On September 8, 1925, a star was born In England. British actor, Peter Sellers, was born into the spotlight of the performing arts. He was destined for fame and was a comedic actor who starred in many films. Sellers’ parents were performers and as a young child, he was interested in dance. He attended the St. Aloysius’ Boarding and Day School for Boys and not only did he learn to dance, he also learned to play the drums as well. Sellers had a well-rounded musical background before his acting career even started. In fact, when he was barely an adult, Sellers joined the Royal Air Force during World War II. Sellers and his friends began performing for the troops as a means of entertainment during a sad and destructive time. To the surprise of many, Sellers did not start out on television, but on the radio. One of his first jobs was with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He was a radio comedian and was quickly loved and adored by many. With his success on the radio, Sellers moved on to the movie business. He had some small parts over a number of years, including a show with some of his co-workers from the radio station. He was really recognized in 1959. According to Biography.com, “His career really took off in 1959 with I’m All Right, Jack and The Mouse That Roared. In The Mouse That Roared, Sellers played three characters, including a duchess and X. This successful movie helped introduce Sellers to American movie-goers” (Peter Sellers Biography).American movie-goers truly loved Sellers as Inspector Jacques Closeau in the film, The Pink Panther. The Pink Panther was a book series, along with a children’s show series and when it was turned into a real life movie, it was a hit. The movie had a sequel called A Shot in the Dark. Sellers continued to make popular films and played in various roles until he had a heart attack. Sellers recovered and started back into the movie business. Once again, Americans were ecstatic when The Return of the Pink Panther debuted in 1974. Again, the movie was a huge success, along with the rest of the Pink Panther movies. In the final years of his life, Seller s earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as a gardener in the film, Being There. This was a huge success for Sellers and he went out with a bang. He could have been even more successful and continued to spread comedy and joy, but he passed away on July 24, 1980 due to another heart attack. Sellers was married four times over his lifetime and had three children at the time of his death (Peter Sellers Biography).
According to the Internet Movie Database, “Sellers struggled with depression and mental insecurities throughout his life. An enigmatic figure, he often claimed to have no identity outside the roles that he played. His behavior on and off the set and stage became more erratic and compulsive, and he continued to frequently clash with his directors and co-stars, especially in the mid-1970s when his physical and mental health, together with his continuing alcohol and drug problems, were at their worst” (Biography). Sellers was a huge success on camera, but off camera, he really struggled throughout his daily life. Sellers was also known as a very superstitious individual, especially when it came to colors. He was not fond of the color green and absolutely despised the color purple. According to MentalFloss.com, “During the making of After The Fox, director Vittorio De Sica flew into a rage one day when a script girl showed up in a purple outfit. “It’s the color of death!” De Sica told Sellers, and Sellers was haunted by this for the rest of his life” (Demain). Although Sellers was a very interesting individual with some personal issues, his work spoke for itself. He was a true natural when it came to acting and his sense of humor was always spot on. He will always be remembered for his quirky, comedic roles.
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