Biography
Victor Sinetti, born Vittorio Giorgio Andre Spinetti, was a Welsh comedian, actor, author, and poet. Over a career spanning five decades, he featured in numerous films and stage productions, including the Beatles' 1960s films "A Hard Day's Night," "Help!," and "Magical Mystery Tour."
Hailing from Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales, Spinetti studied at Monmouth School and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, later becoming a Fellow there. After working various low-level jobs, he embarked on a stage career, becoming closely linked with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in London. Notable productions included "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be" and "Oh! What a Lovely War" (1963), which moved to New York City and earned him a Tony Award. Concurrently, his film career flourished, with roles in Zeffirelli's "The Taming of the Shrew," "Under Milk Wood," "The Return of the Pink Panther," and "Under the Cherry Moon."
In his later years, Spinetti performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, portraying characters such as Lord Foppington in "The Relapse" and the Archbishop in "Richard III" at Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1990, he appeared in "The Krays." In 2008, he toured the UK with a one-man show titled "A Very Private Diary," later renamed "A Very Private Diary ... Revisited!," which chronicled his life. Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, Spinetti passed away from the illness in June 2012.
