Peter James O’Toole (2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) O’Toole first appeared on film in 1959 in a minor role in The Day They Robbed the Bank of England. His major break came when he was chosen to play T. E. Lawrence in David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962), after Marlon Brando proved unavailable and Albert Finney turned down the role.His performance was ranked number one in Premier magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Performances of All Time. The role introduced him to US audiences and earned him the first of his eight nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor (being the most nominated actor without winning the award).
O’Toole did it all; movies, stage, drama and comedy – even voice over animation (Disney’s Ratatouille) and a Sho-time series (Tudors). He would act until 2012 when he announced his retirement. In 2003 he received a Academy Lifetime achievement award and 3 years later would be nominated for the 8th and final time for the role of Maurice in the film Venus.
O’Toole died on 14 December 2013 at the Wellington Hospital in London, aged 81, following a long illness.
Check out Lawrence of Arabia first then go to his comedies – What’s New Pussycat, & How to Steal a Million. His historical epics are pretty great too; Becket and Lion in Winter. Stay clear of the Penthouse porno flop Caligula – it’ll just make you mad.
As T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia
What’s New Pussycat?
What’s New Pussycat? w/ Peter Sellers
On stage in ‘Baal’ – 1963
Baal
Beckett
With Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal a Million – promo
With son Lorcan
