Welsh player of stage and screen, best known for his appearances with The Beatles in Richard Lester's landmark "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) and his colorful and zany follow-up "HELP!" (1965). Spinetti started acting on the British stage appearing in such productions as "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Candide", "The Odd Couple" and "Oh, What a Lovely War". He received a Tony for the latter when it came to Broadway. Whereas the English know him best for his stage work, the rest of the world remembers him as a foil for The Fab Four. In "A Hard Day's Night", he was the fussy TV director in a fuzzy sweater who nervously watches the clock and endures witty barbs from the beloved mop tops. Spinetti had a larger role in "Help" as the know-it-all mad scientist with very vocal qualms about the state of England.

While Spinetti's subsequent films lacked the notoriety of The Beatles' projects, he did good work in several notable features including Blake Edwards' "The Return of the Pink Panther" (1975), as a frustrated concierge; "Under the Cherry Moon" (1986), a would-be "Hard Day's Night" from musician Prince; and Peter Medak's "The Krays" (1990). Spinetti also remains active on the British stage, often as a director, and appears in the occasional US TV-movie.