Peter O'Toole

The life and career of enigmatic stage and film actor Peter O'Toole (1932-2013).Contemporary audiences may best know O'Toole from his luminous portrayal of T.E. Lawrence in David Lean's 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, but he had a varied career that spanned several decades, earning him significant critical notice through the years and an impressive eight Academy Award nominations. O'Toole rode the crest of his stardom in the 1960s, when, fresh from his star-making turn as Lawrence, he was busily sought after for numerous leading film roles. Yet his increasing alcohol consumption and a habitually chaos-driven personal life frequently intersected with his professional pursuits and gradually began to undermine his career. Sellers (What Fresh Lunacy Is This?: The Authorised Biography of Oliver Reed, 2013, etc.) provides a well-researched and colorful overview of O'Toole's background, from his earliest theatrical performances through the many films and stage productions of later years. The author also focuses a lot of attention on the destructive side of his subject's personality, diligently tracking every extended pub crawl and public disturbance he caused. O'Toole's high jinks were often in the company of other notable talents of his generation, several of whom have become inebriated legends in their own rights, including actors Richard Burton and Richard Harris, who, together with O'Toole and Oliver Reed, were the subject of an earlier Sellers biography, Hellraisers (2009). Chronicling the latter portion of O'Toole's career, with his stardom diminished and a few life-threatening episodes forcing him to abstain, at least somewhat, from drinking, the author gradually shifts his focus to O'Toole's craft as an actor and his particular skills for building his performances. This approach leads to greater insight into his personality and provides more depth to the narrative. This engrossing biography of an often excruciatingly difficult though uniquely gifted actor should encourage readers to seek out some of O'Toole's many memorable film performances. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2016

Artfully balancing personal and professional accounts of Peter O'Toole's (19322-013) life, Sellers (Hellraisers) shares interviews, anecdotes, and scenes from his time in the spotlight and at home. O'Toole struggled with heavy drinking, perfectionism, and issues with authority. Finding solace and support in close relationships and two long-term marriages, he experienced success as an actor and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, later winning an honorary Oscar for his life's work. Highlighting the performances that shaped O'Toole's career, this well-researched title provides a comprehensive view of a legendary actor and intimate details of a glamorous time with the help of the people who knew O'Toole best. VERDICT Recommended for film buffs and those interested in the larger-than-life worlds of the London stage and classic Hollywood films, this volume would be best received by readers interested in the complexity and motivations of O'Toole. The content may be too detailed for readers seeking a light read.--Rochelle LeMaster, Medina Cty. Dist. Lib., OH

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2016
This new book about legendary actor O'Toole bills itself as The Definitive Biography. It's hard to tell whether that's truesome new information might come to light down the roadbut one thing's for sure: it's as energetic, unpredictable, and entertaining as the man himself. O'Toole, star of such notable films as Lawrence of Arabia, The Stunt Man, and My Favorite Year, had a reputation as a hard-drinking, outspoken, unconventional fellow, and Sellers perfectly captures that spirit here: After one mighty bender, they returned to this hovel rat-arsed and starving hungry. ( They being O'Toole and Richard Harris, one of O'Toole's drinking buddies; Richard Burton was another.) O'Toole lived a hectic, fascinating life; in his early years he built a reputation as a driven and startlingly compelling actor, but his later years were marked by questionable film roles and some life-threatening medical issues. Sellers gives equal weight to the actor's personal and professional liveswith O'Toole, at times, the line between personal and professional was nearly nonexistent anywayand gives film buffs one of the best biographies of any actor to hit the shelves in many a year.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)