Michael Sellers (actor)
Encyclopedia
Michael Peter Anthony Sellers (2 April 1954 – 19 July 2006) was a builder
, car restorer, author and the son of actor Peter Sellers
. He also had small parts in a couple of his father's films. He was often interviewed by the media about his relation with his father. Despite a tenuous and troubled relationship with his father he frequently defended him and his legacy.
(The Hall School, Hampstead
) was actor Donald Sinden
's son Marc Sinden
. When Michael was seven his parents divorced and in an interview Marc Sinden said that Peter Sellers always behaved badly towards Michael. He also recalled seeing some of the letters Michael received from his father and concluded that he was a "really, really nasty man". His mother remarried and his stepfather was a welcome change for Michael. During the school year he stayed with his mother and stepfather, while he spent the school holidays with Peter Sellers. He was whisked along with his sister to international as well as exotic locations depending on the particular purpose his father Peter had in mind. Peter Sellers would visit Rome, for example, because he had developed a romantic interest in Sophia Loren
.
Other locations included Monte Carlo
, New York and Hollywood. At home they would vacation in Windsor Great Park
with Princess Margaret. But Peter Sellers was insecure about his relationship with his son and became vindictive at times going as far as telling his son that he disowned him. On another occasion he suggested that Michael change his last name.Despite all of this, Michael remained close to his father up until his death. They had spent some quality time together just before Peter's death.
When Peter Sellers married Miranda Quarry he brought Michael to Venice
only to leave him there after he and his bride decided to travel somewhere else. The unpredictable father would sometimes ask the children's opinion about his future life partners.
When Michael’s first marriage ended in failure, he became closer with his father as the two started discussing Michael's life problems. This did not last long as Peter Sellers died a few months later. In his will
Peter Sellers left Michael about eight hundred pounds from his multi-million pound estate. Michael Sellers also claimed that the eight hundred pounds he received was a calculated act to prevent him from contesting the will, since under English law
only complete disinheritance provided the legal grounds for a challenge of the will.
, directed by his father. As an adult he became a builder and property dealer. He was also a car salesman, musician
and writer.
He went on to star in I Told You I Was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan (2005), a film he did in collaboration with the children of Spike Milligan
. He also wrote three biographical books about his father.
Despite his turbulent relationship with his father, he often defended his father's legacy. Upon the release of the 2004 film
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
, based on the book of the same name by Roger Lewis
, Sellers railed against Lewis and Stephen Hopkins
, the film's director. Sellers was incensed at the portrayal of his father as clinically insane. Sellers, at the time, called Roger Lewis
' book "400 pages of rubbish". Hopkins responded to Seller's comments when he appeared at the film festival
to promote the film, stating that the film was not disrespectful to Peter Sellers.
In 2000 he authored his last book, Sellers On Sellers, where he wrote:
Michael Sellers died of the same cause as his father (a heart attack) almost exactly 26 years later (24 July 1980, 19 July 2006), and two years younger.
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
, car restorer, author and the son of actor Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
. He also had small parts in a couple of his father's films. He was often interviewed by the media about his relation with his father. Despite a tenuous and troubled relationship with his father he frequently defended him and his legacy.
Life
Michael Sellers was Peter Sellers' son from his first marriage to actress Anne Howe. Growing up was difficult for Michael as he frequently witnessed his parents quarrelling and he described his father's temper as mercurial and irrational. His close friend at prep schoolPreparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
(The Hall School, Hampstead
Hall School (Hampstead)
The Hall School is an independent boys' preparatory school in Belsize Park, Hampstead, London, currently teaching boys from the age of four to thirteen.-Description:The school is known for high academic standards...
) was actor Donald Sinden
Donald Sinden
Sir Donald Alfred Sinden CBE is an English actor of theatre, film and television.-Personal life:Sinden was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on 9 October 1923. The son of Alfred Edward Sinden and his wife Mabel Agnes , he grew up in the Sussex village of Ditchling, where their home doubled as the...
's son Marc Sinden
Marc Sinden
Marc Sinden is an English theatre producer, documentary director and actor. His father is the actor Sir Donald Sinden.-Theatre:...
. When Michael was seven his parents divorced and in an interview Marc Sinden said that Peter Sellers always behaved badly towards Michael. He also recalled seeing some of the letters Michael received from his father and concluded that he was a "really, really nasty man". His mother remarried and his stepfather was a welcome change for Michael. During the school year he stayed with his mother and stepfather, while he spent the school holidays with Peter Sellers. He was whisked along with his sister to international as well as exotic locations depending on the particular purpose his father Peter had in mind. Peter Sellers would visit Rome, for example, because he had developed a romantic interest in Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
.
Other locations included Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, New York and Hollywood. At home they would vacation in Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
with Princess Margaret. But Peter Sellers was insecure about his relationship with his son and became vindictive at times going as far as telling his son that he disowned him. On another occasion he suggested that Michael change his last name.Despite all of this, Michael remained close to his father up until his death. They had spent some quality time together just before Peter's death.
When Peter Sellers married Miranda Quarry he brought Michael to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
only to leave him there after he and his bride decided to travel somewhere else. The unpredictable father would sometimes ask the children's opinion about his future life partners.
When Michael’s first marriage ended in failure, he became closer with his father as the two started discussing Michael's life problems. This did not last long as Peter Sellers died a few months later. In his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
Peter Sellers left Michael about eight hundred pounds from his multi-million pound estate. Michael Sellers also claimed that the eight hundred pounds he received was a calculated act to prevent him from contesting the will, since under English law
English law
English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...
only complete disinheritance provided the legal grounds for a challenge of the will.
Career
Michael Sellers' film career started early when at age seven he played the role of Gaston in the film Mr. TopazeMr. Topaze
Mr. Topaze was Peter Sellers' directorial debut in 1961. Starring Sellers, Nadia Gray, and Leo McKern as well as Herbert Lom who quarreled with Seller's Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies...
, directed by his father. As an adult he became a builder and property dealer. He was also a car salesman, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and writer.
He went on to star in I Told You I Was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan (2005), a film he did in collaboration with the children of Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
. He also wrote three biographical books about his father.
Despite his turbulent relationship with his father, he often defended his father's legacy. Upon the release of the 2004 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a 2004 film about the life of English comic actor Peter Sellers, based on Roger Lewis' book of the same name...
, based on the book of the same name by Roger Lewis
Roger Lewis
Roger Lewis , a former Fellow of Wolfson College at Oxford University, is the biographer of Anthony Burgess. Lewis's book, Anthony Burgess: A Life, was published in 2002....
, Sellers railed against Lewis and Stephen Hopkins
Stephen Hopkins (director)
Stephen Hopkins is a Jamaican-born film director and producer. He is best-known for his continuation of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and the Predator franchise with Predator 2...
, the film's director. Sellers was incensed at the portrayal of his father as clinically insane. Sellers, at the time, called Roger Lewis
Roger Lewis
Roger Lewis , a former Fellow of Wolfson College at Oxford University, is the biographer of Anthony Burgess. Lewis's book, Anthony Burgess: A Life, was published in 2002....
' book "400 pages of rubbish". Hopkins responded to Seller's comments when he appeared at the film festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
to promote the film, stating that the film was not disrespectful to Peter Sellers.
In 2000 he authored his last book, Sellers On Sellers, where he wrote:
Michael Sellers died of the same cause as his father (a heart attack) almost exactly 26 years later (24 July 1980, 19 July 2006), and two years younger.
Films
- Mr. TopazeMr. TopazeMr. Topaze was Peter Sellers' directorial debut in 1961. Starring Sellers, Nadia Gray, and Leo McKern as well as Herbert Lom who quarreled with Seller's Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies...
(1961) (aka I Like Money (USA)) as Gaston. - I Told You I Was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan (2005) (aka The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan), as Himself.
- This MorningThis Morning (TV series)This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
(1 episode, 29 September 2004), as Himself. - Somebody's Daughter, Somebody's Son (Episode #1.2 (2004) TV) as Himself.
- Kelly (1 episode, 20 October 2000) as Himself.
Books published
- P.S. I Love You (1981)
- A Hard Act to Follow (with Gary Morecambe; 1996)
- Sellers on Sellers (with Gary Morecambe; 2000)