John Steiner was a British actor who appeared in Tinto Brass’ Caligula. He died at the age of 81 at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs after a two-vehicle automobile accident in La Quinta.

Born on January 7, 1941, Steiner attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He worked for a few years at the BBC and later appeared mostly in Italian films, some of which were directed by Lucio Fulci, Mario Bava and Dario Argento.

Steiner found work primarily in films including Marat/Sade (1967), and the original Bedazzled (1967) with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

In 1969, he was hired to play a part in the Spaghetti Western Tepepa. In 1971, he starred in the television series Hine.

In 1979, he featured in the leading role of Leo in a television production of Design for Living by Noël Coward.

After seeing his popularity in Italy, Steiner decided to move there. He later appeared in a great number of Italian works and B-films including police actioners (Violent Rome), westerns (Mannaja), war films (The Last Hunter), nazisploitation (Deported Women of the SS Special Section), sci-fi adventure films (Yor, the Hunter from the Future), and horror films, such as Mario Bava’s Shock, Dario Argento’s Tenebrae, and Ruggero Deodato’s Body Count.

He appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and worked with Ian Richardson on Broadway in 1965’s The Persecution and Assassination of Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade.

Steiner was in very good demand until the late 1980s. He retired from acting in 1991 and moved to California. He started working as a successful real estate agent. His longtime business partner was Joan Yarfitz.

Steiner later contributed DVD extras to some of his films and gave interviews about his Italian work. His most recent affiliation was with Engel & Völkers.