John Clive, actor who voiced John Lennon in Yellow Submarine and ad-libbed in The Italian Job with Michael Caine, dies aged 79

Appeared with Caine in 1969 Italian Job in a scene that was ad-libbed by pair

Yellow Submarine role secret after Beatles chose not to provide own voices

Asked lead character Alex to 'lick his boots' in 1971 film A Clockwork Orange

Enjoyed long career in film, TV and theatre, becoming author in later life



Actor: John Clive - who was the voice of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine - has died at the age of 79

Comedy actor and author John Clive - who was the voice of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine and also appeared in the Carry On and Pink Panther films - has died at the age of 79.

His career encompassed film, TV, theatre and writing - and he most famously appeared with Michael Caine in the 1969 version of The Italian Job, in a scene that was ad-libbed by the pair.

In the film, he played a garage manager who had been looking after the car of Caine's character Charlie Croker while he served a jail sentence.

Clive's character, referring to Croker's claim that he had been shooting tigers in India, said: 'You must have shot an awful lot of tigers sir.'



Croker replied: 'Yes, I used a machine gun.'



A year earlier Clive voiced the part of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine - a role controversially kept under wraps after The Beatles chose not to provide their own voices.

Star: He appeared with Michael Caine in 1969 film The Italian Job, in a scene that was ad-libbed by the pair

Credits: He most famously appeared alongside Michael Caine in the 1969 version of The Italian Job (right), and in 1971 played ‘Tormenter’, where he asked lead character Alex to 'lick his boots' in A Clockwork Orange (left)



In 1971 he played the role of ‘Tormenter’, where he asked lead character Alex to 'lick his boots' in cult classic A Clockwork Orange.

Clive also became an international bestselling author in later life. He died after a short illness on Sunday, his family confirmed last night.

He also appeared in such series as Rising Damp, The Sweeney and The Dick Emery Show.

His writing career resulted in the international bestseller KG200 and other similar ‘fiction-based on fact’ books such as The Last Liberator, Barossa and another bestseller Broken Wings.