• Borat star to play in Peter Sellers remake

Master impressionist Peter Sellers was born Richard Henry Sellers on September 8, 1925 in Southsea, Hampshire, England. His parents, Agnes and Bill Sellers, called him Peter in memory of his stillborn older brother.

On the long-running BBC radio show, "Crazy People", Sellers established himself as a master impressionist. The show's zany collection of skits and Sellers' outrageous characters, including Major Bloodnok, Bluebottle and Henry Crun, have been recognized as the predecessors to Monty Python's Flying Circus. "The Goon Show" provided Sellers with a showcase for his improvisational skills as well as an outlet for life's frustrations.

By the time "The Goon Show" was canceled in January 1960, Sellers had earned the exposure necessary to begin a career in film. After appearing in several British pictures, Sellers achieved success in the U.S. with "The Mouse That Roared" (1959). In 1960 he received international attention for his role in the film "The Millionairess," in which he co-starred with Sophia Loren.

The incredibly versatile Sellers could slip in and out of characters with surprising speed. His genius was displayed through his depiction of multiple characters in "Mouse" as well as in several other films throughout his career. "Dr. Strangelove" (1964), considered Sellers' best film, earned him his first Oscar nomination in 1965. In 1963, Sellers introduced the world to his best-known character, Inspector Clouseau, The Pink Panther's bumbling master of disguise. There were four sequels to this successful comedic film: A Shot in the Dark (1964), The Return of the Pink Panther (1974), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), and Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978). 1982's Trail of the Pink Panther is a posthumous collection of outtakes from the previous Panther films combined with new footage of other cast members.

Sellers garnered his second Oscar nomination for the critically acclaimed film, Being There (1979), in which he played the child-like Chance, a gardener mistaken for an economic guru. Sellers' controlled performance was key to the success of this subtle comedy. The comedian's film career ended just before his death in 1980, with The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu.

Sellers married four times. After appearing in over 60 films as well as on numerous radio and television shows throughout his career, Sellers died of a heart attack on July 24, 1980.

Filmography

• The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980)
• Being There (1979)
• The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)
• Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
• Kingdom of Gifts (1978)
• The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
• Murder by Death (1976)
• The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
• The Great McGonagall (1974)
• Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974)
• The Optimists (1973)
• The Blockhouse (1973)
• Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973)
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)
• "Sykes" (1 episode, 1972)
• Where Does It Hurt? (1972)
• 'Wiltons' - The Handsomest Hall in Town (1970)
• There's a Girl in My Soup (1970)
• A Day at the Beach (1970)
• Hoffman (1970)
• The Magic Christian (1969)
• "It Takes a Thief" (1 episode, 1969)
• I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968)
• The Party (1968)
• The Bobo (1967)
• Woman Times Seven (1967)
• Casino Royale (1967)
• "The Wednesday Play" (1 episode, 1966)
• Caccia alla volpe (1966)
• The Wrong Box (1966)
• What's New, Pussycat (1965)
• Birds, Bees and Storks (1965)
• Carol for Another Christmas (1964)
• A Shot in the Dark (1964)
• The World of Henry Orient (1964)
• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
• The Pink Panther (1963)
• Heavens Above! (1963)
• The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)
• "The Telegoons" (1963)
• The Dock Brief (1962)
• Lolita (1962)
• The Road to Hong Kong (1962)
• Waltz of the Toreadors (1962)
• Only Two Can Play (1962)
• "The Jo Stafford Show" (1 episode, 1961)
• Mr. Topaze (1961)
• Two Way Stretch (1960)
• The Millionairess (1960)
• Never Let Go (1960)
• The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960)
• The Battle of the Sexes (1959)
• The Mouse That Roared (1959)
• I'm All Right Jack (1959)
• Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959)
• tom thumb (1958)
• Up the Creek (1958)
• The April 8th Show (Seven Days Early) (1958)
• The Naked Truth (1957)
• The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
• "Yes, It's the Cathode-Ray Tube Show!" (1957)
• Insomnia Is Good for You (1957)
• "Son of Fred" (1956)
• "A Show Called Fred" (1956)
• The Man Who Never Was (1956)
• "The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d" (1956)
• The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn (1956)
• The Ladykillers (1955)
• John and Julie (1955)
• Orders Are Orders (1954)
• "And So to Bentley" (1954)
• Our Girl Friday (1953)
• Down Among the Z Men (1952)
• Goonreel (1952)
• Penny Points to Paradise (1951)
• Let's Go Crazy (1951)
• The Black Rose (1950)

Awards

• Golden Globe Award Best Actor-Musical/Comedy "Being There" 1979
• National Board of Review Award Best Actor "Being There" 1979
• British Film Academy Award Best British Actor "I'm All Right, Jack" 1959