Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole

Acting • Born 1932-08-02 – Died 2013-12-14

Acting2Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Biography

Peter Seamus O'Toole (August 2, 1932 – December 14, 2013) was a British-Irish actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company. In 1959 he made his West End debut in The Long and the Short and the Tall, and played the title role in Hamlet in the National Theatre's first production in 1963. Excelling on the London stage, O'Toole was known for his "hellraiser" lifestyle off it. Making his film debut in 1959, O'Toole achieved international recognition playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) for which he received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was nominated for this award another seven times – for playing King Henry II in both Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), My Favorite Year (1982), and Venus (2006) – and holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for acting without a win (tied with Glenn Close). In 2002, he was awarded the Academy Honorary Award for his career achievements. O'Toole was the recipient of four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award for Best British Actor and one Primetime Emmy Award. Other performances include What's New Pussycat? (1965), How to Steal a Million (1966), Supergirl (1984), and minor roles in The Last Emperor (1987) and Troy (2004). He also voiced Anton Ego, the restaurant critic in Pixar's Ratatouille (2007).

Filmography

132 credits
Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

Movie • 1962

T.E. Lawrence

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Movie • 2007

Anton Ego (voice)

Troy

Troy

Movie • 2004

Priam

The Last Emperor

The Last Emperor

Movie • 1987

Reginald Johnston (R.J.)

How to Steal a Million

How to Steal a Million

Movie • 1966

Simon Dermott

Stardust

Stardust

Movie • 2007

King

Rosebud

Rosebud

Movie • 1975

Larry Martin

The Bible: In the Beginning...

The Bible: In the Beginning...

Movie • 1966

The Three Angels

What's New Pussycat?

What's New Pussycat?

Movie • 1965

Michael James

King Ralph

King Ralph

Movie • 1991

Sir Cedric Charles Willingham

High Spirits

High Spirits

Movie • 1988

Peter Plunkett

Lord Jim

Lord Jim

Movie • 1965

Lord Jim

My Favorite Year

My Favorite Year

Movie • 1982

Alan Swann

The Ruling Class

The Ruling Class

Movie • 1972

Jack 14th Earl of Gurney

Casino Royale

Casino Royale

Movie • 1967

Scottish Piper (uncredited)

Caligula

Caligula

Movie • 1979

Tiberius

Club Paradise

Club Paradise

Movie • 1986

Anthony Cloyden Hayes

Phantoms

Phantoms

Movie • 1998

Dr. Timothy Flyte

Supergirl

Supergirl

Movie • 1984

Zaltar

Christmas Cottage

Christmas Cottage

Movie • 2008

Glen

Murphy's War

Murphy's War

Movie • 1971

Murphy

The Nutcracker Prince

The Nutcracker Prince

Movie • 1990

Pantaloon (voice)

The Rainbow Thief

The Rainbow Thief

Movie • 1994

Prince Meleagre

Venus

Venus

Movie • 2006

Maurice

Stiletto

Stiletto

Movie • 1969

Man at the Premiere (uncredited)

Creator

Creator

Movie • 1985

Dr. Harry Wolper

The Manor

The Manor

Movie • 1999

Mr. Ravenscroft

The Stunt Man

The Stunt Man

Movie • 1980

Eli Cross

FairyTale: A True Story

FairyTale: A True Story

Movie • 1997

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Lassie

Lassie

Movie • 2005

The Duke

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Movie • 1969

Arthur Chipping

The Night of the Generals

The Night of the Generals

Movie • 1967

General Tanz

The Final Curtain

The Final Curtain

Movie • 2002

JJ Curtis

Kidnapped

Kidnapped

Movie • 1960

Robin MacGregor

One Night with the King

One Night with the King

Movie • 2006

Samuel, the Prophet

Under Milk Wood

Under Milk Wood

Movie • 1972

Captain Tom Cat

Becket

Becket

Movie • 1964

King Henry II of England

On a Moonlit Night

On a Moonlit Night

Movie • 1989

Prof. Yan McShoul

Global Heresy

Global Heresy

Movie • 2002

Lord Foxley

Man of La Mancha

Man of La Mancha

Movie • 1972

Don Quixote De La Mancha / Miguel de Cervantes / Alonso Quijana

Zulu Dawn

Zulu Dawn

Movie • 1979

Lord Chelmsford

Dean Spanley

Dean Spanley

Movie • 2008

Fisk Senior

Isabelle Eberhardt

Isabelle Eberhardt

Movie • 1991

Maj. Lyautey

The Lion in Winter

The Lion in Winter

Movie • 1968

Henry II

Supergirl: The Making of the Movie

Supergirl: The Making of the Movie

Movie • 1985

Self / Zaltar

Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear

Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear

Movie • 1983

Sherlock Holmes (voice)

Man Friday

Man Friday

Movie • 1975

Robinson Crusoe

Eldorado

Eldorado

Movie • 2012

Narrator (voice)

The Savage Innocents

The Savage Innocents

Movie • 1960

First Trooper

The Day They Robbed the Bank of England

The Day They Robbed the Bank of England

Movie • 1960

Capt. Monty Fitch

Outlaws - For Greater Glory

Outlaws - For Greater Glory

Movie • 2012

Father Christopher

Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse

Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse

Movie • 1983

Sherlock Holmes (voice)

Hellraisers

Hellraisers

Movie • 2000

Self

Rogue Male

Rogue Male

Movie • 1976

Sir Robert Thorndyke

The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel

Movie • 1987

Uncle Silas Ruthyn

Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell

Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell

Movie • 1999

Jeffrey Bernard

The Seventh Coin

The Seventh Coin

Movie • 1993

Emil Saber

Heavy Weather

Heavy Weather

Movie • 1995

Clarence, Earl of Emsworth

Rebecca's Daughters

Rebecca's Daughters

Movie • 1992

Lord Sarn

Kim

Kim

Movie • 1984

Lama

Crossing to Freedom

Crossing to Freedom

Movie • 1990

John Sidney Howard

Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four

Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four

Movie • 1983

Sherlock Holmes (voice)

Svengali

Svengali

Movie • 1983

Anton Bosnyak

Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet

Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet

Movie • 1983

Sherlock Holmes (voice)

Man and Superman

Man and Superman

Movie • 1982

Jack Tanner

Pygmalion

Pygmalion

Movie • 1983

Professor Henry Higgins

Power Play

Power Play

Movie • 1978

Colonel Zeller

Great Catherine

Great Catherine

Movie • 1968

Capt. Charles Edstaston

Brotherly Love

Brotherly Love

Movie • 1970

Sir Charles Ferguson

The Castiglioni Brothers

The Castiglioni Brothers

Movie • 1958

Mario

Wind Sand and Star

Wind Sand and Star

Movie • 1963

Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic

Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic

Movie • 1970

Iron Road

Iron Road

Movie • 2009

Relic

Foxtrot

Foxtrot

Movie • 1976

Liviu

Diamond Cartel

Diamond Cartel

Movie • 2015

Tugboat

Coming Home

Coming Home

Movie • 1998

Colonel Edgar Carey-Lewis

Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

Movie • 2021

Self (archive footage)

Katherine of Alexandria

Katherine of Alexandria

Movie • 2014

Gallus

Wings of Fame

Wings of Fame

Movie • 1990

Cesar Valentin

The Making of Lawrence of Arabia

The Making of Lawrence of Arabia

Movie • 2001

Self (archive footage)

Hangover in Death Valley

Hangover in Death Valley

Movie • 2018

Narrator (voice)

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

Movie • 2022

Self (archive footage)

Bright Young Things

Bright Young Things

Movie • 2003

Colonel Blount

The Sandpiper

The Sandpiper

Movie • 1965

(voice) (uncredited)

Peter O'Toole: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival

Peter O'Toole: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival

Movie • 2012

Self

Bernardo Bertolucci and the Making of 'The Last Emperor'

Bernardo Bertolucci and the Making of 'The Last Emperor'

Movie • 1988

Self

Molokai: The Story of Father Damien

Molokai: The Story of Father Damien

Movie • 1999

William Williamson

Mystic India

Mystic India

Movie • 2005

Narrador

An Evening with Spike Milligan

An Evening with Spike Milligan

Movie • 1996

Himself

Is There One Who Understands Me? The World of James Joyce

Is There One Who Understands Me? The World of James Joyce

Movie • 1983

Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World

Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World

Movie • 2020

Self - Actor (archive footage)

The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man

The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man

Movie • 2000

The Public's Right to Know

The Public's Right to Know

Movie • 1974

Self

Present Laughter

Present Laughter

Movie • 1967

Garry Essendine

Eager to Die

Eager to Die

Movie • 2010

Lord Pelican

Behind The Scenes of Caligula

Behind The Scenes of Caligula

Movie • 2009

The Greatest All-Star Advertial of All Time

The Greatest All-Star Advertial of All Time

Movie • 1963

Self

Augustus: The First Emperor

Augustus: The First Emperor

Movie • 2003

Augustus Caesar

Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders

Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders

Movie • 2025

Archive

Henry Fonda for President

Henry Fonda for President

Movie • 2025

Self (archive footage)

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

TV • 2003

Self

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

TV • 1996

Self

Today

Today

TV • 1952

Self

The View

The View

TV • 1997

Self

Augustus: The First Emperor

Augustus: The First Emperor

TV • 2003

Augustus Caesar

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV • 1992

Self

The Tudors

The Tudors

TV • 2007

Pope Paul III

The Early Show

The Early Show

TV • 1999

Self

Casanova

Casanova

TV • 2005

Giacomo Casanova

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels

TV • 1996

King of Lilliput

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

TV • 1955

First Soldier

The Oscars

The Oscars

TV • 1953

Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV • 1962

Self

Civvies

Civvies

TV • 1991

Barry Newman

Strumpet City

Strumpet City

TV • 1980

Jim Larkin

North and South

North and South

TV • 1985

Sam Trump

Talking Pictures

Talking Pictures

TV • 2013

Self (archive footage)

Die Harald Schmidt Show

Die Harald Schmidt Show

TV • 1995

Self

Wetten, dass..?

Wetten, dass..?

TV • 1981

Self

Hitler: The Rise of Evil

Hitler: The Rise of Evil

TV • 2003

President Paul von Hindenburg

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

TV • 1948

Self

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

TV • 1973

Self

Wogan

Wogan

TV • 1982

Self

Coming Home

Coming Home

TV • 1998

Colonel Edgar Carey-Lewis

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

TV • 1999

Bishop Cauchon

The Ray Bradbury Theater

The Ray Bradbury Theater

TV • 1985

John Hampton

Iron Road

Iron Road

TV • 2009

Lionel Relic

The Dick Cavett Show

The Dick Cavett Show

TV • 1968

Self - Guest

Sunday Night Theatre

Sunday Night Theatre

TV • 1950

Rene Latour

The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel

TV • 1989

Silas Ruthyn

Masada

Masada

TV • 1981

General Cornelius Flavius Silva

The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show

TV • 1962

Self