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This page is our personal hall of faml'e. A reminder to us all that even though considered a B-genre, Spaghetti Westerns were full of great characters, played by great people. Many have passed away, and while we are young growing up re-watching all these classics, many more will probably leave us. May they be remembered. What follows, is a work-in-progress, a growing list of legends who have passed away...


KÜLOWThis page is our personal hall of fame. A reminder to us all that even though considered a B-genre, Spaghetti Westerns were full of great characters, played by great people. Many have passed away, and while we are young growing up re-watching all these classics, many more will probably leave us. May they be remembered. What follows, is a work-in-progress, a growing list of legends who have passed away...
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Sorted by  last name:  [[/A|A]] | [[/B|B]] | [[/C|C]] | [[/D|D]] | [[/E|E]] | [[/F|F]] | [[/G|G]] | [[/H|H]] | [[/I|I]] | [[/J|J]] | [[/K|K]] | [[/L|L]] | [[/M|M]] | [[/N|N]] | [[/O|O]] | [[/P|P]] | [[/Q|Q]] | [[/R|R]] | [[/S|S]] | [[/T|T]] | [[/U|U]] | [[/V|V]] | [[/W|W]] | [[/X|X]] | [[/Y|Y]] | [[/Z|Z]]
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{| style="border:1px solid black" |
[[File:Cemetery.jpg]]
|-
|sorted by their last names:
 
[[/A|A]] | [[/B|B]] | [[/C|C]] | [[/D|D]] | [[/E|E]] | [[/F|F]] | [[/G|G]] | [[/H|H]] | [[/I|I]] | [[/J|J]] | [[/K|K]] | [[/L|L]] | [[/M|M]] | [[/N|N]] | [[/O|O]] | [[/P|P]] | [[/Q|Q]] | [[/R|R]] | [[/S|S]] | [[/T|T]] | [[/U|U]] | [[/V|V]] | [[/W|W]] | [[/X|X]] | [[/Y|Y]] | [[/Z|Z]]|}


=== FRESH GRAVES ===
=== FRESH GRAVES ===
*'''WEPPER, Fritz''' - 8/17/1941, Munich, Bavaria, Germany - 3/25/2024, Munich, Bavaria, Germany


*'''CAPITANI, Giorgio''' - 12/29/1927, Paris, Île-de-France, France - 3/25/2017, Viterbo, Lazio, Italy
German actor Fritz Wepper died in Munich, Germany on March 25, 2024. He was 82. He started his acting career in a production of Peter Pan at the age of eleven. He got his first important film role in Tischlein deck dich, a film adaption of the Brothers Grimm fairytale The Wishing Table. Fritz is best known for his role as Inspector Harry Klein in the long-running crime series ‘Derrick’ (1974–1998). Wepper is also remembered for his roles in the films “Cabaret” (1972) and “The Bridge” (1959) and as Mayor Wöller in the TV series ‘Um Himmels Willen’ (2002–2021). Wepper appeared in one Euro-western as Tampico in the 1963 television production of “Ein Sheriff für den Sarg”.
 
Veteran Italian film director Giorgio Capitani passed away at the Belcolle Hospital in Viterbo, Italy on March 25th he was 89. Capitani was born in Paris, France on December 29, 1927. He directed 40 films between 1954 and 2012 and also wrote screenplays for 12 films. His lone Euro-western was “The Ruthless Four” (1968) starring Van Heflin, Gilbert Roland, George Hilton and Klaus Kinski.
 
 
*'''MILIAN, Tomas (Tomás Quintin Rodriguez Milian) - 3/3/1933, Cutono, Cuba - 3/22/2017, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
 
Tomás Milian (Tomás Quintin Rodriguez Milian) died at his Miami, Florida home on March 22nd. He was born on the 3rd of March 1933 in Cutono, Cuba near Havana. His father was Tomas Rodriguez, a general serving the dictatorship of Gerardo. After having problems in his childhood and having been the eyewitness of his father’s suicide, he decided in 1955 to leave Cuba to become an actor in America. Arriving in Miami, he began a score of small jobs (dishwasher, valet attendant, etc),which might have proved good inspiration for his latter working class heroes and ever-changing, on-screen personas. After spending a few months in the Navy, to get his American citizenship, he passed an audition at Elia Kazan's Actor's Studio, where he was taught the seminal "Stanislavskij method" of acting. He acted in a Broadway piece that had been written just for him, Maidens and Mistresses and At Home at the Zoo by Meade Roberts. He then wanted to play bigger roles so he left the U.S.A. to go to Italy. Soon he worked with Italian arthouse film-directors and played in several Italian productions. His first big roles in Spaghetti Westerns were in Sergio Sollima's “The Big Gundown” (1967) and in Giulio Questi's infamous “Django Kill!” (1967). After the Spaghetti Western era, his career slowed down. He moved back to America, where he pursued a low-key career as a character actor. You can see him in Stephen Soderberghs's “Traffic” (2001) and Oliver Stone's “JFK” (1991). Having an amazing, more than thirty year-long acting career, there seemed to be no end to the talents of this Cuban chameleon - swdb.
 
 
*'''RUSSEL, Tony (Antonio Pietro Russo)''' - 11/23/1925, Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.A. - 3/18/2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.
 
Tony Russel passed away March 18, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was born Nov. 23, 1925, in Kenosha, Wisconsin and was a former film, stage and television actor. He was noted for having worked in the Italian film industry in the mid-1960s and for his work as a voice actor where he was founder and president of English language Dubbers association (ELDA). Tony Russel lost out to Guy Williams as the star of Disney’s 1957 Zorro TV series but did play the legendary character in his only Euro-western “Behind the Mask of Zorro” (1965). I was lucky enough to interview Tony years ago and he was a delightful man and full of information on film acting in Italy and his participation in founding the Voice Actors Union. This union provided English speaking actors for dubbing Italian films and tried to keep the same English voice used for the Italian starring roles so they would always sound the same.  




*'''LERI, Piero (Pietro Leri)''' - 8/4/1939, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/1/2017, Italy
*'''BERETTA, Daniel (Daniel Jean Georges Beretta)''' - , Audincourt, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France - 3/23/2024, France


Italian film, TV and voice actor Piero Leri (aka Peter Larry) died in Italy on March 1st. Leri’s career started during the first half of the 1960s in roles as a supporting actor. Despite his good dialect and preparation for his roles and a vague resemblance to his more well-known colleague Giuliano Gemma, he was relegated to that large group of character actors in supporting roles. Beginning in the first half of the 1980s he dedicated his career to occasional dubbing activity. Lieri appeared in three Euro-westerns: “The Man of the Cursed Valley” - 1964 (Torito) [as Peter Larry], “Rick and John, Conquerors of the West” – 1967 (accomplice with Barbara) and “California” – 1977
French singer, actor and voice dubber Daniel Beretta died on March 23rh. He was 77. Beretta was born on December 24, 1946 in Audincourt, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. He started his career as a Chanson Singer-Songwriter, having given several concerts at the Olympia and Bobino concert halls and wrote several songs for the likes of Mireille Mathieu and Nino Ferrer. He also notably adapted and performed songs for the French version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” as well as the stage adaptation of “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”. Having trained as a musician also allowed him to sing in his animation dubs (such as Lumière's music numbers in “Beauty and the Beast”, again). He dubbed Arnold Schwarzenegger in the French versions of all his films since 1987. Daniel was also the announcer for the French radio RFM from 2000 to 2008. His daughter, Barbara Beretta, is also a professional voice actress. He quietly retired for health reasons in the early 2020s. Daniel Beretta appeared in one Euro-western “In the Dust of the Sun” in 1971 as Hawk Bradford.




*'''LEONE, Carla (Carla Ranalli) - 11/14/1931, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/20/2017, Rome, Lazio, Italy
*'''CULVER, Michael (Michael John Edward Culver)''' - 6/16/1938, Hampstead, London, England, U.K. - 2/27/2024


The wife of Sergio Leone passed away on March 20th after suffering from dementia. Born Carla Ranalli, she married Sergio in 1960 and they remained a couple until his death in 1989. She was the mother of Rafaella, Francesca and Andera Leone. Although she never appeared in a Euro-western she did offer her support to her husband during his career and appeared in several documentaries and recorded interviews for many years. Thanks to Toscano for contacting me with the sad news.
British actor Michael Culver died on February 27, 2024. He was 85. Born Michael John Edward Culver in Hampstead, London, England on June 16, 1938. The son (and nephew) of actors Culver was destined to delve into acting himself. Culver attended Gresham's School in Holt, North Norfolk, UK, then went on to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Culver was married to actress Lucinda Curtis from 1962-1986, they have two sons, Roderic (an actor), and Justin, and a daughter, Sue.  He is currently married to actress Amanda Ward. Culver appeared in several television series in recurring roles, as Squire Armstrong in ‘The Adventures of Black Beauty’ (1972–74), Major Erwin Brandt in the BBC drama ‘Secret Army’ (1977–78), crooked banker Ralph Saroyan in the second series of ‘The House of Eliott’ (1992) and the strict Prior Robert ('Brother Prior') in ‘Cadfael’ (1994–98). Culver appeared as Aragan in one episode of thee 1991 Euro-television series ‘The New Zorro’ starrin Duncan Regehr.




*'''WILKES, Kenneth (Kenneth Edward Wilkes)''' - 10/9/1923, Buckinghamshire, England, U.K. - 3/12/2017, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*'''McCOURT, Malachy (Malachy Gerard McCourt)''' - 9/20/1931, New York City, New York, U.S.A. - 3/11/2024, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.


Kenneth Wilkes was born in Buckinghamshire, England on October 9, 1923, and raised in London. He served in the British Army in Italy and Iraq during the Second World War and was the proud recipient of three military service medals. After graduating from theatre school and performing in London-area theatres, he moved to Canada in 1957. Within one year he received the Best Actor Award at the Dominion Drama Festival for his performance as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot. The curtain had been raised on a distinguished career in theatre, film, radio drama and television that would span half a century. Kenny died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada of cancer on March 12, 2017. He appeared as Curry in the Euro-western TV series ‘The Campbells’ in 1986.
Veteran American actor Malachy McCourt died in a Manhattan hospital on March 11th he was 92. Malachy Gerard McCourt was born in New York City on September 20, 1931. He was an American actor and writer of Irish ancestry. McCourt was the 2006 Green Party candidate for governor of New York, losing to the Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer. He was the younger brother of author Frank McCourt [1930-2009]. Raised in Limerick, Ireland he acted on stage, on TV and in various films. These included “The Molly Maguires”, “Beyond the Pale”, “Ash Wednesday” and he also used to make an annual festive appearance in’ All My Children’ as Father Clarence. Malachy appeared in one Euro-western in an uncredited role in 1976’s “Montana Trap” aka “Potato Frits” with Hardy Krüger and Stephen Boyd.




*'''TADEJ, Vladimir''' - 5/9/1925, Novska, Croatia, Yugoslavia - 3/1/2017
*'''MORRA, Gigio''' - 8/26/1945, Naples, Campania Italy - 3/10/2024, Naples, Campania, Italy


Production designer and art director Vladimir Tadej has died at the age of 92. Vlad worked on most of the Winnetou films as a production designer and art director. He also was a screen writer on 1957’s “Cowboy Jimmy” and appeared as himself in the 2004 television documentary ‘Auf den Spuren Winnetous’.
Italian theater, film and TV actor Gigio Morra died at his home in Naples, Italy on March 10th. He was 78. Born in Naples on August 26, 1945. He graduated in 1966 from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Naples. He made his debut in theater with Eduardo De Filippo, with whom he worked from 1970 to 1980. As a character actor, he was present in about twenty films including his only Spaghetti western “Arrapaho” in 1984 in the role of Pierpaolo.  




*'''GIOMINI, Romano''' - 1936, Italy - 3/1/2017, Italy
*'''LEONI, Roberto''' - 11/16/1940, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/5/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy


Italian supporting and character actor Romano Giomini died on March 2, 2017. He was 80. Born in Italy in 1936 Giomini appeared in over two dozen films from 1961-1967. He was a film and television editor after his film career ended. Giomini appeared in several films billed as Gordon Steve. Romano appeared in action films such as sword and sandal and crime and western films. Romano appeared in three Euro-westerns: “Stranger in Scramento” and “A Fistful of Knuckles” (both 1965) and $5.00 for Ringo” in 1966.
Italian director and screenwriter Roberto Leoni died in Rome on March 5, 2024. He was 83. Leoni scripted more than seventy films some of which have become real cult movies such as “Santa Sangre” (1989) by Alejandro Jodorowsky and “My Dear Killer” (1972) by Tonino Valerii. He also wrote and directed TV films. Beginning in August 2017 he reviewed new and classic movies on his talk show ‘Roberto Leoni Movie Reviews’. Leoni was co-writer of the 1977 Spaghetti western “California” starring Giuliano Gemma and William Berger.




*'''NICOTRA, Angelo''' - 4/10/1948, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/8/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy


*[[Category:Resources]]
Italian actor and voice dubber Angelo Nicotra died in Rome on March 8th. He was 75. He was the brother of the director Giancarlo Nicotra. Angelo made his screen debut as a child actor in the 1950s. He was better known for his dubbing and was the official voice of American actor Morgan Freeman after the retirement of Renato Mori. He was also the voice of Mr. Potato in the four “Toy Story” films. Nicotra was the Italian voice of Simón Andreu in 1971’s “Bad Man’s River; Chris Chitell in 1971’s “They Call Him Cemetery”; Pedro Sanchez in 1972’s “My Horse, My Gun, Your Widow; Alberto Dell’Acqua in 1972’s “Panhandle .38”; Antonio Marsina in 1976’s “Keoma” and Walter Lucchini in 1981’s “Buddy Goes West”.
[[Category:Obituaries]][[Category:People]]

Latest revision as of 14:24, 25 March 2024

This page is our personal hall of faml'e. A reminder to us all that even though considered a B-genre, Spaghetti Westerns were full of great characters, played by great people. Many have passed away, and while we are young growing up re-watching all these classics, many more will probably leave us. May they be remembered. What follows, is a work-in-progress, a growing list of legends who have passed away...

Sorted by last name: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Cemetery.jpg

FRESH GRAVES

  • WEPPER, Fritz - 8/17/1941, Munich, Bavaria, Germany - 3/25/2024, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

German actor Fritz Wepper died in Munich, Germany on March 25, 2024. He was 82. He started his acting career in a production of Peter Pan at the age of eleven. He got his first important film role in Tischlein deck dich, a film adaption of the Brothers Grimm fairytale The Wishing Table. Fritz is best known for his role as Inspector Harry Klein in the long-running crime series ‘Derrick’ (1974–1998). Wepper is also remembered for his roles in the films “Cabaret” (1972) and “The Bridge” (1959) and as Mayor Wöller in the TV series ‘Um Himmels Willen’ (2002–2021). Wepper appeared in one Euro-western as Tampico in the 1963 television production of “Ein Sheriff für den Sarg”.


  • BERETTA, Daniel (Daniel Jean Georges Beretta) - , Audincourt, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France - 3/23/2024, France

French singer, actor and voice dubber Daniel Beretta died on March 23rh. He was 77. Beretta was born on December 24, 1946 in Audincourt, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. He started his career as a Chanson Singer-Songwriter, having given several concerts at the Olympia and Bobino concert halls and wrote several songs for the likes of Mireille Mathieu and Nino Ferrer. He also notably adapted and performed songs for the French version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” as well as the stage adaptation of “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”. Having trained as a musician also allowed him to sing in his animation dubs (such as Lumière's music numbers in “Beauty and the Beast”, again). He dubbed Arnold Schwarzenegger in the French versions of all his films since 1987. Daniel was also the announcer for the French radio RFM from 2000 to 2008. His daughter, Barbara Beretta, is also a professional voice actress. He quietly retired for health reasons in the early 2020s. Daniel Beretta appeared in one Euro-western “In the Dust of the Sun” in 1971 as Hawk Bradford.


  • CULVER, Michael (Michael John Edward Culver) - 6/16/1938, Hampstead, London, England, U.K. - 2/27/2024

British actor Michael Culver died on February 27, 2024. He was 85. Born Michael John Edward Culver in Hampstead, London, England on June 16, 1938. The son (and nephew) of actors Culver was destined to delve into acting himself. Culver attended Gresham's School in Holt, North Norfolk, UK, then went on to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Culver was married to actress Lucinda Curtis from 1962-1986, they have two sons, Roderic (an actor), and Justin, and a daughter, Sue. He is currently married to actress Amanda Ward. Culver appeared in several television series in recurring roles, as Squire Armstrong in ‘The Adventures of Black Beauty’ (1972–74), Major Erwin Brandt in the BBC drama ‘Secret Army’ (1977–78), crooked banker Ralph Saroyan in the second series of ‘The House of Eliott’ (1992) and the strict Prior Robert ('Brother Prior') in ‘Cadfael’ (1994–98). Culver appeared as Aragan in one episode of thee 1991 Euro-television series ‘The New Zorro’ starrin Duncan Regehr.


  • McCOURT, Malachy (Malachy Gerard McCourt) - 9/20/1931, New York City, New York, U.S.A. - 3/11/2024, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

Veteran American actor Malachy McCourt died in a Manhattan hospital on March 11th he was 92. Malachy Gerard McCourt was born in New York City on September 20, 1931. He was an American actor and writer of Irish ancestry. McCourt was the 2006 Green Party candidate for governor of New York, losing to the Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer. He was the younger brother of author Frank McCourt [1930-2009]. Raised in Limerick, Ireland he acted on stage, on TV and in various films. These included “The Molly Maguires”, “Beyond the Pale”, “Ash Wednesday” and he also used to make an annual festive appearance in’ All My Children’ as Father Clarence. Malachy appeared in one Euro-western in an uncredited role in 1976’s “Montana Trap” aka “Potato Frits” with Hardy Krüger and Stephen Boyd.


  • MORRA, Gigio - 8/26/1945, Naples, Campania Italy - 3/10/2024, Naples, Campania, Italy

Italian theater, film and TV actor Gigio Morra died at his home in Naples, Italy on March 10th. He was 78. Born in Naples on August 26, 1945. He graduated in 1966 from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Naples. He made his debut in theater with Eduardo De Filippo, with whom he worked from 1970 to 1980. As a character actor, he was present in about twenty films including his only Spaghetti western “Arrapaho” in 1984 in the role of Pierpaolo.


  • LEONI, Roberto - 11/16/1940, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/5/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Italian director and screenwriter Roberto Leoni died in Rome on March 5, 2024. He was 83. Leoni scripted more than seventy films some of which have become real cult movies such as “Santa Sangre” (1989) by Alejandro Jodorowsky and “My Dear Killer” (1972) by Tonino Valerii. He also wrote and directed TV films. Beginning in August 2017 he reviewed new and classic movies on his talk show ‘Roberto Leoni Movie Reviews’. Leoni was co-writer of the 1977 Spaghetti western “California” starring Giuliano Gemma and William Berger.


  • NICOTRA, Angelo - 4/10/1948, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 3/8/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Italian actor and voice dubber Angelo Nicotra died in Rome on March 8th. He was 75. He was the brother of the director Giancarlo Nicotra. Angelo made his screen debut as a child actor in the 1950s. He was better known for his dubbing and was the official voice of American actor Morgan Freeman after the retirement of Renato Mori. He was also the voice of Mr. Potato in the four “Toy Story” films. Nicotra was the Italian voice of Simón Andreu in 1971’s “Bad Man’s River; Chris Chitell in 1971’s “They Call Him Cemetery”; Pedro Sanchez in 1972’s “My Horse, My Gun, Your Widow; Alberto Dell’Acqua in 1972’s “Panhandle .38”; Antonio Marsina in 1976’s “Keoma” and Walter Lucchini in 1981’s “Buddy Goes West”.

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