1. Alfred Leon Vitali was an English actor best known for his collaborations with film director Stanley Kubrick, as his personal assistant, and most notably as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon.
18 Facts About Leon Vitali
1. 2.
Leon Vitali guest-starred in a number of TV series in the early 1970s, appearing in Softly, Softly, Follyfoot, Roads to Freedom, Z Cars, Public Eye, The Fenn Street Gang, and Notorious Woman, among others.
3.
In 1974, Leon Vitali met Stanley Kubrick, with whom he had a professional relationship for the rest of Kubrick's career.
4.
Leon Vitali played Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon, the title character's stepson.
5.
Leon Vitali subsequently starred in 1977's Terror of Frankenstein, during which he asked if he could sit in on the cutting room editing process, without pay.
6.
Leon Vitali's request was granted and he wrote to Kubrick as promised.
7.
Leon Vitali is credited in The Shining as "personal assistant to director".
8.
Leon Vitali teamed up with Kubrick again for Full Metal Jacket, where he served both as casting director and assistant to the director.
9.
Twelve years later, Leon Vitali was credited with the same titles in Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut, in which Leon Vitali played Red Cloak.
10.
In 2004, Leon Vitali was honoured with the Cinema Audio Society's President's Award for this work.
11.
In 2017, Leon Vitali was the subject of a documentary, Filmworker, directed by Tony Zierra and produced by Elizabeth Yoffe which premiered at The Cannes Film Festival and screened at many US and international film festivals including the London Film Festival in October 2017.
12.
In Filmworker, Leon Vitali was interviewed at length about his work with Kubrick.
13.
In 1977, Leon Vitali portrayed Victor Frankenstein in Terror of Frankenstein, Calvin Floyd's adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, where he met his future wife Kersti, who worked as costume designer on the shoot.
14.
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.
15.
Leon Vitali had a daughter, producer Masha Leon Vitali, from his previous marriage to Helen Broom.
16.
Leon Vitali was married to Sharon Messer from 2005 to his death in 2022.
17.
Leon Vitali died on 19 August 2022 in Los Angeles, as announced by his family, The official social media presence for the Kubrick estate announced Vitali's death citing the incorrect date of 20 August 2022.
18.
Leon Vitali worked with filmmaker Todd Field, with whom he appeared in Eyes Wide Shut.