BEING THERE”

“BEING THERE”

The most unforgettable and famous character I ever met, I never met – unless you count motion pictures. I shall try to characterize this person by what he said both on film and in public. He was a comic genius who made a strong impression in a multiple of roles. He was the kind of person who could make anyone laugh, except himself.

He said, “Some forms of reality are so horrible we refuse to face them, unless we are trapped into it by comedy. To label any subject unsuitable for comedy is to admit defeat. I am a classic example of all humorists, only funny when I am working. There is no me. I do not exist. There use to be a me, but I had it surgically removed.”

“You never forget your first Kubrick role. I can’t say I’ve loved every Kubrick film I’ve ever seen, but ‘Dr. Strangelove’ remains my favorite. If you have seen it, you’d know what I mean. If you haven’t seen it, here are some of my lines from that film:”

     “Gentlemen, you can’t fight here! This is the war room.”

     “General Turgidson, I was under the impression that I was the only one in authority to order the use of nuclear weapons.”

In the movie ‘The Wrong Box’ he spoke these lines:

     “Eggs, yes. I can enjoy an egg myself, yes. They don’t make good pets though: you can never get them to get in at night.”

      He coughs: “It’s just a fur ball; it’s nothing. Strangely, I haven’t had fur for a fortnight.”

Real life quotes included:

     “Contraceptives should be used on every conceivable occasion.”

     “All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy.”

     “If I can’t find a way to live with myself, I can’t expect anyone to live with me.”

This was a man of mercurial off-screen temperament, but on the screen the most accomplished actor of the late 20^th century. He was married and divorced four times. He was dependent on alcohol and cocaine his entire adult life; a tormented soul who suffered from bipolar disorder. He was deeply controlling and mentally unstable.

Finally, three more quotes from the man I idolized from afar:

     “I’m a classic example of all humorists – only funny when I’m working.”

     “I feel ghostly unreal until I become somebody else again on the screen.”

     “If you ask me to play myself, I will not know what to do. I do not know who or what I am.”

Peter Sellers suffered fifteen heart attacks during his lifetime. He died at the age of 54. “You have to live before you die or you’ll die before you live. In conclusion, let me say this.”