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Peter O'Toole

Actor

Peter O'Toole

Born August 2, 1932 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, EnglandDied December 14, 201382 films

Peter Seamus O'Toole (August 2, 1932 – December 14, 2013) was a British-Irish actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company. In 1959 he made his West End debut in The Long and the Short and the Tall, and played the title role in Hamlet in the National Theatre's first production in 1963. Excelling on the London stage, O'Toole was known for his "hellraiser" lifestyle off it.

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Making his film debut in 1959, O'Toole achieved international recognition playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) for which he received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was nominated for this award another seven times – for playing King Henry II in both Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), My Favorite Year (1982), and Venus (2006) – and holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for acting without a win (tied with Glenn Close). In 2002, he was awarded the Academy Honorary Award for his career achievements.

O'Toole was the recipient of four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award for Best British Actor and one Primetime Emmy Award. Other performances include What's New Pussycat? (1965), How to Steal a Million (1966), Supergirl (1984), and minor roles in The Last Emperor (1987) and Troy (2004). He also voiced Anton Ego, the restaurant critic in Pixar's Ratatouille (2007).

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The best way into Peter O'Toole's work
Lawrence of Arabia posterFirst watchLawrence of Arabia19628.0as T.E. LawrenceDuring World War I, English officer Thomas Edward 'T.E.' Lawrence sets out to unite and lead the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes to fight the Turks.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Ratatouille poster7.8Ratatouille2007Troy poster7.2Troy2004Stardust poster7.3Stardust2007The Last Emperor poster7.6The Last Emperor1987How to Steal a Million poster7.5How to Steal a Million1966The Lion in Winter poster7.4The Lion in Winter1968The Bible: In the Beginning... poster7.3The Bible: In the Beginning...1966Caligula poster6.0Caligula1979

Filmography

82 films as actor
  1. 2018Hangover in Death ValleyNarrator (voice)
  2. 2015Diamond CartelTugboat
  3. 2014Katherine of AlexandriaGallus
  4. 2012Outlaws - For Greater GloryFather Christopher
  5. 2012EldoradoNarrator (voice)
  6. 2010Eager to DieLord Pelican
  7. 2009Iron RoadRelic
  8. 2009Behind The Scenes of Caligula
  9. 2008Dean SpanleyFisk Senior
  10. 2008Christmas CottageGlen
  11. 2007StardustKing
  12. 2007RatatouilleAnton Ego (voice)
  13. 2006One Night with the KingSamuel, the Prophet
  14. 2006VenusMaurice
  15. 2005LassieThe Duke
  16. 2004TroyPriam
  17. 2003Augustus: The First EmperorAugustus Caesar
  18. 2003Bright Young ThingsColonel Blount
  19. 2002The Final CurtainJJ Curtis
  20. 2002Global HeresyLord Foxley
  21. 1999Jeffrey Bernard Is UnwellJeffrey Bernard
  22. 1999Molokai: The Story of Father DamienWilliam Williamson
  23. 1999The ManorMr. Ravenscroft
  24. 1998Coming HomeColonel Edgar Carey-Lewis
  25. 1998PhantomsDr. Timothy Flyte
  26. 1997FairyTale: A True StorySir Arthur Conan Doyle
  27. 1995Heavy WeatherClarence, Earl of Emsworth
  28. 1994The Rainbow ThiefPrince Meleagre
  29. 1993The Seventh CoinEmil Saber
  30. 1992Rebecca's DaughtersLord Sarn
  31. 1991Isabelle EberhardtMaj. Lyautey
  32. 1991King RalphWillingham
  33. 1990The Nutcracker PrincePantaloon (voice)
  34. 1990Crossing to FreedomJohn Sidney Howard
  35. 1990Wings of FameCesar Valentin
  36. 1989On a Moonlit NightProf. Yan McShoul
  37. 1988High SpiritsPeter Plunkett
  38. 1987The Last EmperorReginald Johnston (R.J.)
  39. 1987The Dark AngelUncle Silas Ruthyn
  40. 1986Club ParadiseAnthony Cloyden Hayes
  41. 1985CreatorDr. Harry Wolper
  42. 1984SupergirlZaltar
  43. 1984KimLama
  44. 1983Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of FourSherlock Holmes (voice)
  45. 1983Sherlock Holmes and a Study in ScarletSherlock Holmes (voice)
  46. 1983PygmalionProfessor Henry Higgins
  47. 1983SvengaliAnton Bosnyak
  48. 1983Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of FearSherlock Holmes (voice)
  49. 1983Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville CurseSherlock Holmes (voice)
  50. 1982Man and SupermanJack Tanner
  51. 1982My Favorite YearAlan Swann
  52. 1980The Stunt ManEli Cross
  53. 1979CaligulaTiberius
  54. 1979Zulu DawnLord Chelmsford
  55. 1978Power PlayColonel Zeller
  56. 1976Rogue MaleSir Robert Thorndyke
  57. 1976FoxtrotLiviu
  58. 1975RosebudLarry Martin
  59. 1975Man FridayRobinson Crusoe
  60. 1972Man of La ManchaDon Quixote De La Mancha / Miguel de Cervantes / Alonso Quijana
  61. 1972The Ruling ClassJack 14th Earl of Gurney
  62. 1972Under Milk WoodCaptain Tom Cat
  63. 1971Murphy's WarMurphy
  64. 1970Brotherly LoveSir Charles Ferguson
  65. 1969Goodbye, Mr. ChipsArthur Chipping
  66. 1969StilettoMan at the Premiere (uncredited)
  67. 1968Great CatherineCapt. Charles Edstaston
  68. 1968The Lion in WinterHenry II
  69. 1967Casino RoyaleScottish Piper (uncredited)
  70. 1967Present LaughterGarry Essendine
  71. 1967The Night of the GeneralsGeneral Tanz
  72. 1966The Bible: In the Beginning...The Three Angels
  73. 1966How to Steal a MillionSimon Dermott
  74. 1965The Sandpiper(voice) (uncredited)
  75. 1965What's New Pussycat?Michael James
  76. 1965Lord JimLord Jim
  77. 1964BecketKing Henry II of England
  78. 1962Lawrence of ArabiaT.E. Lawrence
  79. 1960The Day They Robbed the Bank of EnglandCapt. Monty Fitch
  80. 1960The Savage InnocentsFirst Trooper
  81. 1960KidnappedRobin MacGregor
  82. 1958The Castiglioni BrothersMario