Peter Sellers

PETER SELLERS d1980. English film actor, comedian and singer. During the early 1950s, he took part and was a member of the successful radio series "The Goon Show" which ended in 1960. He began his film career during the 1950s and later notable films include ; I'm Alright Jack (1959) / Lolita (1960) / Dr Strangelove (1964) / What's New Pussycat (1965) / Casino Royale (1967) / The Party 1968) / Being There (1979) and the series of five Pink Panther films (1963-78). He was nominated three times for an Academy Award, won two leading actor BAFTA's and in 1980 a Golden Globe for "Being There". In his personal life, he struggled with depression and insecurities. An enigmatic figure, he often claimed to have no identity outside the roles that he played. His behaviour was often erratic and compulsive and he frequently clashed with his directors and co-stars (especially in the mid-1970s) when his physical and mental health, together with his alcohol and drug problems were at their worst. Peter Sellers was married four times including to the beautiful Swedish model Britt Eckland. He had seen her photograph in a newspaper, invited her to his London hotel and immediately proposed to her. Within weeks he suffered a near-fatal heart attack and his young wife Britt helped nurse him through. They divorced in 1968. He died as a result of a heart attack two years later aged 54 in 1980.