Photo of Peter Sellers
Acting

Peter Sellers

Profession
Acting
Born
September 8, 1925 · Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK
Died
July 24, 1980

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

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb poster
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Film · 1964 · ★ 8.1
Lolita poster
Lolita
Film · 1962 · ★ 7.3
The Pink Panther poster
The Pink Panther
Film · 1963 · ★ 6.9
Being There poster
Being There
Film · 1979 · ★ 7.6
Murder by Death poster
Murder by Death
Film · 1976 · ★ 7.1
The Party poster
The Party
Film · 1968 · ★ 7.3
Casino Royale poster
Casino Royale
Film · 1967 · ★ 5.2
Koyaanisqatsi poster
Koyaanisqatsi
Film · 1983 · ★ 7.9
The Return of the Pink Panther poster
The Return of the Pink Panther
Film · 1975 · ★ 6.8
A Shot in the Dark poster
A Shot in the Dark
Film · 1964 · ★ 7.2
The Pink Panther Strikes Again poster
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Film · 1976 · ★ 6.9
The Ladykillers poster
The Ladykillers
Film · 1955 · ★ 7.3

Filmography