The legendary Peter O'Toole has passed away at the age of 81. The man known for playing Lawrence of Arabia to one generation and critic Anton Ego to another, had a career that spanned five decades and will always be remembered for such films as Lawrence, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, The Last Emperor, Venus and Ratatouille. He worked right up until the end, even though he was well known for his hard drinking-and-partying lifestyle for much of his life. Always a joyous screen presence, he's a big loss to the world of film and he will be missed.
Here he is in one of my favorite movies, The Lion in Winter (1967):
And here he is receiving his honorary Oscar in 2003. Peter O'Toole was famously nominated 8 times for Best Actor and never won, making him the most nominated actor in history never to receive a competitive Academy Award:
And showing off the great personality and sense of humor that made him a favorite to have on talk shows, visiting David Letterman in 1995, when The Late Show went to London. Part One:
Part Two:
