What Was Leon Vitali's Cause of Death? Actor Dead at 74

By Alexandria Reeves

Leon Vitali, the actor who also became director Stanley Kubrick's right hand, died. He was 74.

His family confirmed the saddening news to different news outlets, saying that he died on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor's social media's sites also delivered the update to fans.

Vitali's daughter, Masha Vitali, penned a heartfelt message in a statement, saying that they would never forget the patriarch.

"Leon 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," she said, per Deadline.

Kubrick's official Twitter account also issued a tribute by sharing a black and white photo of Vitali alongside a short message. It did not confirm Leon Vitali's cause of death, but it said he died "peacefully" last week.

"It is with the greatest of sadness that we have to tell you that the mainstay of a vast number of Kubrick's films, Leon Vitali, passed away peacefully last night. Our thoughts are with his family and all that new and loved him," the post read.

Fans and colleagues also shared heartwarming messages to the late actor as they remembered his contributions to the industry.

RIP Leon Vitali, who – in addition to everything else — had one hell of a screen presence. pic.twitter.com/Q5u5bvZfKv
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) August 21, 2022

Leon Vitali's Legacy

Vitali started his career in the 1970s by scoring roles in TV series like, "Z Cars," "Public Eye," "the Fenn Street Gang," "Notorious Women," and "Roads to Freedom," among others.

He eventually meets Kubrick in 1974 and the director led him to have a more prosperous career by including him in his "Barry Lyndon" film where he played the role of Lord Bullingdon. After the film, Vitali was asked to observe the editing process without pay - and he agreed.

Their professional relationship caused him to establish a stronger connection. Years later, the late director sent him a copy of "The Shining" and asked him to become part of it.

From there, Vitali earned the nickname "personal assistant to the director."

Vitali and Kubrick went on to work on "Full Metal Jacket and "Eyes Wide Shut." Unfortunately, they hit a glitch when the director died in 1999.

Still, it did not stop him from following the director as he continued to work for him by overseeing the restoration of pictures and sound of his films.