Victor Spinetti, actor and star of Beatles films, dies

 

Victor Spinetti, Welsh-born star of stage and screen, has died at the age of 82.

Born to an Italian-Welsh father and Welsh mother in Ebbw Vale, he was a regular performer in London's West End as well as with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He appeared in more than 30 films, including the Beatles' movies and Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

He had been diagnosed with cancer.

News of his death prompted a stream of tributes from fans and members of the entertainment world on Twitter.

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell said he was lucky enough to know him, adding: "He was an amazing talent."

Actor and director Samuel West tweeted that Spinetti's death was sad news. "He worked with Zefferelli, Joan Littlewoad and the Beatles; a great career, a lovely man."

Spinetti was born in the living quarters above the chip shop his family owned in Cwm, Ebbw Vale. He attended Monmouth School and initially had ambitions to be a teacher.

Victor Spinetti Spinetti achieved fame when he was caught up in the Beatlemania of the 1960s and went to have a creative collaboration with John Lennon

But after turning to acting he studied at the College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.

His early stage career saw him make a number of memorable performances with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, whose production of Oh, What a Lovely War! transferred to the West End and Broadway.

It was his performance in Oh, What a Lovely War! that prompted the Beatles to ask him to appear in A Hard Day's Night (1964), the first of the group's five films.

It is suggested George Harrison told Spinetti that he had to be in the film because "my mum will only go to see them if you're in them".

Spinetti's collaboration with the Beatles saw him appear in their next two productions, Help! (1965) and the hour-long television film Magical Mystery Tour (1967).

'Great eccentric'

He also worked with John Lennon to turn Lennon's book, In His Own Write, in to a play which he then directed at the National Theatre.

Sir Paul McCartney described him as "the man who makes clouds disappear".

His stage career saw him win a Tony award for his Broadway performance in Oh, What a Lovely War!, as well as co-starring with Jack Klugman when The Odd Couple toured London.

His film career included starring in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew, again alongside Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and The Return of the Pink Panther as well as The Krays in 1990.

In his television career, he is perhaps best known for voicing the arch villain character Texas Pete in the S4C animated series SuperTed.

Spinetti was also a noted raconteur whose creative output included poetry, an autobiography and his one-man show, A Very Private Diary.

A BBC documentary on his life and work saw contributions from Barbara Windsor and Rob Brydon praising a "great Welsh eccentric".

Spinetti died at a hospice in Monmouth on Monday morning, his agent said.

-BBC