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Peter Sellers

Acting 54 (deceased) years old Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK ★ 1.3
Born: September 8, 1925
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."

Filmography

Acting Credits (136)

John Candy: I Like Me
John Candy: I Like Me Self - Actor (archive footage) 2025
Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders
Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders Archive 2025
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2025
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work Self (archive footage) 2023
The Beatles: Get Back
The Beatles: Get Back Self 2021
Directed By Blake Edwards
Directed By Blake Edwards Self 2021
Kubrick by Kubrick
Kubrick by Kubrick Self (archive footage) 2020
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy Self (Archival Footage) 2020
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
The Ghost of Peter Sellers Self (archive footage) 2018
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace Self (archive footage) 2014
The 9th Wonder of the World:  The Making of 'Gorgo'
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo' The Villain Antony (archive footage) 2013
Hitler: The Comedy Years
Hitler: The Comedy Years Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited) 2007
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent Self (archive footage) 2005
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove' Self (archive footage) 2004
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It Himself 2003
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
The Paranormal Peter Sellers Self (Archive footage) 2001
The Unknown Peter Sellers
The Unknown Peter Sellers 2000
Spike
Spike Self 1996
The Peter Sellers Story
The Peter Sellers Story Himself 1995
The World of Hammer
The World of Hammer Self (archive footage) 1994
Funny Business
Funny Business (archive footage) 1992
Sellers' Best
Sellers' Best Self (archive footage) 1992
The Very Best of Peter Sellers
The Very Best of Peter Sellers 1990
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets Self 1985
Muppet Treasures
Muppet Treasures Self 1985
Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi Self (archive footage) 1983
Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage) 1982
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers Self (archive material) 1981
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith 1980
Being There
Being There Chance 1979
The Prisoner of Zenda
The Prisoner of Zenda Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin 1979
Mickey's 50
Mickey's 50 Self 1978
Rire et sourire : Le Splendid
Rire et sourire : Le Splendid Extrait du film « La Malédiction de la Panthère rose », 1978 1978
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Revenge of the Pink Panther Chief Inspector Clouseau 1978
Kingdom Of Gifts
Kingdom Of Gifts The Slightly Larcenous Mayor 1978
To See Such Fun
To See Such Fun 1977
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
The Pink Panther Strikes Again Chief Inspector Clouseau 1976
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show Self - Special Guest Star 1976
Murder by Death
Murder by Death Sidney Wang 1976
The Return of the Pink Panther
The Return of the Pink Panther Inspector Clouseau 1975
Julie: My Favourite Things
Julie: My Favourite Things Various 1975
A Salute to Sir Lew Grade
A Salute to Sir Lew Grade Self 1975
The Great McGonagall
The Great McGonagall Queen Victoria 1975
Flip Wilson... Of Course
Flip Wilson... Of Course Self 1974
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Soft Beds, Hard Battles Général Latour / Major Robinson / Herr Schroeder / Adolf Hitler / The President / Prince Kyoto 1974
The Optimists of Nine Elms
The Optimists of Nine Elms Sam 1973
The Big Screen
The Big Screen Self 1973
The Blockhouse
The Blockhouse Rouquet 1973
Ghost in the Noonday Sun
Ghost in the Noonday Sun Dick Scratcher 1973
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland The March Hare 1972
Sykes
Sykes Tommy Grando 1972
Where Does It Hurt?
Where Does It Hurt? Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal 1972
The Last Goon Show of All
The Last Goon Show of All Self 1972
Film '72
Film '72 Self 1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
V.I.P. Schaukel Self 1971
Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town
Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town G.W. Ross 1970
There's a Girl in My Soup
There's a Girl in My Soup Robert Danvers 1970
Hoffman
Hoffman Mr. Hoffman 1970
Simon Simon
Simon Simon Man with Two Cars 1970
A Day at the Beach
A Day at the Beach Stallholder 1970
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....? Self 1969
The Magic Christian
The Magic Christian Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE 1969
One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously
One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously 1969
This Is Tom Jones
This Is Tom Jones Self 1969
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! Harold 1968
The Party
The Party Hrundi V. Bakshi 1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Self 1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Self (uncredited) 1968
It Takes a Thief
It Takes a Thief Man in Harbor Records Office 1968
With Love, Sophia
With Love, Sophia Self 1967
Woman Times Seven
Woman Times Seven Jean 1967
One Pair of Eyes
One Pair of Eyes 1967
Casino Royale
Casino Royale Evelyn Tremble 1967
The Bobo
The Bobo Juan Bautista 1967
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland King of Hearts 1966
El Rey en Londres
El Rey en Londres 1966
ABC Stage 67
ABC Stage 67 Self 1966
After the Fox
After the Fox Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi 1966
The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box Doctor Pratt 1966
Birds, Bees and Storks
Birds, Bees and Storks Narrator (voice) 1965
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
The Music of Lennon & McCartney 1965
The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show 1965
What's New Pussycat?
What's New Pussycat? Dr. Fritz Fassbender 1965
Carol for Another Christmas
Carol for Another Christmas Imperial Me 1964
I Say I Say I Say
I Say I Say I Say 1964
A Shot in the Dark
A Shot in the Dark Jacques Clouseau 1964
The World of Henry Orient
The World of Henry Orient Henry Orient 1964
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove 1964
The Pink Panther
The Pink Panther Insp. Jacques Clouseau 1963
The Telegoons
The Telegoons 1963
Heavens Above!
Heavens Above! The Rev. John Smallwood 1963
The Wrong Arm of the Law
The Wrong Arm of the Law Pearly Gates 1963
The Dock Brief
The Dock Brief Wilfred Morgenhall 1962
Lolita
Lolita Clare Quilty 1962
Waltz of the Toreadors
Waltz of the Toreadors Gen. Leo Fitzjohn 1962
The Road to Hong Kong
The Road to Hong Kong Indian Neurologist (uncredited) 1962
Only Two Can Play
Only Two Can Play John Lewis 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self (archive footage) 1961
Tempo
Tempo Self 1961
Mr. Topaze
Mr. Topaze Auguste Topaze 1961
Two-Way Stretch
Two-Way Stretch Dodger Lane 1960
The Millionairess
The Millionairess Dr. Kabir 1960
Never Let Go
Never Let Go Lionel Meadows 1960
The Battle of the Sexes
The Battle of the Sexes Mr. Martin 1960
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film 1959
I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway 1959
The Mouse That Roared
The Mouse That Roared Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe 1959
Whicker's World
Whicker's World 1959
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
Carlton-Browne of the F.O. Prime Minister Amphibulos 1959
Tom Thumb
Tom Thumb Antony 1958
Up the Creek
Up the Creek CPO Doherty 1958
Insomnia is Good for You
Insomnia is Good for You 1957
The Naked Truth
The Naked Truth "Wee" Sonny MacGregor 1957
The Smallest Show on Earth
The Smallest Show on Earth Percy Quill 1957
Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show!
Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show! 1957
Theatre Night
Theatre Night The Sultan 1957
Dearth of a Salesman
Dearth of a Salesman Hector Dimwittie 1957
Son of Fred
Son of Fred 1956
A Show Called Fred
A Show Called Fred 1956
The Man Who Never Was
The Man Who Never Was Voice of Winston Churchill (uncredited) 1956
The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d
The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d 1956
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn Assorted 1956
The Ladykillers
The Ladykillers Harry, alias 'Mr. Robinson' 1955
John and Julie
John and Julie Police Constable Diamond 1955
Orders Are Orders
Orders Are Orders Pvt. Goffin 1954
And So To Bentley
And So To Bentley 1954
Our Girl Friday
Our Girl Friday Voice of Parrot 1953
Beat the Devil
Beat the Devil Billy Dannreuther (voice) (uncredited) 1953
The Super Secret Service
The Super Secret Service Sir Walter Smood / Reuben J. Crouch 1953
Down Among the Z Men
Down Among the Z Men Major Bloodnok 1952
Let's Go Crazy
Let's Go Crazy Multiple Roles 1951
Penny Points to Paradise
Penny Points to Paradise The Major / Arnold Fringe 1951
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives (archive footage) 1951
A Burlesque on the Opera "Carmen"
A Burlesque on the Opera "Carmen" Voice narrator 1951
The Black Rose
The Black Rose Lu Chung (voice) 1950
Talking Comedy
Talking Comedy

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