Leon Vitali: who was Barry Lyndon actor and director Stanley Kubrick’s right hand man - as he dies aged 74

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After working together on the film Barry Lydon, Leon Vitali chose to give up his acting career in order to devote himself to the work of Stanley Kubrick

Leon Vitali, best known as director Stanley Kubrick’s right hand man of more than two decades and one of his closest associates, has passed away at age 74.

While Vitali was often described simply as Kubrick’s personal assistant, the 2017 documentary Filmworker shone a light on Vitali’s enormous and largely unsung contributions to the work of one of cinema’s greatest figures, from The Shining through Eyes Wide Shut.

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Who was Leon Vitali?

Vitali was an English actor who was best known as director Stanley Kubrick’s personal assistant and right hand man.

He was born in Leamington Spa on 26 July 1948 and attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Prior to meeting Kubrick, Vitali was known as a rising actor in England, having appeared in a number of TV shows throughout the early 1970s, such as Softly, Softly: Task Force, The Roads to Freedom, Z Cars, Long Voyage Out of War, Justice, Please Sir!, The Fenn Street Gang, Crown Court, Follyfoot and Notorious Woman.

His biggest break as an actor came in the role of Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lydon.

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Leon Vitali gestures as he arrives for the screening of a remastered version of the film “The Shining” at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2019. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)Leon Vitali gestures as he arrives for the screening of a remastered version of the film “The Shining” at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2019. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
Leon Vitali gestures as he arrives for the screening of a remastered version of the film “The Shining” at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2019. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

In Kubrick’s last film, Eyes Wide Shut, released in 1999, Vitali starred as Red Cloak, as well as taking on a number of responsibilities behind the scenes.

His other acting credits include Romeo & Juliet (2013), Little Children (2006), Inter Rail (1981), Terror of Frankenstein (1977) and Blue Movie Blackmail (1973).

In 2017, Vitali was the focus of the documentary Filmworker, directed by Tony Zierra, in which Vitali was interviewed extensively about giving up his acting career to work with Kubrick and the role he played behind the camera for the director for more than two decades.

How did he become Stanley Kubrick’s right hand man?

Vitali met Kubrick in 1974 during the filming of Barry Lydon, in which Vitali acted and Kubrick directed. It was during the shoot that the pair bonded and, after filming wrapped, Kubrick asked Vitali if he wanted to stay on to observe the editing process.

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Vitali agreed and from there made the decision to give up on his promising acting career in order to devote himself entirely to the director over the course of the next two decades.

Leon Vitali (L) with director Stanley Kubrick (middle) (Photo: Filmworker)Leon Vitali (L) with director Stanley Kubrick (middle) (Photo: Filmworker)
Leon Vitali (L) with director Stanley Kubrick (middle) (Photo: Filmworker) | Filmworker

Speaking to the Associated Press in 2017, Vitali said: “I made one truly, truly radical change in my life and that was when I said, “I’m more interested in that” than I was in the acting.

“That’s the biggest conscious decision I’ve ever made. There were some sacrifices, but there were gains too.”

After Barry Lydon, Vitali’s next Kubrick credit was as “personal assistant to the director” on The Shining, however the title doesn’t do Vitali’s role justice. Whilst working with Kubrick, Vitali served as a casting director, location scout, acting coach, dialogue coach, actor and much more.

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He famously found Danny Lloyd to play the young Danny Torrence in the iconic horror film, auditioning thousands of child actors to find the then-four year old.

Talking to Cinema Daily in 2021, Vitali said: “With Danny, out of 4000 boys, it was obvious at the end of it that he was the only one it would work with.

“It’s astonishing, really, the little nuances and differences in personalities can make, especially with children.”

He also pitched the idea for The Shining’s famous creepy twins using Diane Arbus’ infamous photo of two identical twin sisters as a point of reference.

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Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick’s stepdaughter Katharina Kubrick and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick’s stepdaughter Katharina Kubrick and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick’s stepdaughter Katharina Kubrick and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Vitali said: “Just think, if I hadn’t been so into Diane Arbus, that would never have occurred to me.

“But as soon as [Lisa and Louise Burns] walked through that door, it was like, “This is it. You don’t have to look any further”.”

It was also Vitali who managed to convince Kubrick to cast real life Marine drill instructor R. Lee Ermey as the foul mouthed Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.

Vitali told No Film School in 2017: “We went to [Ermey] originally for military advice. We were looking for people that made the recruits—extras, you know. I went around all the barracks and asked if anyone was interested.

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“Then we found him. It was astonishing. I mean, it really was. In the end, we put 800 pages on paper of all this stuff that he said in his days as a drill sergeant, and then we sort of shrunk it all down to the very best.

“That’s how we had those barrack scenes. They are so authentic.”

After Kubrick’s death in 1999, Vitali oversaw restoration for many of the director’s films.

When did he die?

Vitali passed away on Friday 19 August in Los Angeles, his family told The Associated Press.

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He died peacefully whilst surrounded by his loved ones, including his children Masha, Max and Vera.

Leon Vitali speaks at 55th New York Film Festival - “Filmworker” at The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theatre on October 3, 2017 in New York City.  (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)Leon Vitali speaks at 55th New York Film Festival - “Filmworker” at The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theatre on October 3, 2017 in New York City.  (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Leon Vitali speaks at 55th New York Film Festival - “Filmworker” at The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theatre on October 3, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In a statement provided by Masha Vitali, his children said: “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.”

Tributes for Leon Vitali

Many of Vitali’s friends, colleagues and fans have offered their condolences online, following the news of his death.

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The official Kubrick Twitter account wrote: “Whether giving the performance of his life as Lord Bullingdon, portraying the ominous Red Cloak, providing [behind the scenes] technical support on [Full Metal Jacket] and attending the Cannes Film Festival 4K release of The Shining, Leon Vitali was the heartbeat of Kubrick’s films after the master himself.”

Leon Vitali attends the photocall for “The Shining” during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2019 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)Leon Vitali attends the photocall for “The Shining” during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2019 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Leon Vitali attends the photocall for “The Shining” during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2019 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Matthew Modine, who starred in Full Metal Jacket, directed by Kubrick, tweeted: “There are people we meet who have a profound impact upon our lives. Leon Vitali was one such person in mine.

“An artist in every aspect of his life. A loving father & friend to so many. A kind, generous & forgiving nature. He exemplified & personified grace.”

Filmmaker Lee Unkrich also wrote: “Completely heartbroken to hear about the passing of Leon Vitali. He helped me *enormously* with my Shining book and I’m gutted that he won’t see it.

“He was a sweet, kind, humble, generous man and a vital part of Stanley Kubrick’s team.”

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