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Remembering Peter O’Toole: 1932-2013
The beautiful Irish movie star Peter O’Toole has died.
He was 81.
The star of such film classics as Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, Becket, and My Favorite Year was still busy making movies until near the end.
His career brought him four Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy, a BAFTA as well as an honorary Oscar for his stellar body of work.
He was been nominated for eight Oscars including for The Stunt Man, Goodbye Mr. Chips, and Venus. That’s the most nominations for any actor without winning.
O’Toole attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the same class as Albert Finney, Alan Bates and Brian Bedford. O’Toole described this as “the most remarkable class the academy ever had, though we weren’t reckoned for much at the time. We were all considered dotty.”
In a notebook at age 18 he made a promise to himself:
“I will not be a common man. I will stir the smooth sands of monotony. I do not crave security. I wish to hazard my soul to opportunity.”
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
David Ehrenstein says:
Such a great actor and such a great star. He always conveyed a real joy in his work, making it palpable for moviegoers. He wanted us involved in the story and the character he was playing and he wanted us to have a good time while doing so. Literally no one like him today.
Johann says:
I saw him in “Pygmalion” in NYC in the late ’80s. He was so drunk he could barely remember lines, and Amanda Plummer, his co-star, had to grab him several times to keep him from toppling off the stage. At the first intermission, I left (with about half the audience), & received a refund at the box office. His contempt for the audience, his fellow actors, and the material was remarkable…
2201 East says:
Probably one of the most stunning men as to his looks ever on screen!. Plus such a fine actor!