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Beatles Command Performer

Victor Spinetti

b. 1933

Half Welsh music-hall performer, half Italian harlequin, Victor Spinetti's broad range of delivery along with trademark hooded eyes and prow nose made him a natural in the realm of comedic and musical stage.

And although he was certainly well-known enough in England after his performance in Joan Littlewood's critically-acclaimed original musical "Oh! What A Lovely War" (his performance won a Best Supporting Actor Tony Award), Victor Spinetti's face became well-known to audiences the world over when he accepted the invitation of the Beatles themselves to take part in their first movie, "A Hard Day's Night". (George Harrison insisted that Victor be in all the Beatles films because "if you're not in them me Mum won't come and see them because she fancies you.")

As the neurotic director of a TV variety show who becomes a foil for the mischievous moptops (and wearer of the silver screen's arguably most famous and hairiest pullover sweater), Victor gained recognition and his own fan base by association with the world's most popular musical group. While performing "Lovely War" in New York at the time of the movie's release, he found himself being chased in the streets by adoring admirers of the Beatles, who wanted to have a word with - and a touch of - the actor who had such close contact with their lads from Liverpool. (Even Victor's kid brother Henry got caught up in Fab Four fever after Vic appeared in "A Hard Day's Night", and as a result, Henry later became a very talented and well-established rock drummer in his own right.)

Apparently George was dead serious about reeling in Vic to every Beatles film made, for it wasn't long after the phenomenal success of the Fab Four's first film that Mr. Spinetti was invited back for the role of Professor Tiberius Foot, the outlandish would-be world conqueror (with the proper government grant) in the Beatles' next feature film "Help!", as well as the hyper-gibberish spewing army sergeant in the surreal novelty special "Magical Mystery Tour".

Shortly after his stint in "Mystery Tour" and his role of Hortensio in Zeffirelli's "The Taming of the Shrew", Vic began making serious bones in theatrical production, adapting and directing John Lennon's books as "The John Lennon Play: In His Own Write" to the stage as well as taking on directorial duties for European productions of the wildly popular rock musicals "Hair!" and "Jesus Christ Superstar". (Vic would later portray Herod in the 1992 20th anniversary recorded production of this play.)

Although Victor tended to make more guest star appearances and cameos in films (with a more notable exception being his supporting role as the wicked Count d'Escargot in "Start The Revolution Without Me") and his work in television ran towards seasonal comedies and commercials still well-known to pop cultists in Great Britain, he kept himself more than busy with his continuing body of stage work, mostly in musical revivals and comedies that showcased his natural and varietal talents for making people laugh, with children's pantomime as well as racier forms of satire also rounding out his resume' and guaranteeing the satisfaction of whatever generation or taste sought to be entertained.

The death of John Lennon in 1980 brought a bittersweet nostalgia to the resurgence of Beatlemania in the late 70s and a craving to find out more personal insights into the slain genius of the Fab Four as well as his brilliant cohorts. The renewed interest brought old and new fans alike to Beatlefests, conventions for the hardcore admirers where one could buy rare merchandise, watch old interviews of the lads together and individually on talk shows before the advent of mega-cable televisions, and listen to the stories of Beatles family, friends, and associates as they recounted their memories. Victor Spinetti, lively performer with the Welsh gift of gab, became a recurring guest at Beatlefests as a favored raconteur with fans who enjoyed his buoyant and affectionate recollections of colorful encounters with his fabulously famous friends.

And in the age of DVD, such generosity with the verbal goods makes for fine historic filmmaking documentation. Mr. Spinetti is featured prominently in the films "Love Me Do" and "The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'", sharing the wealth of his memories not only of the Beatles but of the golden age known as the Swinging Sixties, all in his easy and genial style.

2004 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of "A Hard Day's Night", and members of the cast and crew of the film attended a private screening. Among those in attendance were "Hard Day's Night" star Sir Paul McCartney, seeing the movie for the first time in its entirety since its original release. Also on hand was Victor Spinetti, who said about the experience, "Paul was visibly moved to see the film again. He hasn't changed. The Beatles were real people, there was nothing fake about them, and that comes across in the film. It is wonderful to see it again, particularly because when it first came out you couldn't hear a word of it over the screaming fans."

It's gratifying to know from a first-hand source that the greatest idols of rock 'n' roll were - and are - pretty much in person as they put themselves across for public consumption. It's equally gratifying to realize that their very talented friend and co-star Vic, if his demeanor with their collective fans and the longevity of his friendship with the Beatles are anything by which to judge, is every bit as real and a regular guy himself.

And lucky are the fans who are able to catch his one-man show, "A Very Private Diary - Revisited!", to hear and see the man himself recount his days live and in person!

FASHIONSTATE.COM'S
SPOTLIGHT ON SPINETTI

VICTOR SPINETTI - WHAT A CHARACTER!
VIC & THE BEATLES

IT'S OFFICIAL!

VICTOR SPINETTI - OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE

LINKS

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Abbeyrd's Beatle Pages
Reprint of an article about the DVD release of "A Hard Day's Night" and American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre's screening of the restored 35 mm version of the film. Guests included Victor Spinetti, John Junkin (Shake the roadie!) and Beatles historian Martin Lewis.

Absolute Elsewhere
Amusing recounting by Victor Spinetti to Siobhan Roberts about the early days of his friendship with the Beatles.

Act Naturally!
Shawn Huff is a Beatlemaniac who took his knowledge of Beatles trivia and made a book of it - foreworded by Victor Spinetti! Read Shawn's comprehensive bio-blurb on the life of the Beatles' perennial co-star!

Amsterdam "Hair!"
Photos from the 1969-70 Amsterdam production of "Hair!", directed by Victor Spinetti.

BBC London (requires RealPlayer)
A trio of interviews of Victor Spinetti by presenter Danny Baker!

Beatles Reference Library
Review of the documentary "You Can't Do That: The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'".

Boxoffice Magazine
An article featuring snippets of interviews with several people - including Victor Spinetti - regarding the making of "A Hard Day's Night".

Casts of the Past
This site highlights past performers from the live Rocky Horror Show - here's an entry for Victor, who played the criminologist narrator for five years in the National Tours throughout England!

Chitty the Musical
Very comprehensive show biz biography of Victor Spinetti!

Digitally Obsessed
Debi Lee Mandel's fun and candid interview with Victor Spinetti regarding his experiences working with the Beatles.

Director's Guild of Great Britain
Reviews the 2003 tribute to Joan Littlewood, one of the authors of "Oh! What a Lovely War" and colleague and friend of her proteges, including Victor Spinetti.

Dress Circle
This theater-focused website has an article on the first-time CD release of "Oh! What a Lovely War".

Edinburgh Evening News
A review of "The Merry Widow" from 2004, plus a short interview with Victor Spinetti!

G.F.A. Fulgoni
A great pic of swell guy Vic at the re-opening of a family optician's practice in his native hometown of Abergavenny, Wales!

International Movie Database
Here's Victor Spinetti's entry in IMDb. Fairly comprehensive, but since it focuses on film and television, it doesn't scratch the surface of his stage career.

IC Teeside
David Whetstone's 2004 review of "The Merry Widow" starring Victor Spinetti.

Michael Butler's "Hair" Website
A reprint of a review of the Rome production of "Hair!", directed by Victor Spinetti.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Gazette's pop music critic, Ed Masley, interviews Victor Spinetti regarding his work on "A Hard Day's Night".

Playbill News / LastMinute.Com
Paul Webb's 2003 interview with Victor Spinetti regarding his role in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".

Plugged - The Unofficial Paul McCartney Homepage
Joan Hopkins' blurb on the 40th anniversary celebration of the release of "A Hard Day's Night".

Reading Evening Post
An article about Victor Spinetti's appearance in the 2002 stage comedy "The Lavender Hill Mob".

"Release" Transcript
Partial transcript from the program "Release", a BBC arts program featuring a June 22, 1968 interview with John Lennon and Victor Spinetti on the National Theatre Production of "The John Lennon Play: In His Own Write", which Victor directed.

Richmond & Twickenham Times
Melanie Wallington's March 2004 interview of the still-ebullient and energetic Victor Spinetti.

The Spike Milligan Tribute Site
Several actors - including Victor - give their insights on working with the late, great Spike Milligan on his film "The Great McGonagall".

The Stage Online
Review of the 100th anniversary of "The Merry Widow", starring Victor Spinetti.

Times (U.K.) Online
Information on Ringo Starr's limited edition of "Postcards from the Boys", which includes postcards sent to Victor Spinetti and other close associates of the Beatles - as well as to each other.

Victor Spinetti: A Celebration
A newish fansite in progress!

VIC TRIVIA

£ Born September 2, 1933 in Cwm, Abergavenny, Wales.

£ His brother is rock drummer Henry Spinetti.

£ Victor attended the College of Music and Drama
in Cardiff, Wales.

£ He was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company
as well as Joan Littlewood's National Theatre.

£ He appeared on an improvisational game show
(a la "Whose Line Is It Anyway?") called "Impromptu"
back in the 1960s.

£ Vic won an Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award in 1965
for Best Supporting Actor in a musical. ("Oh! What a Lovely War.")

£ He starred in London in the first European production of
"The Odd Couple" as Felix with Jack Klugman as Oscar.

£ Victor adapted John Lennon's writing into a play entitled
"John Lennon: In His Own Write", which he also directed.

£ While working on his second book in London, John Lennon
asked Vic "Do you want to go somewhere warm?".
They wound up in Marrakesh...where it was snowing.

£ Directed European productions of "Hair!" and
"Jesus Christ Superstar".

£ Performed before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
in 1982 for the benefit of the Entertainment Artiste's
Benevolent Fund.

£ Vic played "Orangey the Genie" in the Jaffa Cakes commercials
in Great Britain.

£ He appears as the actor in Paul McCartney's video "London Town".

£ Vic wrote and starred in an autobiographical,
one-man show entitled "Thoughts from a Very Private Diary"
back in the 1980s.

£ He has performed in such theatrical classics as "The Pirates of Penzance",
"Oliver!" (as Fagin), "The Merry Widow", "Pride and Prejudice",
"The Ladykillers", "Henry IV", "Cat Among the Pigeons",
"Richard III", "The Philanthropist", "Macbeth",
"Jesus Christ Superstar" and "The Rocky Horror Show".

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