Overview (4)

Mini Bio (1)

Spouse (4)

Trade Mark (5)

Often played multiple characters



His ability to change his voice and appearance



Often infused his comic characters with an undercurrent of deep melancholy



Often ad-libbed some of the most memorable lines his characters say in his films



Trivia (66)

Ranked #84 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]



Born at 6:00am-BST



Interred at Golders Green Crematorium, London, England, UK.





Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan Michael Bentine and Harry Secombe performed on BBC Radio as "The Goon Show" from 1951 to 1960 (and a last reunion special in 1972). This show was enormously influential on much subsequent British comedy, from Monty Python's Flying Circus to Mr Bean.

Claimed to have had a near-death experience during a heart attack in 1964, in which he saw Heaven and he met an angel who told him that it was not his time to die yet.



He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.





First actor to be nominated for a single Academy award (best actor) for a film in which he potrayed three different characters in the same film: Dr. Seltsam oder: Wie ich lernte, die Bombe zu lieben (1964).

Sellers was the first male to appear on the cover of Playboy Magazine, in April 1964.



His third wife, Miranda Quarry, is now "The Countess of Stockton."





His "Goon Show" records, and other comedy recordings from the 1950s and early 1960s, were produced by George Martin , before he worked with The Beatles

He was voted the 41st Greatest Movie Star of all time by Premiere Magazine.



Died at 12:26am - BST after being in a coma for more than 30 hours after suffering a massive heart attack.





Mel Brooks considered him for - and he expressed interest in - the role of "Leo Bloom" in Frühling für Hitler (1967), but nothing ever came of it, and the role eventually went to Gene Wilder . However, Sellers was instrumental in the success of the film. After its release, he happened, almost by accident, to see a private screening of it and was so impressed that the next day he took out two full-page newspaper ads at his own expense proclaiming that it was one of the greatest comedies he had ever seen. This exposure helped promote the film at a critical time when it appeared that it was destined to sink without a trace.

At the time of his death, he was due to undergo an angiography in preparation for potential heart surgery in Los Angeles on July 30.



One afternoon the doorbell rang in Sellers' London flat. As he was busy in his study, his wife Anne went to the door, where she was handed a telegram. The message: "Bring me a cup of coffee. Peter".





Late one night, following a disappointing day wrestling with a troublesome scene in one of the Pink Panther films, director Blake Edwards was roused by a call from Sellers. "I just talked to God!" he exclaimed, "and he told me how to do it!" The next day Edwards humored Sellers - and the result was an unmitigated disaster. "Peter," Edwards suggested, "next time you talk to God, tell him to stay out of show business!".

Died four weeks after filming a "Barclays Bank" TV commercial in Ireland, which never aired.





His performance as Dr. Strangelove in Dr. Seltsam oder: Wie ich lernte, die Bombe zu lieben (1964) is ranked #75 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

His performance as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the "Pink Panther" franchise is ranked #67 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.





His performance as Chance the Gardener in Willkommen, Mr. Chance (1979) is ranked #49 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.



At the time of his death, he left the bulk of his estate - cash, cars, houses and art amounting to £4.5 million - to fourth wife Lynne Frederick . He left his son Michael and his daughter Sarah from his first marriage to actress Anne Howe only £800 each. "It was a calculated and considered act. Even his lawyers blushed when they told me," Michael said. Sellers had married Frederick, who was known primarily as David Frost 's girlfriend (and subsequently his wife after Sellers' death), in 1977. Reportedly Sellers was in the process of excluding her from his will in the time immediately preceding his death by heart attack in 1980. A drug addict and an alcoholic herself, Frederick died at age 39 and all income from Sellers' estate, including royalties from movie profit-sharing deals, was inherited by her daughter with third husband Barry Unger.



Became friends with the group The Beatles , and visited them at Abbey Road Studios. Was given a tape of rough mixes from the "White Album", which was auctioned (and bootlegged) after his death.



He was one of the favorite actors of Elvis Presley who always had Sellers' Pink Panther films with him on the airplane while he was on tour.



Prince Charles had been a fan of Sellers since "The Goon Show". In 1975, after he had seen Der rosarote Panther kehrt zurück (1975) in Montreal, he wrote to Sellers that he'd laughed so hard he had wet the dress of the woman in the next seat.



Before his death he spoke very highly of Robin Williams and Steve Martin , both considered that a great honor.

Was an amateur photographer and camera nut for most of his life.



Served in the Royal Air Force during World War II.



His father was Protestant and his mother was Jewish. He attended St. Aloysius College, a Roman Catholic School.



He was fitted with a pacemaker in 1977 for his failing heart.



Claimed in a 1980 interview with Rolling Stone that he had fathered a son by a girlfriend while serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and abandoned them.





Shirley MacLaine said of him, "Past lives leaking through and confusing him in this life.".

He was best known for his portrayal of the hapless, accident-prone Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies. A final film in the franchise was to be called "Romance of the Pink Panther", but Sellers died before it could be made.



An English Heritage blue plaque can be found at his place of birth on the corner of Southsea Terrace and Castle Road in Southsea. What was the family home is above a Chinese restaurant.





Married Britt Ekland after knowing her for only 10 days.



Author Jackie Collins based the character "Charlie Brick" on Sellers in her book "Sinners".



Sellers was widely considered by industry professionals (particularly Blake Edwards ) to be mentally ill with no real personality of his own. He habitually assumed the personalities of the characters he portrayed, morphing into another one in a following role. People that knew him intermittently over years were baffled by his transformations. As an actor, Sellers could be brilliant with a strong script, but he often accepted sub-par projects and inferior roles which would wreak havoc in his personal life.

Lived in Gstaad, Switzerland during the last six years of his life.





He was a great friend of the British actor Jon Pertwee , who was also known for many comedy parts.

His father was of English ancestry and his mother was of Ashkenazi Jewish and Sephardi Jewish descent (with ancestors from the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal).





He was a sixth cousin, three times removed, of Australian actor Heath Ledger . Peter's maternal five times great-grandparents, Daniel de David de Mendoza and Esther Lopez, were also Heath's maternal eight times great-grandparents. Daniel and Esther were Sephardi Jews. Through the same line, Peter was also a relative of Daniel Mendoza, who was boxing champion of England in 1792-1795.



On 23 May 1980, only a few weeks before he died, he sent the following poignant telegram to Spike Milligan : "Dear Spike. I am desperate to have some real fun again with you and Harry [Secombe]. Please can we get together and write some more Goon Shows? We could place them anywhere. I don't want any money - I will work just for the sheer joy of being with you both again as we were. Love Peter".



He was considered for Willy Wonka in Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik (1971).



Has been hailed by the likes of Peter Cook and John Cleese as one of the leading comedians of all time.



The biography by Roger Lewis , titled "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers," tends to reveal a more tragic side to the comedian.

During the late 70s, Sellers personally watched up and coming comedians Robin Williams and Steve Martin perform some of their stand-up routines.



His career was in trouble from the late 60s till the mid 70s, making a series of mediocre films.



During his stint in the second world war, Sellers decided to impersonate a commanding officer whilst he was stationed abroad. He narrowly avoided being caught.



Throughout his life, the comedian acquired many gadgets of various kinds. He kept most of these until his passing.



During the beginning of his career in the entertainment industry, Peter Sellers was advertised as a "mimic and percussionist.".



The 2004 cinematic movie about the comedian's life and career, was deemed inaccurate by those who knew him.



When his own son phoned Peter Sellers for moral support during a difficult time, the comedian immediately agreed to help. They met up together not long after their phone conversation, conversing for a few hours. For Michael Sellers, it was the beginning of a reconciliation with his father. Sadly, this didn't last as the comedian passed away only about 7 weeks later.



In the 1950s, the comedian provided the voice-overs for a few "PG Tips" TV commercials.



A memorial service was held for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 8 September 1980.





John Cleese remembered meeting Sellers one morning when the latter had overslept. Sellers first addressed him in strange voices, including upper-class, Cockney and Eastern-European accents, before he used his own. Cleese concluded that Sellers was so adept at inhabiting other characters that each morning, he had to find his own voice.



Dated Mia Farrow for a short time in 1968.

Personal Quotes (17)

If you ask me to play myself, I will not know what to do. I do not know who or what I am.



There used to be a me behind the mask, but I had it surgically removed.



To see me as a person on screen would be one of the dullest experiences you could ever wish to experience.



I'm a classic example of all humorists - only funny when I'm working.



Women are more difficult to handle than men. It's their minds.



I writhe when I see myself on the screen. I'm such a dreadfully clumsy hulking image. I say to myself, "Why doesn't he get off? Why doesn't he get off?" I mean, I look like such an idiot. Some fat awkward thing dredged up from some third-rate drama company. I must stop thinking about it, otherwise I shan't be able to go on working.





[on Blake Edwards ' smash hit 10 - Die Traumfrau (1979)] I turned down the lead role many, many times. I just didn't feel I was right for the part.

I'm a very ambitious person. I don't believe by any means that I've even begun to do what's inside me. I have a burning sort of fire inside me to do certain things which I know I'm going to do. I'm going to defeat all these berks that are around me and I'm going to do it. I mean, I have a name of being very difficult, I'm not difficult at all, I just cannot take mediocrity, I just cannot take it on any level.



You only know what happiness is once you're married. But then it's too late.





[on Goldie Hawn ] In the fullest possible meaning of the word, she is so nice.



[on Sophia Loren ] I was never in love with any woman as deeply as I was with Sophia.

[April 1969, interview in "Nova" magazine] When I look at myself I see a person who strangely lacks what I consider the ingredients for a personality.



[on developing a role for the screen] I walk around, trying different accents, feeling my way to the character. I stare at my own image in the mirror every morning, waiting for the other fellow - the man I'm going to play - to emerge and stare back at me. I am waiting for the stranger to come into my life. When it happens, I have this flush of happiness.



Most actors want to play "Othello", but all I've really wanted to play is Chance the Gardener. I feel what the character, the story is all about is not merely the triumph of a simple man, an illiterate. It's God's message again that the meek shall inherit the earth.





[on his wife Lynne Frederick ] Lynne is different to all the ladies I've been attracted to. She's a good one, that girl; and a terrific bloody actress. I met Lynne at one of Dennis Selinger 's parties...we were mutually attracted to each other... I think she will become a very good actress in a full sense of the word actress. Although she doesn't want to be - she wants either to be a housewife or continue to studying physics. Everyone I've met, including Malcolm McDowell , was knocked out by her performance in this film Lynne Frederick



[on Die Muppet Show: Peter Sellers (1978) when he is told to tone down his erratic behavior and just be himself] But that, you see, my dear Kermit, would be altogether impossible. I could never be myself. You see, there is no me. I do not exist. There used to be a me, but I had it surgically removed.



[Talking about the voice he used for Chance the gardener in Willkommen, Mr. Chance (1979)" ........very clear enunciation, slightly American with a touch of Stan Laurel mixed in"

Salary (3)