Peter Sellers

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

126

Gender

Male

Birthday

1925-09-08

Day of death

1980-07-24 (54 years old)

Place of Birth

Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK

Peter Sellers

Biography

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."

Known For

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • It Takes a Thief

    It Takes a Thief

  • Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

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

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

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • The Muppet Show

    The Muppet Show

  • The Dean Martin Show

    The Dean Martin Show

  • Sykes

    Sykes

  • V.I.P. Schaukel

    V.I.P. Schaukel

  • Murder by Death

    Murder by Death

  • Lolita

    Lolita

  • ABC Stage 67

    ABC Stage 67

  • Orders Are Orders

    Orders Are Orders

  • Flip Wilson... Of Course

    Flip Wilson... Of Course

  • Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

    Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

  • The Optimists of Nine Elms

    The Optimists of Nine Elms

  • The Return of the Pink Panther

    The Return of the Pink Panther

  • The World of Henry Orient

    The World of Henry Orient

  • Ghost in the Noonday Sun

    Ghost in the Noonday Sun

  • The Pink Panther

    The Pink Panther

  • Waltz of the Toreadors

    Waltz of the Toreadors

  • Simon Simon

    Simon Simon

  • The Black Rose

    The Black Rose

  • The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu

    The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu

  • Being There

    Being There

  • The Man Who Never Was

    The Man Who Never Was

  • The Big Screen

    The Big Screen

  • Carol for Another Christmas

    Carol for Another Christmas

  • Mr. Topaze

    Mr. Topaze

  • Spike

    Spike

  • The Mouse That Roared

    The Mouse That Roared

  • The Party

    The Party

  • The Beatles: Get Back

    The Beatles: Get Back

  • The Smallest Show on Earth

    The Smallest Show on Earth

  • The Ladykillers

    The Ladykillers

  • Hitler: The Comedy Years

    Hitler: The Comedy Years

  • The Millionairess

    The Millionairess

  • The Pink Panther Strikes Again

    The Pink Panther Strikes Again

  • Penny Points to Paradise

    Penny Points to Paradise

  • Tempo

    Tempo

  • Never Let Go

    Never Let Go

  • The Magic Christian

    The Magic Christian

  • Hoffman

    Hoffman

  • Revenge of the Pink Panther

    Revenge of the Pink Panther

  • The Wrong Box

    The Wrong Box

  • Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace

    Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace

  • The Bobo

    The Bobo

  • Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

    Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

  • I Say I Say I Say

    I Say I Say I Say

  • Only Two Can Play

    Only Two Can Play

  • I'm All Right Jack

    I'm All Right Jack

  • Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town

    Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town

  • Alice in Wonderland

    Alice in Wonderland

  • Trail of the Pink Panther

    Trail of the Pink Panther

  • A Day at the Beach

    A Day at the Beach

  • Mickey's 50

    Mickey's 50

  • Woman Times Seven

    Woman Times Seven

  • The Wrong Arm of the Law

    The Wrong Arm of the Law

  • Where Does It Hurt?

    Where Does It Hurt?

  • Heavens Above!

    Heavens Above!

  • Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

    Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

  • Birds, Bees and Storks

    Birds, Bees and Storks

  • A Shot in the Dark

    A Shot in the Dark

  • This Is Tom Jones

    This Is Tom Jones

  • The Battle of the Sexes

    The Battle of the Sexes

  • Two-Way Stretch

    Two-Way Stretch

  • The Road to Hong Kong

    The Road to Hong Kong

  • The Last Goon Show of All

    The Last Goon Show of All

  • Tom Thumb

    Tom Thumb

  • The Prisoner of Zenda

    The Prisoner of Zenda

  • Our Girl Friday

    Our Girl Friday

  • The Blockhouse

    The Blockhouse

  • Theatre Night

    Theatre Night

  • What's New Pussycat?

    What's New Pussycat?

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

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

  • Funny Business

    Funny Business

  • The Dock Brief

    The Dock Brief

  • To See Such Fun

    To See Such Fun

  • One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously

    One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously

  • After the Fox

    After the Fox

  • Beat the Devil

    Beat the Devil

  • Rire et sourire : Le Splendid

    Rire et sourire : Le Splendid

  • The Telegoons

    The Telegoons

  • The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d

    The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d

  • I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!

    I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!

  • The Great McGonagall

    The Great McGonagall

  • A Burlesque on the Opera Carmen

    A Burlesque on the Opera Carmen

  • Son of Fred

    Son of Fred

  • And So To Bentley

    And So To Bentley

  • A Show Called Fred

    A Show Called Fred

  • Soft Beds, Hard Battles

    Soft Beds, Hard Battles

  • The Naked Truth

    The Naked Truth

  • Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets

    Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets

  • El Rey en Londres

    El Rey en Londres

  • Down Among the Z Men

    Down Among the Z Men

  • The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

    The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

  • Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show!

    Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show!

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

    Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

  • There's a Girl in My Soup

    There's a Girl in My Soup

  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film

    The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film

  • Muppet Treasures

    Muppet Treasures

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

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

  • Dearth of a Salesman

    Dearth of a Salesman

  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

    The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

  • Up the Creek

    Up the Creek

  • The Super Secret Service

    The Super Secret Service

  • Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?

    Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?

  • A Salute to Sir Lew Grade

    A Salute to Sir Lew Grade

  • Sellers' Best

    Sellers' Best

  • The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent

    The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent

  • John and Julie

    John and Julie

  • The Ghost of Peter Sellers

    The Ghost of Peter Sellers

  • The Music of Lennon & McCartney

    The Music of Lennon & McCartney

  • Peter Sellers: Genius at Work

    Peter Sellers: Genius at Work

  • The Paranormal Peter Sellers

    The Paranormal Peter Sellers

  • Kingdom Of Gifts

    Kingdom Of Gifts

  • Let's Go Crazy

    Let's Go Crazy

  • The Peter Sellers Story

    The Peter Sellers Story

  • Directed By Blake Edwards

    Directed By Blake Edwards

  • Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'

    Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'

  • Julie: My Favourite Things

    Julie: My Favourite Things

  • Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

    Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

  • With Love, Sophia

    With Love, Sophia

  • The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It

    The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It

  • The Very Best of Peter Sellers

    The Very Best of Peter Sellers

  • Insomnia is Good for You

    Insomnia is Good for You