Born Richard Henry Sellers, this son of comedians began appearing onstage with his parents while still a child. At 13 he won a talent contest. He then became a camp entertainer with the Royal Air Force, which he joined at 17.
In 1949 Sellers began appearing on the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show with Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan; he also appeared with them in his film debut Penny Points to Paradise (1951).
The actor was soon to display a talent for mimicry, taking on a variety of comedy roles in the 1950s and 1960s. Notable roles include a spiv member of The Ladykillers (1955), the elderly cinema projectionist in The Smallest Show On Earth (1958) and the amorous librarian in Only Two Can Play (1961).
Sellers got his first real international attention with the The Mouse That Roared (1959), a comedy about a small country that declares war on the United States only for the purpose of losing and becoming a beneficiary of American foreign aid. Sellers played several roles, including the Grand Duchess.
The actor also received great acclaim for two films directed by Stanley Kubrick. In 1962's Lolita Sellars played Quilty. In Dr Strangelove (1963) he took on three roles: a tight-lipped RAF officer, the American President and a deranged scientist with Nazi tendencies.
Sellers then took on the role of bumbling French detective Inspector Clouseau for a series of films which began with The Pink Panther (1963). The 1982 film Trail of the Pink Panther finished off the series and was made after the star's death. It used unseen out-takes of Sellers and a substitute disguised with bandages.
Other film roles included a concert pianist in The World of Henry Orient (1964), a TV star in There's A Girl In My Soup (1970) and a busker in The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973). The last film he appeared in was The Fiendish Plot of Dr Fu Manchu (1980).
Sellers was known as a workaholic who pushed himself to the limit despite heart attacks. He died of one in 1980. His four marriages included one to actress Britt Ekland.
More from the author of this article at www.stooky.com
Go To Page: 1
