Peter Sellers
Known for: Acting
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE (September 8, 1925 – July 24, 1980), known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, for playing three different characters in Dr. Strangelove, as Clare Quilty in Lolita, and as the man-child and TV-addicted Chance the gardener in his penultimate film, Being There. Leading actress Bette Davis once remarked of him, "He isn't an actor—he's a chameleon." Sellers rose to fame on the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show. His ability to speak in different accents (e.g., French, Indian, American, German, as well as British regional accents), along with his talent to portray a range of characters to comic effect, contributed to his success as a radio personality and screen actor and earned him national and international nominations and awards. Many of his characters became ingrained in public perception of his work. Sellers' private life was characterized by turmoil and crises, and included emotional problems and substance abuse. Sellers was married four times, and had three children from the first two marriages. An enigmatic figure, he often claimed to have no identity outside the roles that he played, but he left his own portrait since, "he obsessively filmed his homes, his family, people he knew, anything that took his fancy right to the end of his life—intimate film that remained undiscovered until long after his death in 1980." The director Peter Hall has said: "Peter had the ability to identify completely with another person, and think his way physically, mentally and emotionally into their skin. Where does that come from? I have no idea. Is it a curse? Often. I think it's not enough though in this business to have talent. You have to have talent to handle the talent. And that I think Peter did not have."
Filmography
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self (archive footage)
1961
Series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self
1968
Series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self (uncredited)
1968
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
It Takes a Thief
Man in Harbor Records Office
1968
Series
The Muppet Show
Self - Special Guest Star
1976
Series
The Dean Martin Show
1965
Film
Lolita
Clare Quilty
1962
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self
1971
Series
Sykes
Tommy Grando
1972
Series
ABC Stage 67
Self
1966
Film
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove
1964
Series
The World of Hammer
Self (archive footage)
1994
Film
Casino Royale
Evelyn Tremble
1967
Series
The Beatles: Get Back
Self
2021
Film
The Pink Panther
Insp. Jacques Clouseau
1963
Series
Theatre Night
The Sultan
1957
Film
Being There
Chance
1979
Film
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
1965
Film
The Party
Hrundi V. Bakshi
1968
Film
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Chief Inspector Clouseau
1976
Film
The Ladykillers
Harry, alias 'Mr. Robinson'
1955
Series
This Is Tom Jones
Self
1969
Film
John Candy: I Like Me
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2025
Film
Koyaanisqatsi
Self (archive footage)
1983
Film
A Shot in the Dark
Jacques Clouseau
1964
Film
Where Does It Hurt?
Dr. Albert T. Hopfnegal
1972
Film
Murder by Death
Sidney Wang
1976
Film
What's New Pussycat?
Dr. Fritz Fassbender
1965
Film
The Return of the Pink Panther
Inspector Clouseau
1975
Film
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Chief Inspector Clouseau
1978
Series
One Pair of Eyes
1967
Series
Tempo
Self
1961
Film
Trail of the Pink Panther
Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)
1982
Series
Funny Business
(archive footage)
1992
Film
Beat the Devil
Billy Dannreuther (voice) (uncredited)
1953
Film
Woman Times Seven
Jean
1967
Film
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The March Hare
1972
Film
The Mouse That Roared
Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe
1959
Film
There's a Girl in My Soup
Robert Danvers
1970
Film
Mr. Topaze
Auguste Topaze
1961
Film
The Wrong Arm of the Law
Pearly Gates
1963
Film
The Man Who Never Was
Voice of Winston Churchill (uncredited)
1956
Film
I'm All Right Jack
Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
1959
Film
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
Film
The Magic Christian
Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE
1969
Film
The Millionairess
Dr. Kabir
1960
Film
Two-Way Stretch
Dodger Lane
1960
Film
Alice in Wonderland
King of Hearts
1966
Film
After the Fox
Aldo Vanucci/Federico Fabrizi
1966
Film
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu / Nayland Smith
1980
Film
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
Prime Minister Amphibulos
1959
Film
Mickey's 50
Self
1978
Series
The Telegoons
1963
Film
The Black Rose
Lu Chung (voice)
1950
Film
The Wrong Box
Doctor Pratt
1966
Film
Hitler: The Comedy Years
Dr. Strangelove / Fred Kite (archive footage) (uncredited)
2007
Film
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Général Latour / Major Robinson / Herr Schroeder / Adolf Hitler / The President / Prince Kyoto
1974
Film
The Road to Hong Kong
Indian Neurologist (uncredited)
1962
Film
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!
Harold
1968
Film
The World of Henry Orient
Henry Orient
1964
Film
Kubrick by Kubrick
Self (archive footage)
2020
Film
Tom Thumb
Antony
1958
Film
The Battle of the Sexes
Mr. Martin
1960
Son of Fred
1956
Series
Rire et sourire : Le Splendid
Extrait du film « La Malédiction de la Panthère rose », 1978
1978
Film
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?
Self
1969
Film
A Day at the Beach
Stallholder
1970
Film
The Naked Truth
"Wee" Sonny MacGregor
1957
Film
Waltz of the Toreadors
Gen. Leo Fitzjohn
1962
Film
The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Self (archive footage)
2018
Film
Our Girl Friday
Voice of Parrot
1953
A Show Called Fred
1956
Film
The Optimists of Nine Elms
Sam
1973
Film
The Prisoner of Zenda
Rudolf IV/Rudolf V/Sidney Frewin
1979
Film
The Dock Brief
Wilfred Morgenhall
1962
Film
Spike
Self
1996
Film
The Paranormal Peter Sellers
Self (Archive footage)
2001
Film
Carol for Another Christmas
Imperial Me
1964
Film
Up the Creek
CPO Doherty
1958
Film
Orders Are Orders
Pvt. Goffin
1954
Film
The Blockhouse
Rouquet
1973
Film
Never Let Go
Lionel Meadows
1960
Film
Only Two Can Play
John Lewis
1962
Film
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
Julie: My Favourite Things
Various
1975
Film
The Smallest Show on Earth
Percy Quill
1957
Film
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
1959
Film
Ghost in the Noonday Sun
Dick Scratcher
1973
Film
Hoffman
Mr. Hoffman
1970
Film
Wilton's: The Handsomest Hall in Town
G.W. Ross
1970
Film
The Big Screen
Self
1973
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
Self
1985
Film
The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
The Villain Antony (archive footage)
2013
Film
Muppet Treasures
Self
1985
The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d
1956
And So To Bentley
1954
Film
Down Among the Z Men
Major Bloodnok
1952
Film
El Rey en Londres
1966
Film
Simon Simon
Man with Two Cars
1970
Film
One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously
1969
Film
John and Julie
Police Constable Diamond
1955
Film
Heavens Above!
The Rev. John Smallwood
1963
Film
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
Self (Archival Footage)
2020
Film
The Bobo
Juan Bautista
1967
With Love, Sophia
Self
1967
Film
The Great McGonagall
Queen Victoria
1975
Film
The Unknown Peter Sellers
2000
Film
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
Self (archive footage)
2014
Film
Sellers' Best
Self (archive footage)
1992
Film
A Burlesque on the Opera "Carmen"
Voice narrator
1951
Yes, It's The Cathode-Ray Tube Show!
1957
Film
A Salute to Sir Lew Grade
Self
1975
Film
The Peter Sellers Story
Himself
1995
Film
Dearth of a Salesman
Hector Dimwittie
1957
Film
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Peter Sellers: Genius at Work
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders
Archive
2025
Film
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
(archive footage)
1951
Film
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Self (archive material)
1981
Film
The Super Secret Service
Sir Walter Smood / Reuben J. Crouch
1953
Film
To See Such Fun
1977
Film
Penny Points to Paradise
The Major / Arnold Fringe
1951
Film
The Last Goon Show of All
Self
1972
Film
Let's Go Crazy
Multiple Roles
1951
Film
Insomnia is Good for You
1957
Film
Directed By Blake Edwards
Self
2021
Talking Comedy
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
Assorted
1956
Kingdom Of Gifts
The Slightly Larcenous Mayor
1978
Film
The Very Best of Peter Sellers
1990
Birds, Bees and Storks
Narrator (voice)
1965
Film
The Peter Sellers Story - As He Filmed It
Himself
2003
Film
Flip Wilson... Of Course
Self
1974
I Say I Say I Say
1964