Peter Sellers
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."
Filmography
John Candy: I Like Me
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
John Candy: I Like Me
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders
as Archive
Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders
as Archive
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
as Self (archive footage)
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
as Self (archive footage)
Directed By Blake Edwards
as Self
Directed By Blake Edwards
as Self
Kubrick by Kubrick
as Self (archive footage)
Kubrick by Kubrick
as Self (archive footage)
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
as Self (Archival Footage)
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
as Self (Archival Footage)
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
as Self (archive footage)
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
as Self (archive footage)
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
as Self (archive footage)
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
as Self (archive footage)
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
as The Villain Antony (archive footage)
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
as The Villain Antony (archive footage)
Hitler: The Comedy Years
as Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hitler: The Comedy Years
as Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited)
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
as Self (archive footage)
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
as Self (archive footage)
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
as Himself
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
as Himself
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
as Self (Archive footage)
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
as Self (Archive footage)
The Unknown Peter Sellers
The Unknown Peter Sellers
The Peter Sellers Story
as Himself
The Peter Sellers Story
as Himself
Sellers' Best
as Self (archive footage)
Sellers' Best
as Self (archive footage)
The Very Best of Peter Sellers
The Very Best of Peter Sellers
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
as Self
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
as Self
Muppet Treasures
as Self
Muppet Treasures
as Self
Koyaanisqatsi
as Self (archive footage)
Koyaanisqatsi
as Self (archive footage)
Trail of the Pink Panther
as Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)
Trail of the Pink Panther
as Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
as Self (archive material)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
as Self (archive material)
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
as Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
as Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith
Being There
as Chance
Being There
as Chance
The Prisoner of Zenda
as Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin
The Prisoner of Zenda
as Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin
Mickey's 50
as Self
Mickey's 50
as Self
Revenge of the Pink Panther
as Chief Inspector Clouseau
Revenge of the Pink Panther
as Chief Inspector Clouseau
Kingdom Of Gifts
as The Slightly Larcenous Mayor
Kingdom Of Gifts
as The Slightly Larcenous Mayor
To See Such Fun
To See Such Fun
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
as Chief Inspector Clouseau
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
as Chief Inspector Clouseau
The Return of the Pink Panther
as Inspector Clouseau
The Return of the Pink Panther
as Inspector Clouseau
Flip Wilson... Of Course
as Self
Flip Wilson... Of Course
as Self
The Big Screen
as Self
The Big Screen
as Self
The Blockhouse
as Rouquet
The Blockhouse
as Rouquet
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
as The March Hare
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
as The March Hare
Where Does It Hurt?
as Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal
Where Does It Hurt?
as Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal
The Last Goon Show of All
as Self
The Last Goon Show of All
as Self
Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town
as G.W. Ross
Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town
as G.W. Ross
There's a Girl in My Soup
as Robert Danvers
There's a Girl in My Soup
as Robert Danvers
Hoffman
as Mr. Hoffman
Hoffman
as Mr. Hoffman
Simon Simon
as Man with Two Cars
Simon Simon
as Man with Two Cars
A Day at the Beach
as Stallholder
A Day at the Beach
as Stallholder
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?
as Self
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?
as Self
The Magic Christian
as Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE
The Magic Christian
as Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!
as Harold
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!
as Harold
The Party
as Hrundi V. Bakshi
The Party
as Hrundi V. Bakshi
With Love, Sophia
as Self
With Love, Sophia
as Self
Woman Times Seven
as Jean
Woman Times Seven
as Jean
Casino Royale
as Evelyn Tremble
Casino Royale
as Evelyn Tremble
The Bobo
as Juan Bautista
The Bobo
as Juan Bautista
Alice in Wonderland
as King of Hearts
Alice in Wonderland
as King of Hearts
El Rey en Londres
El Rey en Londres
After the Fox
as Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi
After the Fox
as Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi
The Wrong Box
as Doctor Pratt
The Wrong Box
as Doctor Pratt
Birds, Bees and Storks
as Narrator (voice)
Birds, Bees and Storks
as Narrator (voice)
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
What's New Pussycat?
as Dr. Fritz Fassbender
What's New Pussycat?
as Dr. Fritz Fassbender
Carol for Another Christmas
as Imperial Me
Carol for Another Christmas
as Imperial Me
I Say I Say I Say
I Say I Say I Say
A Shot in the Dark
as Jacques Clouseau
A Shot in the Dark
as Jacques Clouseau
The World of Henry Orient
as Henry Orient
The World of Henry Orient
as Henry Orient
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
as Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
as Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove
The Pink Panther
as Insp. Jacques Clouseau
The Pink Panther
as Insp. Jacques Clouseau
Heavens Above!
as The Rev. John Smallwood
Heavens Above!
as The Rev. John Smallwood
The Wrong Arm of the Law
as Pearly Gates
The Wrong Arm of the Law
as Pearly Gates
The Dock Brief
as Wilfred Morgenhall
The Dock Brief
as Wilfred Morgenhall
Lolita
as Clare Quilty
Lolita
as Clare Quilty
Waltz of the Toreadors
as Gen. Leo Fitzjohn
Waltz of the Toreadors
as Gen. Leo Fitzjohn
The Road to Hong Kong
as Indian Neurologist (uncredited)
The Road to Hong Kong
as Indian Neurologist (uncredited)
Only Two Can Play
as John Lewis
Only Two Can Play
as John Lewis
Mr. Topaze
as Auguste Topaze
Mr. Topaze
as Auguste Topaze
Two-Way Stretch
as Dodger Lane
Two-Way Stretch
as Dodger Lane
The Millionairess
as Dr. Kabir
The Millionairess
as Dr. Kabir
Never Let Go
as Lionel Meadows
Never Let Go
as Lionel Meadows
The Battle of the Sexes
as Mr. Martin
The Battle of the Sexes
as Mr. Martin
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
I'm All Right Jack
as Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
I'm All Right Jack
as Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
The Mouse That Roared
as Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe
The Mouse That Roared
as Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
as Prime Minister Amphibulos
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
as Prime Minister Amphibulos
Tom Thumb
as Antony
Tom Thumb
as Antony
Up the Creek
as CPO Doherty
Up the Creek
as CPO Doherty
The Naked Truth
as "Wee" Sonny MacGregor
The Naked Truth
as "Wee" Sonny MacGregor
The Smallest Show on Earth
as Percy Quill
The Smallest Show on Earth
as Percy Quill
The Man Who Never Was
as Voice of Winston Churchill (uncredited)
The Man Who Never Was
as Voice of Winston Churchill (uncredited)
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
as Assorted
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
as Assorted
The Ladykillers
as Harry, alias 'Mr. Robinson'
The Ladykillers
as Harry, alias 'Mr. Robinson'
John and Julie
as Police Constable Diamond
John and Julie
as Police Constable Diamond
Orders Are Orders
as Pvt. Goffin
Orders Are Orders
as Pvt. Goffin
Our Girl Friday
as Voice of Parrot
Our Girl Friday
as Voice of Parrot
Beat the Devil
as Billy Dannreuther (voice) (uncredited)
Beat the Devil
as Billy Dannreuther (voice) (uncredited)
The Super Secret Service
as Sir Walter Smood / Reuben J. Crouch
The Super Secret Service
as Sir Walter Smood / Reuben J. Crouch
Penny Points to Paradise
as The Major / Arnold Fringe
Penny Points to Paradise
as The Major / Arnold Fringe
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
as (archive footage)
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
as (archive footage)