Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick’s Right-Hand Man, Dies At 74

Leon Vitali, the “Barry Lyndon” actor who became one of Stanley Kubrick’s closest associates, has died. He was 74.

Vitali died Friday in Los Angeles, his family told The Associated Press Sunday. He passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones including his three children, Masha, Max and Vera.

“Leon was a special and lovely man driven by his curiosity, who spread love and warmth wherever he went,” his children said in a statement provided by Masha Vitali. “He will be remembered with love and be hugely missed by the many people he touched.”

Though Vitali was often described as Kubrick’s assistant, Tony Zierra’s 2017 documentary “ Filmworker ” shed 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.” He did everything from casting and coaching actors to overseeing restorations. Vitali even once set up a video monitor so that Kubrick could keep an eye on his dying cat.

Matthew Modine, who starred in Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket,” tweeted his condolences Sunday.

“There are people we meet who have a profound impact upon our lives. Leon Vitali was one such person in mine,” Modine wrote. “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 tweeted that he was, “Completely heartbroken to hear about the passing of Leon Vitali. He helped me (asterisk)enormously(asterisk) 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.”

Before meeting Kubrick, Vitali was a rising actor in England, appearing in several British television shows including “Softly, Softly,” “Follyfoot,” “Z Cars” and “Notorious Woman.” Then in 1974 he got his biggest break yet, when he was cast in “Barry Lyndon” as Lord Bullingdon, the son-in-law of Ryan O’Neal’s title character.

Vitali was so fascinated by Kubrick and his processes that he made an unusual decision: He gave up on acting and devoted himself entirely to the famously demanding director for over two decades. His next Kubrick credit was as “personal assistant to the director” on “The Shining,” though that’s only part of the story — Vitali famously helped cast 4-year-old Danny Lloyd to play Danny Torrance and Louise and Lisa Burns as the…