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Peter Sellers
Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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2025
John Candy: I Like Me
Movie Self - Actor (archive footage)
- 2025
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2025
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2023
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
2021
The Beatles: Get Back
TV show Self
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2021
Directed By Blake Edwards
Movie Self
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2020
Kubrick by Kubrick
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2020
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
Movie Self (Archival Footage)
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2018
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2014
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2013
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
Movie The Villain Antony (archive footage)
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2007
Hitler: The Comedy Years
Movie Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited)
-
2005
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
2004
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
2004
Parkinson
TV show Self - Guest (archive footage)
-
2003
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
Movie Himself
More credits
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2001
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
Movie Self (Archive footage)
- 2000
-
1996
Spike
Movie Self
-
1995
The Peter Sellers Story
Movie Himself
-
1994
The World of Hammer
TV show Self (archive footage)
-
1992
Funny Business
TV show (archive footage)
-
1992
Sellers' Best
Movie Self (archive footage)
- 1990
- 1985
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1985
Muppet Treasures
Movie Self
-
1983
Koyaanisqatsi
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1982
Trail of the Pink Panther
Movie Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)
-
1981
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Movie Self (archive material)
-
1980
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
Movie Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith
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1979
Being There
Movie Chance
-
1979
The Prisoner of Zenda
Movie Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin
-
1978
Rire et sourire : Le Splendid
TV show Extrait du film « La Malédiction de la Panthère rose », 1978
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1978
Mickey's 50
Movie Self
-
1978
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Movie Chief Inspector Clouseau
-
1978
Kingdom Of Gifts
Movie The Slightly Larcenous Mayor
-
1977
To See Such Fun
Movie
-
1976
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Movie Chief Inspector Clouseau
-
1976
The Muppet Show
TV show Self - Special Guest Star
-
1976
Murder by Death
Movie Sidney Wang
