12 July, 2010

ALDO SAMBRELL 1931-2010



Spanish actor Aldo Sambrell [rn: Alfred Sanchez Brell] died on July 10, 2010 at 5pm local time, in a Madrid hospital after suffering three strokes.
He was a prolific and memorable character actor in dozens of Eurowesterns, action films, horror films and was cast in a number of high profile USA European-lensed productions as well. He also appeared in Jess Franco's KILLER BABRYS, TENDER FLESH and KILLER BARBYS VS DRACULA. 
He will probably be best remembered for a variety of Spaghetti Western villains in such titles as THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY, NAVAJO JOE, REQUIEM FOR A GRINGO, to name but a few. 
There's an excellent obituary on Tom Bett's WESTERNS ALL'ITALIANA* blog. As I wrote on the comment section there, I considered him the presence which held the Eurowestern genre together. In his numerous roles for all the major directors in many of the key titles he became one of the genre's most recognized icons and seemed ubiquitous. He had a "look" and always gave each role all he had. A personal favorite Aldo Sambrell performance was a rare leading role in Manuel Cano's 1972 VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST. He will be missed. RIP





*http://westernsallitaliana.blogspot.com/


Here's a partial list of his Eurowestern appearances:
Magnificent Three (1963)
Gunfight at Red Sands (1963)
Massacre at Fort Grant (1963)
Two Gunmen (1964)
Finger on the Trigger (1965)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Gunfighters of Casa Grande (1965)
In a Colt's Shadow (1965)
Place Called Glory (1965)
Bullet for the General (1966)
Dynamite Jim (1966)
Hellbenders (1966)
Navajo Joe (1966)
Savage Gringo (1966)
Son of a Gunfighter (1966)
Texican (1966)
Duel in the Eclipse (1967)
Face to Face (1967)
Minute to Pray ... a Second to Die (1967)
Train for Durango (1967)
Awkward Hands (1968)
Dollars for a Fast Gun (1968)
Fifteen Scaffolds for a Killer (1968)
Long Ride From Hell (1968)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Arizona (1970)
Bad Man's River (1971)
Kill Django ... Kill First (1971)
Town Called Hell (1971)
Charley One-Eye (1972)
Pistol Packin' Preacher (1972)
Man Called Noon (1974)
Silver Saddle (1978)
Tex and the Lord of the Deep (1985)

1 comment:

Brian D. Horrorwitz said...

He was really great in everything I ever saw him in, but I'll never forget his performance in "Tender Flesh". Just shows how versatile an actor he could be.