Tony-Winner Victor Spinetti Dies at Age 82

Fox News reports that comic actor Victor Spinetti, who appeared in three Beatles movies and won a Tony on Broadway, died this morning after losing a long battle with cancer. The news was revealed by the actor's agent and close friend Barry Burnett. Spinetti was 82.

The actor won a Tony award for his Broadway performance in "Oh, What a Lovely War," in 1965. He was most known for his appearances in the Beatles movies "A Hard Day's Night," 'Help," and "Magical Mystery Tour."

In 2010, Spinetti revealed that his casting in the film "Hard Day's Night' was at the insistence of Beatle George Harrison. "He said, 'you gotta be in all our films otherwise me mum wouldn't come and see 'em, because she fancies you. That was why I was in."

Spinetti was the co-author of "The John Lennon Play: In His Own Write" with Adrienne Kenney. The play was based on the writings of John Lennon, and ran in London in 1968. He appeared in more than 30 films including Hortensio in "The Taming of the Shrew" and Mog Edwards in "Under Milk Wood," both films starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He also played the concierge in "The Return of the Pink Panther."

Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.

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