Cemetery with crosses - legends lost but remembered

This 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...

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

• GIRALDI, Franco - 7/11/1931, Comeno, Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy - 12/2/2020, Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

Italian director, assistant director, screenwriter, film editor and actor Franco Giraldi died in a Trieste hospital of COVID-19 on December 2, 2020. He was 89. Born on July 11, 1931 in Comeno, Franco Giraldi began his first steps in the world of cinema, approaching the trend of the Italian western and comedy of costume. He was assistant director for Sergio Leone on “A Fistful of Dollars”. Once Leone left the Jolly Film production company, it was Giraldi who settled behind the camera, making his successful debut in the Italian western with the fiilm “7 Guns for the McGregors” (1965) starring Robert Woods. He also directed Hunt Powers in “Sugar Colt” (1966), wrote and directed “Up the MacGregors:” starring David Bailey and directed Alex Cord in “A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die.” (1967).

• DALTON, Abby (Gladys Marlene Wasden) - 8/15/1932, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. - 11/23/2020, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

American actress Abby Dalton, the bubbly actress who starred on the 1960 TV sitcoms ‘Hennesey’ and ‘The Joey Bishop Show’ before portraying the scheming winery heiress Julia Cumson on the primetime soap ‘Falcon Crest’, has died. She was 88. Born Gladys Marlene Wasden in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 15, 1932, Dalton died November 23, 2020 in Los Angeles after a long illness. Abby appeared in one Euro-western as Ma Dalton in 1997’s “Buck and the Magic Bracelet.”

• CARULLA, Montserrat (Montserrat Carulla i Ventura) - 9/19/1930, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain - 11/24/2020, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Spanish theater, film and TV actress Montserrat Carulla died in her home town of Barcelona, Spain on November 24, 2020. She was 90. Born Montserrat Carulla i Ventura on September 9, 1930 she participated in numerous theatrical productions, series and films among them “Guys and Dolls” (1998) an “A Little Night Music” (2001). Her talent and hard work was recognized repeatedly, receiving, among others, the Gold Medal for artistic merit in 1999 and the Gaudí Award of Honor in 2013. She was married to writer, actor Felipe Peña [1921-1989] (195? -1989) and mother of director, actress, singer Vicky Peña (Maria Victòria Peña Carulla) [1954- ], actor Roger Peña [1959- ], Marina Penya-Carulla, Isabel Peña, grandmother of actor Orestes Gas, actress, singer Miranda Gas, actor Aleix Peña Miralles. She appeared in an uncredited role in 1965’s “Sunscorched” starring Mark Stevens and Marianne Koch.

• DALL, Karl - 2/1/1941, Emden, Germany - 11/23/2020, Lüneburg, Niedersachsen, Germany

German comedian and actor Karl Dall died on November 23rd at the age of 79 in Lüneburg, Germany. He failed to recover from a stroke he suffered twelve days before. Born in Emden on February 4, 1941 he was a soap opera actor and comedian and also hosted German talk shows. Karl appeared in two Euro-westerns “Apache Gold” in 1963 and “The Sheriff was a Lady” in 1964. He played saloon patrons in both films.

• RIZZOLI, Laura - 5/21/1922, Milan, Lombardy, Italy - 11/23/2020, Milan, Lombardy, Italy

The Milanese actress and voice actress Laura Rizzoli died today November 23, 2020, at the age of 98. She’s remembered with the many roles of her long career. She was the voice of Ursula Andress in 1971’s “Red Sun”.

• VANDOR, Ivan (Ivan Weisz) - 10/13/1932, Pecs, Hungary - 11/15/2020, Venice, Veneto, Italy

Hungarian born composer and teacher Ivan Vandor died in Venice, Italy on November 15. He was 88. Born Ivan Weisz in Pecs, Hungary on October 13, 1932 his family moved to Rome when Ivan was only 6. He began studying violin and then piano at the age of 8, and, from 1948 to 1954, was tenor sax in the group Roman New Orleans Jazz Band. He was later also member of the avant-garde groups Musica Elettronica Viva and Gruppo di Improvvisazione di Nuova Consonanza. In 1959 he graduated in Composition from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory and in 1962 he obtained Italian citizenship. He was also author of several books and essays. His compositions include one Euro-western “Django Kill” (1967) starring Tomas Milian.

• SCHON, Horst - 10/25/1925, Berlin, Berlin, Germany - 11/10/2020, Berlin, Berlin, Germany

German actor and voice actor Horst Schön died in Berlin, Germany on November 10, 2020. He was 94. Schön was born in Berlin on December 25, 1925 and was a film, TV and voice actor. He appeared in the 1973 DEFA western “Apaches” as Colonel Keanrey and in 1982’s “Thunder Warrior III” as Bill. As a voice actor he was the German voice of Luciano Bonanni in 1971’s “It Can be Done Amigo” with Jack Palance and Bud Spencer, the voice of Jean Louis in 1971’s “Trinity is STILL My Name”, the voice of Rik Battaglia in 1972’s “Deadly Trackes” with Richard Harrison, the voice of Fernando Rey in 1985’s “Rustlers’ Rhapsody”, Bo Svenson in “Thunder Warrior” in 1983.

• GAITAN, Vladimir - 2/2/1947, Suceava, Romania - 11/10/2020, Bucharest, Romania

Romanian theater and film actor Vladimir Găitan died on November 10, 2020. He was 73. Born on February 2, 1947 in Suceava, Romania was one of the elites of the Romanian theater. He appeared in one TV Euro-western “Burning Daylight” (1975) as the Montana Kid.