O’Toole’s birth certificate proves he wasn’t born in Ireland, as he sometimes claimed, but in Leeds.
O’Toole’s birth certificate proves he wasn’t born in Ireland, as he sometimes claimed, but in Leeds.
Peter O’Toole, fresh out of drama school and before his nose job.
Helping himself at the Dirty Duck pub during his stay in Stratford. Notice the famed ‘yard of ale glass’ above the bar.
Joining aged twenty-seven, O’Toole was the Royal Shakespeare Company’s youngest ever leading man, seen here with his fellow members. Left to right: Paul Hardwick, Frances Cuka, Denholm Elliott, Dorothy Tutin, Peter O’Toole, Patrick Wymark and Jack MacGowran.
The role of a lifetime: O’Toole was David Lean’s choice to play British Lieutenant T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia after Marlon Brando and Albert Finney turned it down.
The film seemed to follow O’Toole around wherever he went for the rest of his life, sometimes literally.
The men who brought Lawrence of Arabia to the screen. Left to right: Peter O’Toole, David Lean, producer Sam Spiegel and writer Robert Bolt at the Gala London opening in 1962.
O’Toole’s marriage to Welsh actress Siân Phillips was a rollercoaster ride; she would later describe him as a ‘dangerous, disruptive human being’.
Off duty with Richard Burton during filming of the historical drama Becket (1964).
O’Toole (left) parties with Elizabeth Taylor (centre) and Richard Burton (right).
On location in Paris with Woody Allen for the sex comedy hit What’s New Pussycat? (1965).
In How To Steal A Million (1966) with Audrey Hepburn, who turned a blind eye to O’Toole’s hell-raising on location in Paris.
O’Toole met his match while filming The Lion In Winter (1968) with Katharine Hepburn, who refused to tolerate his boisterous behaviour.
Enjoying an improvised game of his beloved cricket on location in Venezuela for Murphy’s War (1971).
O’Toole as the mad 14th Earl of Gurney in The Ruling Class (1972), one of his most celebrated roles.
Relaxing at home with Siân in 1972. The couple are all smiles for the camera but their marriage was at near breaking point.
O’Toole (pictured here with Malcolm McDowell, left) was later to regret his appearance in the infamous and debauched Caligula, which was filmed in 1976 but not released until 1979.
With his youngest daughter Patricia and girlfriend Malinche Verdugo.
O’Toole (second from right) backstage at the Old Vic during the infamous Macbeth production, with Sting (far left), Frances Tomelty (who played Lady Macbeth, second from left) and director Bryan Forbes (far right).
As maverick film director Eli Cross in the cult classic The Stunt Man (1980).
O’Toole steals the show with a great comedic film performance in My Favourite Year (1982).
In 1982, with daughter Kate (left) and his girlfriend at the time, former model Karen Somerville.
After a string of flops and forgettable films, O’Toole finally won plaudits for his role in The Last Emperor (1987).
O’Toole had a passion for breeding horses and regularly attended the annual Connemara pony show.
O’Toole in one of his greatest triumphs on the London stage, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell (1989).
With Lorcan, the son he had always wanted.
With Omar Sharif, a lifelong friend.
O’Toole makes a grand entrance on a camel in an unforgettable appearance on The David Letterman Show (1995).
Meryl Streep presents O’Toole with his honorary Oscar in 2003.
Embracing the new generation, with Eric Bana and Brad Pitt at the launch of Troy (2004).
A final hurrah: O’Toole giving his last great performance in Venus (2006), for which he received his eighth and final Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
A proud father, with son Lorcan and daughter Kate.