John Steiner, actor popular for Caligula, died in La Quinta crash

John Steiner, who was popular for featuring in Tinto Brass’ Caligula, died on Sunday at the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department told the Desert Sun newspaper. He was 81. 

The actor had suffered injuries suffered in a two-vehicle automobile accident in nearby La Quinta, the county sheriff’s department added.

Steiner had been living in La Quinta, California. The crash, involving two vehicles, took place at about 9:40 AM local time on Sunday. A second person also suffered major injuries in the crash, according to the sheriff’s department.

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The police, as per the report, are still investigating the crash. 

Several fans paid tribute to Steiner over social media. 

“So sad to hear of John Steiner passing, he was such a memorable part of so many Italian films I grew up on,” one Twitter user said. 

“Sad to hear that John Steiner has passed away. He’s outstanding as the villainous Voller in Sergio Martino’s ace late period Spaghetti Western ‘Mannaja’ / ‘A Man Called Blade’ (1977). The genre is full of well-realized bad guys but Voller remains one of my all-time favorites,” another one said. 

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Steiner featured opposite Malcolm McDowell in the erotic ‘Caligula’ (1979). The 81-year-old also played a tycoon – Beauty Smith – in White Fang (1973) and Challenge to White Fang (1974) and a bloodsucker in Dracula in the Provinces (1975).

The British actor also featured in Bava’s Shock (1977) and Argento’s Tenebrae (1982). 

John Steiner was born in Chester, England. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He also worked alongside Ian Richardson on Broadway in 1965’s The Persecution. However, he left acting in the early 1990s and became a real estate agent in Beverly Hills. He was recently working for Engel & Völkers.