The man who whistled up The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
mainThe film’s composer was Ennio Morricone, but the main theme was supplied by his friend Alessandro Alessandroni, who also played guitar on the soundtrack.
Alessandroni, who died this week aged 92, was the expert whistler on several Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, notably on A Fistful of Dollars.
On his own account he wrote scores for many films, none of them immortal…. Johnny Hamlet, The Virgin of Bali…
I thought he died years ago. Either that, or the soundtrack whistling was erroneously attributed to someone else.
Well actually it wasnt him…it was my dad..John O’Neill. A BBC session singer who was an extraordinary whistler. Alessandra took the kudos for himself. My father, John O’Neill also was the whustler in a record..i was kaiser bills batman and EMI ‘arranged’ for someone else to take the crefit. Thats how the music industry was in tbe 70’s. And my dad reported that to News of The World and they exoised EMI. Crooked.
I ageee it was my dad’s uncle I think, my dad being Paul Tallentire
I wish it was times now as this wouldn’t have been aloud xx
I believe we are related. I just heard the story of John O’Neill & his whistling today from my Auntie Sally (nee O’Neill) …made me Google & I found this page. Your dad was an unbelievable talent and the whistling from the good the bad and the ugly is such an iconic , recognizable piece.. I hope you are all very proud!
Nevertheless a unique and haunting score. Play it it to this day!
I’ve read thar the whistling was actually John O’Neil although he did whistle all the other movies.
I knew John O’ Neil Williams and can assure you twas indeed himself that whistled on the Grand the Ugly.
Williams did not belong in my message.
You mean John whistled it ?
Yes.
How do you know for sure ? My source (Lionel Woodman) said of course Alessandroid did. Did John get paid lots ?
News of EM demice’s greatly premature. No obituary found.
How can you claim The Killer Nun (1979) is not immortal?
what was the stage name of the whistler john o neill
Don’t know,don’t even know for sure if it was him who whistled cause other sources say it was Alessandro.