Frank Brana RIP

Frank Brana, as a pipe-smoking member of Henry Fonda's outlaw bunch, interrupts a land auction in Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western masterpiece ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1969).

Francisco "Frank" Brana, whose baleful presence and bushy eyebrows graced many [55!] a Spaghetti Western, and Jess Franco's RIFIFI EN LA CIUDAD (1963) died in Madrid today. He was 77. He also appeared in numerous Spanish horror and genre films. Some favorite Brana roles were as Dr. Lexter in Miguel Madrid's GRAVEYARD OF HORROR (1971), the cop in PIECES (1981) and as Fernando Sancho's thug in RETURN OF THE BLIND DEAD (1973).Thanks to Tom Betts for the additional info below which he posted on FACEBOOK. I still haven't been able to place him in the Jess Franco film, but I'll keep trying...

om BettsSWDB - The Spaghetti Western Database

RIP Frank Brana. Legendary Spanish character actor and stuntman Frank Brana died in Madrid, Spain today Monday February 13, 2011. He was 77. Frank appeared in over 55 Euro-westerns and over 150 films and TV appearances. He had been suffering from lung problems the last few years and still made an appearance at the 2011 Almeria Western Film Festival. Another of the great Spanish character actors has left us. RIP Frank and thanks for the memories.