Peter Sellers

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

128

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

  • Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

  • The Muppet Show

    The Muppet Show

  • Lolita

    Lolita

  • It Takes a Thief

    It Takes a Thief

  • The Dean Martin Show

    The Dean Martin Show

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • Simon Simon

    Simon Simon

  • 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

  • The Wrong Arm of the Law

    The Wrong Arm of the Law

  • The Party

    The Party

  • Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

    Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

  • The Ladykillers

    The Ladykillers

  • Never Let Go

    Never Let Go

  • The Bobo

    The Bobo

  • The Pink Panther

    The Pink Panther

  • V.I.P. Schaukel

    V.I.P. Schaukel

  • Tom Thumb

    Tom Thumb

  • Penny Points to Paradise

    Penny Points to Paradise

  • Spike

    Spike

  • The Millionairess

    The Millionairess

  • Sykes

    Sykes

  • Heavens Above!

    Heavens Above!

  • ABC Stage 67

    ABC Stage 67

  • The Beatles: Get Back

    The Beatles: Get Back

  • The Blockhouse

    The Blockhouse

  • Murder by Death

    Murder by Death

  • Mickey's 50

    Mickey's 50

  • Revenge of the Pink Panther

    Revenge of the Pink Panther

  • The Pink Panther Strikes Again

    The Pink Panther Strikes Again

  • Muppet Treasures

    Muppet Treasures

  • The Magic Christian

    The Magic Christian

  • Carol for Another Christmas

    Carol for Another Christmas

  • The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu

    The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu

  • Hoffman

    Hoffman

  • The Return of the Pink Panther

    The Return of the Pink Panther

  • Being There

    Being There

  • Ghost in the Noonday Sun

    Ghost in the Noonday Sun

  • Trail of the Pink Panther

    Trail of the Pink Panther

  • The Man Who Never Was

    The Man Who Never Was

  • Down Among the Z Men

    Down Among the Z Men

  • Woman Times Seven

    Woman Times Seven

  • The Mouse That Roared

    The Mouse That Roared

  • Orders Are Orders

    Orders Are Orders

  • The World of Hammer

    The World of Hammer

  • A Shot in the Dark

    A Shot in the Dark

  • The World of Henry Orient

    The World of Henry Orient

  • Where Does It Hurt?

    Where Does It Hurt?

  • The Optimists of Nine Elms

    The Optimists of Nine Elms

  • Hitler: The Comedy Years

    Hitler: The Comedy Years

  • Mr. Topaze

    Mr. Topaze

  • The Prisoner of Zenda

    The Prisoner of Zenda

  • The Wrong Box

    The Wrong Box

  • To See Such Fun

    To See Such Fun

  • The Black Rose

    The Black Rose

  • Alice in Wonderland

    Alice in Wonderland

  • Only Two Can Play

    Only Two Can Play

  • The Battle of the Sexes

    The Battle of the Sexes

  • Two-Way Stretch

    Two-Way Stretch

  • What's New Pussycat?

    What's New Pussycat?

  • I'm All Right Jack

    I'm All Right Jack

  • I Say I Say I Say

    I Say I Say I Say

  • Waltz of the Toreadors

    Waltz of the Toreadors

  • Our Girl Friday

    Our Girl Friday

  • The Big Screen

    The Big Screen

  • I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!

    I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!

  • Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace

    Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace

  • The Naked Truth

    The Naked Truth

  • Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

    Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

    Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

  • A Day at the Beach

    A Day at the Beach

  • One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously

    One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously

  • The Smallest Show on Earth

    The Smallest Show on Earth

  • Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town

    Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town

  • The Road to Hong Kong

    The Road to Hong Kong

  • After the Fox

    After the Fox

  • Flip Wilson... Of Course

    Flip Wilson... Of Course

  • This Is Tom Jones

    This Is Tom Jones

  • Soft Beds, Hard Battles

    Soft Beds, Hard Battles

  • The Last Goon Show of All

    The Last Goon Show of All

  • The Dock Brief

    The Dock Brief

  • Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

    Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

  • The Telegoons

    The Telegoons

  • Beat the Devil

    Beat the Devil

  • Rire et sourire : Le Splendid

    Rire et sourire : Le Splendid

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

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

  • There's a Girl in My Soup

    There's a Girl in My Soup

  • Birds, Bees and Storks

    Birds, Bees and Storks

  • A Burlesque on the Opera Carmen

    A Burlesque on the Opera Carmen

  • Funny Business

    Funny Business

  • Tempo

    Tempo

  • Theatre Night

    Theatre Night

  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film

    The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film

  • The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

    The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

  • John and Julie

    John and Julie

  • A Show Called Fred

    A Show Called Fred

  • The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d

    The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d

  • Let's Go Crazy

    Let's Go Crazy

  • Julie: My Favourite Things

    Julie: My Favourite Things

  • Son of Fred

    Son of Fred

  • The Great McGonagall

    The Great McGonagall

  • The Super Secret Service

    The Super Secret Service

  • The Ghost of Peter Sellers

    The Ghost of Peter Sellers

  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

    The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

  • Black Baby

    Black Baby

  • Up the Creek

    Up the Creek

  • And So To Bentley

    And So To Bentley

  • Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets

    Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets

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

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

  • Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?

    Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?

  • The Paranormal Peter Sellers

    The Paranormal Peter Sellers

  • Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

    Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

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

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

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

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

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

    The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent

  • Directed By Blake Edwards

    Directed By Blake Edwards

  • Kingdom Of Gifts

    Kingdom Of Gifts

  • Dearth of a Salesman

    Dearth of a Salesman

  • Peter Sellers: Genius at Work

    Peter Sellers: Genius at Work

  • El Rey en Londres

    El Rey en Londres

  • Insomnia is Good for You

    Insomnia is Good for You

  • With Love, Sophia

    With Love, Sophia

  • The Peter Sellers Story

    The Peter Sellers Story

  • A Salute to Sir Lew Grade

    A Salute to Sir Lew Grade

  • The Very Best of Peter Sellers

    The Very Best of Peter Sellers

  • The Music of Lennon & McCartney

    The Music of Lennon & McCartney

  • Sellers' Best

    Sellers' Best

  • The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It

    The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It