Peter Seamus O’Toole is an English stage and film actor. He gained recognition as an actor in Shakespearean plays at the Bristol Old Vic. His early career in the theatre also included work with the English Stage Company, and in his film career he appeared in the Man of La Mancha and Lawrence of Arabia.
Early life
Peter O’Toole is an Irish actor. He was a prominent film star in the 1960s. After playing the lead role in Lawrence of Arabia, he became internationally known.
He started his acting career with the Bristol Old Vic Company in 1955. Later, he performed in a repertory company in London. The director David Lean was very impressed with his work.
He later joined the National Theatre in 1963, where he played Hamlet. This performance made him a national star.
The early years of his life were not easy. His family lived in a poor area of Leeds. When he was a teenager, he was a reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
During World War II, the O’Tooles had to leave their home. When his father was killed, Peter O’Toole was left alone. At the age of nineteen, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In his memoir, Loitering with Intent: The Apprentice, he wrote about his time there.
O’Toole starred in several films, including the popular Lord Jim and the TV-film version of Gulliver’s Travels. After his appearance in the TV-film, he was considered a leading film star.
It was in 1972 that he played Don Quixote in the movie Man of La Mancha. After that, he starred in such movies as Wings of Fame, Heaven & Hell: North & South, and Fairy Tale: A True Story.
Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia is an epic film based on the life of TE Lawrence. The movie depicts the enigmatic military leader’s journey during World War I. He was sent to the Arab desert to find the son of the King of Mecca.
In the movie, Lawrence meets Auda abu Tayi, a local Bedouin. They go on to attack the Turks in the Arabian desert.
TE Lawrence is a British intelligence officer who is sent to the Middle East during World War I. He campaigns with Arab irregular forces. He was also involved with the Arab National Council.
He changed his name twice. He had to wear an Arab dress. His actions have caused a great deal of debate. But Lawrence is considered a hero and an ally of the British.
David Lean spent three years making the film. He was worried that the Jordanian desert was not sandy enough for a Hollywood audience.
Peter O’Toole was selected to play T. E. Lawrence, and he played the role well. Although he did not win a competitive Oscar, he won seven more Best Actor awards for his performance.
O’Toole based his character on real events, but the two men were portrayed as macho tension. There is some historical dispute over the Deraa incident. Some historians have even argued that it was a fantasy.
O’Toole fought many injuries while shooting Lawrence of Arabia. He dislocated his spine, suffered a fractured skull, tore a groin muscle and had a concussion. During the filming of the Battle of Aqaba, he was bitten by a camel.
Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha is a 1972 film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. It was directed by Peter Glenville and starred Peter O’Toole as Don Quixote. The film was written by Dale Wasserman and scored by Mitch Leigh.
The story is set in Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. Miguel de Cervantes, the writer of Don Quixote, is imprisoned. He is desperate to save his latest work from the vile eyes of the Spanish authorities. He attempts to convince the inmates not to burn his manuscript.
The film is a musical and has a lot of songs. However, these songs are not important to the story. Instead, they become filler.
Despite the shortcomings of the movie, there is a strong overarching song. This film has a surprisingly good audio and visual restoration. Some of the songs are dubbed by Simon Gilbert.
Peter O’Toole gives one of the best performance of “The Impossible Dream” in his career. As a result, it is still a memorable scene.
There are other notable moments. For example, the film has a very cluttered staging. And, although the characters and costumes are well done, the make-up effects are far more suited for a stage production.
The movie is also filled with filler. The Sinners Scene is repeated multiple times. Lastly, the cinematic presentation is rather bland. Luckily, the performance from the cast is solid.
Court battle with his second wife
A court battle between Peter O’Toole and his second wife over the custody of their son has once again been revived. After a three month period during which the actor had the child in his care, he failed to return him to his mother.
The case has rekindled a bitter rift between the two. Sian O’Toole, the actor’s ex-wife, claims she was abused by her husband. But she acknowledged that O’Toole was magnetic.
O’Toole was no stranger to a scandalous life. In 1966, he dated actress Barbara Steele. They were hounded by paparazzi. He even went so far as to hire a bodyguard named John Kenny.
O’Toole was also known for his booze-filled days. His favorite flat was called Cirrhosis-by-the-Sea.
He was nominated eight times for an Academy Award, but never won. At age 80, he almost refused an honorary award. However, he accepted one in 2003.
One of his famous roles was King Henry II in the 1964 film Becket. He was also nominated for his role in the 1968 film The Lion in Winter.
Despite his accomplishments, he was a man plagued with a lifetime of alcohol abuse. He suffered from severe hangovers, debilitating pancreatitis, and memory loss.
O’Toole had a number of dalliances with the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth. In addition to this, he had an eight-year affair with Princess Margaret.
He was a huge hit with audiences for his starring role in Lawrence of Arabia. In the movie, he played a renegade hell-raiser.
Illness
A former British military signalman, Peter O’Toole became an international star after his performance in David Lean’s epic 1962 film, Lawrence of Arabia. But he also had stomach cancer in the 1970s, which took its toll on his health.
O’Toole fought back against the illness. He started to drink less and worked harder to care for his son Lorcan, who was born in 1983. His daughter, Patricia, and granddaughter, Kate, are also alive.
After a failed marriage to Welsh actress Sian Phillips, he got together with American model Karen Brown. The couple had custody of their son during the school year. However, the relationship eventually fell apart.
He was diagnosed with abdominal malignancy in 1975. Doctors said that alcohol was killing him. Eventually, they removed part of his intestines, which left him with half a pancreas.
He lost almost all of his stomach in 1980. As a result, he was fed water through a tube in his stomach. When he made a comeback in the late 1980s, he gave up drinking.
O’Toole starred in dozens of films throughout his career. He played a number of memorable roles, including T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, King Priam in the 1968 movie The Lion in Winter, and a depraved Roman emperor, Tiberius, in Caligula.
Throughout his career, O’Toole earned eight Academy Award nominations, and won a Golden Globe award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. In 1999, he received an Emmy for his role in the movie, Joan of Arc.
Death
Peter O’Toole, one of the most renowned actors of his time, died at the age of 81. The actor’s tragic death raised many questions.
A talented actor, O’Toole was best known for his role as the lead character in Lawrence of Arabia. His portrayal of the legendary warrior earned him international recognition. In 1962, he received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the film. He also became a star on the world stage, appearing in several other films.
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he was invited to train in Stratford-Upon-Avon. There he studied with Albert Finney and Alan Bates.
After performing in several Shakespeare Memorial Company plays, O’Toole decided to make acting his profession. After a stint in National Service, he joined the Bristol Old Vic. It was there he met Laurence Olivier.
After marrying actress Sian Phillips, O’Toole had two daughters. Their relationship lasted several years. However, the pair broke up in 1969.
In the 1970s, he had to face a serious illness. Alcohol and stomach cancer caused his health to decline. Eventually, he underwent surgery. During his recovery, he had part of his intestines removed.
Despite his struggles, Peter O’Toole was a charismatic performer. At the time of his death, he had performed in over 70 roles.
He had also become famous for his brawling. In fact, he was said to have hit critic Kenneth Tynan in London.
