
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).
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Biography from TMDB.
- August 2, 1932
- December 14, 2013 (aged 81)
- Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Actor, also producer
- 61 on MovieCove · 110 credits in all
What are Peter O'Toole's films like?
Across their 54 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 5 · Wry 4 · Earnest 43
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
Usually the Hero: 12 of 45 analyzed roles.
Show the 45 rolesHide the roles
- Shadowas First Trooper in The Savage Innocents (1960)
- Threshold guardianas Capt. Monty Fitch in The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960)
- Heroas Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Shadowas King Henry II in Becket (1964)
- Heroas Lord Jim in Lord Jim (1965)
- Heroas Michael James in What's New Pussycat (1965)
- Heraldas The Three Angels in The Bible in the Beginning... (1966)
- Allyas Simon Dermott in How to Steal a Million (1966)
- Shadowas General Tanz in The Night of the Generals (1967)
- Shadowas Henry II in The Lion in Winter (1968)
- Heroas Arthur Chipping in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
- Heroas Sir Charles Ferguson in Brotherly Love (1970)
- Heroas Murphy in Murphy's War (1971)
- Heroas Don Quixote De La Mancha in Man of La Mancha (1972)
- Shapeshifteras Jack Gurney in The Ruling Class (1972)
- Heroas Larry Martin in Rosebud (1975)
- Shadowas Robinson Crusoe in Man Friday (1975)
- Heroas Sir Robert Hunter in Rogue Male (1976)
- Shadowas Lord Chelmsford in Zulu Dawn (1979)
- Mentoras Tiberius in Caligula (1979)
- Shapeshifteras Eli Cross in The Stunt Man (1980)
- Tricksteras Eli Cross in The Stunt Man (1980)
- Shapeshifteras Alan Swann in My Favorite Year (1982)
- Mentoras Alan Swann in My Favorite Year (1982)
- Mentoras Zaltar in Supergirl (1984)
- Mentoras Dr. Harry Wolper in Creator (1985)
- Heraldas Governor Anthony Cloyden Hayes in Club Paradise (1986)
- Mentoras Reginald Johnston (R.J.) in The Last Emperor (1987)
- Heroas Peter Plunkett in High Spirits (1988)
- Heroas Cesar Valentin in Wings of Fame (1990)
- Mentoras Maj. Lyautey in Isabelle Eberhardt (1991)
- Mentoras Sir Cedric Willingham in King Ralph (1991)
- Heraldas Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in FairyTale: A True Story (1997)
- Heraldas Dr. Timothy Flyte in Phantoms (1998)
- Mentoras Dr. Timothy Flyte in Phantoms (1998)
- Mentoras Colonel Edgar Carey-Lewis in Coming Home (1998)
- Heraldas William Williamson in Molokai (1999)
- Shadowas JJ Curtis in The Final Curtain (2002)
- Threshold guardianas Paul von Hindenburg in Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)
- Heroas Maurice in Venus (2006)
- Shadowas Anton Ego in Ratatouille (2007)
- Mentoras Glen in Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage (2008)
- Shadowas Fisk Senior in Dean Spanley (2008)
- Mentoras Father Christopher in For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada (2012)
- Mentoras Tugboat in Diamond Cartel (2015)
Moods and endings
- 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).
- The Lion in Winter (1968) · actor · free
- Becket (1964) · actor, producer · free
- The Performance (2023) · producer · free
- The Ruling Class (1972) · actor · free
- The Stunt Man (1980) · actor · free
- Molokai (1999) · actor · free
- Man of La Mancha (1972) · actor · free
- Zulu Dawn (1979) · actor · free
- Bright Young Things (2003) · actor · free
- The Party's Over (1965) · producer · free
- Man Friday (1975) · actor · free
- One Night with the King (2006) · actor · free
- +9 more
- Becket (1964) · actor, producer · free
- The Stunt Man (1980) · actor · free
- Man of La Mancha (1972) · actor · free
- Zulu Dawn (1979) · actor · free
- Bright Young Things (2003) · actor · free
- Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) · actor · free
- The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985) · actor · free
- One Night with the King (2006) · actor · free
- Creator (1985) · actor · free
- Gulliver's Travels (1996) · actor · free
- High Spirits (1988) · actor · free
- Club Paradise (1986) · actor · free
- +2 more
- Becket (1964) · actor, producer
- The Tudors (2007) · actor
- The Stunt Man (1980) · actor
- Molokai (1999) · actor
- Rogue Male (1976) · actor · free
- For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada (2012) · actor
- Bright Young Things (2003) · actor
- Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) · actor
- The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985) · actor
- One Night with the King (2006) · actor
- Creator (1985) · actor
- Gulliver's Travels (1996) · actor
- +1 more
- Shout! TV, show their 4 titles on Shout! TV
- Howdy, show their 2 titles on Howdy
- Lionsgate+, show their 2 titles on Lionsgate+
- ScreenPix, show their 2 titles on ScreenPix
- BFI Player, show their title on BFI Player
- Cinemax, show their title on Cinemax
- Cineverse, show their title on Cineverse
- Midnight Pulp, show their title on Midnight Pulp
- Sony Pictures Core, show their title on Sony Pictures Core
- Wonder Project, show their title on Wonder Project
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)

The Performance(2023)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Hangover in Death Valley(2018)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Diamond Cartel(2015)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Decline of an Empire(2014)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Eldorado(2012)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all filmsEager to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

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

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

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

Dean Spanley(2008)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Stardust(2007)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Ratatouille(2007)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
The Tudors(2007)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
One Night with the King(2006)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Venus(2006)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Lassie(2005)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Casanova (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

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

Troy(2004)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Augustus: The First Emperor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

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

Bright Young Things(2003)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Hitler: The Rise of Evil(2003)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
The Final Curtain(2002)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Global Heresy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

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

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

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

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

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

Phantoms(1998)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
FairyTale: A True Story(1997)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

Gulliver's Travels(1996)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows
Heavy Weather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

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

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

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

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

Isabelle Eberhardt(1991)
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
King Ralph(1991)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
The Nutcracker Prince(1990)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Crossing to Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

Wings of Fame(1990)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
The Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

High Spirits(1988)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
The Last Emperor(1987)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
The Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

Club Paradise(1986)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Creator(1985)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
The Ray Bradbury Theater(1985)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
Supergirl(1984)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Kim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Favorite Year(1982)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Masada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

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

Caligula(1979)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Zulu Dawn(1979)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Power Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

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

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

Rosebud(1975)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Man Friday(1975)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Man of La Mancha(1972)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
The Ruling Class(1972)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Under Milk Wood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

Murphy's War(1971)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

Brotherly Love(1970)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Goodbye, Mr. Chips(1969)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Stiletto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

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

The Lion in Winter(1968)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Casino Royale(1967)
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Present Laughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
How to Steal a Million(1966)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Sandpiper(1965)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
What's New Pussycat(1965)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
The Party's Over(1965)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Lord Jim(1965)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Becket(1964)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Wind, Sand and Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

Lawrence of Arabia(1962)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Operation Snatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
The Savage Innocents(1960)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Kidnapped(1960)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all filmsThe Castiglioni Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

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

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

Sunday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)
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
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.
- 1960Screen debut· Kidnapped
- 1962First top-billed film· Lawrence of Arabia
- 1962Breakout· Lawrence of Arabia
- 1962Golden Globe win· Lawrence of Arabia
- 1964Golden Globe win· Becket
- 1968Golden Globe win· The Lion in Winter
Show 7 more milestonesShow fewer
- 1972Oscar nomination· The Ruling Class
- 1972Golden Globe nomination· Man of La Mancha
- 1980Oscar nomination· The Stunt Man
- 1982Oscar nomination· My Favorite Year
- 1987BAFTA Award nomination· The Last Emperor
- 2006Oscar nomination· Venus
- 2007Career best· The Tudors
Billing
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.
- 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
- Oscar, won
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
- 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 yearsShow fewer
- Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
- Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
- Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Drama
- Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Drama
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best British Actor
- 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.
- 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.
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
- Charles SturridgeShared titles: Lassie (2005), FairyTale: A True Story (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Charles Sturridge

- Clive DonnerShared titles: Rogue Male (1976), What's New Pussycat (1965)See all 2 shared titles with Clive Donner
Actors
- Brian BlessedShared titles: Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba (2022), Man of La Mancha (1972), Brotherly Love (1970)See all 3 shared titles with Brian Blessed

- Siân PhillipsShared titles: Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba (2022), Murphy's War (1971), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)See all 3 shared titles with Siân Phillips

- Omar SharifShared titles: One Night with the King (2006), The Night of the Generals (1967), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)See all 3 shared titles with Omar Sharif

- Harry AndrewsShared titles: Man of La Mancha (1972), The Ruling Class (1972), Brotherly Love (1970)See all 3 shared titles with Harry Andrews

Composers and editors
- Anne V. CoatesShared titles: Man Friday (1975), Becket (1964), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)See all 3 shared titles with Anne V. Coates

- Ralph KemplenShared titles: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Bible in the Beginning... (1966), The Savage Innocents (1960)See all 3 shared titles with Ralph Kemplen
- James HornerShared titles: For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada (2012), Troy (2004)See all 2 shared titles with James Horner

- Gabriella CristianiShared titles: One Night with the King (2006), The Last Emperor (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Gabriella Cristiani
Producers
- Jules BuckShared titles: Man Friday (1975), The Ruling Class (1972), Lord Jim (1965), The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960)See all 4 shared titles with Jules Buck
- Selwyn RobertsShared titles: FairyTale: A True Story (1997), High Spirits (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Selwyn Roberts

- David KordaShared titles: Man Friday (1975), The Ruling Class (1972)See all 2 shared titles with David Korda
- Sam SpiegelShared titles: The Night of the Generals (1967), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)See all 2 shared titles with Sam Spiegel





