Briton Peter Sellers is often considered one of the best and most talented comedians of all time. Peter Sellers was a favorite actor of singer Elvis Presley and Prince Charles, he was friends with the members of the legendary band The Beatles and was a great amateur photographer. His image of the inspector-bungler Jacques Clouseau in the comedies about "The Pink Panther" is the most remembered and loved by audiences all over the world.
Biography of Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers (real name - Richard Henry Sellers) was born on September 8, 1925 in a wealthy family of actors in the small coastal English town of Southsea, Hampshire.
His parents were Agnes Doreen and William Sellers, who worked in an acting troupe under the direction of the boy's grandmother. By religious belief, Richard's mother was Jewish and his father was Protestant. Richard received his first education at St. Aloysius - Roman Catholic School.
The first child of the couple died at birth, so in memory of him, Richard was called "Peter" in the family circle. In the future, this name will be attached to the actor and will become his pseudonym.
Career and work of Peter Sellers
When World War II broke out, Peter Sellers joined the Royal Air Force, at the end of which he met writer and screenwriter Spike Milligan, comedians Harry Secomom and Michael Bentin. This acquaintance influenced the future choice of the occupation of Peter Sellers.
After the war he came to London, where he was accepted as one of the hosts of the popular radio program "The Goon Show". Shortly after working on radio, Peter Sellers made his debut in Penny Points to Paradise (1951) and Down Among the Z Men (1952).
In 1955, Peter Sellers landed a role in the British comedy "Soak the Old Lady." Throughout the 1950s, Sellers received small roles in comedy films, which he performed superbly. Finally, in 1959, Peter starred in the lead role of the British comedy "I'm fine, Jack!", Where he embodied the image of Fred Keith - the leader of one of the trade unions and a fan of the USSR.
In 1962, Stanley Kubrick invited the actor to his new film "Lolita", based on the novel of the same name. The director urged Peter to accept his offer and gave the actor the opportunity to improvise, which greatly expanded the character of Claire Quilty's character and emphasized the actor's multifaceted talent.
Two years later, in 1964, Peter Sellers starred in another film by the famous director - the black comedy "Doctor Strangelove, or How He Learned Not to Worry and Love the Atomic Bomb" dedicated to the theme of the Cold War. Thanks to this motion picture, Sellers cemented his reputation as a master of reincarnation, performing on the screen the images of three characters at once. For this, Peter Seller was even nominated for an Oscar.
1964 was the most fruitful year in the professional career of the actor. The detective comedy The Pink Panther, in which Sellers played the clumsy French inspector Jacques Clouseau, was widely released this year. Audiences reacted positively to the film, and soon a second film about the adventures and investigation of the inspector, "A Shot in the Dark", was released.
The actor's popularity rose to world level, and in 1964 a new comedy drama about the avant-garde pianist Henry Orient and his love affairs was released (the film "Henry Orient's World").
The mid-1960s saw the popularity of everything "English", from the Beatles to James Bond films, so comedies with British actor Peter Sellers caught the attention of many viewers around the world. Film "What's New, Pussy?" (1965) became another success in his career as a film actor.
However, being by nature a person with a difficult character, the actor began to experience difficulties when working in film projects. In 1967, Peter starred in the comedy parody of the James Bond film Casino Royale. But when the film exceeded its production costs, many blamed Sellers for it. A year later, the actor turned down the role in the new film about Inspector Clouseau and was furious when Alan Arkin was hired for this role. The new actor has created another distinctive character of Jacques Clouseau. The complex behavior of Peter Sellers negatively affected the actor's reputation and, as a result, his film work.
In 1970, Peter Sellers' popularity declined. In 1972, the actor starred in the walk-through comedy "Where Does It Hurt?", And began to appear more on television shows as a guest.
1975 made positive changes in the career of an actor. The once popular director and screenwriter Blake Edwards convinced producer Lew Grade to fund films about the sequel to the adventures of the inept detective Clouseau.
In the same year, the comedy with Peter Sellers "Return of the Pink Panther" was released, in 1976 - "The Pink Panther Strikes Back" and "Revenge of the Pink Panther" - in 1978. Continuations of the film history were warmly received by the audience and paid off many times at the box office.
In 1979, Peter Sellers moved away from the simple comedy and starred in the more dramatic film Being There, based on the novel The Gardener. The actor's excellent performance earned him an Oscar nomination.
The last film with Peter Sellers was the comedy "The Devil's Conspiracy of Dr. Fu Manchu" in 1980, the shooting of which ended a few months before the actor's death. However, in 1982 a new film, The Trail of the Pink Panther, was released. It was compiled from unused fragments of previous films about Inspector Clouseau.
Personal life of Peter Sellers
The actor has been married 4 times.
The first marriage was to actress Anne Howe (1951-1963), from whom were born a son, Michael, and a daughter, Sarah.
Second marriage - with actress Britt Ekland of Swedish origin, whom he married 10 days after they met (1964-1968), daughter Victoria.
The third marriage is with Miranda Quarrie (1970-1974), who today bears the title of Countess of Stockton.
The fourth marriage - with the young actress Lynn Frederick (1977-1980).
Throughout his life, Peter Sellers struggled with depression and self-doubt, which subsequently, combined with a busy work schedule, negatively affected his mental and physical health. As the actor himself argued, his images on the screen have nothing to do with his character.
Peter Sellers died of his third heart attack on July 24, 1980 in London.
