travels to the garrison at Fort Apache where a thousand dollar bounty of has been placed on the head of the Mexican bandit Angel Sanchez (Simón Andreu), who is responsible for among other things, the theft of a precious cargo of arms. The guns have been stolen on behalf of General Müller (Alfredo Mayo), who aims to bring Mexico under the rule of Austria. Also interested in the reward and arms are three soldiers, Captain Chadwell, Willer (Stephen Boyd) Lieutenant Younger (Howard Ross) and Sergeant Washington Smith (Harry Baird), who have come from Washington. to help their colleagues at Fort Apache recover the weapons. Captured by Korano, is Angel Sanchez who is able to escape multiple times escapes until he is able to reach the shelter of General Müller. Korano is taken prisoner by him but is freed by Chadwell and his companions. With their help the troops of Muller are annihilated and Korano finally resolves the dispute over the reward with his three competitors.

The film made 286,941 lire and is ranked 242 in Spaghetti western Italian box office returns.

Campa carogna… la taglia cresce – Italian title

Kaemp usling – rebet venter! – Danish title

La charge des diables – French title

Vier Teufelskerle – German tittle

Vier Teufelskerle – Tot oder lebendig! – German title

À volta cá te espero – Portuguese title

Los cuatro de Fort Apache – Spanish title

Kämpa dumskalle – Swedish title

Charge! – U.K. title

Those Dirty Dogs – English title

 

A 1973 Italian film production [Horse Film (Rome), Plata Films (Madrid)]

Producer: Julio Parra

Director: Joseph Rosati (Giuseppe Rosati)

Story: Carlo Veo, Enrique Llovet, Giuseppe Rosati

Screenplay: Carlo Veo, Enrique Llovet, Giuseppe Rosati

Cinematography: Goffredo Pacheco [Eastmancolor, CromoScope]

Music: Nick Fidenco (Nico Fidenco)

     Song: “The Wind in My Face” sung by Stephen Boyd

     Song: “The Long Caravan” sung by Edda Dell’Orso (Edda Sabataini)

Running time: 99 minutes

 

Cast:

Korano – John Garko (Giovanni Garcovich)

Captain Chadwell Willer – Stephen Boyd (William Millar)

Lieutenant Younger – Howard Ross (Renato Rossini)

Angel Sanchez – Simón Andreu (Simón Trobat)

Sergeant Washington Smith – Harry Baird

Maria/Melissa Adams – Teresa Gimpera (Teresa Falquer)

‘El Supremo’/General Alvaro/Lopez/Muller – Alfredo Mayo (Alfredo Martinez)

Miss Maria Miller/Muller – Helga Liné (Lisa Stern)

Manola – Mirella Dogan (Antonella Donan)

Doctor Adams – Enzo Fiermonte (Vincenzo Fiermonte)

Major/Colonel – Daniele Vargas

Soldiers – Nazzareno Zamperla, Osiride Pavarello, Artemio Antonini, Romano Puppo, 

      Giuliano Dell’Ovo, Sergio Testori, Pietro Ceccarelli, Ottorino Polentini

Dirty soldier - José Montoya

El Supremo’s servant – Jose Galera Balazote

Philosoph – Val Gaspar (Luis Osorio)

Corporal – Lee Burton (Guido Lollobrigida)

Boarding house owner – Furio Meniconi

Mexicans – Andrea Scotti, Gabriella Giorgelli, Luigi Antonio Guerra, Rafael Gomez

With: Fabian Garriba, Mario Garriba

Special Birthdays

 Charlotte Susa (actress) would have been 125 today but died in 1976.

Roger Delgado (actor) would have been 105 today but died in 1973.

Borislav Brondukov (actor) would have been 85 today but died in 2004.