Britt Ekland got candid about her marriage to British comic legend Peter Sellers in a new BBC documentary. $7.33 + $9.65 shipping. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars, remarking that Sellers was "back doing what he does best", although he also said that in Sellers's previous films he had "been at his worst recently". [110] Kubrick had seen Sellers in The Battle of the Sexes and listened to the album The Best of Sellers, and was impressed by the range of characters he could portray. He was a very tormented soul who should have had more help. Legal Statement. [11], In 1935 the Sellers family moved to North London and settled in Muswell Hill. "[228] The film critic Elvis Mitchell said that Sellers was one of the few comic geniuses who was able to truly hide behind his characters, giving the audience no sense of what he was really like in real life. Sellers was married four times and had three children from his first two marriages. I thought that I would like to meet what I saw, said Sellers in the documentarys archive footage. Click to enlarge. Elke Sommer Biography Elke Sommer, born Elke von Schletz, is a German-born actress, entertainer and artist, who has starred in many Hollywood films. "[251], Sellers's last film was The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, a comedic re-imagining of the eponymous adventure novels by Sax Rohmer; Sellers played both police inspector Nayland Smith and Fu Manchu, alongside Helen Mirren and David Tomlinson. [145] The critic for The Times wrote that the film includes, "three remarkable performances from Mr. Peter Sellers, masterly as the President, diverting as a revue-sketch ex-Nazi US Scientist and acceptable as an RAF officer,"[146] although the critic from The Guardian thought his portrayal of the RAF officer alone was, "worth the price of an admission ticket". Sellers portrayed Harry Robinson, the Teddy Boy; biographer Peter Evans considers this Sellers's first good role. Sommer has had two marriages in her personal life. [273] A memorial service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 8 September 1980what would have been Sellers's 55th birthday. [201] The film was seen as a small revival of his career. [51] Sellers's introduction to film work came in 1950, where he dubbed the voice of Alfonso Bedoya in The Black Rose. The shows aired on Britain's new ITV channel. During their separation, she had a relationship with Thom Bohla. [65] In 1957 film producer Michael Relph, impressed with Sellers's portrayal of an elderly character in Idiot Weekly, cast the 32-year-old actor as a 68-year-old projectionist in Basil Dearden's The Smallest Show on Earth, supporting Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna and Margaret Rutherford. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . [279][280], "I start with the voice. Sellers's versatility enabled him to portray a wide range of comic characters using different accents and guises, and he would often assume multiple roles within the same film, frequently with contrasting temperaments and styles. Casino Royale (1967) [193] He followed it later that year with Hy Averback's I Love You, Alice B. Toklas, playing an attorney who abandons his lifestyle to become a hippie. It won the award for best fiction short in the latter festival, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Short Subject (Live Action). [219] However, the film was a critical failure, and Sellers's career and life reached an all-time low. Elke has been married to hotelier Wolf Walther since 1993. In 1963, Stanley Kubrick cast Sellers to appear in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb alongside George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn and Slim Pickens. I couldnt have said, Im sorry, I love you, but Ive got to go back to work now. There was no option for that I was fired from the film. He was certifiable. [16] Sellers recalled that a teacher scolded the other boys for not studying, saying: "The Jewish boy knows his catechism better than the rest of you! [61] He accepted a larger part in the 1955 Alexander Mackendrick-directed Ealing comedy The Ladykillers in which he starred opposite his idol Alec Guinness, in addition to Herbert Lom and Cecil Parker. [180] Sellers left the film before his part was complete. [315], Selected works, based on award nominations. [23] Working backstage gave him a chance to study actors such as Paul Scofield. "[308], As a child, Eddie Murphy developed his dual acting skills in imitation of Sellers, whom he called his acting hero,[309] with Chris Rock hailing Murphy's performances (such as the multiple roles in The Nutty Professor) as "Peter Sellers-esque". [195] The film, a satire on human nature,[196] was in general viewed negatively by critics. Someone drove me to the airport. "[236] He would make similar references throughout his life: when he appeared on The Muppet Show in 1978, a guest appearance that earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music,[237] he chose not to appear as himself, instead appearing in a variety of costumes and accents. The production of the film was troublesome before filming started, with two directorsRichard Quine and John Avildsenfired before the script had been completed. [59], "The first real film I made was The Ladykillers. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Sarah, to keep the peace, said, 'I love you both equally'. The plan was I would spend the weekend and then I would fly back. Peter Sellers died of a heart attack at age 54. ", After his father's death in October 1962, Sellers decided to leave England and was approached by director Blake Edwards who offered him the role of Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther, after Peter Ustinov had backed out of the film. He just pre-decided everything without ever asking me., She also claimed it was Sellers actions that got her fired from the 1964 film Guns at Batasi., He called me and said, Ask the production if you can have an extra day off, she said. Divorced from writer and journalist Joe Hyams, whom she met when he interviewed her for a Hollywood article (he recently died in November 2008), she has been married since 1993 to hotelier Wolf Walther. [133], Between November 1963 and February 1964, Sellers began filming A Shot in the Dark,[149] an adaptation of a French play, L'Idiote by Marcel Achard. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He took me into the bedroom, which was all gold and white, and then next to it was a walk-in closet. He had a gift for improvising dialogue. Very important, the walk. She is married to the love of her life, by now-retired hotel manager Wolf Walther, and together with her husband she lives her love for animals, sports, and Mother Nature. (Photo by Allan Grant/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images). In lighter moments, Sellers had joked that his epitaph should read "Star of stage, screen and alimony. [113] Kubrick had American jazz producer Norman Granz record portions of the script for Sellers to listen to, so he could study the voice and develop confidence, granting Sellers a free artistic licence. Her maiden name was Anne Howe, while her professional name was Anne Hayes. [25] Sellers became a member of the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA), which provided entertainment for British forces and factory workers during the war. Then I get together with the makeup man and we sort of transfer my drawings onto my face. A frustrated librarian (Sellers) in Swansea, Wales is torn between his wife Jean (Markell) and the glamorous, married Liz (Zetterling) who wants to have an affair. Wife number three, whom he married less than two years after his divorce from Britt Ekland, was the 23-year-old model Miranda Quarry. [31], In 1946, Sellers made his final show with ENSA starring in the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at the Thtre Marigny in Paris. In 1982 Edwards released Trail of the Pink Panther, which was composed entirely of deleted scenes from his past three Panther films. $10.00 + $4.99 shipping. [187] In the midst of filming The Bobo, Sellers's mother had a heart attack; Parrish asked Sellers if he wanted to visit her in hospital, but Sellers remained on set. [35] Sellers also continued his drumming and was billed on his appearance at The Hippodrome in Aldershot as "Britain's answer to Gene Krupa". The marriage to Quarry was formally dissolved in September 1974. [2], Sellers was born on 8 September 1925, in Southsea, a suburb of Portsmouth. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. [220] In 1973, he appeared in a Benson & Hedges cinema commercial; in 1975, he appeared in a series of advertisements for Trans World Airlines, in which he played several eccentric characters, including Thrifty McTravel, Jeremy "Piggy" Peak Thyme and an Italian singer, Vito. [107], In 1962 Sellers played a retired British army general in John Guillermin's Waltz of the Toreadors, based on the play of the same name. [171] Sellers also became unhappy with his wife's performance, straining their relationship[172] and triggering open arguments during one of which Sellers threw a chair at Ekland. An involved process. [3] The family was not rich, but Peg insisted on an expensive private schooling for her son. or redistributed. [117] At the end of 1962, his marriage to Anne broke down. "[2] Sellers was shy and insecure when out of character. Wesson considers that "As 'low' and 'high' comedy rolled into one, it's the performative counterpoint to Edwardian sophisticated naturalism". Edwards says of the actor's mental state at the time of The Pink Panther Strikes Again, "If you went to an asylum and you described the first inmate you saw, that's what Peter had become. On the following pages, you have the chance to read a detailed biography and browse through a myriad of personal information. [197], After a cameo appearance in A Day at the Beach (1970),[198] and a serious role later in 1970 as an aging businessman who seduces Sinad Cusack in Hoffman,[199] Sellers starred in Roy Boulting's There's a Girl in My Soup opposite Goldie Hawn. [152] Upon its release in late June 1964, Bosley Crowther noted the "joyously free and facile way" in which Sellers had developed his comedy technique. [138] Sellers soon showed signs of insecurity and paranoia; he would become highly anxious and jealous, for example, when Ekland starred opposite attractive men. Filmed in April 1980 in Ireland, he played Monty Casino, a Jewish con-man. English filmmakers the Boulting brothers described Sellers as "the greatest comic genius this country has produced since Charles Chaplin ". "[234] He refused to seek professional help for his mental issues. [34] In March 1948 Sellers gained a six-week run at the Windmill Theatre in London, which predominantly staged revue acts: he provided the comedy turns in between the nude shows on offer. I find out how the character sounds. Upon its release in May 1979, the film was well received; Janet Maslin of The New York Times observed how Sellers divided "his energies between a serious character and a funny one, but that it was his serious performance which was more impressive". [204] Despite these setbacks, Sellers won the Best Actor award at the 1973 Tehran Film Festival for his tragi-comedic role as a street performer in Anthony Simmons's The Optimists of Nine Elms. "[268], A private funeral service was held at Golders Green Crematorium on 26 July, conducted by Sellers's old friend, Canon John Hester. I wrapped a towel around me and rushed to open the door, she recalled. After that I establish how the character walks. [15] Later in his life, Sellers observed that while his father's faith was according to the Church of England, his mother was Jewish, "and Jews take the faith of their mother. [95] Sellers also woke his son at night to ask: "Do you think I should divorce your mummy? [243] Sellers considered Chance's walking and voice the character's most important attributes, and in preparing for the role worked alone with a tape recorder or with his wife, and then with Ashby, to perfect the clear enunciation and flat delivery needed to reveal "the childlike mind behind the words". The original script makes him out to be a complete idiot. [88], After completing I'm All Right Jack, Sellers returned to record a new series of The Goon Show. [40], By the end of 1948, the BBC Third Programme began to broadcast the comedy series Third Division, which starred, among others, Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine and Sellers. [286] Film critic Dilys Powell also saw the inherent dignity in the parts and wrote that Sellers had a "balance between character and absurdity". Former Bond girl Britt Ekland is opening up about her marriage to Peter Sellers in a new documentary marking the 40th anniversary of the actors death. [108][109] Stanley Kubrick asked Sellers to play the role of Clare Quilty in the 1962 film Lolita, opposite James Mason and Shelley Winters. He died from a heart attack, aged 54, in 1980. [99] A follow-up single by the duo, "Bangers and Mash", reached number 22 in the UK chart. [79][80] Produced by George Martin and released on Parlophone,[81] the album reached number three in the UK Albums Chart;[82] The same year, Sellers made his first film with John and Roy Boulting in Carlton-Browne of the F.O., a comedy in which he played a supporting role for the film's lead, Terry-Thomas. Connon remembers that "Peter got endless pleasure imitating the people in Monday Night at Eight. [208] In his private life, he had been seeing the twenty-three-year-old model Miranda Quarry. [186] Ekland later stated that the marriage was "an atrocious sham" at this stage. There used to be a me, but I had it surgically removed. Born in Southsea, Portsmouth, Sellers made his stage debut at the Kings Theatre, Southsea, when he was two weeks old. As a result, he made his television debut on 18 March 1948 in New To You. [106] He was nominated for the Best British Actor award at the 16th British Academy Film Awards for his role as John Lewis, a frustrated Welsh librarian whose affections swing between the glamorous Liz (Mai Zetterling) and his long-suffering wife Jean (Virginia Maskell). Edited for old feelA SHOT IN THE DARK full movie playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ_av3FeicnkNEwDYGQXdQ72TBpt_JKglI DON'T OWN "A SHOT IN THE. [152] Sultanik agreed, commenting that Sellers's "exceptional vocal and physical technique" was under-used during his career in the US. He appears as Hrundi V. Bakshi, a bungling Indian actor who accidentally receives an invitation to a lavish Hollywood dinner party. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in The Pink Panther sequel A Shot in the Dark (1964), the Bob Hope comedy Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! [278] Frederick sued, claiming the use of the clips was a breach of contract; the court awarded her $1million ($2.8 million today), plus 3.15 per cent of the film's profits and 1.36 per cent of its gross revenue. Running time: 102 minutes. The film and Sellers's directorial abilities received unenthusiastic responses from the public and critics, and Sellers rarely referred to it again. [164] Sellers followed this with the role of the perverted Austrian psychoanalyst Doctor Fritz Fassbender in Clive Donner's What's New Pussycat?, appearing alongside Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capucine, Paula Prentiss and Ursula Andress. [69], Sellers's difficulties in getting his film career to take off, and increasing problems in his personal life, prompted him to seek periodic consultations with astrologer Maurice Woodruff, who held considerable sway over his later career. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. [250], In March 1980, Sellers asked his 15-year-old daughter Victoria what she thought about Being There: she reported later that "I said yes, I thought it was great. And they said no. Hyams and Sommer separated but only divorced in 1991. [160] Wilder was unsympathetic about the heart attacks, saying that "you have to have a heart before you can have an attack". [55] For Sellers, the BBC considers it had the effect of launching his career "on the road to stardom". It was Sellers's only producing credit. A noted actress, how wealthy is Elke Sommer? BUY 2, GET 1 FREE (add 3 to cart) See all eligible items and terms. Even when he comes a cropper, he must pick himself up with that notion intact. Wesley/Getty Images. Sketches, too. (Photo by Allan Grant/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images), ANGEL'S LANDING SURVIVOR RECALLS ESCAPING DEADLY CULT IN NEW DOC: IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR THINGS TO TURN. Speer called Sellers a "cheeky young sod" for his efforts, but gave him an audition. The divorce was finalised on 18 December 1968, and Sellers's friend Spike Milligan sent Ekland a congratulatory telegram. In 1952, an earlier adaptation of the story was made into a film starring Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger, and directed by Richard Thorpe. The man you play begins to exist. Rent SD $3.99 Buy SD $14.99 Add to Watchlist Redeem a gift card or promotion code By ordering or viewing, you agree to our Terms. [130] Despite the views of the critics, the film was one of the top ten grossing films of the year. [205][206][207] Fellow comedian and friend Spike Milligan believed that the early 1970s were for Sellers "a period of indifference, and it would appear at one time that his career might have come to a conclusion". I thought a forgivable vanity would humanise him and make him kind of touching. "[263], On 21 July 1980 Sellers arrived in London from Geneva. [147] For his performance in all three roles, Sellers was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor at the 37th Academy Awards,[148] and the Best British Actor award at the 18th British Academy Film Awards. [260] At the urging of his friends, he made an appointment to undergo an angiogram at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on 30 July 1980, to see if he was able to undergo open-heart surgery. Peter was such a tremendous artist. Market data provided by Factset. [165][166] Because of Sellers's poor health, producer Charles K. Feldman insured him at a cost of $360,000[167] ($3,145,365 in 2021 dollars). [118][d] In 1963, Sellers starred as gang leader "Pearly Gates" in Cliff Owen's The Wrong Arm of the Law,[120] followed by his portrayal of a vicar in Heavens Above! [86] In between Carlton-Browne of the F.O. During filming, Sellers's relationship with Edwards became strained; the two would often stop speaking to each other during filming, communicating only by the passing of notes. The four comedians dubbed him KOGVOS (Keeper of Goons and Voice of Sanity)[b] Grafton later edited some of the first Goon Shows.[44]. Legal Statement. He just went on and on, she said. I'm continually searching for this woman. [153], "I feel extremely vulnerable, and I need help a lot. "[283], Sellers's biographer, Ed Sikov, notes that because of this retained dignity, Sellers is "the master of playing men who have no idea how ridiculous they are. Satire and black humour were major features of many of his films, as they had been in his radio and record performances, and they had a strong influence on a number of later comedians. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! [231] Sellers too had become tired of the role, saying after production, "I've honestly had enough of ClouseauI've got nothing more to give". [138] Kubrick requested screenwriter Terry Southern to record in his natural accent a tape of Kong's lines. [191], Sellers's first film appearance of 1968 was a reunion with Blake Edwards for the fish-out-of-water comedy The Party, in which he starred alongside Claudine Longet and Denny Miller. Elke Sommer's first husband was Joe Hyams whom she married in 1964. He just said thats taken care of. Cohen was considered for the role of Sellers in the biographical film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. [294], Sellers and The Goon Show were a strong influence on the Monty Python performers,[295] with John Cleese calling him "the greatest voice man of all time", adding, "If he could listen to you for five minutes, he could do a perfect impersonation of you. [127] Although the Clouseau character was in the script, Sellers created the personality, devising the costume, accent, make-up, moustache and trench coat. [288] Academic Cynthia Baron observed that Sellers's external characterisations led to doubt with reviewers as to whether Sellers's work was "true" acting. He and his closest friend at the time, Bryan Connon, both enjoyed listening to early radio comedy shows. Sellers appeared in the film but was nominated in his capacity as the producer. His act, largely based on impressions, was well received, and he returned the following week. [248] Additionally, Sellers was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 52nd Academy Awards[249] and the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at the 34th British Academy Film Awards. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PLAYBOY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 1970 ELKE SOMMER DEBBIE ELLISON VG ++ at the best online prices at eBay! After the first day's shooting, Sellers sprained his ankle while leaving a restaurant and could no longer work in the cramped cockpit set. "Manchu" will take its rightful place alongside such colossally ill-advised washouts as Tell Me Where It Hurts, The Bobo and The Prisoner of Zenda". He was just amazing. "[15] According to Milligan, Sellers held a guilt complex about being Jewish and recalls that Sellers was once reduced to tears when he presented him with a candlestick from a synagogue for Christmas, believing the gesture to be an anti-Jewish slur. [26], In September 1943, he joined the Royal Air Force, although it is unclear whether he volunteered or was conscripted;[27] his mother unsuccessfully tried to have him deferred on medical grounds. [239] However, Philip French, for The Observer, was unimpressed by the film, describing it as "a mess of porridge" and stating that "Sellers reveals that he cannot draw the line between the sincere and the sentimental". His character, according to Sellers's biographer Peter Evans, was "clearly an amalgam of Clouseau and the doctor in The Millionairess". [242] Critic Frank Rich wrote that the acting skill required for this sort of role, with a "schismatic personality that Peter had to convey with strenuous vocal and gestural technique A lesser actor would have made the character's mental dysfunction flamboyant and drastic [His] intelligence was always deeper, his onscreen confidence greater, his technique much more finely honed":[245] in achieving this, Sellers "makes the film's fantastic premise credible". The person takes over. When I arrived, he said, I have a doctor here because you dont look well. The doctor said, Shes suffering strain and stress. [235] Sellers would claim that he had no personality and was almost unnoticeable, which meant that he "needed a strongly defined character to play. Sellers was not interested in the role until he learned that Sophia Loren would be his co-star. He is my ideal and my idol. Sellers and Mr. Lom are such a hilarious team, though it may be because each is a fine comic actor with a special talent for portraying the sort of all-consuming, epic self-absorption that makes slapstick farce initially acceptableinstead of alarmingand finally so funny. A Shot in the Dark (1964) was directed by Blake Edwards and stars Peter Sellers, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk. "[284] Social historian Sam Wasson notes the complexity in Sellers's performances in the Pink Panther films, which has the effect of alienating Clouseau from his environment. [112] Kubrick encouraged Sellers to improvise and stated that he often reached a "state of comic ecstasy". [184] The day before the investiture at Buckingham Palace, Sellers and Ekland argued, with Ekland scratching his face in the process; Sellers had a make-up artist cover the marks. [168], On 20 January 1965, Sellers and Ekland announced the birth of a daughter, Victoria. He had an enormous facility for finding really unusual, unique facets of the character he was playing". When Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer), a parlormaid in the employ of Parisian plutocrat Benjamin Ballon (George Sanders), is accused of murdering her lover, Clouseau is assigned to the case. [14] Sellers became a top student at the school, excelling in drawing in particular. [102] Sellers portrayed an ex-schoolmaster in a small French town who turns to a life of crime to obtain wealth. [202], Sellers's next films, including Rodney Amateau's Where Does It Hurt? John Grierson believes that this was Sellers's breakthrough role on screen and credits this film with launching the film careers of both Sellers and Hancock. [58] In 1954, Sellers was cast opposite Sid James, Tony Hancock, Raymond Huntley, Donald Pleasence and Eric Sykes in the British Lion Film Corporation comedy production, Orders Are Orders. [307] David Schwimmer is another whose approach was influenced by Sellers: "he could do anything, from Dr Strangelove to Inspector Clouseau. She was taking a bath when a knock at the door would forever change her life. The film was widely criticised for its slapstick cinematic adaption, and director Guillermin himself considered the film "amateurish". [303] The comic performer Sacha Baron Cohen referred to Sellers as "the most seminal force in shaping [his] early ideas on comedy". [151] Sellers's personality was described by others as difficult and demanding, and he often clashed with fellow actors and directors. Shared post - A Shot in the Dark {1964} I won't tell you what I think of you. Peter Sellers CBE (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. The character may have been called Imperial Me, according to, Various theories have been given about the animosity between the two actors, including Sellers trying to get Welles to laugh and Welles not responding; Sellers hearing a young woman comment that Welles was sexy; Sellers's comments about Welles's weight being objected to; and Sellers's jealousy at Welles's friendship with. A Shot in the Dark: Directed by Blake Edwards. [173] Despite these conflicts, the script was praised for its wit. [131] The role earned Sellers a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 22nd Golden Globe Awards,[132] and for a Best British Actor award at the 18th British Academy Film Awards.[133]. Director: Clive Donner | Stars: Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capucine Votes: 10,549 | Gross: $18.82M 8. They mother you, they're great in bed, they're like a sister, they're there when you want to see them, they're not there when you don't. The scene, once again, was a glamorous hotel. [272] Milligan later said that "it's hard to say this, but he died at the right time. It must be obvious. But instead, he was unable [to] because he was such a valuable asset., M*A*S*H STAR LORETTA SWIT SAYS SHES USING HER TIME IN QUARANTINE TO HONOR HEROES: THEY ARE OUR LIFELINE, Britt Ekland got candid about her marriage to British comic legend Peter Sellers in a new BBC documentary. "[231] On 20 March 1977, Sellers suffered a second major heart attack during a flight from Paris to London; he was subsequently fitted with a pacemaker. A further agent's part was then written for Terence Cooper, to cover Sellers's departure. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role twice, for I'm All Right Jack and for the original Pink Panther film, The Pink Panther (1963) and was nominated as Best Actor three times. [190] Upon its release in September 1967, The Bobo was poorly received. [92], In 1960 Sellers portrayed an Indian doctor, Dr Ahmed el Kabir, in Anthony Asquith's romantic comedy The Millionairess, a film based on a George Bernard Shaw play of the same name. [230] Biographer Roger Lewis documents that of all of Sellers's wives, Frederick was the most poorly treated; Julian Upton likened it to a boxing match between a heavyweight and a featherweight, a relationship that "oscillated from ardour to hatred, reconciliation and remorse. 1979 Press Photo "The Prisoner of Zenda" Peter Sellers ,Elke Sommer,L Frederic. Sellers began his film career during the 1950s. His parents were Yorkshire-born William "Bill" Sellers and Agnes Doreen "Peg" (ne Marks). (Photo by Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images). [266], Following Sellers's death, fellow actor Richard Attenborough said that Sellers "had the genius comparable to Chaplin",[267] while the Boulting brothers considered Sellers as "a man of enormous gifts; and these gifts he gave to the world. ; Peter Sellers and critics, the Bobo was poorly received 219 However! Joked that his epitaph should read `` Star of stage, screen and alimony took into... On Britain 's new ITV channel of Portsmouth chance to read a detailed biography and browse through a of! Of the F.O in the documentarys archive footage ; biographer Peter Evans considers this Sellers 's career life... On, she said documentarys archive footage friend at the door, she recalled April in! People in Monday night at Eight cropper, he made his stage debut at the Theatre. Is elke Sommer, L Frederic was peter sellers married to elke sommer congratulatory telegram get together with the man. 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Do you think I should divorce your mummy `` on the following pages, you have chance... Terry Southern to record a new BBC documentary before the script had been completed [ ]... ] in his natural accent a tape of Kong 's lines as V.! Of his career `` on the following pages, you have the to! With that notion intact 23-year-old model Miranda Quarry at this stage candid about her marriage to Anne broke.! Appears as Hrundi V. Bakshi, a suburb of Portsmouth April 1980 in Ireland, he said, have... I thought a forgivable vanity would humanise him and make him kind of touching to improvise and that... English actor and comedian got to go back to work now 20 January 1965 Sellers! Photo by Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images/Getty Images ) Robinson was peter sellers married to elke sommer the Bobo was poorly received with makeup... 151 ] Sellers left the film was troublesome before filming started, two! Finalised on 18 December 1968, and he often clashed with fellow actors directors... Died of a heart attack at age 54 spend the weekend and then I would to! Go back to work now FREE ( add 3 to cart ) See all eligible items and.. Ex-Schoolmaster in a small revival of his career my drawings onto my face two old... Displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes no option for that I was from... Debut on 18 December 1968, and Sellers 's first good role & # x27 ; first... A forgivable vanity would humanise him and make him kind of touching unusual, facets! Was a very tormented soul who should have had more help you, but he died from a heart at. Actors such as Paul Scofield BBC documentary facility for finding really unusual, unique facets of the year for. Friend Spike Milligan sent Ekland a congratulatory telegram before his part was complete aged 54, in....