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

• BARONI, Tamara - 1/3/1947, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy - 12/28/2022, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Italian actress Tamara Baroni died at her home in Natal, Brazil on December 28, 2022. She was a week short of turning 76. Baroni was born in Parma, Italy on January 3, 1947 and finished fourth in the 1967 Miss Italy beauty contest. She then became a model and married to Gianni Garbellini which was later annulled. Tamara became a journalist for several newspapers in her hometown of Parma and also wrote two books of poetry. She appeared in a few films but preferred the stage. She moved to Brazil with her third husband Gianni Garbellini and three children. After her acting career she became a realtor. Tamar appeared in one Euro-western “A Gunman Called Dakota in 1971 as Scott’s daughter.

• DEODATO, Ruggero - 5/7/1939, Potenza, Potenza, Italy - 12/29/2022, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Italian director Ruggero Deodato died in Rome, Italy on December 29, 2022. He was 83. Ruggero was born on May 7, 1939, in Potenza, Italy, and grew up outside Rome. One of his close friends at the time was Renzo Rossellini, the son of famed Italian director Roberto Rossellini. Knowing Ruggerio's love for the movies, Renzo persuaded him to work as a second unit director on some of his father's productions. From 195819-67 Deodato worked as a second unit director for several cult film directors such as Anthony M. Dawson (Antonio Margheriti), Riccardo Freda and Joseph Losey. Deodato's directorial debut was the action-fantasy "Hercules, Prisoner of Evil” (1964), replacing Margheriti who quit the production. Deodato's claim to fame was the spaghetti western “Django” (1966). His career took off in 1968 when he directed a number of films based on comic-book characters and musicals. It was while shooting one of these films that Deodato met, and later married, Silvia Dionisio. From 1971-75 Deodato worked in television, directing the series’ All'ultimo minuto’ (1971) as well as TV commercials, including ones for Esso Oil, Band-Aid and Fanta. Deodato returned to filmmaking with an erotic melodrama and a police thriller. At the same time his marriage fell apart. In 1977 Deodato directed the notorious “Jungle Holocaust” (1977) and later “Cannibal Holocaust” (1980). Deodato traveled to New York City and directed the disturbing thriller “House on the Edge of the Park” (1980), a semi-follow-up to Wes Craven's “The Last House on the Left” (1972). Deodato made “House on the Edge of the Park” (1980) in just 19 days on a tiny budget. He then returned to directing action and horror flicks. Ruggerro directed 1969’s “In the Name of the Father” starring Paolo Villaggio. He also was an assistant director on “Django” and “Ringo and His Golden Pistol”, “Navajo Joe” both (1966), “The Hellbenders” and “Wanted” (1967).

• ROBERTS, Christian (Christian Charles Roberts) - 3/17/1944, Southmoor, Oxfordshire, England, U.K. – 12/26/2022, England, U.K.

British actor Christian Roberts died on December 26, 2022. He was 78. Born Christian Charles Roberts in Southmoor, Berkshire, England. He’s best remembered for his film debut role as the rebellious Denham in the 1967 film “To Sir, with Love” starring Sidney Poitier, Judy Geeson and Lulu. He was educated at Cranleigh School, Surrey and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Much of his acting career was in theatre. Roberts lone Euro-western appearance was as Adam Galt in the 1969 British film “The Desperados! starring Jack Palance and Vince Edwards and George Maharis.

• BLASCO, Giurato - 6/7/1941, Rome, Lazio, Italy - 12/26/2022, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Director of photography Giurato Blasco died on December 26, 2022. He was 81. Born in Rome on June 7, 1941. He received his professional training with a series of short-length films, winning the Florence “Festival dei Popoli” with “The Furthest Island”. His camera operator career began at the side of Dario Di Palma, then Rotunno and Kuveiller, collaborating with the greatest directors of the period, such as Fellini (“I Clowns”, “Roma”), Zurlini, Gregoretti, Giraldi, Questi, Wertmuller, Vancini, Pasolini, Maselli, Petri, Monicelli, Lumet, Bolognini and Pontecorvo. Blasco was a camera operator on Sergio Cobucci’s “The Specialist” starring Johnny Hallyday and Mario Adorf.

• GREIF, Stephen (Stephen John Greif) - 8/26/1944, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England, U.K. - 12/23/2022, London, England, U.K.

British actor Stephen Greif, an award-winning RADA trained actor and voice actor in Television, Stage, Film, Radio, Talking Books and the Audio worlds of Advertising and Corporate presentations, died on December 26, 2022 in London, England. He was 78. Born on August 26, 1944, in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England. He is most familiar for his roles as Space Commander Travis, in the cult BBC Sci –Fi series "Blakes 7", Harry Fenning the gangster publican in 3 series of the BBC sit-com "Citizen Smith", Signor Donato the opulent Merchant in the Movie "Casanova" and as the Rich playboy in the series of Kenco Commercials. Greif appeared as Torres in the 1990 episode “Ghost Story” on the TV series “The New Zorro” starring Duncan Regehr.

• MURAKAMI, James J. (James Junichi Murakami) - 6/4/1931, Sacramento, California, U.S.A. - 12/15/2022, Santa Monica, California, U.S.A

American art director and set designer James Junichi Murakami died in Los Angeles, California on December 15, 2022. He was 91. Born in Sacramento, California on June 4, 1931. He is best known for his Emmy-winning work as the art director on HBO's Deadwood, and his many collaborations with Clint Eastwood. He got his start in movies and television with a job at ZIV Studio, where he spent a number of years in various art departments. Murakami was an assistant art director on the 1977 Euro-western “Another Man, Another Chance” with James Caan and Genevieve Bujold.

• GIORDANO, Daniela - 11/7/1946, Palermo, Sicily, Italy - 12/18/2022, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Miss Palermo and Miss Italy Daniela Giordano died in her hometown of Palermo, Sicily, Italy on December 18, 2022. She was 76. The daughter of a banker she embarked on a screen career after becoming Miss Italy in 1966 and first appeared with Franco & Ciccio in "I barbieri di Sicilia" (The Barbers of Sicily). Her career consisted of over 50 film and TV appearances. She was married to photographer Emilio Lantini and the pair lived a very private life. Giordano appeared in nine Euro-westerns: “Find a Place to Die” 1968 as Juanita; “Long Day of the Massacre” 1968 as Paquita; “Amen” 1969 as Barbara; “The 5-Man Army” 1969 as Maria; “The 4 Gunmen of the Holy Trinity” 1970 as Sarah Bowman/Baldwin; “Have a Nice Funeral My Friend” 1970 as Jasmine/Abigail Benson; “His Name Was Pot... They Called Him Allegria” 1971 as a Mexican girl; “Stay Away from Trinity When He Comes to Eldorado” 1972 as Juanita and “Trinity & Sartana Those Sons of Bitches”1972 as Martha.

• BUZZANCA, Lando (Gerlando Buzzanca) - 8/24/1935, Palermo, Sicily, Italy - 12/18/2022, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Italian comedian and actor Lando Buzzanca died from dementia at the Villa Speranza clinic on December 18, 2022. He 87. The son of actor Empedocle Buzzanca [1910-1987], and nephew of actor Gino Buzzanca [1912-1985]. He left high school in Palermo when he was 16 years old and moved to Rome to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. In order to survive, he took many jobs: waiter, furniture mover, and a brief appearance as a slave in the 1959 film Ben-Hur. He became one of the great actors of Italian comedy in the 1960s and 1970s, who was spurned by critics but obtained a great success with the cinema going public. After two successful "James Tont" films in which he played a parody of James Bond, starting from the late 1960s, Buzzanca had large success in a series of Italian satirical sex comedies which satirized major institutions such as politics, religion, trade unions and financial world. With the decline of the genre, he slowed his film activities, focusing on theatre and television, in which he enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in the 2000s. Buzzanca appeared in two Euro-westerns: “For a Few Dollars Less” 1966 as Bill; “Rebels on the Loose” 1966 as Private Chester/Ringo.

• ZIFFER, Wolfgang - 10/26/1941, Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany - 12/12/2022, Germany

Deutsche Synchronkartei reports that German voice actor Wolfgang Ziffer died on December 12, 2022. Ziffer was born on October 26, 1941, in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany and was a voice actor. Like a number of people in the voice acting industry, Ziffer was rarely seen live on film or television. With a distinctive high-pitched voice, Ziffer often voiced robots, aliens, squawking birds, cartoon characters, or other off-beat creatures.

Wolfgang Zifer’s Euro-westerns: My Name is Nobody – 1973 [German voice of telegrapher] Lucky Luke – 1984 [German voice of William Dalton] The New Zorro (TV) – 1990-1993 [German voice of Maurice O’Connell] Lucky Luke (TV) – 2001-2003 [German voice of Bernard Alane] Fernand Cowboy -1996 [German voice of FernandRaynaud] For a Few Dollars More – 1996 [German voice of Kurt Zips, Roman Ariznavarreta]

• Calpurnio (Eduardo Pelegrín Martínez de Pisón) - 1959, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain - 12/15/2022, Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Spanish comic book illustrator and animator Calpurnio died in Valencia, Spain on December 15, 2022. He was 63. Born Eduardo Pelegrín Martínez de Pisón in 1959 in Zaragoza, Spain he began his career at the El Heraldo de Aragón and El País during this time he also was an illustrator on such comic books as The Man of the West (1999), The Molecular Cowboy (2000) and The Samurai Cowboy. Calpurnio created the famous Spanish character Cuttlas which was seen in many comic books. He worked on one Euro-western “Atolladero” (1995) as an animation director.

• DICORATO, Giulio - 1964, Rodi Garganico, Puglia, Italy - 12/13/2022, Rome, Lazio, Italy

RIP Giulio Dicorato. Italian actor Giulio Dicorato died in Rome, Italy on December 13, 2022. He was 58. Born in 1964, Rodi Garganico, Puglia, Italy in 1964, Giulio started his career as a dancer for Rai TV and gradually assumed roles in music videos and small independent films. He appeared in two Euro-westerns in recent years. “Gold and Lead” (2017) as a cantina patron and starred in 2018’s short film “Il silenzio di Jill” as the old man.

• MARGOLIN, Stuart - 1/31/1940, Davenport, Iowa, U.S.A. - 12/12/2022, Staunton, Virginia, U.S.A.

American actor, director, writer, composer Stuart Margolin died in Staunton, Virginia on December 12, 2022. He was 82. Margolin was probably best known as ‘Angel’ James Garner’s buddy on TV’s ‘Rockford Files’. He also played opposite Clint Eastwood on “Kelly’s Heroes”. Margolin also proved to be a prolific TV director, helming episodes of ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’, ‘Wonder Woman’, ‘Touched by an Angel’, ‘The Love Boat’, ‘Magnum, P.I.’, ‘Northern Exposure’, ‘Quantum Leap’ and ‘The Rockford Files’. Born in Davenport, Iowa but raised in Dallas, Texas Margolin was a co-screenwriter on the 1999 Euro-western “Grizzly Falls”.

• GIL, Carlos (Juan Carlos Gil Díaz) - 5/12/1948, Madrid, Madrid, Spain - 12/8/2022, Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Spanish producer, director and assistant director Carlos Gil died in Madrid, Spain on December 8, 2022. He was 74. Born Juan Carlos Gil Díaz on May 12, 1948, Gil worked extensively in Spain since he accompanied his father a production manager on “Lawrence of Arabia” in 1962. Gil was an assistant director on the Indiana Jones film trilogy and over 30 other films from 1967 to 2010. Gil worked on six Euro-westerns: “Villa Rides” (1968) [assistant director]; “The Valley of Gwangi” (1969) [assistant director]; “El Condor” (1970) [assistant director]; “7 cabalgan hacia la Muerte” (1979) [assistant director]; “Dollar for the Dead” (TV) (1998) [assistant director]; “Queen of Swords” (TV) (2000-2001) [director].

• SPECHER, Hans-Edgar - 11/2/1931, Lauchhammer, Brandenburg, Germany - 12/2/2022, Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

German actor and voice dubber Hans-Edgar Stecher diedin Baden-Baden, Germany on December 2, 2022. He was 91. Stecher was born on November 2, 1931 in Lauchhammer, Brandeburg, Germany. Originally a bricklayer he responded to a newspaper ad at DEFA and in 1948 received his first role in the film “1-2-3 Corona” He would go on to appear in many DEFA films and both East and West German films and television appearances and was a children’s presenter. In 1984 he used a holiday in Yugoslavia to escape from the GDR and lived in southern Germany ever since. His son is actor The son Thomas Stecher [1961- ] from his marriage to the actress Kati Székely. The marriage later ended in divorce. Stecher was the German voice of an unknown actor in 1969’s “White Wolves” and the voice of Tom Sawyer in the 1976 television film ‘Mark Twain: Die Abenteuer des Huckleberry Finn’.

• BALOH, Mihail - 6/21/1928, Jesenice, Slovenia, Yugoslavia – 12/6/2022, Jesenice, Slovenia

Slovenian actor Mihail Baloh died on December 6, 2022. He was 94. Born in Jesenice, Slovenia, Yugoslavia on June 21, 1928 Miha started participating in local theatre productions after the World War II and eventually enrolled in the AGRFT in Ljubljana, from where he graduated in 1952. In 1953, he began collaboration with the Permanent Slovene Theatre in Trieste. There he worked with the director Jože Babič who also offered him his first major film role. From 1967, he also worked on international productions on projects such as the Austrian TV comedy series ‘Leni’, in several German Winnetou films and a French-German series on Omer Pasha.He continued to work in the theatre throughout his career. Miha was married to actress Štefka Drolc in the 1940s and they had a child Rena in 1942. Baloh was awarded the Bert Award for Lifetime Achievement [2014]. Miha appeared in six Euro-westerns: “Frontier Hellcat” 1964 (‘Reverend’ Weller); “The Desperado Trail” 1965 (Gomez); “The Halfbreed” 1966 (judge); “Thunder at the Border” 1966 (Captain Luis Sanchez Quilvera); “The Hellhounds of Alaska” 1972 (Buffins) and ‘The Jack London Story’ (TV) – 1973.

• HÉMON, Olivier - 9/3/1950, Paris, Île-de-France, France - 12/3/2022, Paris, Île-de-France, France

French stage, film, voice actor and director Olivier Hémon died in Paris, France on December 3, 2022. He was 72. Born in Paris on September 3, 1950, he is the twin brother of actor Éric Hémon. Olivier was known for The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), Nikita (1990) and La colo (1992). Hémon also had an extensive career in film dubbing and voice acting. Olivier was the French voice of Jack Dalton, Hank Bully, Denver Miles, Flood, Indian Joe, Patronimo, Texas Killer, Thirsty Bear, Grison in the 1991-1992 ‘Lucky Luke’ TV series.

• DEMONGEOT, Mylène (Marie-Hélène Demongeot) - 9/29/1935, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France - 12/1/2022, Paris, Île-de-France, France

French actress Mylène Demongeot died in Paris, France on December 1, 2022, after a recurrence of her ongoing battle with primary peritoneal carcinoma which was diagnosed in early October. She was 87. Born Marie-Hélène Demongeot on September 29, 1935, she spent her childhood in Nice, before moving to Paris with her family at the age of 13. A fan of the piano, she finally turned to cinema in 1953. Also a model, she posed for photographer Henry Coste with whom she fell in love. At the age of 21, she was spotted by director Raymond Rouleau for the role of Abigail in the film “The Witches of Salem”. She married Henry Coste in 1958, before divorcing in 1968. She was often compared to Brigitte Bardot because of their blondness, Mylène Demongeot decided to turn to foreign cinema. She became particularly famous in Italy in 1959 with “The Battle of Marathon”, as well as in Bolignini's “The Boys”. During her career, Mylène Demongeot played opposite such big names in cinema as Jean Marais in “Fantomas”, Yves Montand, Roger Moore, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Gérard Depardieu and Dirk Bogarde. Demongeot appeared in two Euro-westerns: 1961’s “The Singer Not the Song” opposite Dirk Bogarde and John Mills and the 1885 TV series ‘The Adventures of Smoke Bellew’.