Giulio Petroni

Giulio Petroni

Giulio Petroni (September 21, 1917 – January 31, 2010) was an Italian director, writer, and screenwriter, best known for his spaghetti westerns Death Rides a Horse (1967), with Lee Van Cleef in one of his first starring roles, A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (1968), and Tepepa (1969), with Orson Welles and Tomas Milian. Born in Rome, Petroni started to make short films of political commitment in 1951. He debuted as a director in 1959 with the comedy film La cento chilometri. From 1967 Petroni directed five spaghetti westerns, generally considered among the most important in its genre. In addition to those mentioned, titles include La notte dei serpenti (1969) and Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? (1972), with Tomas Milian as Provvidenza. He later worked in RAI TV and was also an appreciated novelist and essayist.

Update this biography »
Complete biography of Giulio Petroni »