Status Updates From Life & Death of Peter Sellers

Part 3: Hope and Glory starts with Chapter 7: Early Photoplays. Sellers wanted to emulate Alec Guinness, yet hoped he would fail. Guinness wrote, 'Poor, rich, exceptionally brilliant Peter Sellers never seemed to get himself sorted out in spite of the fact that, apart from upset marriages, there didn't seem to be much confusion in his life.' Guinness had a hard early life and an understandable lack of sympathy.

I have now finished Part Two: Radio Days. I think it is fair to say that although Peter Sellers was immensely successful on BBC radio in the 1950's, he wanted more. He always, it seems, wanted more. More success, more money, more fame, more adulation. He is looking beyond radio now, having done some TV, but really keen to be in films. Enjoying this immensely.

Chapter 5 focuses on Sellers success on the radio in the 1950's. Of course, the BBC controlled British radio at the time, so you feel Sellers' resentment and ambition. He was spreading himself thin during this period, and there are memos from the BBC about his being on too many shows and also running off to summer seasons or other variety shows. He is eager to move into 'real' acting - cinema and theatre.

Chapter 4 looks at the explosion of The Goons, beloved BBC radio show. Their novelty records were produced by George Martin, which impressed The Beatles no end when they met him. As well as The Fabs, other famous fans included Prince Charles, Elton John and members of Monty Python. Roger Lewis relates how much of the show was linked to the members' experiences in WWII.

Post-war, Sellers has struggled to find work. Eventually managing to make his way onto BBC radio, we end Part One with his meeting Spike Milligan. The quote is, 'He had a power inside himself, kicking and fighting to be let loose - intimated in the long ago by the drums - an iconoclastic streak; and he'd recently met the only man on the planet who could help him make any use of it - Spike Milligan.'

This is a massive biography of Peter Sellers, at 1178 pages. Lewis is always immensely readable. Having read about Sellers' transient childhood, with his mother, Peg, working in the theatre and having a somewhat unhealthy relationship with her son, he is now at war and enjoying it greatly. It is interesting to consider how ENSA brought many post-war British stars to prominence. Fascinating so far.