“Goodbye” Peter Sellers Died 24 July 1980

Peter Sellers, CBE (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980), was a British film actor, comedian and singer. He appeared in the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show, but probably best remembered as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther series of films.

Born in Portsmouth, Sellers made his stage debut at the Kings Theatre, Southsea, when he was two weeks old then toured with his parents in a variety act. He first worked as a drummer and toured around England as a member of the Entertainments National Service Association.

Sellers began as a film actor in the 1950’s.  Notable films of his include I’m All Right Jack (1959); Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita (1962) and Dr. Strangelove (1964); What’s New, Pussycat? (1965); Casino Royale (1967); The Party (1968); Being There (1979) and the five films of the Pink Panther series (1963–1978). He would often play multiple roles in the same film.  He was nominated three times for an Academy Award, twice for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performances in Dr. Strangelove and Being There, and once for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960). He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role twice, for I’m All Right Jack and for the original Pink Panther film, The Pink Panther (1963) and was nominated as Best Actor three times. In 1980 he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in Being There, and also earned three other Golden Globe nominations in the same category.

In his personal life, Sellers struggled with depression and insecurities making his behaviour  often erratic and compulsive. Sellers was married four times, and had three children from his first two marriages. He died as a result of a heart attack in 1980, aged 54.