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Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole

Actor, also producer · Died December 14, 2013, aged 81 · Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Oscar winner · Primetime Emmy winner · 4 Golden Globes · 3 other major award bodies

Peter Seamus O'Toole (August 2, 1932 – December 14, 2013) was a British-Irish actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company. In 1959 he made his West End debut in The Long and the Short and the Tall, and played the title role in Hamlet in the National Theatre's first production in 1963. Excelling on the London stage, O'Toole was known for his "hellraiser" lifestyle off it. Making his film debut in 1959, O'Toole achieved international recognition playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) for which he received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was nominated for this award another seven times – for playing King Henry II in both Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), My Favorite Year (1982), and Venus (2006) – and holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for acting without a win (tied with Glenn Close). In 2002, he was awarded the Academy Honorary Award for his career achievements. O'Toole was the recipient of four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award for Best British Actor and one Primetime Emmy Award. Other performances include What's New Pussycat? (1965), How to Steal a Million (1966), Supergirl (1984), and minor roles in The Last Emperor (1987) and Troy (2004). He also voiced Anton Ego, the restaurant critic in Pixar's Ratatouille (2007).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 2, 1932
Died
December 14, 2013 (aged 81)
From
Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
61 on MovieCove · 110 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 12% in 30 days

What are Peter O'Toole's films like?

Across their 54 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 52 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 13 · Dark 22

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 13

Gentle 10 · Charged 25 · Intense 17

A split, not a type: Steady 25 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 7

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 28 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 6

Slow burn 32 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 0

Casual 22 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 5

A split, not a type: Easy watch 19 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 16

Resolved 35 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

45 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 45 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 45
Mentor
12 of 45
Shadow
9 of 45
Herald
5 of 45
Shapeshifter
3 of 45
Threshold guardian
2 of 45
Ally
1 of 45
Trickster
1 of 45
Show the 45 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Melancholic
22
Contemplative
14
Absurd
13
Hopeful
12
Other
55

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet24
  • Tragic9
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Peter O'Toole's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 61 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (21).

Subscription and free streaming for Peter O'Toole's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

110 credits, 61 with a MovieCove page; 34 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Love Left the Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema of Pretenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Archive

  • The Performance(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Hangover in Death Valley(2018)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Diamond Cartel(2015)

    as Tugboat

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • Decline of an Empire(2014)

    as Gallus

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Eldorado(2012)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Eager to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Lord Pelican

  • Iron Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lionel Relic

  • Iron Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Relic

  • Behind The Scenes of Caligula (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Dean Spanley(2008)

    as Fisk Senior

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Stardust(2007)

    as King

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Ratatouille(2007)

    as Anton Ego (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • The Tudors(2007)

    Show 10 episodes · as Pope Paul III

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • One Night with the King(2006)

    as Samuel, the Prophet

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Venus(2006)

    as Maurice

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Lassie(2005)

    as The Duke

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Casanova (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Giacomo Casanova

  • Mystic India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Narrador

  • Troy(2004)

    as Priam

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Augustus: The First Emperor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Augustus Caesar

  • Augustus: The First Emperor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Augustus Caesar

  • Bright Young Things(2003)

    as Colonel Blount

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Hitler: The Rise of Evil(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as President Paul von Hindenburg

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
  • The Final Curtain(2002)

    as JJ Curtis

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
  • Global Heresy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Lord Foxley

  • The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Producer · as Jeffrey Bernard

  • Joan of Arc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bishop Cauchon

  • Molokai(1999)

    as William Williamson

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • The Manor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Mr. Ravenscroft

  • Coming Home(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Colonel Edgar Carey-Lewis

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows
  • Coming Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Colonel Edgar Carey-Lewis

  • Phantoms(1998)

    as Dr. Timothy Flyte

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • FairyTale: A True Story(1997)

    as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Gulliver's Travels(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as King of Lilliput

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows
  • Heavy Weather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Clarence, Earl of Emsworth

  • The Rainbow Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Prince Meleagre

  • The Seventh Coin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Emil Saber

  • Civvies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · as Barry Newman

  • Rebecca's Daughters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Lord Sarn

  • Isabelle Eberhardt(1991)

    as Maj. Lyautey

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • King Ralph(1991)

    as Willingham

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • The Nutcracker Prince(1990)

    as Pantaloon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Crossing to Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as John Sidney Howard

  • Wings of Fame(1990)

    as Cesar Valentin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Silas Ruthyn

  • High Spirits(1988)

    as Peter Plunkett

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • The Last Emperor(1987)

    as Reginald Johnston (R.J.)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • The Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Uncle Silas Ruthyn

  • Club Paradise(1986)

    as Anthony Cloyden Hayes

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • North & South: Book 1, North & South(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sam Trump

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Creator(1985)

    as Dr. Harry Wolper

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Ray Bradbury Theater(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as John Hampton

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • Supergirl(1984)

    as Zaltar

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Kim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Lama

  • Pygmalion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Professor Henry Higgins

  • Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Sherlock Holmes (voice)

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Sherlock Holmes (voice)

  • Is There One Who Understands Me? The World of James Joyce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Svengali (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Anton Bosnyak

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Sherlock Holmes (voice)

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Sherlock Holmes (voice)

  • Man and Superman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Jack Tanner

  • My Favorite Year(1982)

    as Alan Swann

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Masada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · as General Cornelius Flavius Silva

  • The Stunt Man(1980)

    as Eli Cross

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Strumpet City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 7 episodes · as Jim Larkin

  • Caligula(1979)

    as Tiberius

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • Zulu Dawn(1979)

    as Lord Chelmsford

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Power Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Colonel Zeller

  • The South Bank Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rogue Male(1976)

    as Sir Robert Thorndyke

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Foxtrot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Liviu

  • Rosebud(1975)

    as Larry Martin

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Man Friday(1975)

    as Robinson Crusoe

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Man of La Mancha(1972)

    as Don Quixote De La Mancha / Miguel de Cervantes / Alonso Quijana

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • The Ruling Class(1972)

    as Jack 14th Earl of Gurney

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Under Milk Wood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Captain Tom Cat

  • Murphy's War(1971)

    as Murphy

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Brotherly Love(1970)

    as Sir Charles Ferguson

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Goodbye, Mr. Chips(1969)

    as Arthur Chipping

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Stiletto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Man at the Premiere (uncredited)

  • Great Catherine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Capt. Charles Edstaston

  • The Lion in Winter(1968)

    as Henry II

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Casino Royale(1967)

    as Scottish Piper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Present Laughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Garry Essendine

  • The Night of the Generals(1967)

    as General Tanz

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • The Bible in the Beginning...(1966)

    as The Three Angels

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • How to Steal a Million(1966)

    as Simon Dermott

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • The Sandpiper(1965)

    as (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • What's New Pussycat(1965)

    as Michael James

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • The Party's Over(1965)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Lord Jim(1965)

    Associate Producer · as Lord Jim

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Becket(1964)

    Producer · as King Henry II of England

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Wind, Sand and Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Lawrence of Arabia(1962)

    as T.E. Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Operation Snatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Producer

  • The Day They Robbed the Bank of England(1960)

    as Capt. Monty Fitch

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • The Savage Innocents(1960)

    as First Trooper

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • Kidnapped(1960)

    as Robin MacGregor

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • The Castiglioni Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Mario

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Paddy

  • The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as First Soldier

  • Sunday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Rene Latour

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 109 titles from 1950 to 2025; peak year 2006.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19502025

Peak 2006 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 30 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 7 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting107 of 109: 105 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdDirecting1 of 109: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing4 of 109: 2 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1950s4 · acting1960s20 · 18 acting · 3 crew1970s14 · acting1980s23 · acting1990s20 · 20 acting · 1 crew2000s21 · acting2010s6 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 43% of 40 roles
6070809000

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

an Oscar, a Primetime Emmy, 4 Golden Globes and a BAFTA Award from 29 major nominations, 1963–2007.

WinNomination
  1. 2007
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor
  2. 2003
    • Oscar, won
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
  3. 2000
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  4. 1999
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
  5. 1989
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  6. 1983
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  7. 1982
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  8. 1981
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Show 5 earlier years
  1. 1973
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  2. 1970
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
  3. 1969
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Drama
  4. 1965
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best British Actor
  5. 1963
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Most Promising Newcomer - Male
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best British Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Peter O'Toole's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 55; across their 52 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Midcredits score across 61 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 61 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Universally Panned1
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed15

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 48 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Peter O'Toole's work okay for kids?

Across up to 22 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore12 titles30–86 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity22 titles17–53 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles15–62 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles23–51 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles24–79 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Peter O'Toole work with?

People who share at least 2 of Peter O'Toole's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jules Buck shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers