Victor Spinetti
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.
Acting
Movie
A Hard Day's Night
as T.V. Director
1964
Movie
The Return of the Pink Panther
as Hotel Concierge
1975
Movie
Help!
as Prof. Foot
1965
Movie
Becket
as French Tailor (uncredited)
1964
Movie
The Taming of the Shrew
as Hortensio
1967
Movie
Magical Mystery Tour
as Army Sergeant
1967
TV
Bottom
as Maître d'
1991
TV
The Saint
as Commissionaire
1962
Movie
The Little Prince
as The Historian
1974
Movie
The Krays
as Mr. Lawson
1990
TV
The Beatles Anthology
as Foot (archive footage)
1995
Movie
Voyage of the Damned
as Dr. Erich Strauss
1976
Movie
Under the Cherry Moon
as The Jaded Three #1
1986
TV
New Tricks
2004
Movie
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
as Mr. Tumnus (voice)
1979
Movie
The Princess and the Goblin
as Glump (voice)
1991
Movie
Start the Revolution Without Me
as Duke d'Escargot
1970
Movie
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
as Bragas / Major M
1995
TV
SuperTed
as Texas Pete
1983
Movie
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service
as Colonel Dupree
1999
Movie
Sparrows Can't Sing
as Arnold
1963
Movie
Under Milk Wood
as Mog Edwards
1972
Movie
Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World
as Prof. Ribart
1973
Movie
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
as Captain Giglio
1968
