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Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers
 
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Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers (Paperback)

by Ed Sikov (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Pan; New edition edition (5 Sep 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0330482602
  • ISBN-13: 978-0330482608
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 763,115 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Review

'an authoritative biography and a compulsive page turner.' Michael Palin, NEW YORK TIMES


Product Description

Peter Sellers was a genius, whose unique mastery created enduring comic characters. But behind the man that could make the world laugh was a tragic sadness. Employing his creations as masks to hide behind, Sellers was convinced his own life was meaningless and empty.

Acclaimed (On Sunset Boulevard - the story of Billy WIlder) biographer Ed Sikov has spoken to many who knew and worked with Sellers, including Sophia Loren, Goldie Hawn, and Roman Polanski. Sikov reveals how Sellers was a casualty of his own insecurities and used his public persona to mask his tormented private life, littered with four marriages (and three divorces), countless affairs, and drug and alcohol abuse.

This is the authoritative and touching story of a majestic comedian, showing the very private face of a man whose world was lived through the public arena.

'An authoritative biography and a compulsive page turner.' Michael Palin, New York Times

'Sikov's book is often melancholy, but always informative, and entertaining... They don't really make 'em like that any more - you can't get the wood you know' Simon Louvish, Guardian


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Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers
71% buy the item featured on this page:
Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers 3.0 out of 5 stars (3)
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
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The Life and Death of Peter Sellers 3.0 out of 5 stars (12)
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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Mr Strangelove - something new?, 21 Oct 2002
By Mrs. L. Etherington "Lorraine" (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Having read every book written about the maverick Sellers, I was watering at the mouth in anticipation of the release of this. Some 20 years after his untimely death, there are numerous books on the market to choose from (some now deleted, some still selling well) - from accounts by his son to close friends and work colleagues, the man himself is covered from every angle (with the possible exception of a wife - come on Anne Hayes, you are best placed to do this).
Unfortunately, my anticipation was ill-placed. Although very well written, 'Mr Strangelove' doesn't offer anything new on the subject and disappointingly, seems to be codged together using material from previous books and quotes from the excellent Arena 3 part documentary on Peter. There doesn't seem to be any new material here at all - no effort seems to have been made to interview any of the many people who featured in Peter's life (although I am sure they are sick to death of offering words on Peter - having done it so many times now).
If anyone is to write another book about this subject, it has to offer something new and fresh and alternative to the biographies that have gone before. For anyone looking for a good book on Peter, you'd be better placed to read 'PS I love you' by Michael Sellers or the touching 'Remembering Peter Sellers' by Graham Stark. A well written effort by Sikov but that's all - and not enough to make a good book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, 28 May 2008
By Mr. J. P. Shields "guitar george" (essex) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I really enjoyed this book. An amusing account of a very talented actor.
His talent for accents in particular has never been matched. There is some footage of him in rehearsals for Dr Strangelove messing about with different accents and it is astonishing he really nails them all, West Country, Yorkshire, several different London accents etc etc.

Anyway, back to the book - a funny, tragic book about a funny, tragic person. Despite his talent and success he wasn't and messed up most of his marriages by being completely well, mad really.
It may cover ground mentioned by other material but I you haven't seen or read that material as I haven't then that doesn't matter really.
Its depiction of the glamorous circles that Sellers moved in at the height of his career is one of it's best points.
I have knocked off a star for the fact that much of the interviews seemed to be cobbled together from other sources rather than carried out by the writer himself, but as has been said by other reviewers some people who knew him will be fed up to the back teeth of talking about Peter Sellers, so getting interviews can't be easy.
Also, many people who knew him are now dead or decidedly long in the tooth, which can't help.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new, maybe, but..., 28 Mar 2006
By M. G. Jones "the_marquis" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
A fascinating read of the fascinating, and perhaps rather sinister, life of Peter Sellers.

He seems so likeable in his many comedy roles but he was, according to this book, a right royal pain in the butt! Insecure, needy and spiteful but also charismatic, lovable and loved, the subject of this biography lived through interesting times. I love to read about the entertainment industry during the fifties and sixties, to gain an insight into the times, and Sellers mixed with the low and high echelons of the British and American movie industry.

A well written book, apart from the strange use of '20th Century'. I would always write *the* 20th Century, but for some reason Sikov just writes 20th Century; thus, 'he was one of the great comic actors of 20th Century'. Put me right off my stride.

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