History Creator / PeterSellers

Although his life was abbreviated and bittersweet, Sellers made over 50 feature films, hundreds of radio episodes, many TV appearances, four solo comedy albums and more. His is a legacy of unique, three-dimensional performances that remain the envy of many of today's comic actors, including Creator/RobinWilliams, Creator/EddieMurphy, Mike Myers, and SachaBaronCohen. Creator/GeoffreyRush won an Emmy Award for playing Sellers in a 2004 {{Biopic}}, ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfPeterSellers''.

Even though the actual quality of his performances remained surprisingly high throughout the late 60s/early 70s, and he kept working if only for [[MoneyDearBoy money]], by 1974 his career was almost DeaderThanDisco. During this period he had to rely on cameo appearances in the TV shows of old mates like EricSykes and Spike Milligan to keep in the public eye. The original GoonShow team also reformed, to celebrate a significant anniversary. However, he was approached with an offer to revive the ''Pink Panther'' series and, realizing the potential gains, decided to reprise the Inspector Clouseau character. The resultant film, 1975's ''The Return of the Pink Panther'', was so popular that two more sequels were made within the next three years. Beyond the Clouseau films, he followed that up the following year with his comical portrayal of Chinese detective Sidney Wang (as well as a few other roles that were ultimately cut) in ''MurderByDeath'', and made a [[SelfParody guest appearance]] on an episode of the ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' which was the source of the now-iconic page quote. With all this, his career spectacularly recovered even as his health declined (the aftereffect of the 1964 attacks).

Sellers first attracted attention on BBC radio in the late 1940s; he was an excellent impersonator, capable of a wide variety of accents, and was particuarly gifted at [[TalkingToHimself taking on multiple roles]], making the individual characters distinct. In fact, his talent for impersonation got him his first job: he rang a BBC producer and used the voice of Kenneth Horne, a respected radio talent, [[ButHeSoundsHandsome to wax enthusiastic about the talented young performer called Peter Sellers whom he, Horne, had just seen on stage.]] He then confessed that he was Sellers, using Horne's voice to make a point. The producer, who had been taken in completely, was impressed and offered Sellers a contract. Joining up with HarrySecombe and Creator/SpikeMilligan (and MichaelBentine, who left after the first two years), he was a key member of ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' in the 1950s, staying with it even as he started seeking film roles and expanding on his talents. Also during this period, a few television variants on the show's absurdity, such as ''A Show Called Fred'', were made and launched the career of director Richard Lester. (Music/TheBeatles were quite fond of the Goons.)

Born Richard Henry Sellers but ultimately adopting his nickname, the actual name of his parents' short-lived first child, Peter Sellers (September 8, 1925--July 24, 1980) is widely regarded as one of Britain and cinema's great comic actors.

Finally he moved on to a pet project, a film version of Jerzy Kosinski's satire ''Film/BeingThere''. Peter identified so strongly with its lead character, Chance the Gardener, that he had wanted to play him since reading the book circa 1972; the resultant Oscar-nominated performance became, at least for him, his MomentOfAwesome. The film was released in December 1979; Sellers made only one more film (''The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu'') before his death from one last heart attack in July 1980 at the age of 54.

His film breakthrough was a supporting role to Alec Guinness (himself the master of multiple roles, in ''Film/KindHeartsAndCoronets''), who was best known at the time for his comic work, in Ealing Studios' ''Film/TheLadykillers'' in 1955. He became firmly established as a film star in 1959 with two of his biggest successes. One was ''I'm All Right, Jack'', for which he won the British Academy Award for Best Actor - and he wasn't even the lead. ''Literature/TheMouseThatRoared'' was his first international hit in which he played ''three'' lead roles.

In 1964, not long after the release of most of the above, he suffered multiple heart attacks that left him clinically dead for 2 and 1/2 minutes. He was eager upon recovery to go back into film work, but as popular as he had become, he did an increasing number of projects unworthy of his talent or simply uncommercial (e.g., ''TheMagicChristian''). Worse, his demanding style and resultant disagreements with directors and producers, particuarly on ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'', got him a lot of bad press. He was also notorious for his gratuitous bad behaviour on the sets of TV commercials -- he and Milligan behaved with true outstanding brattishness on the set of a cigarette commercial, to a point where observers asserted they were trying to out-do each other for sheer rudeness and bad behaviour. Nevertheless, he did have the clout to encourage the release of Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/TheProducers'' when its studio tried to meddle in 1968. And he collaborated successfully with Blake Edwards on a standalone film project, ''Film/TheParty'', which became known for its minimal script and reliance on {{Improv}}.

* WithFriendsLikeThese: With Blake Edwards, writer-director-producer of ''Film/ThePinkPanther'' series. He and Blake had '''many''' CreativeDifferences. Blake said that "At times, Peter was more or less great fun. The other times he was Hell."

Sellers was a notorious ManChild, partially because he had an [[MyBelovedSmother overbearing stage mother]] and was used to being coddled; stories of on-and-off-set tantrums are legion. He was also something of a fabulist and fantasist. In the modern Internet age he might well be called a Catfish. It appears absolutely certain now that Sellers never had the affair he claimed he had with Italian actress Sophia Loren. He was deeply infatuated with her after they filmed together, and she was taken with his comic persona. To this day, she adamantly denies what Sellers adamantly asserted: her marriage has been happy and monogamous, and Loren had no reason to be unfaithful. Sellers was again acting as what, today, would be termed a stalker, and this would put an end to his own first marriage, which was having enough problems as it was. The worst stories told about that period and his second marriage to Britt Ekland claim he was a DomesticAbuser.

* ThePrimaDonna: He was known for acting like this on movie sets later in his career. Depending on the account, he either walked off or was fired from ''CasinoRoyale1967'', and not before he got into a ''fistfight'' with one of the directors (Joe [=McGrath=], though they made up afterward).

* HairTriggerTemper: He was ''notoriously'' sensitive. According to son Michael, Peter once threw a drink in his (Peter's) daughter Victoria's face over her well-intentioned comment about his character's appearance in ''Film/BeingThere'' -- it was a part he'd gained a significant amount of weight for only because he felt it fit the character, and he hated how he looked that way. [[hottip:*: It didn't help that, according to Michael, Peter's then-wife Lynne Frederick effectively encouraged him to take that personally, as she didn't care for his children, all of whom were from previous marriages...and Michael and Sarah were already Lynne's age or ''older''.]]

----

His film breakthrough was a supporting role to Alec Guinness (himself the master of multiple roles, in ''KindHeartsAndCoronets''), who was best known at the time for his comic work, in Ealing Studios' ''TheLadykillers'' in 1955. He became firmly established as a film star in 1959 with two of his biggest successes. One was ''I'm All Right, Jack'', for which he won the British Academy Award for Best Actor - and he wasn't even the lead. ''Literature/TheMouseThatRoared'' was his first international hit in which he played ''three'' lead roles.

Born Richard Henry Sellers (September 8, 1925--July 24, 1980) but ultimately adopting his nickname, the actual name of his parents' short-lived first child, Peter Sellers is widely regarded as one of Britain and cinema's great comic actors.

Although his life was abbreviated and bittersweet, Sellers made over 50 feature films, hundreds of radio episodes, many TV appearances, four solo comedy albums and more. His is a legacy of unique, three-dimensional performances that remain the envy of many of today's comic actors, including Creator/RobinWilliams, Creator/EddieMurphy, Mike Myers, and SachaBaronCohen. GeoffreyRush won an Emmy Award for playing Sellers in a 2004 {{Biopic}}, ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfPeterSellers''.

Born Richard Henry Sellers in 1925 but ultimately adopting his nickname, the actual name of his parents' short-lived first child, Peter Sellers is widely regarded as one of Britain and cinema's great comic actors.

Although his life was abbreviated and bittersweet, Sellers made over 50 feature films, hundreds of radio episodes, many TV appearances, four solo comedy albums and more. His is a legacy of unique, three-dimensional performances that remain the envy of many of today's comic actors, including RobinWilliams, EddieMurphy, Mike Myers, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Geoffrey Rush won an Emmy Award for playing Sellers in a 2004 {{Biopic}}, ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfPeterSellers''.

[[caption-width-right:275: From back row to front, going from left to right: Claire Quilty (''{{Lolita}}''), Grand Duchess Gloriana XII (''TheMouseThatRoared''), Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (''ThePinkPanther''), Chance the Gardener (''BeingThere''), ''Film/DrStrangelove'', and the actual (?) Peter Sellers]]

The early 1960s yielded his best-known work. On the one hand, he worked with Stanley Kubrick twice: as Claire Quilty in ''Lolita'' and as three leads in ''[[DrStrangelove Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb]]'', for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles were a constant throughout his career; indeed, if Sellers wasn't playing multiple roles in a film, there was a good chance his character was a MasterOfDisguise or at least a wannabe, leading a double life, or some combination thereof. In ''The Naked Truth'' his character disguised himself to protect his double life; in ''The Fiendish Plot of Dr. FuManchu'', he played two roles, one of whom used the occasional PaperThinDisguise.

* ThePrimaDonna: He was known for acting like this on movie sets later in his career. He walked off the set of ''CasinoRoyale1967'', but not before he got into a ''fistfight'' with one of the directors (Joe [=McGrath=], though they made up afterward).
** Either that or being the OnlySaneMan: The movie had six directors (one uncredited) and was all in all a mess shooting. He was playing opposite OrsonWelles who tried to upstage and belittle him (but seeing as Sellers also had a big ego, it's possible he might have had it coming), eventually having Sellers walking of the set (or being fired).
* SadClown: Like most comedians, Peter suffered from depression because he had a hard time getting serious roles.

* WithFriendsLikeThese: With ''BlakeEdwards''. He and Blake had '''many''' CreativeDifferences. Blake said that "At times, Peter was more or less great fun. The other times he was Hell."

Although his life was abbreviated and bittersweet, Sellers made over 50 feature films, hundreds of radio episodes, many TV appearances, four solo comedy albums and more. His is a legacy of unique, three-dimensional performances that remain the envy of many of today's comic actors, including RobinWilliams, EddieMurphy, Mike Myers, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Geoffrey Rush won an Emmy Award for playing Sellers in a 2004 {{Biopic}}, ''The Life and Death of Peter Sellers''.

* TalkingToHimself: In ''Dr. Strangelove'', the title character and Muffly talk to each other.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: With ''BlakeEdwards''. He and Blake had many CreativeDifferences. Blake said that "At times, Peter was more or less great fun. The other times he was Hell."

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: To his friends and certain collaborators, at least.

* RantInducingSlight: He was ''notoriously'' sensitive. According to son Michael, Peter once threw a drink in his (Peter's) daughter Victoria's face over her well-intentioned comment about his character's appearance in ''Film/BeingThere'' -- it was a part he'd gained a significant amount of weight for only because he felt it fit the character, and he hated how he looked that way. (It didn't help that, according to Michael, Peter's then-wife Lynne Frederick effectively encouraged him to take it personally, as she didn't care for his children [all from previous marriages].)

Sellers was a notorious ManChild, partially because he had an [[MyBelovedSmother overbearing stage mother]] and was used to being coddled (stories of on-and-off-set tantrums are legion); he was also something of a fabulist and fantasist. In the modern Internet age he might well be called a Catfish. It appears absolutely certain now that Sellers never had the affair he claimed he had with Italian actress Sophia Loren. He was deeply infatuated with her after they filmed together, and she was taken with his comic persona. To this day, she adamantly denies what Sellers adamantly asserted: her marriage has been happy and monogamous, and Loren had no reason to be unfaithful. Sellers was again acting as what, today, would be termed a stalker, and this would put an end to his own first marriage (which was rocky enough as it was; the worst stories told about this period and his second marriage to Britt Ekland portray him as a DomesticAbuser). Another point debunking Sellers' claims of the Loren affair is that he made similar claims about ''at least'' two more co-stars later in his career (Dany Robin and Shirley [=MacLaine=], to be specific). However, despite official denials, there ''is'' rather more truth to Sellers' proud assertion that he had an affair with the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret. At the time he was in-between wives and her marriage to Lord Snowdon was breaking down amid infidelities and recriminations on all sides.

Finally he moved on to a pet project, a film version of Jerzy Kosinski's satire ''BeingThere''. Peter identified so strongly with its lead character, Chance the Gardener, that he had wanted to play him since reading the book circa 1972; the resultant Oscar-nominated performance became, at least for him, his MomentOfAwesome. The film was released in December 1979; Sellers made only one more film (''The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu'') before his death from one last heart attack in July 1980 at the age of 54.

* EnforcedMethodActing: He would stay in character most of the time and it would drive everyone crazy. They wanted to talk to Peter, but instead they got the character he was playing.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold

* ThePrimaDonna: He was known for acting like this on movie sets later in his career. He walked off the set of ''CasinoRoyale1967''.

* SadClown: Like most comedians, Peter suffered from depression because he couldn't get any serious roles.
* TalkingToHimself: In Dr Strangelove, the title character and Muffly talk to each other.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: With ''BlakeEdwards''. He and Blake had many creative differences. Blake said that "At times, Peter was more or less great fun. The other times he was Hell."

Sellers first attracted attention on BBC radio in the late 1940s; he was an excellent impersonator, capable of a wide variety of accents, and was particuarly gifted at [[TalkingToHimself taking on multiple roles]], making the individual characters distinct. In fact, his talent for impersonation got him his first job: he rang a BBC producer and used the voice of Kenneth Horne, a respected radio talent, [[ButHeSoundsHandsome to wax enthusiastic about the talented young performer called Peter Sellers whom he, Horne, had just seen on stage.]] He then confessed that he was Sellers, using Horne's voice to make a point. The producer, who had been taken in completely, was impressed and offered Sellers a contract. Joining up with HarrySecombe and SpikeMilligan (and MichaelBentine, who left after the first two years), he was a key member of ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' in the 1950s, staying with it even as he started seeking film roles and expanding on his talents. Also during this period, a few television variants on the show's absurdity, such as ''A Show Called Fred'', were made and launched the career of director Richard Lester. (Music/TheBeatles were quite fond of the Goons.)

Sellers first attracted attention on BBC radio in the late 1940s; he was an excellent impersonator, capable of a wide variety of accents, and was particuarly gifted at [[TalkingToHimself taking on multiple roles]], making the individual characters distinct. In fact, his talent for impersonation got him his first job: he rang a BBC producer and used the voice of Kenneth Horne, a respected radio talent, to wax enthusiastic about the talented young performer called Peter Sellers whom he, Horne, had just seen on stage. He then confessed that he was Sellers, using Horne's voice to make a point. The producer, who had been taken in completely, was impressed and offered Sellers a contract. Joining up with HarrySecombe and SpikeMilligan (and MichaelBentine, who left after the first two years), he was a key member of ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' in the 1950s, staying with it even as he started seeking film roles and expanding on his talents. Also during this period, a few television variants on the show's absurdity, such as ''A Show Called Fred'', were made and launched the career of director Richard Lester. (Music/TheBeatles were quite fond of the Goons.)