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Screen Legend Announces He’s Retiring

Jul 10, 2012  •  Post A Comment

A screen legend says he’s retiring after a life of carousing and impressive career achievements — including eight Oscar nominations, an Emmy Award and four Golden Globes.

USA Today reports that Peter O’Toole, 79, says he’s had enough. "It is time for me to chuck in the sponge," O’Toole said. "The heart for it has gone out of me — it won’t come back."

The story adds: “No one who saw it will ever forget O’Toole’s golden hair and deep blue eyes on screen in the 1962 film ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ in which he portrayed the flamboyantly weird British military leader T.E. Lawrence rallying Arab Bedouin tribesmen during World War I. Considered one of the most influential films ever, ‘Lawrence’ won seven Oscars and earned O’Toole his first of eight acting nominations.”

One of those eight nominations came for the 1982 comedy "My Favorite Year," which is one of the best movies ever about TV. The movie takes place in 1954, and O’Toole steals the film playing a legendary screen personality who is a guest star on a TV show.

Despite his eight nods, O’Toole never won a competitive Academy Award. He received an honorary Oscar in 2003. He also piled up three Emmy nominations, winning for his supporting role in “Joan of Arc” in 1999, and 11 Golden Globe nominations, winning Most Promising Male Newcomer in 1963 (the same year he was nominated but didn’t win for “Lawrence of Arabia”), and taking home trophies for “Becket” in 1965, “The Lion in Winter” in 1969 and “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” in 1970.

O’Toole’s most recent Oscar nomination was for his lead role in the 2006 movie “Venus.”

“O’Toole, who lives in London, said he will spend his time working on the third volume of his memoirs,” the story reports.

O’Toole said of his career that it has "brought me public support, emotional fulfillment and material comfort. It has brought me together with fine people, good companions with whom I’ve shared the inevitable lot of all actors: flops and hits.

"However, it’s my belief that one should decide for oneself when it is time to end one’s stay. I bid the profession a dry-eyed and profoundly grateful farewell."

peter-otoole.jpgPeter O’Toole

2 Comments

  1. To me, Peter O’Toole was THE leading screen actor of the 1960’s, and among the most impressive for years afterwards.
    Eight Oscar nominations – anti-British Academy sentiment must have robbed him of the award for Lion in Winter giving Cliff Robertson the award for his sole nomination.
    Try him in Becket. Or riveting in several smaller films. Sadly, never with an ideal match, the illustrious Glenda Jackson (imagine them onstage together!).
    Happily Mr O’Toole is alive, and the TV medium will be there to display part of his astonishing legacy.

  2. Congratulations on your retirement, Peter O’Toole!

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