Victor Spinetti

Comic eccentric and gifted raconteur 'Victor Spinetti' (qv) was born in Wales on September 2, 1929, the son of Giuseppe Spinetti and Lily (Watson) Spinetti. Educated at Monmouth School, he was initially interested in a teaching degree but turned to acting instead and studied for the stage at the College of Music and Drama in the capital city of Cardiff.A familiar stage presence in London's West End, his roles included "Expresso Bongo" with 'Paul Scofield' (qv) and 'Leonard Bernstein' (qv)'s "Candide". He also spent six years with 'Joan Littlewood' (qv)'s Theatre Workshop. Becoming noticed in some of his more important theater pieces such as "The Hostage," "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be," "Henry IV, Parts I & II" and "Every Man in His Humour," Victor's triumphant West End performance in the musical "Oh! What a Lovely War" led to the Broadway stage and both "supporting actor" Tony and Theatre World awards.In the late 1960s, Victor co-starred in "The Odd Couple" with 'Jack Klugman' (qv) when it toured London. A noted performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he proved equally adept in theatre musicals, providing delicious villainy as Fagin in "Oliver!" and Captain Hook in "Peter Pan". A theatre director of both legit and musical plays as well, Victor's one man show "A Very Private Diary" played all over the world. At age 70+, Victor remained active under the theatre lights playing Baron Bomburst in the musical version of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" in 2003, and Baron Zeta in the operetta "The Merry Widow" in 2004.Making his film debut with an uncredited bit in the British _Behind the Mask (1958)_ (qv), Victor was featured in such films as _Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)_ (qv) and _The Gentle Terror (1963)_ (qv) before becoming a vital part of the cult "Beatlemania" phenomenon adding to the insanity in three of 'The Beatles' (qv)' cinematic vehicles: _A Hard Day's Night (1964)_ (qv), _Help! (1965)_ (qv) and their hour-long _Magical Mystery Tour (1967)_ (qv). While he could be quite dramatic when called upon, it was his comedic character diversions that showed up in such 1960's and 70's films as _The Wild Affair (1965)_ (qv), the Burton/Taylor take on _Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung (1967)_ (qv) (as Hortensio), _The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968)_ (qv), _Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969)_ (qv), _Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)_ (qv), offbeat leads in both the comedy _This, That and the Other! (1969)_ (qv) and the crimer _Defeat of the Mafia (1970)_ (qv), another Taylor/Burton effort _Under Milk Wood (1971)_ (qv), _Digby: The Biggest Dog in the World (1973)_ (qv), _The Little Prince (1974)_ (qv), _The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)_ (qv), _Meeting Resistance (2007)_ (qv), _Voyage of the Damned (1976)_ (qv), _Some Like It Cool (1977)_ (qv) and _Fiona (1977)_ (qv).A TV favorite in England, he starred or co-starred in the comedy series _Two in Clover (1969)_ (qv) opposite "Carry On" star 'Sidney James' (qv) and _Take My Wife... (1979)_ (qv). He focused more and more on the small screen into the 1980's with guest spots on such series as "Time of Your Life," "Sweet Sixteen," "Kelly Monteith" and "Bad Boyes," and a third regular TV series role in the comedy _An Actor's Life for Me (1991)_ (qv) playing the inept agent of a struggling actor.An excellent conversationalist and storyteller who briefly extended his talents into writing, Victor's later acting credits included the films _Under the Cherry Moon (1986)_ (qv), _The Krays (1990)_ (qv) and _Julie and the Cadillacs (1999)_ (qv), the TV movies _Mistral's Daughter (1984)_ (qv), _The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988)_ (qv) (as Van Daan), _The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen (1995)_ (qv) and as a voiceover actor (the animated TV series (_SuperTed (1983)_ (qv) and _The Further Adventures of SuperTed (1989)_ (qv)).Last seen in a couple of short films in 2006, Victor died on June 18, 2012, age 82, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the year before. He survived (by 15 years) his longtime partner, actor 'Graham Curnow' (qv), who died in 1997.::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net