Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick associate, dies at 74
Leon Vitali has died aged 74. The actor is famed for having worked closely with legendary director Stanley Kubrick.
Vitali, who was born in Warwickshire, appeared in two Kubrick films and also worked as the director’s personal assistant after they met in 1974. They grew close during the production of Barry Lyndon, and after filming ended, he stayed on with Kubrick to work on the editing process.
According to Kubrick’s estate, Vitali was “the mainstay of a vast number of Kubrick’s films”. He was credited as “personal assistant to director” on The Shining, before going on to serve both as casting director and assistant to the director for Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. In the latter, there was also a tribute to him in a newspaper headline that was read by Tom Cruise’s character.
“It is with the greatest of sadness that we have to tell you that the mainstay of a vast number of Kubrick’s films, Leon Vitali, passed away peacefully last night,” an official Kubrick-related Twitter account said. “Thoughts are with his family and all that new and loved him.”
Tributes have poured in across social media, with one Twitter user writing: “From his performance in Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut, to his behind the scenes work, Leon Vitali was always ready to serve the pictures as the great filmworker he was.”
Meanwhile, another wrote: “RIP Leon Vitali So memorable as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon but he gave up a promising acting career to work as Kubrick’s all purpose assistant. He also cast actors & found Danny Lloyd to play Danny Torrance in The Shining.”
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