Peter Sellers

Known for ActingBorn 1925-09-08Died 1980-07-24Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK

Richard Henry Sellers, CBE (September 8, 1925 – July 24, 1980), known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, for playing three different characters in Dr. Strangelove, as Clare Quilty in Lolita, and as the man-child and TV-addicted Chance the gardener in his penultimate film, Being There. Leading actress Bette Davis once remarked of him, "He isn't an actor—he's a chameleon." Sellers rose to fame on the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show. His ability to speak in different accents (e.g., French, Indian, American, German, as well as British regional accents), along with his talent to portray a range of characters to comic effect, contributed to his success as a radio personality and screen actor and earned him national and international nominations and awards. Many of his characters became ingrained in public perception of his work. Sellers' private life was characterized by turmoil and crises, and included emotional problems and substance abuse. Sellers was married four times, and had three children from the first two marriages. An enigmatic figure, he often claimed to have no identity outside the roles that he played, but he left his own portrait since, "he obsessively filmed his homes, his family, people he knew, anything that took his fancy right to the end of his life—intimate film that remained undiscovered until long after his death in 1980." The director Peter Hall has said: "Peter had the ability to identify completely with another person, and think his way physically, mentally and emotionally into their skin. Where does that come from? I have no idea. Is it a curse? Often. I think it's not enough though in this business to have talent. You have to have talent to handle the talent. And that I think Peter did not have."Read more

Movies & web series

Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders

Spike

To See Such Fun

With Love, Sophia

A Burlesque on the Opera "Carmen"

Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets

Mickey's 50

The Very Best of Peter Sellers

The Beatles: Get Back

Directed By Blake Edwards

Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

The Unknown Peter Sellers

John Candy: I Like Me

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

Rire et sourire : Le Splendid

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

The Muppet Show

Koyaanisqatsi

Kubrick by Kubrick

Tempo

Insomnia is Good for You

Being There

V.I.P. Schaukel

Funny Business

The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'

The Caretaker

The Dean Martin Show

The Party

The Peter Sellers Story

Hoffman

Lolita

Murder by Death

It Takes a Thief

Muppet Treasures

The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent

The Ladykillers

A Shot in the Dark

Kingdom Of Gifts

A Salute to Sir Lew Grade

The Last Goon Show of All

One Pair of Eyes

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

The Music of Lennon & McCartney

The World of Hammer

The Man Who Never Was

The Return of the Pink Panther

ABC Stage 67

The Pink Panther