Aldo Sambrell

Alfredo Sánchez Brell (23 February 1931 – 10 July 2010), known as Aldo Sambrell, was a Spanish actor, director, and producer who appeared in over 150 films between 1961 and 1996.

Sambrell was born in Vallecas on 23 February 1931.

He travelled to Mexico because his parents were exiled there, beginning a football career in Puebla F.C., where he was known as Madrileño Sánchez, and also in C.F. Monterrey.

When he returned to Spain he played for Alcoyano and Rayo Vallecano, and finally worked as an actor.

Sambrell was best known in the world of cinema for his roles as henchmen in Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More, (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), as well as in Once Upon a Time in the West in 1968, and 100 Rifles in 1969.

He also played the part of firing squad leader in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971), and a member of Sinbad's crew in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973).

He also appeared alongside Jackie Chan in Armour of God 2: Operation Condor, playing a villain.

He acted in many other westerns, including Sergio Corbucci's Navajo Joe.

He appeared in several international productions as an extra or bit actor, including Doctor Zhivago and The Wind and the Lion.

He died in Alicante, Spain on 10 July 2010 from a cerebral infarction, at age 79, the result of three strokes he suffered in early June.

He was cremated and his ashes were spread on Fort Bravo, Tabernas.

He was married to Cándida López Cano, with whom he had a son, and Sergio Leone was his best man.