'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Friday, August 19, long-term Stanley Kubrick collaborator and associate Leon Vitali passed away at the age of 74 in Los Angeles. The news of his demise was confirmed to the Associated Press by his family.
At the time of his death, the actor was surrounded by his three children, Masha, Max, and Vera. While no cause of death was disclosed by the family, it was reported that Vitali passed away peacefully.
Following his death, Masha Vitali provided a statement to the Associated Press, which read:
“Leon was a special and lovely man driven by his curiosity, who spread love and warmth wherever he went. He will be remembered with love and be hugely missed by the many people he touched.”
What is known about Leon Vitali?
Leon Vitali was an English actor best known for his roles in Stanley Kubrick’s hits like 1977’s Barry Lyndon and 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut. He also served as an assistant to Kubrick during the production of The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut, amongst others.
Throughout the years, Leon Vitali has also been described as the right-hand man of Stanley Kubrick. The two met in 1974, possibly during the production of Barry Lyndon (in which Vitali portrayed Lord Bullingdon). Following their first collaboration, Vitali is known to have bonded with Kubrick during the production and was later asked to join the iconic filmmaker for his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. At the time of production, Vitali served as an assistant to Kubrick.
Later in 1987’s Full Metal Jacket, Vitali served as both the casting director and assistant to Kubrick. In the filmmaker’s last film, 1990’s Eyes Wide Shut, Vitali was again the casting director and assistant to Kubrick, and he also played Red Cloak. The film also had an Easter egg for Vitali in a newspaper prop. In the newspaper read by Tom Cruise’s Dr. William Harford, an article refers to Vitali as “fashion designer Leon Vitali.”
As per the 2017 documentary by Tony Zierra on Vitali, Filmworker, it was revealed that the English actor oversaw the restoration of Stanley Kubrick’s films following his death. The documentary insinuated that Vitali prioritized his work with Kubrick as a personal assistant to the director over his career as an actor.
According to the Associated Press:
“Vitali even once set up a video monitor so that Kubrick could keep an eye on his dying cat.”
Leon Vitali’s foray into the industry
The late 74-year-old had attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and had an active career in films from 1970 to 2018. In the early 1970s, Leon Vitali had acted in a few TV series in brief one-time roles until he was cast in The Fenn Street Gang in 1971. He portrayed the character of Peter Craven in 16 episodes.
Two years after his first collaboration with Stanley Kubrick, Vitali portrayed Victor Frankenstein in the classic 1977 film Terror of Frankenstein. During the production of the film, Vitali met his future wife, costume designer Kersti Vitali (née Gustafsson). The two had three children together. While it is not confirmed, Kersti’s IMDb bio states that the two got divorced at some point.
