Mr Strangelove A Biography of Peter Sellers 1st Edition by Ed Sikov, Peter Sellers ISBN 1401398944 9781401398941
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Authors:Ed Sikov , Tags:Autobiography; Kindle10K; 1 , Author sort:Sikov, Ed , Ids:9780786885817 , Languages:Languages:eng , Published:Published:Oct 2003 , Publisher:Hyperion , Comments:Comments:Amazon.com ReviewHow do you write the biography of a cipher? That’s the daunting challenge veteran Hollywood biographer Ed Sikov tackles in exploring the life of one of the 20th century’s most acclaimed comic actors. Peter Sellers’ uncanny talents as a mimic would inform everything from English radio’sGoon Showand the highly profitable–if increasingly broad–cycle of Inspector ClouseauPink Pantherfilms to his brilliant turn as Chauncey Gardiner inBeing There, a role that had all too many discomforting parallels to Sellers’ own cryptic personality. Sikov reveals that the man long hailed as comedy’s greatest chameleon was in fact a tragic, troubled personal vacuum, the only child of a literal stage mother who indulged his every whim, yet left him a distinct void for a soul. Sikov interviews many of the relatives, intimates, and survivors of Sellers that filled his alternately strange and spectacular life, while thoroughly chronicling every professional triumph and more than a few missteps. Sikov’s straightforward reporting, seasoned by his own dry wit, details the parts that made up the man, but the sum remains an ever compelling enigma. AsLolitaandDr. Strangelovedirector Stanley Kubrick, no slouch in the personal riddle sweepstakes himself, once said of Sellers: “There is no such person.”–Jerry McCulleyFrom Publishers WeeklySellers was undoubtedly one of the 20th century’s funniest people. From his first star-making turns in Lolita and Dr. Strangelove (in which he played three different characters), to the bumbling but strangely dignified Inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther movies, Sellers never failed to send audiences rolling in the aisles. But as Sikov shows in this hip, unblinking biography, there was a downside to his genius. Sellers abused drugs, beat his wives and neglected his children. On set, he was a nightmare prima donna, insisting on special treatment and embroiling himself in ridiculous feuds with costars and directors. Moreover, his compulsive need to do impressions verged at times on multiple personality disorder (his first wife said, “It’s like being married to the United Nations”). Sikov shows that no one, not even his friends, really knew Sellers. The actor was, in Sikov’s estimation, a comic tabula rasa on which he could inscribe any character or personality. This mutability gave Sellers his first break, as he bluffed his way onto radio by impersonating a BBC star on the telephone. He later became the star of the hugely influential radio program The Goon Show, whose eccentric, Dadaist humor predated Monty Python by a decade. An avid party-goer (jet-setting friends included Roman Polanski and the Beatles), Sellers enjoyed a go-go lifestyle finally that caught up with him in 1980, when he suffered a massive heart attack. Sikov, whose previous work includes a Billy Wilder biography, treats Sellers with just the right mix of awe, irritation and sympathy, giving readers a clear-headed, respectful tribute to a disturbed genius.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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ISBN 10: 1401398944
ISBN 13: 9781401398941
Author: Ed Sikov, Peter Sellers
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 man on whom others projected what they wanted, or needed, to see. In this lively and exhaustively researched biography, Ed Sikov offers unique insight into Sellers’s comedy style. Beginning with Sellers’ lonely childhood with a mother who wouldn’t let go of him, through his service in the Royal Air Force and his success on BBC Radio’s The Goon Show, Sikov goes on to detail his relationships with co-stars such as Alec Guinness, Sophia Loren, and Shirley MacLaine; his work with such directors as Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder, and Blake Edwards; his four failed marriages; his ridiculously short engagement to Liza Minnelli; and all the other peculiarities of this eccentric man’s unpredictable life. The most insightful biography ever written of this endlessly fascinating star, Mr. Strangelove is as comic and tragic as Peter Sellers was himself.
Mr Strangelove A Biography of Peter Sellers 1st Edition Table of contents:
Chapter 1: Early Years and Formative Influences
- A look at Sellers’ childhood and early life in England.
- The influence of his parents and the beginnings of his interest in performance and comedy.
- His early career in radio and theater, paving the way for his entry into film.
Chapter 2: Rising Through the Ranks
- Sellers’ early film career, focusing on his work in British cinema during the 1950s.
- His comedic talent was recognized in films such as The Ladykillers and the Pink Panther series.
- The development of his distinctive comedic style and the start of his rise to fame.
Chapter 3: The Pink Panther and the Making of a Star
- In-depth analysis of Sellers’ breakthrough role as Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther franchise.
- The impact of these films on Sellers’ career and the world’s perception of him as a comedic genius.
- The pressures and challenges Sellers faced in managing his newfound fame.
Chapter 4: Dr. Strangelove and Hollywood Glory
- The pivotal role of Dr. Strangelove (1964), where Sellers played multiple characters, earning widespread acclaim.
- A deeper look at his collaboration with Stanley Kubrick and the film’s legacy.
- The contrast between Sellers’ comedic brilliance and the darker, more introspective elements of his personality.
Chapter 5: The Complex Man Behind the Masks
- A look at the personal life of Sellers, exploring his marriages, relationships, and emotional struggles.
- The toll his fame and personality took on his personal relationships.
- Analysis of Sellers’ tendency to perform even off-screen, adopting different personas in his daily life.
Chapter 6: The Darker Side: Mental Health and Addiction
- Examination of Sellers’ battles with mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
- His struggles with substance abuse and the impact these had on his career and personal life.
- The pressures of constantly living up to expectations and the impact on his well-being.
Chapter 7: The Later Years: Fame, Failure, and Reflection
- Sellers’ evolving career in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Analysis of his later works, such as Being There, and the challenges of staying relevant in an evolving film industry.
- A reflection on the toll of his personal demons and how they influenced his professional choices.
Chapter 8: Legacy and Impact
- The lasting legacy of Peter Sellers in the world of film and comedy.
- His influence on later generations of comedians and actors.
- An assessment of his contribution to the evolution of character-driven comedy in cinema.
Chapter 9: The Man and His Masks: A Final Reflection
- A summation of the complex nature of Peter Sellers as both a man and an actor.
- An exploration of how Sellers’ persona was shaped by his inner turmoil and artistic genius.
- Final thoughts on his enduring place in film history.
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