Peter Ustinov
Born: 1921-04-16 in Camden, London, England, UK
Died: 2004-03-28
Known For: Acting
Biography
Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE (16 April 1921 – 28 March 2004) was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter. A noted wit and raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits for much of his career. He was also a respected intellectual and diplomat who, in addition to his various academic posts, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and President of the World Federalist Movement. Ustinov was the winner of numerous awards over his life, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards for acting, a Grammy Award for best recording for children, as well the recipient of governmental honours from, amongst others, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. He displayed a unique cultural versatility that has frequently earned him the accolade of a Renaissance man. Miklós Rózsa, composer of the music for Quo Vadis and of numerous concert works, dedicated his String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 (1950) to Ustinov. In 2003, shortly before his death in 2004, Durham University renamed its Graduate Society as Ustinov College in honour of the significant contributions Sir Peter had made while serving as Chancellor of the University from 1992 onwards.
Filmography
2021
- Morceaux de Cannes
- Parkinson at 50 as Self (archive footage)
2011
- Hollywood Invasion as self
2009
- Max par Marcel: Lola Montès as Self (archive footage)
2004
2003
- Luther as Frederick
- Salem Witch Trials as William Stroughton
- Winter Solstice
- Winter Solstice as Hughie McLellan
- Charlie Chaplin: The Forgotten Years as Self
2002
- Gero von Boehm begegnet... as Self
- Salem Witch Trials as William Stroughton
- Schönbrunn - Well of Beauty as Presenter
- Das Leben – ein Karussell: Max Ophüls und sein Werk as self
2001
- Aeschbacher as Self
- Victoria & Albert as William IV
- Jukebox Heroes as Self
- Victoria & Albert as König William IV.
2000
- The Ten Commandments of Creativity as Self
- My Khmer Heart as Self
1999
- Beckmann as Self
- The Bachelor as Grandad
- Animal Farm as Old Major (voice)
- Alice in Wonderland as Walrus
- Majestät brauchen Sonne as (uncredited voice)
1998
- The Johannes B. Kerner Show as Self
- Sabine Christiansen as Self
- Hier und heute as Self
- Stiff Upper Lips as Horace Wiggins
- Alekan le magnifique as Self
1996
- An Evening with Peter Ustinov as Self
1995
- Die Harald Schmidt Show as Self
- Lebens-Künstler as Self
- Queen: Champions of the World as Self
- The Old Curiosity Shop as Grandfather
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: Don Giovanni as Narrator
- The Phoenix and the Magic Carpet as Grandfather / Phoenix (voice)
- Paths of the Gods as Self - Presenter
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: Così fan tutti as Narrator
- Peter and the Wolf as Narrator
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: The Marriage of Figaro as Narrator
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: The Abduction from the Seraglio as Narrator
1994
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: The Magic Flute as Narrator
- The Bible According to Hollywood as Self
1992
- Lorenzo's Oil as Professor Nikolais
1991
- DAS! as Self
- Boulevard Bio as Self (archive footage)
- The Trouble With Agatha Christie as Self - Actor
1990
- Zeil um Zehn as Self
- There Was a Castle with Forty Dogs as Il veterinario
- Max Ophüls - Den schönen guten Waren as Self
1989
- Blauer Panther as Self
- Around the World in 80 Days as Wilbur Fix
- The French Revolution as André-Boniface-Louis Riquetti, vicomte de Mirabeau (« Les Années Lumière »)
- The French Revolution as Vicomte de Mirabeau
- Saturday Night Clive
- Granpa as Granpa (voice)
1988
- Appointment with Death as Hercule Poirot
- The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper as Self - Host
- Children of Ghana as Voice-over (English)
- Beethovens Zehnte as Beethoven
- Peep and the Big Wide World as Narrator (voice)
- An Audience with Peter Ustinov as Self
1987
- Seitenblicke as self
- F1 Review 1987 as Narrator
1986
- Showgeschichten as Self
- Dead Man's Folly as Hercule Poirot
- Murder in Three Acts as Hercule Poirot
- Riders of the Wind as Self - Narrator (voice)
1985
- Thirteen at Dinner as Hercule Poirot
- La Dixième de Beethoven ... (Author)
1984
- Goldene Kamera as Self
- Memed My Hawk as Abdi Aga
- Abgehört as Genosse Kuruk
1983
- Harty as Self
1982
- Wogan as Self
- Champs-Elysées as Self
- Timewatch as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Evil Under the Sun as Hercule Poirot
- Night of 100 Stars as Self
- The Making of Agatha Christie's 'Evil Under the Sun' as Hercuele Poirot
- Imaginary Friends as Philip Lester
- Venezia, carnevale, un amore
1981
- Wetten, dass..? as Self
- Doctor Snuggles as Doctor Snuggles
- The Great Muppet Caper as Truck Driver
- Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen as Charlie Chan
- Grendel Grendel Grendel as Grendel (voice)
1980
- Heut' abend as Self
- Strumpet City as King Edward VII
1979
- NDR Talk Show as Self
- Bavarian Film Awards as Self
- Ashanti as Suleiman
- Nuclear Nightmares as Himself
- Tarka the Otter as Narrator (voice)
- We'll Grow Thin Together as Victor Lasnier
- Einstein's Universe as Himself
- Death on the Tagus as Self
- Through Joy and Beyond as C. S. Lewis (voice)
1978
- An Audience with... as Self
- Death on the Nile as Hercule Poirot
- The Thief of Baghdad as The Caliph
- Metamorphoses as Narrator (voice)
- Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette as Self / Hercule Poirot
- Halfway Up the Tree ... (Theatre Play)
1977
- Jesus of Nazareth as Herod the Great
- Auf los geht's los as Self
- The Purple Taxi as Taubelman
- Double Murder as Harry Hellman
- The Last Remake of Beau Geste as Sergeant Markov
- The Mermaid Frolics as Self
- The Mouse and His Child as Manny the Rat (voice)
- Summa Summarum - Sondersendung zu Heinz Rühmanns 75. Geburtstag
1976
- The Muppet Show as Self - Special Guest Star / Dr. Felix Ogelbaum
- Cérémonie des César as Self - Host
- The Secret Policeman's Ball as Self
- Logan's Run as Old Man
- Music & Guests as Self
- Treasure of Matecumbe as Dr. Snodgrass
- Not an Evening like any Other as Antiquiätenhändler 'Billy's Kunstshop'
1975
- Apostrophes as Self
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche as Self
- Numéro un as Self
- One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing as Prince John/ Hnup Wan ''Hunp''
1974
- Spécial cinéma as Self
- 3 nach 9 as Self
- Dinah! as Self
- Die Montagsmaler as Self
1973
- Robin Hood as Prince John - A Lion / King Richard (voice)
- Je später der Abend as Self
- Julie's Christmas Special as Self / Santa Claus
1972
- Clochemerle as Narrator
- Hammersmith Is Out as Doctor
- Short Cut to Haifa as Israeli Truck Driver
- The Marshal of Madrid
1971
- Film '72 as Self
- V.I.P. Schaukel as Self
- Anneliese Rothenberger gibt sich die Ehre as Self
- Die Zauberflöte ... (Director)
- Gideon as Gideon
- Babar Comes to America as Narrator (voice)
1970
- A Storm in Summer as Abel Shaddick
1969
- Viva Max! as General Maximilian Rodrigues De Santos
- L'Amour des 4 colonels ... (Writer)
1968
- The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
- Klapzubova jedenáctka as reporter
- Blackbeard's Ghost as Captain Blackbeard
- Hot Millions as Marcus Pendleton / Caesar Smith
- The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant as Narrator / All voices (voice)
- Diaghilev: The Years Abroad as Presenter
1967
- Omnibus as Self
- The Comedians as Ambassador Manuel Pineda
- The Comedians in Africa as Self (uncredited)
1966
- NET Playhouse as Self
- Barefoot in Athens as Socrates
1965
- Lady L as Prince Otto of Bavaria
- John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! as Fawz
1964
- The Wednesday Play ... (Writer)
- Die Drehscheibe as Self
- Thursday Theatre ... (Writer)
- Topkapi as Arthur Simon Simpson
- Zwischenstation as Self
- Lieder, Arien und Geschichten as Self
- The Peaches as Narrator (voice)
1963
- The Danny Kaye Show as Self
- Everyman as Narrator (English)
- Women of the World as English Narration (voice)
1962
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show as Self
- Billy Budd as Edwin Fairfax Vere, Post Captain
- Das Profil as Self
1961
- The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- Romanoff and Juliet as The General
1960
- Spartacus as Lentulus Batiatus
- The Sundowners as Rupert Venneker
1959
- The David Susskind Show as Self
1958
- Small World as Self
1957
- Tonight Starring Jack Paar as Self
- Aktuelle Schaubude as Self
- DuPont Show of the Month ... (Writer)
- Theatre Night as Self — Introduction
- The Spies as Michel Kiminsky
- The Man Who Wagged His Tail as Mr. Bossi
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Host / Presenter
- The Steve Allen Show as Self - Guest
- Cinépanorama as Self
- The Legend of the Good Beasts as The Storyteller
1955
- Was bin ich? as Self
- Folio
- Lola Montès as Circus Master
- We're No Angels as Jules
- The Moment of Truth as The Marshall
1954
- The Egyptian as Kaptah
- Beau Brummell as George, Prince of Wales
1953
- The Oscars as Self
1952
- Omnibus as Dr. Samuel Johnson
- Le Plaisir as Narrator (uncredited) (voice) (English edit)
- The Magic Box as Industry Man
1951
- Quo Vadis as Nero
- Hallmark Hall of Fame as Socrates
- Hotel Sahara as Emad
1950
- What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- Sunday Night Theatre ... (Writer)
- Odette as Lt. Alex Rabinovich
1949
- Under Capricorn ... (Screenplay)
- Private Angelo as Pvt. Angelo
1948
- Bambi as Self
- Vice Versa ... (Producer)
1946
- School for Secrets ... (Director)
1945
- The True Glory as Commentator
1944
- Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter
- The Way Ahead as Rispoli
1943
- The New Lot as Keith
1942
- One of Our Aircraft Is Missing as The Priest
- The Goose Steps Out as Krauss
- Let the People Sing as Dr. Bentika
1940
- After Mein Kampf as Marinus van der Lubbe