The greatest actor I can think of, though his old pal Richard Burton always said it was Paul Scofield. Maybe.
I can't remember whether O'Toole told it or it was told about him, but one time they told him he wasn't needed for filming that afternoon. Later they realized they needed him and went to his trailer. He wasn't there. The TV was on, and it was showing the races at Ascot. Someone looked and was a bit surprised: O'Toole was at the race.
One of my favorite O'Toole performances, believe it or not, was in the ABC miniseries, "Masada." He played the Roman commander. It was some of his most naturalistic acting. You could really feel his anger, frustration and simultaneous sympathy for the Jews hold up in the fortress. You could also see the horror on his face at the end of the siege. (If you're not familiar with the story I won't give away the ending.) And he could also be damn funny as demonstrated above.
Finally, "Peter O'Toole" (or O' Tool) would have been a great pornstar name. Too bad it was his real name.
Coincidently, over the weekend one of our local public television stations ran "Lawrence of Arabia." I didn't watch, however. I know it's considered a classic. But, at over three and a half hours, WITHOUT commercials, I didn't think I would be able to handle it.
It's impossible to imagine any of today's talk-show hosts getting a story like that from an actor, or even wanting it. Letterman doesn't get enough credit for what a great interviewer he was (at least, before he got sick of the nightly grind). In fact, young people today probably only have a vague idea of who he is. It's too bad his show was too early for the social-media era -- a lot of what he did in his prime would have gone viral instantly.
Groucho Marx and Other Short Stories and Tall Tales: Selected by Robert Bader From the Dick Cavett Foreword to the book, an excerpt from a Groucho Marx letter to Cavett
“Yours until hell freezes over, Groucho P.S.: Did you ever notice that Peter O'Toole has a double phallic name? “
Ted: I remember watching Letterman when I was in my very early 20s, and Late Night had just come on the air. It was such a breath of fresh air. Dave was acid, ironic, absurd. He had Larry Bud Melman and stupid pet tricks. Like Pee Wee's Playhouse, the show was a parody of a tired form but invested with love and energy. I recall being galvanized and was excited when I was awake and was done with my law school studies for the day so I could tune in. He meant a lot to me.
As for Peter O'Toole, what a wonder. Despite the obvious shortness of breath, he had such glee in telling this story and pulled the audience along. I'm sure we all wish we were in that dirty little Dublin bar and later the wrong funeral. Just lovely.
Not only did he not have to strain to be funny, he didn't even seem to need to strain to remember what happened!
A great actor, a magnificent presence; I never felt my time or money was wasted on any performance he gave.
My ex-husband and I both loved him in "Masada" and my ex used to do an impression of him crying out, after yet another reminder that this was not how things were done in Rome, "But this is not Rome!"
I think my favorite performance of his was in "The Stunt Man". Unless it was "The Ruling Class." Or maybe his two-fer as Henry II in "Becket" and "Lion in Winter." In any event, I cried when he died.
In her review of "My Favorite Year," Pauline Kael quoted his character, Alan Swann, declaring, "I'm not an actor! I'm a movie star!" and went on to speak for us all by noting "Happily, O'Toole is both."
Thank you so much for posting this, Ken. I am now YouTubing all of the interviews. Absolutely amazing. Conan O'Brien interview with Harris is hilarious. Gosh, for an American Jew you have an amazing awareness of Brit humour. I never thought they would be compatible. Humour is humour, and you, Sir, are a genius. You are a fellow storyteller. I am most grateful for all of you amazing, wonderful, hilarious, depreciating storytellers.
Friday question: Have you seen the new The Go-Gos documentary on Showtime? If so, do you agree with it's position they deserve to be in Rock and Rock Hall of Fame for being only all-female band to play their own instruments and write their own songs to have a number one album? Also, can you name any rock bands that did not have infighting and/or drug issues?
Saw "Lawrence" when it was re-released last year in theaters. Seeing that expansive cinematography and flawless acting on a big screen will keep you mesmerized — not even noticing how long it is.
He was always great on all the late night shows: Letterman, Carson, Conan, didn't matter. He even carried over in stories by others. Every story that Michael Caine and Richard Harris told about Peter O'Toole was great too. My personal favorite is when he appeared on Letterman during a week of shows in London:
My favorite Peter O’Toole story is this. He was in the middle of a plays run and after a matinee one day he went for a quick pint, ok several pints and became fast friends with a fellow drinker and he decided to take him to the play That night . Peter and his new friend where Sat in the audience, a part of the play was coming up and Peter turned to his friend and said “you’ll like this part, it’s where I..... oh crap” and ran backstage to be in the play
I think he might have told that story on Carson or Richard Harris told the story on Carson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGpaKKALvw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNwFhLBrCeU more drinking stories. The second link is all the times Harris and O'Toole were on Carson
Alcoholism isn't funny, in spite of what Peter O'Toole seemed to think. Decades of drinking did not wear well on him at all and seeing him like this is really depressing.
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Peter O'Toole: "He wasn't an actor, he was a movie star"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oU0vGQ-naU
This is my go-to YouTube clip for whenever I'm feeling down.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest actor I can think of, though his old pal Richard Burton always said it was Paul Scofield. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember whether O'Toole told it or it was told about him, but one time they told him he wasn't needed for filming that afternoon. Later they realized they needed him and went to his trailer. He wasn't there. The TV was on, and it was showing the races at Ascot. Someone looked and was a bit surprised: O'Toole was at the race.
O'Toole - great
ReplyDeleteScofield - great.
Best of our generation (television, movies, stage) for the longest period - John Hurt
One of my favorite O'Toole performances, believe it or not, was in the ABC miniseries, "Masada." He played the Roman commander. It was some of his most naturalistic acting. You could really feel his anger, frustration and simultaneous sympathy for the Jews hold up in the fortress. You could also see the horror on his face at the end of the siege. (If you're not familiar with the story I won't give away the ending.) And he could also be damn funny as demonstrated above.
ReplyDeleteFinally, "Peter O'Toole" (or O' Tool) would have been a great pornstar name. Too bad it was his real name.
M.B.
Coincidently, over the weekend one of our local public television stations ran "Lawrence of Arabia." I didn't watch, however. I know it's considered a classic. But, at over three and a half hours, WITHOUT commercials, I didn't think I would be able to handle it.
DeleteM.B.
It's impossible to imagine any of today's talk-show hosts getting a story like that from an actor, or even wanting it. Letterman doesn't get enough credit for what a great interviewer he was (at least, before he got sick of the nightly grind). In fact, young people today probably only have a vague idea of who he is. It's too bad his show was too early for the social-media era -- a lot of what he did in his prime would have gone viral instantly.
ReplyDeleteLOVE! LOVE!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, Ken. Lifted the day.
ReplyDeleteGroucho Marx and Other Short Stories and Tall Tales:
Selected by Robert Bader
From the Dick Cavett Foreword to the book,
an excerpt from a Groucho Marx letter to Cavett
“Yours until hell freezes over, Groucho
P.S.: Did you ever notice that Peter O'Toole
has a double phallic name? “
Ted: I remember watching Letterman when I was in my very early 20s, and Late Night had just come on the air. It was such a breath of fresh air. Dave was acid, ironic, absurd. He had Larry Bud Melman and stupid pet tricks. Like Pee Wee's Playhouse, the show was a parody of a tired form but invested with love and energy. I recall being galvanized and was excited when I was awake and was done with my law school studies for the day so I could tune in. He meant a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteAs for Peter O'Toole, what a wonder. Despite the obvious shortness of breath, he had such glee in telling this story and pulled the audience along. I'm sure we all wish we were in that dirty little Dublin bar and later the wrong funeral. Just lovely.
Not only did he not have to strain to be funny, he didn't even seem to need to strain to remember what happened!
ReplyDeleteA great actor, a magnificent presence; I never felt my time or money was wasted on any performance he gave.
My ex-husband and I both loved him in "Masada" and my ex used to do an impression of him crying out, after yet another reminder that this was not how things were done in Rome, "But this is not Rome!"
I think my favorite performance of his was in "The Stunt Man". Unless it was "The Ruling Class." Or maybe his two-fer as Henry II in "Becket" and "Lion in Winter." In any event, I cried when he died.
In her review of "My Favorite Year," Pauline Kael quoted his character, Alan Swann, declaring, "I'm not an actor! I'm a movie star!" and went on to speak for us all by noting "Happily, O'Toole is both."
Thank you so much for posting this, Ken. I am now YouTubing all of the interviews. Absolutely amazing. Conan O'Brien interview with Harris is hilarious. Gosh, for an American Jew you have an amazing awareness of Brit humour. I never thought they would be compatible. Humour is humour, and you, Sir, are a genius. You are a fellow storyteller. I am most grateful for all of you amazing, wonderful, hilarious, depreciating storytellers.
ReplyDeleteFriday question: Have you seen the new The Go-Gos documentary on Showtime? If so, do you agree with it's position they deserve to be in Rock and Rock Hall of Fame for being only all-female band to play their own instruments and write their own songs to have a number one album? Also, can you name any rock bands that did not have infighting and/or drug issues?
ReplyDeleteSaw "Lawrence" when it was re-released last year in theaters. Seeing that expansive cinematography and flawless acting on a big screen will keep you mesmerized — not even noticing how long it is.
ReplyDeleteHe was always great on all the late night shows: Letterman, Carson, Conan, didn't matter. He even carried over in stories by others. Every story that Michael Caine and Richard Harris told about Peter O'Toole was great too. My personal favorite is when he appeared on Letterman during a week of shows in London:
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/K561m7Nq7kk
My favorite Peter O’Toole story is this. He was in the middle of a plays run and after a matinee one day he went for a quick pint, ok several pints and became fast friends with a fellow drinker and he decided to take him to the play That night . Peter and his new friend where Sat in the audience, a part of the play was coming up and Peter turned to his friend and said “you’ll like this part, it’s where I..... oh crap” and ran backstage to be in the play
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ken. I remember that story. Peter O'Toole was a great raconteur in addition to his other talents.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite parts of the first Casino Royale is when Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole meet
ReplyDeleteO'Toole "Are you Richard Burton?"
Sellers "No, I'm Peter O'Toole."
O''Toole "Then you're the finest man I ever met..."
I think he might have told that story on Carson or Richard Harris told the story on Carson.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGpaKKALvw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNwFhLBrCeU more drinking stories. The second link is all the times Harris and O'Toole were on Carson
Alcoholism isn't funny, in spite of what Peter O'Toole seemed to think. Decades of drinking did not wear well on him at all and seeing him like this is really depressing.
ReplyDeleteCan't seem to comment on your posts anymore, is this by design?
ReplyDeleteLove this! Thanks Ken. One of my all-time favorites.
ReplyDelete