Victor Spinetti, Favorite in Beatles Films, Dies at 82

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/movies/victor-spinetti-dies-at-82-actor-in-all-3-beatles-films.html?_r=1&src=recg


By PAUL VITELLO
Published: June 19, 2012


Victor Spinetti, who was an established British film star in 1963 when he agreed to make a movie with a pop group called the Beatles and who became famous ever after as the only person besides the four Beatles to appear in “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Help!” and “Magical Mystery Tour,” died on Tuesday in London. He was 82.


United Artists, via Photofest

From left, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Victor Spinetti, as a television director, in “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964).

The cause was cancer, said a spokesman for his longtime theatrical agent, Barry Burnett.

Mr. Spinetti appeared in scores of plays and about 30 other movies, acting alongside stars like Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Peter Sellers. He won a Tony Award in 1965. But in the record of 20th-century stage and film history, his modest place in the Beatles’ movie canon pretty much defined him.

The good-natured Mr. Spinetti embraced his role as an eyewitness to Beatles history, appearing at fan conventions around the world in later years to tell stories about making the films and about his friendship with John Lennon.

FULL story at link.

[Siwsan]

1. A lovely Welshman - may he rest in peace

I loved his characters in the Beatle's movies. He always stood out in any film he was in. A very talented and versatile actor.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. Time to dig out my old VHS tape of Help!

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Just a mention of his work at the Art's Lab, including Jane Arden's 'radical feminist' piece

'Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven" which was a work of great importance at that time, and just seems to need mentioning in this election cycle and this era of DU....his career spanned from pop films and theater to the more experimental and challenging forms, making him a perfect match up for the Beatles, who did the same.

[magnifisense]

4. I loved him in all the Beatles films.

[Siwsan]

6. I'm having my 28 year old niece over to watch A Hard Day's Night

She's never seen any of the Beatle's films, but we did show her some other Richard Lester films. I am anxious to see her reaction.

[magnifisense]

7. So what did she think?

What was her reaction?

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. "M.I.T. wanted me to rule the world for them"

RIP Victor