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Leon Vitali<\/figcaption>photo: Matt Winkelmeyer (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nLeon Vitali, the actor who later became Stanley Kubrick’s right-hand man, died on Friday in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press<\/em><\/span>. He \u201cpassed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones,\u201d including children Masha, Max, and Vera, his family told the outlet. He was 74 years old.<\/p>\nIn a statement provided to the AP<\/em> by Masha Vitali, his children said, \u201cLeon 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.\u201d<\/p>\nVitali began his career as a television actor in the UKappearing in series like The Fenn Street Gang<\/em> and Notorious Woman<\/em> in the 1970s. His most prominent role came in 1975 playing the role of Lord Bullingdon in Kubrick’s film Barry Lyndon<\/em><\/span> opposite Ryan O’Neal. <\/p>\nVitali’s work with Kubrick became the defining collaboration of his life. He largely retired from acting to work with the director behind the scenes for the rest of Kubrick’s career. He was credited in his next movie, The Shining<\/em><\/span>as \u201cpersonal assistant to the director,\u201d but he was involved in many aspects of the filmmaking, including casting\u2013per the AP<\/em>, he helped to cast Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance and Louise and Lisa Burns as the creepy Grady twins. In Kubrick’s final movie, Eyes Wide Shut<\/em><\/span>Vitali stepped in front of the camera again to play Red Cloak.<\/p>\nThe 2017 documentary filmworker<\/em><\/span>, directed by Tony Zierra, shed light on the duo’s unusual relationship. Recalling his commitment to the famously demanding director, he shared (per IndieWire<\/em><\/span>), \u201cI’d work 14, 16 hour shifts, seven days a week. it wasn’t like that some <\/em>of the time. It was just normal.\u201d<\/p>\n