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 50year career including the three 1960s Beatles films A Hard Days 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 Littlewoods Theatre Workshop in London England Among the productions were Fings Aint Wot They Used TBe and Oh What a Lovely War 1963 which transferred to New York City and for which he won a Tony Award Spinettis film career developed simultaneously his dozens of film appearances would include Zeffirellis 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 StratforduponAvon and in 1990 he appeared in The Krays In 2008 he appeared in a oneman 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