Lawrence Of Arabia Actor, Peter O'Toole Dies At 81

O'Toole as T.E.Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Highly acclaimed Irish actor, Peter O'Toole died in London on Saturday at the age of 81. The actor had reportedly been ill for some time. He made his name big-time by his performance in the 1962 epic movie Lawrence of Arabia. A true story in which he played British Army officer T.E.Lawrence who helped the Arab revolt for independence from the Ottoman empire in the early twentieth century.

A scene from Lawrence of Arabia

Son of an Irish bookie, he started his acting career doing stage performances and by the time he was in his 20s he was the youngest leading actor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre   like many of the great actors of his generation and was truly one of the greatest. A booming, clear voice with excellent diction in far from ordinary roles that made him easily one of the most regal of his contemporaries. Also an accomplished party animal like his late friends Richard Burton and Richard Harris who were also members of an elite club of great British actors studied closely by many great actors of today as well. Amazingly he never won an Oscar for Best Actor despite 8 nominations and countless classic performances.

From his beginnings as a stage actor he played many types of roles but is celebrated more an account of his characters in epic movies. Younger moviegoers will be more familiar with his work in the 2004 adventure movie Troy as King Priam with Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom.

King Priam in Troy (2004)

He is survived by two daughters and a son.