Peter Ustinov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Peter Ustinov CBE FRSA
Ustinov in 1986, photographed by Allan Warren
Born	Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov (1921-04-16)16 April 1921 Belsize Park, London, England
Died	28 March 2004(2004-03-28) (aged 82) Genolier, Switzerland
Resting place	Bursins Cemetery, Bursins, Switzerland
Education	Westminster School London Theatre Studio
Occupation	Actor filmmaker writer
Years active	1938–2004
Spouse(s)	Isolde Denham ​ ​ (m. 1940; div. 1950)​ Suzanne Cloutier ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1971)​ Helene du Lau d'Allemans ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	4, including Tamara Ustinov
Parent(s)	Jona von Ustinov Nadia Benois
Awards	See Awards

Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov; 16 April 1921 – 28 March 2004) was a famous British actor, filmmaker, and writer. He was known around the world for his amazing storytelling skills. He often appeared on TV talk shows and gave lectures.

Peter Ustinov was a very smart and diplomatic person. He held important positions at universities. He also worked as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, helping children worldwide. He was also the president of the World Federalist Movement.

Ustinov won many awards during his life. These included two Academy Awards for acting. He also won Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTA Awards. He even won a Grammy Award for a children's recording. People often called him a "Renaissance man" because he was talented in so many different areas.

In 2003, Durham University named its graduate college Ustinov College. This was to honor Peter Ustinov, who had been the university's leader (chancellor) from 1992 until his death.

Early Life of Peter Ustinov

Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov was born in Belsize Park, London, England. His father, Jona von Ustinov, had a mix of Russian, German, Polish, Ethiopian, and Jewish family roots. His mother, Nadia Benois, was a painter and ballet designer. Her family had French, German, Italian, and Russian origins.

Peter's father, Jona, worked for the German Embassy in London in the 1930s. He later became a spy for the British intelligence service MI5. He also became a British citizen. This helped him avoid being held as an enemy during World War II.

Peter went to Westminster School. He later trained to be an actor at the London Theatre Studio. He first appeared on stage in 1938. He quickly became well-known. He once said that acting was a way for him to escape the "dismal rat race of school."

Peter Ustinov's Career Highlights

Ustinov as Nero in Quo Vadis (1951)

During World War II, Peter Ustinov served in the British Army. He also appeared in films made to support the war effort. One of his first films was One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942). In this film, he spoke lines in English, Latin, and Dutch.

After the war, he started writing plays. His first big success was The Love of Four Colonels (1951). He also acted in many films. Some of his famous roles include:

• The Roman emperor Nero in Quo Vadis (1951).
• Lentulus Batiatus in Spartacus (1960).
• Captain Blackbeard in the Disney film Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968).
• An old man in a future world in Logan's Run (1976).

Ustinov also lent his voice to animated characters. He was the voice of Prince John and King Richard in the 1973 Disney animated film Robin Hood. He also worked as a writer and director for several films.

Ustinov (left) as Hercule Poirot with John Gielgud in Appointment with Death (1988)

A very popular role for Ustinov was playing Agatha Christie's famous detective, Hercule Poirot. He played Poirot in six films, starting with Death on the Nile (1978).

Ustinov won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. These were for his roles in Spartacus (1960) and Topkapi (1964). He also won a Golden Globe for Quo Vadis. He won three Emmys and one Grammy.

From 1952 to 1955, he starred in a BBC radio comedy show called In All Directions. The show was special because it was mostly made up on the spot, not from a script.

In the 1960s, Ustinov directed several operas. This showed his wide range of talents in the theatre. He even designed the sets and costumes for one opera. In 1962, he helped turn the play Billy Budd into a film. He wrote the script, produced, directed, and acted in it.

In 1968, he became the first leader (rector) of the University of Dundee. He served two terms.

His autobiography, Dear Me (1977), was very popular. In it, he shared stories from his life.

From 1969 until his death, Ustinov spent a lot of his time working for UNICEF. He was a goodwill ambassador and helped raise money for children. He visited many children in need around the world. He used his humor to connect with people. UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said, "Sir Peter could make anyone laugh."

Ustinov was also the president of the World Federalist Movement from 1991 until his death. He believed that a world government was possible and necessary for peace.

He was a frequent guest on TV talk shows. He loved telling stories about his life. He was known for his ability to do many different accents and voices.

Ustinov loved cars and owned many interesting ones. He also made comedy recordings that showed his wit and talent for sound effects.

He was very good at languages. He spoke English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Russian fluently. He also knew some Turkish and modern Greek. He often dubbed his own voice for his roles in German and French.

Later Life and Honors

Ustinov in 1992 by Erling Mandelmann

In the 1960s, Peter Ustinov moved to Switzerland. In 1990, he was made a knight by the Queen. This meant he could be called "Sir Peter." In 1992, he became the leader (chancellor) of Durham University.

In 2003, Durham University renamed its postgraduate college Ustinov College in his honor. In 2002, Ustinov visited the United Buddy Bears in Berlin for UNICEF. These bears promote peace between different nations and cultures. He wanted to make sure that Iraq was also part of this group of countries.

The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has an award named after him. It is called the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. It is given each year to a young TV screenwriter.

Peter Ustinov's Family Life

Ustinov with Suzanne Cloutier and daughter in the 1950s

Peter Ustinov was married three times. His first wife was Isolde Denham. They had one daughter, Tamara Ustinov. His second wife was Suzanne Cloutier. They had three children: Pavla, Andrea, and Igor Ustinov. His third wife was Helene du Lau d'Allemans. They were married until his death.

Ustinov believed in secular humanism. This means he focused on human values and reason rather than religious beliefs.

Death of Peter Ustinov

Peter Ustinov passed away on 28 March 2004. He was 82 years old. He died of heart failure in a clinic in Switzerland, near his home. He had been living with diabetes and heart disease.

Global Work

Ustinov was the president of the World Federalist Movement (WFM) from 1991 until his death. The WFM is a group that works to create global democratic organizations. They believe in a unified world government based on democracy. They want the United Nations and other world groups to become part of a World Federation. In this idea, countries would be like states or provinces within a larger world government.

Ustinov was also a member of English PEN. This group works to protect freedom of expression around the world.

Film and Television Roles

Films

Television

• What's My Line? (1957—1966) – gameshow, 9 episodes
• I've Got a Secret (1960) – gameshow, 1 episode
• Barefoot in Athens (1966) – TV film, as Socrates
• Klapzubova jedenáctka (1968) – TV serial, episode 12: "Muži z Ria", as television commentator
• Parkinson (1971—1972) – talk show, 3 episodes
• The Muppet Show (1976) – 1 episode, as himself
• Kein Abend wie jeder andere [de] (1976) – TV film, as owner of Billy's artstore
• Jesus of Nazareth (1977) – miniseries, as Herod the Great
• Doctor Snuggles (1979) – 13 episodes, as Doctor Snuggles
• Einstein's Universe (1979) – documentary film, as himself
• Nuclear Nightmares (1979) – documentary film, as himself
• Omni: The New Frontier (1981)
• Overheard (1984) – TV film, as Comrade Kuruk
• Thirteen at Dinner (1985) – TV film, as Hercule Poirot
• Dead Man's Folly (1986) – TV film, as Hercule Poirot
• Murder in Three Acts (1986) – TV film, as Hercule Poirot
• Peter Ustinov's Russia (1986) – documentary miniseries, as himself
• Le défi mondial (1986)
• An Audience with Peter Ustinov (1988)
• The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper (1988) – documentary
• Around the World in 80 Days (1989) – miniseries, as Detective Wilbur Fix
• Peter Ustinov on the Orient Express (1991)
• Wings of the Red Star (1993) – documentary series, 13 episodes, as narrator
• Celebrating Haydn with Peter Ustinov (1994) – documentary
• The Old Curiosity Shop (1995) – TV film, as Grandfather
• Paths of the Gods (1995) – documentary series, 8 episodes, as himself
• Sir Peter Ustinov's Mendelssohn (1997) – documentary
• Alice in Wonderland (1999) – TV film, as Walrus
• Animal Farm (1999) – TV film, as Old Major (voice)
• Victoria & Albert (2001) – TV serial, as King William IV
• Winter Solstice - Hughie McLellan

Books by Peter Ustinov

Nonfiction

• Apropos: portrait painting
• Dear Me (his autobiography)
• Generation at Jeopardy: Children in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (introduction by Peter Ustinov)
• Klop and the Ustinov Family (with Nadia Benois Ustinov)
• My Russia
• Niven's Hollywood (introduction by Peter Ustinov)
• Quotable Ustinov
• Still at Large
• Ustinov at Eighty
• Ustinov at Large
• Ustinov in Russia
• Ustinov Still at Large
• Ustinov's diplomats
• We Were Only Human.

Novels, Short Stories, and Plays

• Abelard and Heloise
• Add a Dash of Pity and Other Short Stories
• Beethoven's Tenth
• Blow Your Own Trumpet (1943 play)
• Brewer's Theatre (with Isaacs, et al.)
• The Comedy Collection
• Disinformer: Two Novellas
• Frontiers of the Sea
• God and the State Railways
• Halfway Up the Tree
• The Indifferent Shepherd
• James Thurber with Thurber
• Krumnagel
• The Laughter Omnibus
• Life is an Operetta: And Other Short Stories
• The Loser
• The Love of Four Colonels
• The Methuen Book of Theatre Verse (with Jonathan and Moira Field)
• Monsieur Rene
• The Moment of Truth
• No Sign of the Dove (play)
• The Old Man and Mr. Smith: A Fable
• Photo Finish
• Romanoff and Juliet
• The 13 Clocks with James Thurber
• The Unicorn in the Garden and Other Fables for Our Time (with James Thurber)
• The Unknown Soldier and His Wife

Recordings by Peter Ustinov

• Grand Prix of Gibraltar (1960) (a spoken comedy album)
• The Creatures of Prometheus (Ludwig van Beethoven), a musical story
• Der Burger als Edelmann (After Moliere, adapted by Ustinov, music by Richard Strauss)

Awards and Honors

Academy Awards

• 1952 nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Quo Vadis)
• 1961 won: Best Supporting Actor (Spartacus)
• 1965 won: Best Supporting Actor (Topkapi)
• 1969 nominated: Best Original Screenplay (Hot Millions, with Ira Wallach)

BAFTA Awards

• 1962 nominated: Best British Screenplay (Billy Budd)
• 1978 nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Death on the Nile)
• 1992 won: Britannia Award for Lifetime Achievement
• 1995 nominated: Best Light Entertainment Performance (An Evening with Sir Peter Ustinov)

Berlin International Film Festival

• 1961 nominated: Golden Bear (Romanoff and Juliet)
• 1972 won: Silver Bear for an outstanding artistic contribution (Hammersmith Is Out)
• 1972 nominated: Golden Bear (Hammersmith Is Out)

Emmy Awards

• 1958 won: Best Single Performance by a Leading or Supporting Actor (Omnibus: The Life of Samuel Johnson)
• 1967 won: Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Barefoot in Athens)
• 1970 won: Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (A Storm in Summer)
• 1982 nominated: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Informational Programming (Omni: The New Frontier)
• 1985 nominated: Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts (The Well-Tempered Bach with Peter Ustinov)

Golden Globe Awards

• 1952 won: Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Quo Vadis)
• 1961 nominated: Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Spartacus)
• 1965 nominated: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Topkapi)

Grammy Awards

• 1960 won: Best Recording for Children (Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf) with the Philharmonia Orchestra directed by Herbert von Karajan
• 1974 nominated: Best Recording for Children (The Little Prince)
• 1978 nominated: Best Recording for Children (Russell Hoban, The Mouse and His Child)
• 1981 nominated: Best Spoken Word Album (A Curb in the Sky)

Tony Awards

• 1958 nominated: Best Play (Romanoff and Juliet)
• 1958 nominated: Best Actor in a Play (Romanoff and Juliet)

Evening Standard British Film Award

• 1980 won Best Actor (Death on the Nile)

Lifework Awards

• 1992: Britannia Award
• 1993: London Critics' Award
• 1994: Bambi
• 1997: German Video Prize of the DIVA Award
• 1998: Bavarian Television Award
• 2001: Golden Camera (Goldene Kamera, Berlin)
• 2002: Planetary Consciousness Award of the Club of Budapest
• 2004: Bavarian Film Award (Bayerischer Filmpreis)
• 2004: Rose d'Or Charity Award with UNICEF (posthumously)

Other Awards

• 1974: Golden Camera Award for Best Actor for the Exchange of Notes
• 1978: Prix de la Butte for Oh my goodness! Messy memoirs
• 1981: Karl Valentin Order (Munich)
• 1987: Golden Rascal (Goldenes Schlitzohr)

State Honors and Awards

• 1957: Benjamin Franklin Medal of the Royal Society of Arts (London)
• 1974: Order of the Smile (Poland)
• 1975: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) (United Kingdom)
• 1978: UNICEF International Prize for outstanding services
• 1985: Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France)
• 1986: Istiqlal Order (Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)
• 1987: Order of the Yugoslav Flag
• 1987: Elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts
• 1990: Gold Medal of the City of Athens
• 1990: Medal of the Hellenic Red Cross
• 1990: Knight Bachelor (United Kingdom)
• 1991: Medal of Charles University in Prague
• 1994: Knight of the National Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
• 1994: German Culture Prize (Deutscher Kulturpreis)
• 1995: International UNICEF Prize for Outstanding Services
• 1998: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 2001: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class
• 2004: Hanseatic Bremen Prize for International Understanding (Bremer Hansepreis für Völkerverständigung)

Honorary Degrees

Ustinov received many special degrees from universities for his work.

Country	State/Province	Date	School	Degree
United States	Ohio	1968	Cleveland Institute of Music	Doctor of Music (D.Mus.)
United Kingdom		1969	University of Dundee	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
United States	Pennsylvania	1971	La Salle University	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
United Kingdom		1972	Lancaster University	Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.)
Canada	Alberta	1981	University of Lethbridge	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Canada	Ontario	1984	University of Toronto	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
United States	District of Columbia	1988	Georgetown University
Canada	Ontario	1991	Carleton University	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
United Kingdom		1992	Durham University	Doctor of Humanities
Canada	Ontario	1995	St. Michael's College
Canada	Ontario	1995	Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies
Republic of Ireland		1999	National University of Ireland	Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Switzerland		2001	International University in Geneva

Images for kids

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  Ustinov in The Sundowners (1960)

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  Oona O'Neill, Charles Chaplin, and Ustinov in 1965

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  Ustinov in 1986

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  Ustinov in 1965

See also

In Spanish: Peter Ustinov para niños