Peter O'Toole died today after an extended illness, according to multiple sources. He was 81 years of age.
If the only role that O'Toole ever played was that of T.E. Lawrence, he would forever go down as one of the greatest actors of his or any generation. With piercing blue eyes and a beautiful, lilting voice honed upon the boards of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, it was his breakout role in
Lawrence of Arabia that would forever mark him as a performer.
With a complicated early history (born either in Ireland or Yorkshire, in and around the 2nd of August, 1932, depending on which birth certificate he could produce), he would rise to become one of the most celebrated actors of his generation.
He was nominated eight times for an Oscar (
Lawrence of Arabia,
Becket,
The Lion In Winter,
Goodbye, Mr. Chips,
The Ruling Class,
The Stunt Man,
My Favorite Year, and
Venus), yet his only golden trophy from the academy was an Honorary Oscar granted in 2003.
The following is a selection of some of his varied performances, from classics to screwball comedies, through to one of the best animated films of all time.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
For the history of cinema, O'Toole will forever be linked to the character of T.E. Lawrence. Decades on the role remains his most definitive, the best part of one of the best films ever made.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
O'Toole's role as a stodgy Latin teacher would earn him one of his many Oscar nominations, and playing alongside Petula Clark made for one of the more interesting of pairings in late-60s Brit cinema.
Caligula (1979)
The Tinto Brass directed, Bob Guiccione-produced monstrous film, an illicit and often times unwatchable film, yet one littered with the glitterati of British thespianry. Working alongside Gielgud, Mirren and McDowell, O'Toole's Tiberius may be as over the top and rotten-faced as the rest of the film, but like many of his other performers his contribution far exceeds the final results of the film.
Supergirl (1984)
Yes, it's shlock, but in a sea of bad 80s superhero films, Supergirl still managed a bit of charm. O'Toole's turn as Zoltar, and his travails in the Phantom Zone, makes this (rightly or wrongly) one of his most indelible roles.
King Ralph (1991)
His take as Sir Cedric Willingham may not be one that vied for Oscar, but in this silly, broad comedy that starred John Goodman you could actually find quite a bit of the magic of O'Toole's craft in this overtly ridiculous film.
Ratatouille (2007)
Doing what I do, I simply have to spell out verbatim what Anton Ego, O'Toole's food-critic character, speaks at the end of this spectacular film.
"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends."
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