Peter O'Toole passed away the other day, 14 December 2013. He was 81, and quite a wonderful Actor.
Groucho Marx described him as "The only Actor with a double phallic name."
More than just the sum of his parts, Peter O'Toole was such a Great Actor. He started right at the top, and...stayed there. Here is the way I want to remember him.
Lawrence Of Arabia - His first starring role! Seriously.
My Favorite Year - A fun one from Richard Benjamin and Mel Brooks
A play he did at London's Old Vic Theatre, "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell." (Bad Language, but mostly right at the beginning).
Teddibly witty. A fine turn for the actual son of a Bookie.
I will always remember his famous exchange with Peter Sellers, in "Casino Royale." If you remember, there were THREE Directors of that picture, and it got confused, poor thing. Also confusing.
Only loosely based on Ian Fleming's book "Casino Royale." And I use the term "loosely," very loosely.
In the midst of some scene of wretched excess, Peter O'Toole marches up, in a foggy column of far-too-many Pipers.
O'TOOLE
Are you Richard Burton?
SELLERS
No, I'm Peter O'Toole!
O'TOOLE
Then you're the finest man that ever breathed!
Just in case you don't believe me. Casino Royale.
Now, that's a cameo!
Mr. O'Toole was nominated eight times for a Best Actor Oscar, but his peers had the unfortunate tendency to award it to other persons.
That makes him the most-nominated Actor, who did not alas, win. I am sure that was some small consolation.
YEAR NOMINATED FOR BUT THEY GAVE IT TO
1962 Lawrence of Arabia Gregory Peck, "To Kill a Mockingbird"
1964 Becket Rex Harrison – My Fair Lady
1968 The Lion in Winter Cliff Robertson – Charly
1969 Goodbye, Mr. Chips John Wayne – True Grit
1972 The Ruling Class Marlon Brando – The Godfather
1980 The Stunt Man Robert De Niro – Raging Bull
1982 My Favorite Year Ben Kingsley – Gandhi
2006 Venus Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland
In 2003, he was awarded the Academy Honorary Award, for all his work and lifelong contribution to film. He wrote the Academy back, saying he was "Still in the game," and would prefer to "win the lovely bugger outright."
Academy said they were giving it to him, no matter O'Toole's preference. O'Toole's children talked him into accepting, and it was presented to him by Meryl Streep, who has been nominated more times than any other Actress.
Peter Sellers
Peter O'Toole
My Favorite Year
Lawrence Of Arabia
Becket
The Lion in Winter
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
The Ruling Class
The Stunt Man
Venus
To Kill a Mockingbird
My Fair Lady
Charly
True Grit
The Godfather
Raging Bull
Gandhi
The Last King of Scotland
Casino Royale
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