Cemetery with crosses - legends lost but remembered

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

FRESH GRAVES

• COLTRANE, Robbie (Anthony Robert McMillan) - 3/30/1950, Rutherglen, Scotland, U.K. - 10/14/2022, Larbert, Scotland, U.K.

Veteran Scottish-born comic and actor Robbie Coltrane known for his star turns in the British crime series Cracker and the Harry Potter movie franchise, died October 14, 2022. He was 72. The boisterous and decidedly eccentric Scotsman, who began his career in comedy and theater, also commanded the screen in two James Bond films during an illustrious career on both sides of the Atlantic. Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland as the son of a doctor and teacher. After graduating from Glasgow Art School, he continued his studies in art at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh. Coltrane appeared in Spaghetti western parody TV episode ‘Comic Strip Presents: A Fistful of Travellers’ Cheques’ 1983.

• WOLTER, Ralf 11/26/1926, Berlin, Berlin, Germany - 10/14/2022, Munich Bavaria Germany

The popular film and television actor Ralf Wolter died in Munich, Bavaria Germany on October 14, 2022. Wolter, the co-star of numerous Karl May films died at the age of 95, as his wife told the German Press Agency on Friday. She did not provide any further information. He had long since retired from public life. Ralf Wolter celebrated his greatest successes alongside “Winnetou” actor Pierre Brice in the 1960s, including the role of the quick-witted Sam Hawkens. Many viewers also associate Wolter with the cinema role of a second Karl May character: the Haji Halef Omar Ben Haji Abul Abbas Ibn Haji Dawuhd al Gossarah. His performances alongside Pierre Brice and Lex Barker are arguably some of the most memorable by audiences to date. The actor was seen in many other productions, for example in “Tatort”, in “Der Alte”, “Ein Schloss am Wörthersee” or “Küstenwache”. He had his last appearance in a film in 2012 in “Unto the Horizon, Then Left”. The actor, who lived in the Bavarian capital for many years, was born in Berlin on November 26, 1926. His father was a circus artist, his mother a musician. After attending drama school, Wolter began as a cabaret artist. Theater stations were stages in Berlin and Potsdam, later Munich.

Wolter's westerns and western documentaries include: "The Treasure of Silver Lake"1962 (Sam Hawkens); "Apache Gold" 1963 (Sam Hawkens); "Apaches Last Battle" 1963 (Sam Hawkens), "Massacre at Marble City" 1964 (Tim Fletcher); "The Desperado Trail" 1965 (Sam Hawkens); 'Freispruch für Old Shatterhand' (TV) 1965 (Hadschi Halef Omar) [archive footage]; "Who Killed Johnny R.?" 1965 (Billy Monroe); "The Halfbreed" 1966 (Sam Hawkens); "The Man With the Long Gun" 1968 (Sam Hawkens); "Pistolen-Jenny" (TV) 1969 (Miller); 'My Friend Winnetou' (TV) 1979 (Sam Hawkens); "Asterix Conquers America" 1994 [German voice of Getafix]; 'In the Footsteps of Winnetou' (TV) 2004 [himself]; 'Karl May Adventures: The Blind Brothers" 2011 [film was never made]; "Legenden: Pierre Brice - Die beliebte ARD-Reihe über den unvergesslichen Winnetou-Darsteller" 2012 [himself]

• TENNIGKEIT, Herbert - 2/28/1937, Graszpelken, East Prussia, Germany - 10/10/2022, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

German actor Herbert Tennigkeit died in Hamburg, Germany on October 10, 2022. He was 85. Anyone who spent his childhood in the 1980s knows his distinctive voice from the German dubbed version of the dead-headed villain Skeletor in the animated series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" - dark, throaty and raspy, he gave him great rogue charm. Tennigkeit also took part in the youth radio play series of the audio label Europa, such as "The Three ???" and "Five Friends", as well as in Karl May settings such as "Through Wild Kurdistan". He had TV appearances several times in "Tatort" thrillers and in the series "Das Traumschiff". Herbert appeared in two German television westerns: ‘Frei nach Mark Twain’ (1971) and as Apanatschka in 1975’s ‘Old Surehand’

• ANA, Doru - 2/28/1954, Bucharest, Romania - 10/11/2022, Bucharest, Romania

Romanian actor Doru Ana died during the night of October 11, 2022, at the age of 68. Doru was born on February 28, 1954, in Bucharest and graduated from the Institute of Theatrical and Cinematographic Art in the Capital, class of 1980. Ana starred in over 40 films such as “Terminus paradis” (1998), “Marfa si banii” (2001), “Umbre” (2019). He played on the stage of the "Bulandra" theater in Bucharest and was a university professor. at the Actor's Art section of the Faculty of Theater within UNATC. He became known to the young audience through the TV series ‘Adela’, appearing at the beginning of the story as the cornerstone of a drama that would change everyone's lives. Ana appeared in one Euro-western, 1999’s “Phantom Town” as a gunslinger.

• BECHTEL, Peter - 11/1/1941, Hofgeismar, Kassel, Germany - 10/8/2022, Germany

German theater, film actor Peter Bechtel died on October 8, 2022. He was 81 years old. Born in Hofgeismar, Kassel, Germany on November 1, 1941 Bechtel is remembered for his work at the Bad Segeburg Karl May Festival where he starred as Colonel Brinkley in the 2015 play “The Treasure of the Silver Sea” and then again in 2016 as Old Firehand in “Winnetou II. He also appeared in the western comedy film “2 Pengo 2 Rengo” as Dynamite Sam.

• LAMPRECHT, Günter - 1/21/1930, Wilmersdorf, Berlin, Germany - 10/4/2022, Bad Godesberg, Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Günter Lamprecht, the German character actor whose acclaimed performance anchored Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 14-part television epic, “Berlin Alexanderplatz,” died on October 4, 2022 in Bad Godesberg, Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He was 92. In the 1990s, Mr. Lamprecht became a familiar face to television viewers in the newly reunified Germany as the lovable police inspector Franz Markowitz on the long-running crime procedural “Tatort.”. Lamprecht’s only Euro-western was Sheriff File in the 1980 TV film “Der Regenmacher” a remake of “The Rainmaker”.

• KIRKLAND, Douglas - 8/16/1934, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada - 10//2/2022, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.A.

Canadian born Douglas Kirkland, one of the greatest and most sought-after photographers in the world of cinema and entertainment, died in his Hollywood Hills, California home on October 2, 2022, he was 88. A legendary artist, unique witness of the Hollywood star system. Born in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada on August 16, 1934, Kirkland broke into the industry at a very young age with what remains imprinted as one of the most memorable photo shoots of the past century where he made at 24 years old, a set of 55 images made for Look Magazine of Marylin Monroe, wrapped in simple white sheets. A complicity that Kirkland obtained and returned with all his immortalized characters, in a prolific career: with over 2000 assignments, over 600 celebrities photographed, and special visits on the sets of incredible films. He was the still photographer on 1965’s “Viva Maria!” with Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau.

• CEKO, Gordana - 1947, Sibenik, Romania - 10/2/2022, Romania

A post on Facebook by Winnetou Romania posted that Romanian radio, television and film stunt woman Gordana Čeko passed away on October 2, 2022. She was 75. Born in Sibenik, Romania in 1947, Gordan was Dalia Lavi’s stunt double on the 1963 German western “The Halfbreed” with Lex Barker and Pierre Brice.

• SALVIANI, Vincenzo - 19?? - Italy - 9/?/2022

Eugenio Ercolani posted on Facebook on September 28, 2022. “I came to find out today about the recent passing of producer-director-screenwriter Vincenzo Salviani. I had a chance to interview him years ago and stand in front of a force of nature. During the interview I had to ask him several times to repeat things because the operator and I were laughing.

Salviani was a producer, production director and screenwriter for Fernando Di Leo, Ruggero Deodato, Lucio Fulci, Vittorio De Sisti, Maurizio Lucidi, Silvio Amadio and many others.”

Salvani was a production secretary on 1971’s “Aquasanta Joe” (Holy Water Joe).

• ORAL, Tunc (Tuncer Akoral) - 3/15/1938, Istanbul, Turkey - 9/20/2022, Antalya, Turkey

Turkish actor Tunc Oral died in Antalya, Turkey on September 20, 2022. He was 84. Oral was born on March 15, 1938. His real name is Tuncer Akoral. He studied at the Institute of Journalism. He translated. He Won The First Place In The Cinema artist competition organized by Ses magazine in 1964. In the same year, he started to act in films as a film actor. He acted in the films “Ten Fearless Men” (1964), “Girls of Istanbul” (1964), “Ferhat ile Şirin” (1966), “Bloody Life” (1967), “Bağdat Yolu” (1968), “The Most Beautiful of Love” (1978), and “Night” (1972). In addition to acting, he founded Zümrüt Film in 1969 and produced the films “Kanlı Aşk” (1969) and “Ecel Teri” (1970). Tunç Oral, who has been away from the big screen for a long time, recently appeared in front of the camera with the television series ‘Such a Passing Time Ki’ (2010) and the feature film “My Halam Geldi” (2013). Tunc appeared in three Turkish westerns: “Cango – Korkusuz adam” (1967) as Tom; “Kanun kaçaklari: Zalo” (1970) and “Vur” (1972).

• ALFONSI, Lydia (Lidia Alfonsi) 4/28/1928, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy - 9/21/2022, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Italian actress Lydia Alfonsi died on September 21, 2022 she was 94. Born Lidia Alfonsi in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on April 28, 1928. In 1946 she won in a national competition for amateur dramatics and was noticed by one of the judges, the director Anton Giulio Bragaglia, who immediately hired her for his stage company. Soon she was cast in leading roles in dramas and often in classical works, including many Greek tragedies. In 1957 she made her film debut, then in 1960 she started a professional and sentimental relationship (lasted until his death in a car accident in 1963) with television director Giacomo Vaccari, starring in several successful RAI TV-dramas directed by him. In the mid-1970s Alfonsi semi-retired, making sporadic appearances only in 1988 (with the TV movie ‘Una lepre con la faccia da bambina’), in 1990 (in “Gianni Amelio's Open Doors”) and in 1997 (in Roberto Benigni's “Life Is Beautiful”). Alfonsi appeared in one Spaghetti westerns 1967’s “Face to Face” as Belle de Winton.