As Director
Very Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind
1978
4.6
Gianfranco Baldanello
Directing
Birth Date
November 13, 1928
Place of Birth
Merano, Italy
Date of Death
January 22, 1990
Biography
Gianfranco Baldanello was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and second unit director, sometimes credited as Frank G. Carroll. He was the son of actors Emilio Baldanello and Vanda Vianello. Baldanello began his career in the film industry in the early 1950s, working as an assistant director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with 30 Winchester per El Diablo (1965), a Spaghetti Western that marked the beginning of his work in the genre. Baldanello directed several Westerns, including Kill Johnny Ringo (1966) and Long Days of Hate (1968). His films are characterized by their action sequences and adherence to genre conventions, contributing to the popularity of Spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s.
