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Barry Lyndon actor Leon Vitali, one of Stanley Kubrick’s closest associates, has died at the age of 74.
Vitali died Friday in Los Angeles, his family told The Associated Press.
Although Vitali is often described as Kubrick’s assistant, Tony Zierra’s 2017 documentary Filmworker reveals Vitali’s love for one of film’s greatest figures Huge and unknown contribution.
He did everything from casting and directing actors to overseeing restoration. Vitaly even set up a video monitor so Kubrick could monitor his dying cat.
Filmmaker Leon Kreich tweeted: “Very saddened to hear of Leon Vitali’s passing.
“He helped me a lot with my book The Shining and I’m so sad he won’t see it. He’s a lovely, kind, humble, generous man who is Stanley Kubri An important part of the gram team.”
Before meeting Kubrick, Vitaly was a rising actor in the UK, appearing in several UK TV shows including Softly, Softly, Follyfoot, Z Cars and Notorious Woman.
His biggest breakthrough to date came in 1974 when he played Lord Brindon, the son-in-law of Ryan O’Neill’s main character in “Barry Lyndon.”
Vitali was so fascinated by Kubrick and his creative process that he made an unusual decision: He gave up acting to devote himself entirely to the notoriously demanding director. for more than 20 years.
His next Kubrick credit was being “the director’s personal assistant” in The Shining, though that’s only part of the story – Vitali famously helped four-year-old Danny Lloyd play Danny Torrance, Lewis and Lisa Burns play the creepy Grady twins (inspired by Diane Arbus).
“The real, really radical change in my life was when I said ‘I’m more interested in this’ than acting,” Vitali told The Associated Press in 2017.
“It was the biggest conscious decision I’ve ever made. There were sacrifices, but there were gains.”
After Kubrick’s death in 1999, Vitaly oversaw the restoration of many of Kubrick’s films. His work has won a Cinema Audio Society Award.
Vitali later collaborated with director Todfield on his films “Little Children” and “In the Bedroom.”
Before making the documentary, Zira said he and many Kubrick-obsessed fans knew Vitaly because of his performances in Barry Lyndon and Eye Opener, in which he played the red cape, and An important member of Kubrick’s inner circle.
When they finally met Vitaly to make the film, they were struck by “his kindness, humility and the fascinating scope of his story.”
Zierra was working on a director’s cut of the filmmakers, which would include new footage he and Vitali wanted to include in the film, but couldn’t make it in time for its 2017 Cannes premiere.
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