RIP - Peter Ustinov - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Mephisto2 · 03-29-2004, 01:21 PM

A sad day indeed.

Quote:

Peter Ustinov is dead

March 29, 2004

Sir Peter Ustinov, actor, director, producer, playwright, raconteur and a host of other things, died in Switzerland at the weekend at the age of 82. He was one of the most extraordinary theatrical figures of the 20th century.

This multi-lingual genius needed no prompting on television or on the platform. He would plunge effortlessly into a stream of often hilarious anecdotes, in half a dozen different languages, suitably embellished with bizarre mimicry, both physical and verbal.

He was plainly the most versatile and continuously brilliant figure in the field of the arts and entertainment of his generation.

His talents spread across a remarkable spectrum. He seemed to bring sparkle and magic to anything and everything he touched.

Ustinov remained "youthful" even as an old man, drawing crowds wherever he went and astonishing his audiences with a dazzling wit, impeccable mimicry, an amazing memory and a compelling presence.

Peter Alexander Ustinov was born in London on April 16, 1921, half Russian and half German on his father's side, and half Russian, a quarter Italian and a quarter French on his mother's side.

Hardly surprisingly, he once said: "It's very difficult for me to feel British."

And on another occasion he observed: "I rather think of myself as ethnically filthy - and proud of it."

He went to Westminster School where, aged 14, he earned his first fee for a satirical piece about Von Ribbentrop's son, a fellow pupil. An early school report on Ustinov said: "He shows great originality which must be curbed at all costs."

He left school at 16 without qualification or distinction. At the London Theatre Studio he rapidly made a name for himself as an actor and writer in revue. He wrote his first play at the age of 18 and directed his first film at the age of 24.

Ustinov was called up into the army and served for a time as David Niven's batman. He found himself working on an official film, A School For Secrets, at the Malvern radar establishment.

And to the fury of his fellow privates, he was assigned a car and driver, a suite of rooms, two WAAFs to bring him tea and dust his rifle, and a pass which said: "This man may go anywhere and do anything at his discretion."

But later, during the war, he told an officers' selection board that he had a preference for tanks "because you can go into battle sitting down".

Inevitably, the board issued a warning: "On no account must this man be put in charge of others."

He married his first wife when he was 19, a young lady who, it was claimed, was totally ignorant of the facts of life, although they were to have one child.

His second wife, Suzanne, was a beautiful but deeply troubled French Canadian actress. That marriage was dissolved in 1971, with Ustinov winning custody of their three children.

Of his third wife, Helene, he said: "She has made me into something approaching the man I once hoped to be, privately and secretly."

Ustinov wrote numerous plays, most successful of which was The Love of Four Colonels in which he starred with Moira Lister. But his style, which tended towards the whimsical, allegorical and long-winded, drifted out of fashion by the late 50s.

From the 1960s, he concentrated on a series of mostly forgettable film roles, although he did win Oscars for the best supporting actor in Spartacus and Topkapi.

Ustinov also wrote and directed the film Billy Budd, which introduced Terence Stamp to the movies. In addition he was writing novels, making spectacular one-man stage appearances, and producing newspaper columns.

The great critic, James Agate, once said of him: "Ustinov is whipped by something which must be genius since it cannot be talent, for the first characteristic of talent is the taking of trouble, and I suspect that Ustinov never takes any."

His ability to remember anecdotes and recall incidents amazed his friends. He never committed anything to paper, but he once explained: "I work on training the memory by a very complicated numerical and letter system of my own, which is a secret.

"I do that in case I am ever put in prison by mistake, which seems more and more likely these days. I'd have to have something to occupy the mind because I presume that in the kind of prison I'd be put into, there would be no paper allowed and no sharp objects."

Some people have said that Ustinov spread himself too thinly. He was invariably dashing around the world from his home in Switzerland, promoting books, making TV series, recording voice-overs, writing newspaper articles or speaking at seminars and literary lunches.

He was always more feted in Germany (where they continually reprinted all his literary endeavours), Switzerland (whose National Library keeps his entire oeuvre on microfilm) and France (where he was elected to Orson Welles's chair at the Academie des Beaux Arts) than he was in his native Britain.

He once complained that when, in 1994, he won the coveted Culture Prize in Germany "it was reported nowhere in Britain".

Once he said: "Obviously the British are the toughest nail because I started here. Here it is as a comedian that I am best known. I am not known as that anywhere else.

"And that is why I find living in Switzerland rather emollient, because I get over the bruises much more quickly."

But in addition to being a celebrity, he shuttled about on behalf of Unicef, the world children's agency, and was president of an obscure "Utopian" lobby called the World Federalists.

Last year, he was honoured with a graduate college named after him at Durham University, where he was chancellor.

Ustinov seemed to master everything he attempted. His one-foot-long entry in Who's Who - written by himself - describes in a matter-of-fact way all the output of his extraordinary career. But he once apologised for this entry as being "a little tasteless".

However, he could also be engagingly self-deprecatory. On his 70th birthday he told his four children that he had reached the time of life when he would soon have to decide what he wanted to do with it.

"My son was rather charming. He said 'Don't hurry,' " he added.

PA

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...544419302.html

Mr Mephisto

bundy · 03-29-2004, 01:42 PM

oh my, i hadn't heard.
thanks for the article mephisto.

such a remarkable man.

Tophat665 · 03-29-2004, 01:55 PM

He MADE Spartacus, both the character and the film. Though his character's name escapes me, it is one of the best ever - the bold coward pushed just a bit too far.

I guess that means that, once Kirk Douglas goes, that's everyone of note in the movie.

For god's sake, let us all sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings.

We hardly knew you, Pete, yet we'll miss you just the same.

Bill O'Rights · 03-29-2004, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tophat665
He MADE Spartacus, both the character and the film. Though his character's name escapes me, it is one of the best ever - the bold coward pushed just a bit too far.

Batiatus, the Gladiator Dealer. "Good luck, and may fortune smile upon...most of you."

Speed_Gibson · 03-29-2004, 05:15 PM

sad news. I was considering renting the Blackbeard's Ghost DVD tonight at the video store.

Fremen · 03-29-2004, 07:23 PM

I always loved his Hercule Poirot.
I didn't know all that about him in the article above.
It sounds like we just lost a much greater man than a lot of us realised.
He'll definitely be missed.

R.I.P., Peter.

Date the Banana · 03-29-2004, 08:13 PM

Dang, he was good. Anyone see the documentary he did on the Vatican? First time cameras had ever been allowed into some of the rooms. Brilliant stuff!

Mephisto2 · 03-29-2004, 09:07 PM

He was known in the UK primarily as a comedian, but was so much more than that. That said, it was wonderful to see him talk spontaneously, during interviews or one-man shows.

I really really liked him.

What's the world coming to? First Peter Sellars, then Alec Guinness followed by Spike Milligan and now Peter Ustinov. All the "gentleman actors" or are dropping off and we have nothing comparable to replace them with. Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai just doesn't really measure up.

I just hope Michael Caine, Sir Ian McClellan, John Hurt and Ben Kingsley last a while...

Mr Mephisto

03-29-2004, 01:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
bundy . Location: Tokyo	oh my, i hadn't heard. thanks for the article mephisto. such a remarkable man. __________________ Ohayo!!!

03-29-2004, 01:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tophat665 Minion of the scaléd ones Location: Northeast Jesusland	He MADE Spartacus, both the character and the film. Though his character's name escapes me, it is one of the best ever - the bold coward pushed just a bit too far. I guess that means that, once Kirk Douglas goes, that's everyone of note in the movie. For god's sake, let us all sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings. We hardly knew you, Pete, yet we'll miss you just the same. __________________ Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

03-29-2004, 05:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
Speed_Gibson Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Location: right here of course	sad news. I was considering renting the Blackbeard's Ghost DVD tonight at the video store. __________________ Started talking to yourself I see. Yes, it's the only way I can be certain of an intelligent conversation. Black Adder

03-29-2004, 07:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
Fremen With a mustache, the cool factor would be too much Location: left side of my couch, East Texas	I always loved his Hercule Poirot. I didn't know all that about him in the article above. It sounds like we just lost a much greater man than a lot of us realised. He'll definitely be missed. R.I.P., Peter. __________________ Google

03-29-2004, 08:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
Date the Banana Insane Location: Japan	Dang, he was good. Anyone see the documentary he did on the Vatican? First time cameras had ever been allowed into some of the rooms. Brilliant stuff! __________________ all work and no play make Date something something

03-29-2004, 09:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mephisto2 Junkie	He was known in the UK primarily as a comedian, but was so much more than that. That said, it was wonderful to see him talk spontaneously, during interviews or one-man shows. I really really liked him. What's the world coming to? First Peter Sellars, then Alec Guinness followed by Spike Milligan and now Peter Ustinov. All the "gentleman actors" or are dropping off and we have nothing comparable to replace them with. Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai just doesn't really measure up. I just hope Michael Caine, Sir Ian McClellan, John Hurt and Ben Kingsley last a while... Mr Mephisto Last edited by Mephisto2; 03-29-2004 at 09:10 PM..