David Warbeck

David Warbeck (born David Mitchell; 17 November 1941 – 23 July 1997) was a New Zealand actor and model best known for his roles in European exploitation and horror films. A native of Christchurch, New Zealand, Warbeck became involved in local theatre there, which led to him receiving a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1965. After attending for four terms, Warbeck dropped out and began working as a model. He made his feature film debut in John Hough's Wolfshead: The Legend of Robin Hood (1969), reuniting with the director again for 1971's Twins of Evil. Throughout the 1970s, Warbeck appeared in numerous international exploitation films, including A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) and Black Snake (1974), which established him as a niche action film star. In 1981, Warbeck starred in two films for Italian horror director Lucio Fulci: The Black Cat and The Beyond. He went on to appear in several independent and exploitation films throughout the 1980s and 1990s before dying of cancer in London in July 1997, aged 55. Early life Warbeck was born David Mitchell on 17 November 1941 in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was of Scottish descent. Warbeck attended school in Christchurch and Invercargill. After graduating, Warbeck began training to become an arts teacher. Through this, he became involved with local theatre productions, and performed with a small touring company in New Zealand. While performing in local theatre, Warbeck was awarded a scholarship from the New Zealand Arts Council to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.