Spaghetti Western Posters: A Collector's Guide

Key spaghetti westerns and their Italian titles

English names on Italian posters

Many Italian westerns were sold as if they were American, so Italian casts and crews were credited under English-sounding names. On its first release Per un pugno di dollari credited its director as "Bob Robertson", its composer Ennio Morricone as "Dan Savio" and Gian Maria Volonté as "Johnny Wels". Some names stuck for good: Mario Girotti and Carlo Pedersoli became famous as Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, and Enzo Barboni signed his Trinity films "E.B. Clucher".

For collectors this is useful: once a film became a hit, later material tended to use the real, now-famous names, so the credit block is one of the quickest ways to tell a first release from a riedizione. Compare the names on a poster with the film's original credits before you buy.

Who painted the posters

Renato Casaro painted almost all the posters for Sergio Leone's films, as well as My Name Is Nobody and the Bud Spencer–Terence Hill comedies that grew out of the Trinity films. Sandro Symeoni is also credited with artwork for Per un pugno di dollari. Because several formats and editions exist for the major titles, always check which version a listing describes.

Collecting tips for western posters

• Leone first releases are the most sought after; expect to see many re-releases, especially of the dollars trilogy.
• Credits help date them. Early posters may bill actors under the names used on release; later re-releases bill them by their later fame.
• Minor westerns — hundreds were made — offer affordable posters with striking painted art.
• International versions of Italian westerns exist in many countries; an Italian poster has the Italian title and an Italian printer's credit.