Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers

by Ed Sikov

Book Overview

Peter Sellers's explosive talent made him a beloved figure in world cinema and continues to attract new audiences. With his darkly comic performances in Dr. Strangelove and Lolita and his outrageously funny appearances as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films, he became one of the most popular movie stars of his time. Sellers himself identified most personally with the character he played in Being There -- an utterly empty...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786866640
• ISBN13: 9780786866649
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Hachette Books
• Length: 450 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 18 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Postsecondary to Grade 12

Customer Reviews

The Perfect Title for a Genius!

Peter Sellers was truly a comedic genius and performer. Sadly, his personal problems and his relationships with women and people in general was plagued by his own self-contempt, self-loathing, and insecurities. He only felt like himself when he was other people. Today, he probably would have been under doctor's care and have been treated for depression. Despite his own personal misfortunes and tragedies, Peter Sellers became a huge success, beloved by fans worldwide, and by his colleagues. When he died, Burt Kwouk said "everybody in London felt his loss." It might be fair to say that Peter Sellers was truly gifted and troubled by his own genius even until the end. He was searching for happiness and self-fulfillment all of his life. He might be rest-assured that he was never really alone. There are lot of people who feel the need to hide behind a mask, face, and masquerade in order to develop a personality. He just needed self-esteem. Sadly, his marriages were mostly failures and he never truly found the happiness on earth that he was seeking for here, maybe in the afterlife. I deducted a star because I believe the book left out his CBE honour by Queen Elizabeth II. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1966 which is one step below knighthood. I felt that should have been included in this book.

Exceptional

Peter Sellers has been the subject of more than a few books, some significantly better than others. Aside from Graham Stark's beautiful memoir "Remembering Peter Sellers" (still only available in the U.K., unfortunately), this is the best. Certainly it is the most comprehensive, in part because it works from, and builds upon, the many books that came before it.In more ways than one, "Mr. Strangelove" is not a light read. Sikov's research is extensive and detail is heavy, but his writing is surprisingly nimble over the 300+ page length. The life of Sellers was fraught with private and public turmoil, and a significant career dry spell. Some previous studies of him and his work treated both with almost cruel insensitivity (and I haven't even read Roger Lewis' much-pilloried "Life and Death of..."), emphasizing the pain he brought into the lives of others. Meanwhile, memoirs like his son Michael Sellers' "P.S. I Love You" and Stark's book, while certainly willing to admit to Peter's faults, made a case for his personal pain and his virtues. Happily Sikov understands Sellers' good side as well as his bad one. Though this is definitely a warts-and-all portrait of the man - his bad behavior on sets and his unhappy relationships with wives and children are not spared us - and sometimes painful to read, it is also sensitive, careful to stress Peter's humanity. (His fresh interviews with some of Sellers' colleagues do much to acheive this end.) In the end, this is the story of a man who, in Sikov's words, had an "essentially good heart". Understandably some will be (and have been, to judge from other reviews) frustrated by the extremely detailed coverage Sellers' work, especially his films, are given. But to do justice to the life of such a gifted performer requires a close look at his work, and "Mr. Strangelove" covers his work more compellingly than any previous biography has, particularly where his more obscure films are concerned."Mr. Strangelove" is a full, rich portrait of a tragicomic life, one that will be compelling reading for those with even a mild interest in its subject...though once it's been read, "mild" may well turn to "major".

Lunatic Genius

I've always been a big Peter Sellers fan. His work in DR. STRANGELOVE is beyond comic: it's still one of the great comedy performances of all time. And his work in the PINK PANTHER films still scares away every comic actor from ever reviving that successful series. But I've also always had a deep curiosity as I've watched his career. How could someone so brilliant in LOLITA and DR. STRANGELOVE end up in something like WHERE DOES IT HURT? or SOFT BEDS, HARD BATTLES? Why was there a ten-year gap in the Pink Panther films?Why the heck does he disappear halfway through CASINO ROYALE?Ed Sikov's bio provides a lot of answers while painting Sellers as a mad, bratty genius.I'd read the English edition of the Roger Lewis book, THE LIFE & DEATH OF PETER SELLERS (a difficult read if you're a Yank) and a lot of the same info is found here as well, so all the details appear to jibe. Peter Sellers had what we'd now call "issues."I found this to be a well-written bio and look forward to seeing Sellers's films again with a new perspective.Quoting this book: "He (Sellers) remains to this day the master of playing men who have no idea how ridiculous they are."He was genius and he was a lunatic. And we'll always have his films to entertain us.(Like another reviewer on here, I'll also check out Sikov's book on Billy Wilder).

Finally, someone got it right

I'm a HUGE fan of Peter Sellers, so I've read everything I could find on him over the years. But this is the first biography that really captures the comedic genius of Sellers' legendary radio broadcasts and classic film work while delving equally deeply into the actor's tragic personal life. The author unearthed all sorts of tidbits that were new to this fan, too. What really surprised me, though, was how much information was transmitted without bogging down in the usual mire of biographical facts and dates. It's really a lively read that's true to Sellers' spirit. Sikov is a new name to me, but once I finish buying all of Seller's movies on DVD, I'm going to check out his book on Billy Wilder.

A brilliant black comedy of a life

Peter Sellers was a genius and I love to watch his movies. I was wary about reading a biography of him, however, simply because he was such an impossible human being. But this book treats his life as the stuff of black comedy, and it works. We're not expected to love or sympathize with him, which is liberating. We just watch him rip through the world like a supernatural phenomena, making jokes, marriages, movies, divorces, heart attacks and headlines. Yet, by the time the book was over, I found myself weirdly fond of Sellers and sorry that he was gone.Sikov is wonderful with the details of show business. He's especially good on The Goon Show. If the book has a voice of wisdom, it's the great, irrepressible Spike Milligan. The accounts of the movies are terrific, not just the obvious ones like the Pink Panther films or LOLITA, but forgotten gems like I'M ALL RIGHT, JACK. Sikov's descriptions were good enough to send me back to the video store more than once. And his social history is terrific, too, a great, cracked history of the world of Sixties jet setters. This is a very, very funny book and easily the best actor biography since NOTES OF A COWARDLY LION by John Lahr. I can't recommend it too highly.