CINEFILER

Victor Spinetti

Born
September 2, 1933
Died
June 19, 2012
Victor Sinetti (born Vittorio Giorgio Andre Spinetti) was a Welsh comedy actor, author and poet. He appeared in dozens of films and stage plays throughout his 50-year career, including the three 1960s Beatles films "A Hard Day's Night", "Help!" and "Magical Mystery Tour". Born in Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales, Spinetti was educated at Monmouth School and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, of which he became a Fellow. After various menial jobs, Spinetti pursued a stage career and was closely associated with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in London, England. Among the productions were "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be" and "Oh! What a Lovely War" (1963), which transferred to New York City and for which he won a Tony Award. Spinetti's film career developed simultaneously; his dozens of film appearances would include Zeffirelli's "The Taming of the Shrew", "Under Milk Wood", "The Return of the Pink Panther" and "Under the Cherry Moon". During his later career, Spinetti acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in such roles as Lord Foppington in "The Relapse" and the Archbishop in "Richard III", at Stratford-upon-Avon; and, in 1990, he appeared in "The Krays". In 2008 he appeared in a one-man show, "A Very Private Diary", which toured the UK as "A Very Private Diary ... Revisited!", recounting his life story. Spinetti was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011 and died of the disease in June 2012.
Known For
The Return of the Pink Panther
(1975)
Hotel Concierge
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
T.V. Director
The Taming of the Shrew
(1967)
Hortensio
Becket
(1964)
French Tailor (uncredited)
The Little Prince
(1974)
The Historian
Help!
(1965)
Prof. Foot
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Army Sergeant
Under the Cherry Moon
(1986)
The Jaded Three #1
Voyage of the Damned
(1976)
Dr. Erich Strauss
The Krays
(1990)
Mr. Lawson
Casanova & Co.
(1977)
The Prefect
Full Filmography
Acting
The Gentle Terror
(1961)
Joe
Sparrows Can't Sing
(1963)
Arnold
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
T.V. Director
I Think They Call Him John
(1964)
Narrator (voice)
Becket
(1964)
French Tailor (uncredited)
Help!
(1965)
Prof. Foot
The Wild Affair
(1965)
Quentin
The Taming of the Shrew
(1967)
Hortensio
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Army Sergeant
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
(1968)
Captain Giglio
A Promise of Bed
(1969)
George
Start the Revolution Without Me
(1970)
Duke d'Escargot
Defeat of the Mafia
(1970)
Charles Agostino
Under Milk Wood
(1972)
Mog Edwards
Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World
(1973)
Prof. Ribart
The 500 Pound Jerk
(1973)
Martin Bloore
The Little Prince
(1974)
The Historian
Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done
(1975)
Dick Deadeye (voice)
The Return of the Pink Panther
(1975)
Hotel Concierge
The Great McGonagall
(1975)
Emily
(1976)
Richard Walker
Voyage of the Damned
(1976)
Dr. Erich Strauss
Hardcore
(1977)
Duncan
Casanova & Co.
(1977)
The Prefect
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(1979)
Mr. Tumnus (voice)
Under the Cherry Moon
(1986)
The Jaded Three #1
The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank
(1988)
Herman Van Daan
The Krays
(1990)
Mr. Lawson
Romeo.Juliet
(1990)
Tybalt / Benvolio (voice)
The Princess and the Goblin
(1991)
Glump
Seriously Seeking Sid
(1993)
Self
Tommy Cooper - The Magic Touch
(1993)
You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'
(1995)
Self
Boobs in the Wood
(1999)
Triar Fuck (as Victor Spineti)
Julie and the Cadillacs
(1999)
Cyril Wise
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service
(1999)
Colonel Dupree
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
(1999)
Bragas / Major M
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Memories
(2008)
Narrator / Self
Writing
Data provided by TMDB