Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers

Richard Henry Sellers, CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 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.

Share
Tweet
Email

Movies starring Peter Sellers (106)

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (2025)

Self (Archive Footage) (Uncredited)

Kubrick by Kubrick (2020)

Self (Archive Footage)

The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018)

Self (Archive Footage)

Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007)

Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (Archive Footage) (Uncredited)

Sellers' Best (1992)

Self (Archive Footage)

Koyaanisqatsi (1983)

Self (Archive Footage)

Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)

Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (Archive Footage)

The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)

Rudolf Iv/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin

Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)

Chief Inspector Clouseau

Kingdom Of Gifts (1978)

The Slightly Larcenous Mayor

Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974)

Général Latour / Major Robinson / Herr Schroeder / Adolf Hitler / The President / Prince Kyoto

Where Does It Hurt? (1972)

Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal

Hoffman (1970)

Mr. Hoffman

Simon Simon (1970)

Man With Two Cars

The Magic Christian (1969)

Sir Guy Grand Kg, Kc, Cbe

The Party (1968)

Hrundi V. Bakshi

Casino Royale (1967)

Evelyn Tremble

The Bobo (1967)

Juan Bautista

After the Fox (1966)

Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi

What's New Pussycat? (1965)

Dr. Fritz Fassbender

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove

The Pink Panther (1963)

Insp. Jacques Clouseau

Heavens Above! (1963)

The Rev. John Smallwood

The Dock Brief (1962)

Wilfred Morgenhall

Lolita (1962)

Clare Quilty

The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

Indian Neurologist (Uncredited)

Mr. Topaze (1961)

Auguste Topaze

Never Let Go (1960)

Lionel Meadows

I'm All Right Jack (1959)

Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway

The Mouse That Roared (1959)

Grand Duchess Gloriana Xii / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe

Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959)

Prime Minister Amphibulos

The Naked Truth (1957)

"Wee" Sonny Macgregor

The Man Who Never Was (1956)

Voice Of Winston Churchill (Uncredited)

The Ladykillers (1955)

Harry, Alias 'Mr. Robinson'

John and Julie (1955)

Police Constable Diamond

Our Girl Friday (1953)

Voice Of Parrot

Beat the Devil (1953)

Billy Dannreuther (Voice) (Uncredited)

Let's Go Crazy (1951)

Multiple Roles

Penny Points to Paradise (1951)

The Major / Arnold Fringe

The Black Rose (1950)

Lu Chung (Voice)

Movies Made by Peter Sellers (7)

More Images of Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers

Same first name: Peter

Same surname: Sellers