John Steiner dead aged 81 – Caligula actor who starred in 60s and 70s films killed in car crash

BRIT actor John Steiner has been killed in a car crash in the United States.

The 81-year-old former Royal Shakespeare Company actor made his name playing villains, including in the film ‘Caligula’.

Steiner had been living in La Quinta, California, and died at Desert Regional Medical Centre in Palm Springs, the Sheriff's Office said.

The crash involved two vehicles and occurred at a junction at about 9:40am on Sunday.

A second person also suffered major injuries in the crash, according to the sheriff's department.

Cops are still investigating the crash and had not said if either of the drivers had been deemed to be at fault.

Steiner was born in Chester, Cheshire, in 1941 and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before joining the RSC.

His heyday was 1970s, when he began acting in Italy and portrayed villains, including Nazi officers, in action films.

But his standout role was for a role in the 1979 film Caligula, according to the IMBd film website.

He is part was as Longinus, the balding financial advisor to the mad Roman Emperor Caligula , played by Malcom McDowell.

Steiner continued to act through the 1980s but found his roles reduced to cameos.

He retired in 1991 and moved to California, where he became a real estate agent based in Beverly Hills.