Peter O'Toole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter O'Toole
O'Toole as T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Born	Peter Seamus O'Toole (1932-08-02)2 August 1932 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	14 December 2013(2013-12-14) (aged 81) St John's Wood, London, England
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor author
Years active	1954–2012
Notable work	Full list
Spouse(s)	Siân Phillips ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1979)​
Partner(s)	Karen Brown (1982–1988)
Children	3, including Kate
Awards	Full list

Peter Seamus O'Toole (/oʊˈt[unsupported input]/; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a famous British actor. He was known for his powerful performances on both stage and in movies. He studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

O'Toole became well-known for playing characters in Shakespeare's plays. He performed at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company. In 1959, he made his first appearance in London's West End in the play The Long and the Short and the Tall. He also played the main character in Hamlet for the Royal National Theatre in 1963.

He became famous around the world for his role as T. E. Lawrence in the movie Lawrence of Arabia (1962). For this role, he received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was nominated for this award seven more times, making him the actor with the most Oscar nominations without a win (tied with Glenn Close). In 2002, he received an Academy Honorary Award to celebrate his amazing career.

Peter O'Toole also won four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award, and one Primetime Emmy Award. Some of his other notable films include Becket (1964), The Lion in Winter (1968), and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969). He also voiced Anton Ego, the food critic, in Pixar's animated movie Ratatouille (2007).

Early Life and Education

Peter Seamus O'Toole was born on 2 August 1932. His mother, Constance Jane Eliot, was a Scottish nurse, and his father, Patrick Joseph O'Toole, was an Irish metal worker and football player. Peter wasn't always sure about his exact birth date or place. However, records show he was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

He had an older sister named Patricia. The family lived in Hunslet, a suburb of Leeds. When Peter was one year old, his family traveled around Northern England for five years. He and his sister were raised in their father's Catholic faith. During the Second World War, Peter was moved away from Leeds for safety. He attended a Catholic school for about seven or eight years.

After school, O'Toole worked as a trainee journalist and photographer for a newspaper. Later, he joined the Royal Navy for national service, working as a signaller. An officer once asked him what he truly wanted to do. Peter replied that he wanted to be either a poet or an actor.

He then applied to the Abbey Theatre's drama school in Dublin but was not accepted because he couldn't speak the Irish language. However, he received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. He studied there from 1952 to 1954. His classmates at RADA included other future famous actors like Albert Finney, Alan Bates, and Brian Bedford.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Stage and Screen Work

Peter O'Toole started his acting career in the theatre. He became known for his performances in Shakespearean plays at the Bristol Old Vic. He made his first TV appearance in 1954. From 1956 to 1958, he performed in many plays at the Bristol Old Vic, including King Lear and Othello. He also played Henry Higgins in Pygmalion and Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger.

In 1959, O'Toole became famous in London's West End for his role in the play The Long and the Short and the Tall. This performance earned him the Best Actor of the Year award in 1959.

Rise to International Fame

O'Toole began his film career with a small role in Disney's Kidnapped (1960). He also appeared in The Savage Innocents (1960). In 1960, he spent nine months performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

His biggest break came in 1960 when he was chosen to play T. E. Lawrence in Sir David Lean's epic film Lawrence of Arabia (1962). This role introduced him to audiences worldwide. He earned his first Academy Award for Best Actor nomination and won the BAFTA Award for Best British Actor. His performance is considered one of the greatest in cinema history.

In 1963, O'Toole played Hamlet in the first production of the Royal National Theatre.

Major Film Roles

O'Toole in the TV film Present Laughter (1968)

O'Toole then starred as King Henry II in Becket (1964), alongside Richard Burton. This film was very successful. He also appeared in the comedy What's New Pussycat? (1965) and the heist film How to Steal a Million (1966) with Audrey Hepburn.

He played Henry II again in The Lion in Winter (1968), co-starring Katharine Hepburn. This role earned him another Oscar nomination. In 1969, he played the main character in the musical film Goodbye, Mr. Chips. He was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe Award for this role.

1970s and Beyond

In the 1970s, O'Toole received another Oscar nomination for his role in The Ruling Class (1972). He also played Don Quixote in the movie Man of La Mancha (1972).

In 1980, he earned more praise and another Oscar nomination for his performance in The Stunt Man. He received yet another Oscar nomination for the comedy My Favorite Year (1982), where he played an aging film star.

O'Toole continued to work in both film and television. He appeared in Supergirl (1984) and had a role as Sir Reginald Johnston in The Last Emperor (1987). He won a Laurence Olivier Award for his stage performance in Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (1989).

In the 1990s, his work included King Ralph (1991) and Gulliver's Travels (1996), where he played the Emperor of Lilliput. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Bishop Pierre Cauchon in the mini-series Joan of Arc (1999).

Later Career and Final Roles

In the 2000s, O'Toole continued to act in various projects. He played King Priam in the movie Troy (2004). In 2005, he appeared in the BBC drama Casanova.

As King Henry II in The Lion in Winter (1968)

His eighth and final Oscar nomination came for his role as Maurice in the 2006 film Venus. He also voiced Anton Ego, the food critic, in the popular animated film Ratatouille (2007). He appeared as Pope Paul III in the TV series The Tudors (2008).

Peter O'Toole announced his retirement from acting on 10 July 2012. His final performances were in Highway to Hell (2012) and For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada (2012). Some films were released after his retirement and death.

Personal Life

O'Toole (left) with Richard Burton in Becket (1964).

In 1959, Peter O'Toole married Welsh actress Siân Phillips. They had two daughters, Kate and Patricia. They divorced in 1979. Later, O'Toole and his girlfriend, Karen Brown, had a son named Lorcan O'Toole, who is also an actor.

O'Toole was a big fan of sports, especially rugby league and rugby union. He often attended matches with his friends, including fellow actors Richard Harris and Richard Burton. He was also a lifelong fan of cricket and the football club Sunderland A.F.C..

He wrote two memoirs about his life. Loitering With Intent: The Child tells the story of his childhood before World War II. His second book, Loitering With Intent: The Apprentice, describes his time training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Death and Legacy

O'Toole's memorial plaque in St Paul's Church in Covent Garden, London

Peter O'Toole passed away on 14 December 2013, at the age of 81, in London. His funeral was held on 21 December 2013. His family planned to take his ashes to the west of Ireland, as he wished.

In 2014, a new award was created in his memory at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. This award is given annually to two young actors from the school. There is also a memorial plaque for him at St Paul's Church in London, known as the Actors' Church.

In 2017, his daughter Kate O'Toole placed her father's collection of writings, scripts, photos, and letters at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. This collection helps people learn more about his amazing career.

Awards and Honours

Peter O'Toole received many awards and nominations throughout his career. He was offered a knighthood by the British government but chose to decline it. He won four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award (for Lawrence of Arabia), and one Primetime Emmy Award.

Academy Award Nominations

O'Toole was nominated eight times for the Best Actor award, but he never won a competitive Oscar. However, in 2002, the Academy gave him an Academy Honorary Award to celebrate his entire body of work and his contributions to film. He first hesitated to accept it but eventually did. The award was presented to him by actress Meryl Streep.

See also

• List of British Academy Award nominees and winners
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories