Happy birthday, Peter O’Toole

by chuckofish

Peter Seamus Lorcan O’Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish actor of stage and screen. His mother was Scottish.

 

Peter_O'Toole_--_LOA_trailer

My dual personality and I became big fans of his after seeing him in the re-release of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in 1971. We saw it on a very hot day in the summer. During the intermission, following heroic trekking across the desert, our mother bought us sodas at the movie theater for the first time ever. It was a Big Day.

Peter O’Toole has made some good movies, but his career has largely been a disappointment to me. Like his Irish compatriot Richard Harris, he started out strong, but dissipated by drink, his career has been spotty. We can only wonder what might have been.

However, I like him in Lord Jim (1965) and in How to Steal a Million (1966)–he and Audrey Hepburn made a lovely and well-matched pair. And I will always have a soft spot in my heart for his portrayal of the angels in The Bible (1966)–a pretty terrible movie much enlivened by his presence.

This angel reminds me of...Lawrence of Arabia!

This angel reminds me of…Lawrence of Arabia!

So let’s drink a toast to Peter O’Toole (preferably with something with ice) and watch some favorite scenes from Lawrence of Arabia. Hut, hut, huuuuuuuuut!