Leon Vitali
Encyclopedia
Leon Vitali (born July 25, 1948) is an English actor, best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick
, most notably as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon
.
, Warwickshire
, England
in 1948 and went on to attend drama school. Vitali went on to guest-star in a number of TV series in the early 70s, appearing in Softly, Softly
, Follyfoot
, Roads to Freedom, Z Cars, Public Eye, The Fenn Street Gang
, series 1, and Notorious Woman
among others. In 1973 he made his feature film debut in two movies: the Italian Si può essere più bastardi dell'ispettore Cliff? (directed by Massimo Dallamano, who had previously worked with Sergio Leone
as a cinematographer
in the first two of his Dollars Trilogy
) and TV-film Catholics, next to Martin Sheen
and Michael Gambon
.
It wasn't until 1975 that Vitali met Stanley Kubrick, with whom he would go on to have a professional relationship for the rest of Kubrick's career. Vitali answered a cast call for Barry Lyndon
and got the part of Lord Bullingdon, the title character's stepson. Kubrick and Vitali bonded during the shoot. Five years later, Kubrick sent Vitali a copy of Stephen King
's The Shining
and asked him to join the production of Kubrick's next film, to which Vitali eagerly agreed. He is credited in The Shining
(1980) as "personal assistant to director".
In 1977 he portrayed Victor Frankenstein
in Calvin Floyd's adaptation of Mary Shelley
's classic Frankenstein
, where he met his would-be-wife Kersti Vitali, who worked as costume designer in the shoot. The Vitalis then worked as costume designers in Birgitta Svensson's Mackan, after which Leon played a bit part
in Svensson's next film, Inter Rail (1981). Leon and Kersti would divorce later on.
Vitali teamed once more with Stanley Kubrick for Full Metal Jacket
(1987), where he served both as "casting director" and "assistant to director". Twelve years later, Vitali was credited with the same titles in working with Kubrick in what would be his last movie, Eyes Wide Shut
(1999), where he also had a small role playing the ominous Red Cloak who confronts Tom Cruise
during the infamous orgy
scene. Vitali's name can actually be seen in the third column of the newspaper article that Cruise's character reads to learn about the Ex-beauty queen in hotel drugs overdose. Vitali's cameo in print is as a "fashion designer".
Since Kubrick's death, Vitali has overseen the restoration of both picture and sound elements for most of Kubrick's films. In 2004 Vitali was honored with the Cinema Audio Society's President's Award for this work.
Vitali owns Bill's (Tom Cruise's) mask from Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
, with whom he appeared in Eyes Wide Shut, began discussing the possibility of making films together. In 2001 they did just that. Vitali is credited as "technical consultant" on Field's In the Bedroom
(2001), and as "associate producer" on Field's Little Children
(2006), where he also made a cameo appearance
as "The Oddly Familiar Man". He recently began work as a producer on Field's upcoming, untitled film, scheduled for release in 2009. This marks their third collaboration.
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
, most notably as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon is a 1975 British-American period romantic war film produced, written, and directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray which recounts the exploits of an 18th century Irish adventurer...
.
Biography
Vitali was born "Alfred Leon" in Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1948 and went on to attend drama school. Vitali went on to guest-star in a number of TV series in the early 70s, appearing in Softly, Softly
Softly, Softly (TV series)
Softly, Softly is a British television drama series, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC 1 from January 1966. It centred around the work of regional crime squads, plain-clothes CID officers based in the fictional region of Wyvern - supposedly in the Bristol and Chepstow area of the UK...
, Follyfoot
Follyfoot
Follyfoot was a children's television series co-produced by the majority-partner British television company Yorkshire Television and the independent West German company TV Munich...
, Roads to Freedom, Z Cars, Public Eye, The Fenn Street Gang
The Fenn Street Gang
The Fenn Street Gang is a British television sitcom which ran for three seasons between 1971 and 1973. The series was created by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, it was spun-off from their Please Sir! series, and followed the lives of many of the pupils from Fenn Street School as they entered the...
, series 1, and Notorious Woman
Notorious Woman
Notorious Woman was a 1974 BBC television serial based on the life of French author George Sand. It starred Rosemary Harris in the title role. The seven episodes were written by Harry W...
among others. In 1973 he made his feature film debut in two movies: the Italian Si può essere più bastardi dell'ispettore Cliff? (directed by Massimo Dallamano, who had previously worked with Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter most associated with the "Spaghetti Western" genre.Leone's film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots...
as a cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
in the first two of his Dollars Trilogy
Dollars Trilogy
The "Dollars Trilogy" , also known as the "Man with No Name Trilogy", refers to the three Spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone: A Fistful of Dollars , For a Few Dollars More , and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly .A Fistful of Dollars is an unofficial remake of...
) and TV-film Catholics, next to Martin Sheen
Martin Sheen
Ramón Gerardo Antonio Estévez , better known by his stage name Martin Sheen, is an American film actor best known for his performances in the films Badlands and Apocalypse Now , and in the television series The West Wing from 1999 to 2006.He is considered one of the best actors never to be...
and Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
.
It wasn't until 1975 that Vitali met Stanley Kubrick, with whom he would go on to have a professional relationship for the rest of Kubrick's career. Vitali answered a cast call for Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon is a 1975 British-American period romantic war film produced, written, and directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray which recounts the exploits of an 18th century Irish adventurer...
and got the part of Lord Bullingdon, the title character's stepson. Kubrick and Vitali bonded during the shoot. Five years later, Kubrick sent Vitali a copy of Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's The Shining
The Shining (novel)
The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The title was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma!", which contained the line "We all shine on…". It was King's third published novel, and first hardback bestseller, and the success of the book firmly established King...
and asked him to join the production of Kubrick's next film, to which Vitali eagerly agreed. He is credited in The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...
(1980) as "personal assistant to director".
In 1977 he portrayed Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein was born in Napoli, is a Swiss fictional character and the protagonist of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley...
in Calvin Floyd's adaptation of Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
's classic Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
, where he met his would-be-wife Kersti Vitali, who worked as costume designer in the shoot. The Vitalis then worked as costume designers in Birgitta Svensson's Mackan, after which Leon played a bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
in Svensson's next film, Inter Rail (1981). Leon and Kersti would divorce later on.
Vitali teamed once more with Stanley Kubrick for Full Metal Jacket
Full Metal Jacket
Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. It is an adaptation of the 1979 novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford and stars Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Arliss Howard and Adam Baldwin. The film follows a platoon of U.S...
(1987), where he served both as "casting director" and "assistant to director". Twelve years later, Vitali was credited with the same titles in working with Kubrick in what would be his last movie, Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
(1999), where he also had a small role playing the ominous Red Cloak who confronts Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
during the infamous orgy
Orgy
In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests engage in promiscuous or multifarious sexual activity or group sex. An orgy is similar to debauchery, which refers to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures....
scene. Vitali's name can actually be seen in the third column of the newspaper article that Cruise's character reads to learn about the Ex-beauty queen in hotel drugs overdose. Vitali's cameo in print is as a "fashion designer".
Since Kubrick's death, Vitali has overseen the restoration of both picture and sound elements for most of Kubrick's films. In 2004 Vitali was honored with the Cinema Audio Society's President's Award for this work.
Vitali owns Bill's (Tom Cruise's) mask from Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
Latest Work
In 1999, Vitali and filmmaker Todd FieldTodd Field
William Todd Field, known professionally as Todd Field is an American actor and writer/director. He has received three Academy Award nominations.-Background and personal life:...
, with whom he appeared in Eyes Wide Shut, began discussing the possibility of making films together. In 2001 they did just that. Vitali is credited as "technical consultant" on Field's In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom is a 2001 American crime drama film directed by Todd Field, and dedicated to Andre Dubus, whose short story Killings is the source material on which the screenplay, by Field and Robert Festinger, is based...
(2001), and as "associate producer" on Field's Little Children
Little Children (film)
Little Children is a 2006 American drama film directed by Todd Field. It is based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, who along with Field wrote the screenplay. It stars Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, Noah Emmerich, Gregg Edelman, Phyllis Somerville...
(2006), where he also made a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as "The Oddly Familiar Man". He recently began work as a producer on Field's upcoming, untitled film, scheduled for release in 2009. This marks their third collaboration.
External links
- Leon Vitali interview on www.combatradio.net