RIP George Eastman

 George Eastman (Luigi Montefiori), an actor of spaghetti western but not only

Among his films were Pupi Avati and Fellini, he was 83 years old

 

ilNordEst.

May 20, 2026

Italian actor and screenwriter George Eastman (stage name of Luigi Montefiori) died yesterday, May 19 at Gemelli Medical Center in via Bagliasco in Rome, home of the hospice of the Catholic University at the age of 83. Luigi Montefiori has starred in numerous spaghetti westerns and genre films, as well as having played one of the legendary poker players in the Christmas Gift film by Pupi Avati. His name in films such as "Boot Hill" and "Hate Your Neighbor." He worked with Mario Bava and Joe D'Amato, then was a TV series writer such as "The Marshal Rocca" and "Honor and Respect". Ligurian origins, two meters high, former rugby player, Montefiori has had a career that has gone through numerous genres: western, horror, thriller, science fiction and popular television. He had chosen an American name sensing that he would take more hold on the audience. Born in Genoa on August 16, 1942, he moved to Rome and attended the Experimental Center of Cinematography under the guidance of Nanni Loy, except to abandon him almost immediately for the sets of Cinecittà. So he contributed to hits like Bill il taciturno (1967), Odia il prossimo tuo (1968), Preparati la bara! (1968), Il mio corpo per un poker (1968), La collina degli stivali (1969), Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti (1971), Amico, stammi lontano almeno un palmo (1972), Tutti per uno, botte per tutti (1973). He also worked in Mario Bava's “Angry Dogs” (1974), with Joe D'Amato, for whom he worked as a screenwriter and protagonist. He was also the character of the Minotaur in “Satyricon” by Federico Fellini (1969), the poker player in the diptych “Christmas Gift” (1986) and The “Christmas Rematch” (2004) by Pupi Avati, who also directed him in “Bordella” (1976), until an appearance in “King David” by Bruce Beresford (1985), but also in a moonlight night, by Lina Wertmuller (1989) In those years his activity focused on the production side of screenplays for famous series such as ‘The Team’ and ‘The Marshal Rocca’. Since the years as screenwriter of ‘La team’, ‘Il marshal Rocca’, ‘Il cuore nel pozzo’, has collaborated on the screenplay of the “White One”, but not only up to popular melodramas such as “Honor and Respect” and “Sin and Shame”. He leaves his three children Evelina, Arianna and Tommaso, his wife Manuela and his two grandchildren, Giulio, the son of the eldest Evelina, and Allegra, daughter of Arianna and singer Briga. (ANSA).

EASTMAN, George (Luigi Montefiore)

Born: 8/16/1942, Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Died: 5/20/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

George Eastman’s westerns – actor, writer:

Django Shoots First – 1966 (Jeff Kluster/Custer) [as George Eastman]

My Name is Pecos – 1966 (Kline/Clain henchman) [as Gigi Montefiore]

Django Kills Silently – 1967 (Bill/Django) [as George Eastman]

Django, the Last Killer – 1967 (Ramón /Chico) [as George Eastman]

Poker With Pistols – 1967 (Lucas) [as George Eastman]

Viva Django! – 1967 (Lucas) [as George Eastman]

Belle Starr – 1968 (Larry Blake/Blackie) [as George Eastman]

Hate Your Neighbor – 1968 (Gary Stevens)

Boot Hill – 1969 (Baby Doll) [as George Eastman]

The Unholy Four – 1969 (Hondo) [as Luca Montefiori) [writer]

The Ballad of Ben and Charlie – 1971 (Charlie Logan) [as George Eastman] [writer]

Bastard, Go and Kill – 1971 (Chaco) [as George Eastman]

Vendetta at Dawn – 1971 (Doctor George Benton/Sabata) – 1971 [as George Eastman]

The Call of the Wild – 1972 (Black Burton) [as George Eastman]

The Three Musketeers of the West – 1973 (Mac Athos/Mercathos) [as George Eastman]

Keoma – 1975 [writer]

Red Coat – 1975 [writer]

The New Land - !9?? [writer for TV series that was never made]

The Tiger from the River Kwai – 1975 (Sheriff Sam) [as George Eastman]

2020 Texas Gladiators - 1982 [director, writer as Alex Carver]