6. The film seemed to follow O’Toole around wherever he went for the rest of his life, sometimes literally.
7. The men who brought Lawrence of Arabia to the screen. Left to right: Peter O’Toole, David Lean, producer Sam Spiegel and writer Robert Bolt at the Gala London opening in 1962.
8. O’Toole’s marriage to Welsh actress Siân Phillips was a rollercoaster ride; she would later describe him as a ‘dangerous, disruptive human being’.
9. Off duty with Richard Burton during filming of the historical drama Becket (1964).
10. O’Toole (left) parties with Elizabeth Taylor (centre) and Richard Burton (right).
11. On location in Paris with Woody Allen for the sex comedy hit What’s New Pussycat? (1965).
12. In How To Steal A Million (1966) with Audrey Hepburn, who turned a blind eye to O’Toole’s hell-raising on location in Paris.
13. O’Toole met his match while filming The Lion In Winter (1968) with Katharine Hepburn, who refused to tolerate his boisterous behaviour.
14. Enjoying an improvised game of his beloved cricket on location in Venezuela for Murphy’s War (1971).
15. O’Toole as the mad 14th Earl of Gurney in The Ruling Class (1972), one of his most celebrated roles.
16. Relaxing at home with Siân in 1972. The couple are all smiles for the camera but their marriage was at near breaking point.
17. O’Toole (pictured here with Malcolm McDowell, left) was later to regret his appearance in the infamous and debauched Caligula, which was filmed in 1976 but not released until 1979.
18. With his youngest daughter Patricia and girlfriend Malinche Verdugo.
19. O’Toole (second from right) backstage at the Old Vic during the infamous Macbeth production, with Sting (far left), Frances Tomelty (who played Lady Macbeth, second from left) and director Bryan Forbes (far right).
20. As maverick film director Eli Cross in the cult classic The Stunt Man (1980).
21. O’Toole steals the show with a great comedic film performance in My Favourite Year (1982).
22. In 1982, with daughter Kate (left) and his girlfriend at the time, former model Karen Somerville.
23. After a string of flops and forgettable films, O’Toole finally won plaudits for his role in The Last Emperor (1987).
24. O’Toole had a passion for breeding horses and regularly attended the annual Connemara pony show.
25. O’Toole in one of his greatest triumphs on the London stage, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell (1989).
26. With Lorcan, the son he had always wanted.
27. With Omar Sharif, a lifelong friend.
28. O’Toole makes a grand entrance on a camel in an unforgettable appearance on The David Letterman Show (1995).
29. Meryl Streep presents O’Toole with his honorary Oscar in 2003.
31. A final hurrah: O’Toole giving his last great performance in Venus (2006), for which he received his eighth and final Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
32. A proud father, with son Lorcan and daughter Kate.
PICTURE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SECTION ONE
© Crown Copyright
© Evening News / REX
Douglas Hess / Associated Newspapers / REX
John Twine / Associated Newspapers / REX
Everett Collection / REX
Ullstein Bild / Getty Images
Everett Collection / REX
Leopald Joseph / Associated Newspapers / REX
Corbis
Ullstein Bild / Getty Images
AFP / Getty Images
Corbis
Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images
Manchester Daily Express / SSPL / Getty Images
Everett Collection / REX
Corbis
SECTION TWO
Everett Collection / REX
Associated Newspapers / REX
Alan Davidson / Camera Press
Everett Collection / REX
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images
James Meehan / Camera Press
Donald Cooper / REX
Corbis
bottom Mark Richards / Associated Newspapers / REX
Richard Corkery / NY Daily News Archive / Getty Images
Alan Singer / CBS / Getty Images
Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images
Kmazur / WireImag
Miramax / Everett / REX
Corbis
PETER
O’TOOLE
THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY
Robert Sellers is the author of the authorized biography of Oliver Reed, What Fresh Lunacy is This?, as well as the bestselling Hellraisers series and Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down. He also wrote the definitive book on the genesis of the Bond franchise, The Battle for Bond, and the history of Handmade Films, Very Naughty Boys. He co-wrote Little Ern, the authorized biography of Ernie Wise, with James Hogg. Robert was also a regular contributor to Empire, Total Film, Independent, SFX and Cinema Retro and has contributed to a number of television documentaries, including Channel 4’s The 100 Best Family Films.
ALSO BY ROBERT SELLERS
What Fresh Lunacy is This? The Authorized Biography of Oliver Reed
Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Burton, Harris, O’Toole and Reed
The A–Z of Hellraisers: A Comprehensive Compendium of Outrageous Insobriety
Hollywood Hellraisers
Very Naughty Boys: The Amazing True Story of Handmade Films
First published 2015 by Sidgwick & Jackson
First published in paperback 2016 by Pan Books
This electronic edition published 2016 by Pan Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
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Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-0-283-07216-1
Copyright © Robert Sellers 2015
Cover image: © David Hurn/Magnum Photos
The right of Robert Sellers to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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