Victor Spinetti
Born	Vittorio Giorgio Andre Spinetti (1929-09-02)2 September 1929 Cwm,Monmouthshire, Wales
Died	19 June 2012(2012-06-19) (aged 82) Monmouth, Wales
Alma mater	Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Occupation(s)	Actor, author, poet, raconteur
Years active	1961–2012
Partner	Graham Curnow (1953–1997; Curnow's death)
Relatives	Henry Spinetti (brother)

Vittorio Giorgio Andre "Victor" Spinetti (2 September 1929 – 19 June 2012)^[1][2] was a Welsh^[3] actor, author, poet and raconteur. He appeared in dozens of films and stage plays throughout his fifty-year career, including the three 1960sBeatles filmsA Hard Day's Night,Help! andMagical Mystery Tour.

Born inCwm, Spinetti was educated atMonmouth School and theRoyal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, of which he became a Fellow. After various menial jobs, Spinetti pursued a stage career and was closely associated withJoan Littlewood'sTheatre Workshop. Among the productions wereFings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be andOh, What a Lovely War! (1963), which transferred toBroadway and for which he won aTony Award. Spinetti's film career developed simultaneously; his dozens of film appearances includedZeffirelli'sThe Taming of the Shrew,Under Milk Wood,The Return of the Pink Panther andUnder the Cherry Moon.

During his later career, Spinetti acted with theRoyal Shakespeare Company in such roles as Lord Foppington inThe Relapse and the Archbishop inRichard III atStratford-upon-Avon; and, in 1990, he appeared inThe Krays. 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.^[4] In 2008 he appeared in a one-man show,A Very Private Diary, which toured the UK asA Very Private Diary ... Revisited!, recounting his life story. Spinetti was diagnosed withprostate cancer in 2011 and died of the disease in June 2012.

Vittorio Giorgio Andre Spinetti was born on 2 September 1929^[1] inCwm, ofWelsh and Italian descent from a grandfather who was said to have 'walked' from Italy to Wales to work as a coal miner, just to earn enough money to buy a plough.^[5] His parents, Giuseppe and Lily (née Watson),^[1] owned thechip shop in Cwm, over which premises the family lived and where Spinetti was born. Spinetti was the eldest of six,^[6] and his younger brother,Henry (born 1951), is asession drummer. Spinetti was educated atMonmouth School and theRoyal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, of which he later became a Fellow. It was at the college that Spinetti met actor Graham Curnow, who became his life partner.^[3]

Before finding roles in acting, Spinetti worked as a waiter and factory worker.^{[citation needed]} He recalled singing in London pubs in the 50s, and working as a paint sprayer to afford his rent.^[7]

Spinetti started at Dhurjati Chaudhury'sIrving Theatre Club on Irving Street, off Leicester Square, London.^[8][9]

Spinetti gained international fame during the 1960s due to his association withthe Beatles. He appeared in the first three Beatles films:A Hard Day's Night (1964),Help! (1965), andMagical Mystery Tour (1967). He also appeared on the Beatles' 1967 Christmas recording, released to members of their fan club. The best explanation for this long-running collaboration and friendship might have been provided byGeorge Harrison, who told Spinetti, "You've got to be in all our films ... if you're not in them me Mum won't come and see them – because she fancies you."^[10] But Harrison also later told him, "You've got a lovely karma, Vic."Paul McCartney once described Spinetti as "the man who makes clouds disappear". Spinetti made a small appearance in the promotional video for McCartney's song "London Town" from the 1978album of the same name. Spinetti's July 2010 performance of the song "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", at theFestival Theatre, Malvern in Worcestershire, was available on "The Beatles Complete on Ukulele" podcast.^[11]

Spinetti appeared in around 30 films, includingThe Gentle Terror (1961),Sparrows Can't Sing (1963),The Wild Affair (1964),Becket (1964),Zeffirelli'sThe Taming of the Shrew (1967),The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968),Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969),This, That and the Other (1969),Start the Revolution Without Me (1970),Under Milk Wood (1972),Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973),The Great McGonagall (1974),The Little Prince (1974),The Return of the Pink Panther (1975),Voyage of the Damned (1976),Emily (1976),Hardcore (1977),Casanova & Co. (1977),Under the Cherry Moon (1986) andThe Krays (1990).

Spinetti's last on-screen appearance was in the DVD release of the independent filmBeatles Stories by American musicianSeth Swirsky, issued to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first recording sessions atAbbey Road.^[3]

Spinetti's work inJoan Littlewood'sTheatre Workshop produced many memorable performances includingFings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (1959, byFrank Norman, with music byLionel Bart), andOh, What a Lovely War! (1963), which transferred to New York City and for which he won aTony Award for his main role as an obnoxious Drill Sergeant. He appeared in theWest End inThe Odd Couple (as Felix); inChitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End; and asAlbert Einstein in a critically lauded performance in 2005 in a new play,Albert's Boy at theFinborough Theatre. He launched his own one-man show of witty reminiscences,A Very Private Diary, at theEdinburgh Festival Fringe.^[3]

One of Spinetti's most challenging theatre roles was as the principal male character inJane Arden's radical feminist playVagina Rex and the Gas Oven, which played to packed houses for six weeks at theArts Lab onDrury Lane in 1969.^[12] In 1980, he directedThe Biograph Girl, a musical about thesilent film era, at thePhoenix Theatre. In 1986, he appeared asFagin in the musicalOliver!, which was the last professional production to useSean Kenny's original stage design. He appeared on Broadway inThe Hostage andThe Philanthropist, and also acted in 1995 with theRoyal Shakespeare Company, in such roles as Lord Foppington inThe Relapse and the Archbishop inRichard III, atStratford-upon-Avon, although this was not a happy experience for him.^[3]

Spinetti co-authoredIn His Own Write, the play adapted from a book byJohn Lennon with the Beatle which he also directed at theNational Theatre, premiering on 18 June 1968, at theOld Vic. Spinetti and Lennon appeared together in June 1968 on BBC2'sRelease. During the interview, Spinetti said of the play, that "it's not really John's childhood, it's all of ours really, isn't it John?" to which Lennon replied, assuming a camp voice, "It is, we're all one Victor, we're all one aren't we. I mean 'what's going on?'" Spinetti described the play as being "about the growing up of any of us; the things that helped us to be more aware".

He also directedJesus Christ Superstar andHair, including productions staged in Europe. His many television appearances on British TV, includeTake My Wife in which he played a London-based booking agent and schemer who was forever promising his comedian client that fame was just around the corner, and the sitcomAn Actor's Life For Me.

In 1999, Victor Spinetti played in aJim Davidson Adult Pantomime of Babes in the Wood (Boobs in the Wood) plays as Friar Tuck who had been taking weed. He had been told by The Sheriff of Nottingham (Jim Davidson) to kill his niece and nephew, who were escaped convicts (one of them played by Kenny Baker).

In September 2008, Spinetti reprised his one-man show,A Very Private Diary, touring the UK, asA Very Private Diary ... Revisited!, telling his life story.^[13]

From 1968 to 1969, Spinetti was a cast member of theMarty Feldman sketch showIt's Marty, which was written by Barry Took, with contributions byJohn Cleese,Michael Palin andGraham Chapman, members ofMonty Python as well asJohn Junkin, who appeared with Spinetti inA Hard Day's Night.^[14] In 1969 and 1970, Spinetti appeared onThames Television, alongsideSid James, as one half ofTwo in Clover^[15] over two series. A sitcom about two office workers who jack it all in to become farmers, he starred in all but one of the 13 episodes. His absence in episode No. 3 of the second series was covered by fellow Welsh actorRichard Davies, playing Spinetti's character's brother.^[16]

In the 1970s, Spinetti appeared in a series of television advertisements forMcVities' (nowUnited Biscuits)Jaffa Cakes, as "The Mad Jaffa Cake Eater", a turbaned, Middle-Eastern style character who rode a bicycle and surreptitiously stole and ate other people's Jaffa Cakes, prompting the catchphrase "There's Orangey!" He hostedVictor's Party forGranada. In 1979, he voiced Mr. Tumnus in the USA dubbed version of the 1979 animated adaptation ofThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well as voice directing for the film. (Spinetti was also the voice ofShift the ape in theFocus on the Family Radio Theatre adaptation ofThe Last Battle.) Later he voiced arch villain Texas Pete in the popularS4C animated TV seriesSuperTed (1982–84)^[15] and narrated severalFireman Sam audiobooks. In 1988 he appeared alongsidePaul Scofield andMary Steenburgen inThe Attic, a World War Two drama about Anne Frank. In 1992, he voiced the King of the Rats in the British children's animated programmeTales of the Tooth Fairies (in the episode The Stolen Present) onBBC, produced by Welsh animation companyCalon, formerly Siriol Productions. In 1995, he appeared in the "Finger" episode of the comedy seriesBottom, withRik Mayall andAde Edmondson, as Audrey theMaître d'hôtel.^[17] He also starred in the 1999 DVD filmBoobs in the Wood withJim Davidson.

From 2000 to 2002, Spinetti played Max, the 'man of a thousand faces', in the children's TV programmeHarry and the Wrinklies, which also starredNick Robinson in the title role.

• Spinetti appears inThis Is Your Life.
• 1978: The "London Town" music video byWings as a mime.
• 1985: The "All I Need Is a Miracle" music video byMike and the Mechanics as the club owner.

Spinetti's poetry, notablyWatchers Along the Mall (1963), and prose appeared in various publications. His memoir,Victor Spinetti Up Front...: His Strictly Confidential Autobiography, published in September 2006, is filled with anecdotes and personal insights into life with the Beatles as well as previously unpublished photos of the Fab Four. In conversation with BBC Radio 2'sMichael Ball, on his show broadcast on 7 September 2008, Spinetti revealed thatPrincess Margaret had been instrumental in securing the necessary censor permission for the first run ofOh, What A Lovely War!.

Spinetti lived in Brighton with his partner of forty-four years, Graham Curnow. They were openly non-monogamous, and Spinetti openly talked about other sexual encounters in his memoir.^[18] Curnow appeared in the 1959 British horror filmHorrors of the Black Museum.^[19] Curnow became seriously ill towards the end of his life, and Spinetti sold most of his Beatles memorabilia to ensure Curnow was comfortable.^[7] Curnow died in 1997.^[3]

Spinetti had been diagnosed withprostate cancer in February 2011, after he collapsed onstage onValentine's Day. He suffered a spinal fracture and discovered only by chance that he had a tumour. He was at first treated in London, but after being cared for by his sister and brother-in-law, he moved to the Velindre Cancer Centre inWhitchurch for radiotherapy treatment.^[20][21] He died from the disease^[22] atMonnow Vale Integrated Health and Social Care Facility inMonmouth on the morning of 19 June 2012. His funeral was conducted byAjahn Khemadhammo.^[23]

Spinetti was visited shortly before his death byBarbara Windsor, who had co-starred with him in the West End production ofOh, What a Lovely War! Windsor said, "We were very close. He was another of my great friends from that era. He was such a great man. He was such a good actor because he took notice of people and used their characters. He portrayed them wonderfully, whatever he did."^[10] ComedianRob Brydon tweeted, "So sad Victor Spinetti has died. The funniest story teller I've ever met and a lovely warm man." Spinetti also received warm tributes from actor and singerBritt Ekland and fellow Welsh actorSiân Phillips, who toldBBC Wales that she was shocked and saddened. Phillips added, "He was such a force of joy and vitality. When one saw him across a crowded room, one couldn't wait to get together with him and have a chat and a catch-up."^[10]

Paul McCartney paid tribute to Spinetti on his website: "Victor was a fine man, a great pal and a fantastic actor and someone I am proud to have known for many years. His irreverent wit and exuberant personality will remain in my memory forever. I will miss his loyal friendship as will all the others who were lucky enough to know and love the wonderful Mr Spinetti."^[24] At a memorial service for Spinetti, attended by McCartney, the Beatles song "In My Life" was sung byMichael Ball.^{[citation needed]}Preston FM scheduled a tribute broadcast, for 22 June, of a previously unaired in-depth interview with Spinetti, recorded when he visited Blackpool in July 2010, in Paul and Lucy Breeze'sBest Kept Secrets in Conversation.^[25]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toVictor Spinetti.

• Victor Spinetti at theInternet Broadway Database
• Victor Spinetti atIMDb
• Victor Spinetti at theTCM Movie Database
• Stories, biography, filmography
• Paul & Lucy's BEST KEPT SECRETS: In Conversation: Victor Spinetti Special
• doollee.com listing of Spinetti's works written for the stageArchived 17 September 2017 at theWayback Machine

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