archytele The Vault

Peter Sellers

Acting Born Sep 8, 1925 Died Jul 24, 1980 Southsea, Hampshire, England, UK 145 credits

Biography

Richard Henry Sellers, known professionally as Peter Sellers, was a versatile British comedian and actor born on September 8, 1925, in Southsea, Hampshire, England. He passed away on July 24, 1980, at the age of 54. Sellers rose to fame on the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show and became widely celebrated for his acting work and his ability to speak in various accents. Throughout his career, he appeared in numerous films and television shows, with 136 known acting credits. Leading actress Bette Davis once remarked that he was a chameleon rather than an actor. His notable film roles include Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, three different characters in Dr. Strangelove, Clare Quilty in Lolita, and Chance the gardener in Being There.

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Career

Career overview

Richard Henry Sellers, CBE, who was known professionally as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor born in Southsea, Hampshire, England, on September 8, 1925, and died on July 24, 1980. Born to a well-off acting family, Sellers became widely celebrated for his versatile work and ability to speak in different accents, including French, Indian, American, German, and various British regional accents, alongside his talent for portraying a range of characters. Leading actress Bette Davis once remarked that he was not an actor, but rather a chameleon.

Sellers rose to fame on the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show. In film, he became best known for playing Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, playing three different characters in Dr. Strangelove, portraying Clare Quilty in Lolita, and starring as the man-child and television-addicted Chance the gardener in his penultimate film, Being There. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 136 known acting credits on film and television.

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Frequent co-stars

Career timeline

John Candy: I Like MeLiza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True StoryLove Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
The Beatles: Get BackDirected By Blake Edwards
Kubrick by KubrickPeter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
Hitler: The Comedy Years
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
The Unknown Peter Sellers
Spike
The Peter Sellers Story
The World of Hammer
Funny BusinessSellers' Best
The Very Best of Peter Sellers
Muppet TreasuresMuppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
Koyaanisqatsi
Trail of the Pink Panther
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
Being ThereThe Prisoner of Zenda
Revenge of the Pink PantherMickey's 50Rire et sourire : Le SplendidKingdom Of Gifts
To See Such Fun
The Muppet ShowMurder by DeathThe Pink Panther Strikes Again
The Return of the Pink PantherJulie: My Favourite ThingsA Salute to Sir Lew GradeThe Great McGonagall
Soft Beds, Hard BattlesFlip Wilson... Of Course
The BlockhouseGhost in the Noonday SunThe Big ScreenThe Optimists of Nine Elms

Full filmography

  • John Candy: I Like Me (2025) as Self - Actor (archive footage)
  • Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (2025) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders (2025) as Archive
  • Peter Sellers: Genius at Work (2023) as Self (archive footage)
  • The Beatles: Get Back (2021) as Self
  • Directed By Blake Edwards (2021) as Self
  • Kubrick by Kubrick (2020) as Self (archive footage)
  • Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy (2020) as Self (Archival Footage)
  • The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018) as Self (archive footage)
  • Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace (2014) as Self (archive footage)
  • The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo' (2013) as The Villain Antony (archive footage)
  • Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007) as Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent (2005) as Self (archive footage)
  • Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove' (2004) as Self (archive footage)
  • The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It (2003) as Himself
  • The Paranormal Peter Sellers (2001) as Self (Archive footage)
  • The Unknown Peter Sellers (2000)
  • Spike (1996) as Self
  • The Peter Sellers Story (1995) as Himself
  • The World of Hammer (1994) as Self (archive footage)
  • Funny Business (1992) as (archive footage)
  • Sellers' Best (1992) as Self (archive footage)
  • The Very Best of Peter Sellers (1990)
  • Muppet Treasures (1985) as Self
  • Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets (1985) as Self
  • Koyaanisqatsi (1983) as Self (archive footage)
  • Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) as Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)
  • Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers (1981) as Self (archive material)
  • The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980) as Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith
  • Being There (1979) as Chance
  • The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) as Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin
  • Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) as Chief Inspector Clouseau
  • Mickey's 50 (1978) as Self
  • Rire et sourire : Le Splendid (1978) as Extrait du film « La Malédiction de la Panthère rose », 1978
  • Kingdom Of Gifts (1978) as The Slightly Larcenous Mayor
  • To See Such Fun (1977)
  • The Muppet Show (1976) as Self - Special Guest Star
  • Murder by Death (1976) as Sidney Wang
  • The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) as Chief Inspector Clouseau
  • The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) as Inspector Clouseau
  • Julie: My Favourite Things (1975) as Various
  • A Salute to Sir Lew Grade (1975) as Self
  • The Great McGonagall (1975) as Queen Victoria
  • Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974) as Général Latour / Major Robinson / Herr Schroeder / Adolf Hitler / The President / Prince Kyoto
  • Flip Wilson... Of Course (1974) as Self
  • The Blockhouse (1973) as Rouquet
  • Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973) as Dick Scratcher
  • The Big Screen (1973) as Self
  • The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973) as Sam
  • Sykes (1972) as Tommy Grando
  • Where Does It Hurt? (1972) as Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal
  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) as The March Hare
  • The Last Goon Show of All (1972) as Self
  • Film '72 (1971) as Self
  • V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
  • A Day at the Beach (1970) as Stallholder
  • There's a Girl in My Soup (1970) as Robert Danvers
  • Hoffman (1970) as Mr. Hoffman
  • Simon Simon (1970) as Man with Two Cars
  • Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town (1970) as G.W. Ross
  • This Is Tom Jones (1969) as Self
  • The Magic Christian (1969) as Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE
  • The Magic Christian (1969) Additional Writing
  • Will the Real Mr Sellers.....? (1969) as Self
  • One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously (1969)
  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self
  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
  • It Takes a Thief (1968) as Man in Harbor Records Office
  • The Party (1968) as Hrundi V. Bakshi
  • I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968) as Harold
  • Casino Royale (1967) as Evelyn Tremble
  • Woman Times Seven (1967) as Jean
  • One Pair of Eyes (1967)
  • The Bobo (1967) as Juan Bautista
  • With Love, Sophia (1967) as Self
  • ABC Stage 67 (1966) as Self
  • The Wrong Box (1966) as Doctor Pratt
  • Alice in Wonderland (1966) as King of Hearts
  • After the Fox (1966) as Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi
  • El Rey en Londres (1966)
  • The Dean Martin Show (1965)
  • What's New Pussycat? (1965) as Dr. Fritz Fassbender
  • The Music of Lennon & McCartney (1965)
  • Birds, Bees and Storks (1965) as Narrator (voice)
  • Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) as Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove
  • A Shot in the Dark (1964) as Jacques Clouseau
  • The Caretaker (1964) Thanks
  • The World of Henry Orient (1964) as Henry Orient
  • Carol for Another Christmas (1964) as Imperial Me
  • I Say I Say I Say (1964)
  • I Say I Say I Say (1964) Director
  • The Pink Panther (1963) as Insp. Jacques Clouseau
  • The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963) as Pearly Gates
  • The Telegoons (1963)
  • Heavens Above! (1963) as The Rev. John Smallwood
  • Lolita (1962) as Clare Quilty
  • The Road to Hong Kong (1962) as Indian Neurologist (uncredited)
  • Only Two Can Play (1962) as John Lewis
  • Waltz of the Toreadors (1962) as Gen. Leo Fitzjohn
  • The Dock Brief (1962) as Wilfred Morgenhall
  • The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self (archive footage)
  • Tempo (1961) as Self
  • Mr. Topaze (1961) as Auguste Topaze
  • Mr. Topaze (1961) Director
  • The Battle of the Sexes (1960) as Mr. Martin
  • Two-Way Stretch (1960) as Dodger Lane
  • The Millionairess (1960) as Dr. Kabir
  • Never Let Go (1960) as Lionel Meadows
  • Whicker's World (1959)
  • The Mouse That Roared (1959) as Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe
  • I'm All Right Jack (1959) as Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959)
  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959) Editor
  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959) Writer
  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959) Producer
  • Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959) as Prime Minister Amphibulos
  • Tom Thumb (1958) as Antony
  • Up the Creek (1958) as CPO Doherty
  • Theatre Night (1957) as The Sultan
  • The Naked Truth (1957) as "Wee" Sonny MacGregor
  • Dearth of a Salesman (1957) as Hector Dimwittie
  • Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show! (1957)
  • The Smallest Show on Earth (1957) as Percy Quill
  • Insomnia is Good for You (1957)
  • The Man Who Never Was (1956) as Voice of Winston Churchill (uncredited)
  • A Show Called Fred (1956)
  • Son of Fred (1956)
  • The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d (1956)
  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn (1956) as Assorted
  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn (1956) Additional Writing
  • The Ladykillers (1955) as Harry, alias 'Mr. Robinson'
  • John and Julie (1955) as Police Constable Diamond
  • Orders Are Orders (1954) as Pvt. Goffin
  • And So To Bentley (1954)
  • Beat the Devil (1953) as Billy Dannreuther (voice) (uncredited)
  • The Super Secret Service (1953) as Sir Walter Smood / Reuben J. Crouch
  • Our Girl Friday (1953) as Voice of Parrot
  • Down Among the Z Men (1952) as Major Bloodnok
  • The Slappiest Days of Our Lives (1951) as (archive footage)
  • Let's Go Crazy (1951) as Multiple Roles
  • Let's Go Crazy (1951) Writer
  • Penny Points to Paradise (1951) as The Major / Arnold Fringe
  • A Burlesque on the Opera "Carmen" (1951) as Voice narrator
  • The Black Rose (1950) as Lu Chung (voice)
  • Talking Comedy