Peter Sellers

Made films the shows talk about.

Counted as actor. The films the hosts said they acted in, which the two lists below run through too: The Mouse That Roared (1959); Lolita (1962); The Pink Panther (1963); A Shot in the Dark (1964); Dr. Strangelove (1964); The Party (1968); Being There (1979); Casino Royale (2006); The Pink Panther (2006); Get Back.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): 1 line

  1. theme (theme reused) · through Being There (1979), which they acted in: 2001: A Space Odyssey ⇒ Being There (the host's read). Being There used a funky version of 2001's Zarathustra theme for its big moment.
    “they were going to play the also Sprack Zarathustra, but they did the funky version instead”
    Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free) · 1:37:23 · Jordan Hoffman (0.50 sure it was them)

Adlai Stevenson: 1 line

  1. unmapped (real-life model) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Adlai Stevenson ⇒ Dr. Strangelove (the host's read). Speaker says Peter Sellers modeled the President (Muffley) on Adlai Stevenson.
    “He modeled it on Adlai Stevenson.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 1:27:02 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Bob Newhart: 1 line

  1. lineage (comedic influence) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Bob Newhart ⇒ Dr. Strangelove (the host's read). Speaker feels Newhart's one-sided phone-call format and his 1960 albums were a heavy influence on the President's call with the Soviet premier.
    “I feel like a heavy influence on the way the president's phone call with Russia play out in this movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 1:28:44 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Curtis LeMay: 1 line

  1. unmapped (real-life model) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Curtis LeMay ⇒ Dr. Strangelove (the host's read). Jack D. Ripper is said to be very obviously based on Air Force chief Curtis LeMay.
    “Jack D. Ripper also is very obviously based on Curtis LeMay, who, uh, was the head of the Air Force at the time”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 1:00:51 · David Sims (0.45 sure it was them)

Lolita (1955 novel): 1 line

  1. lineage (adaptation) · through Lolita (1962), which they acted in: Lolita (1955 novel) ⇒ Lolita (the host's read). The 1962 film is adapted from Nabokov's novel; the speaker reads Crowther's review saying the film keeps the names and a resemblance of plot.
    “They made a movie from a script in which the characters have the same name as the characters in the book, and the plot bears a resemblance to the original”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Lolita with Fran Hoepfner (Ad-Free) · 1:47:47 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Red Alert (novel): 1 line

  1. lineage (adaptation) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Red Alert (novel) ⇒ Dr. Strangelove (the host's read). The speaker says Dr. Strangelove is based on Peter George's serious nuclear thriller Red Alert.
    “so he scoops up this book called Red Alert, which is, of course, what Dr. Strangelove is based on by Peter George that is a serious nuclear thriller.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:48:54 · David Sims (0.55 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Adam McKay: 1 line

  1. unmapped (aspirational template) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Dr. Strangelove ⇒ Adam McKay (the host's read). Speaker says Strangelove is probably McKay's north star, the thing he strives toward.
    “But I think you're right, though, that McKay is this is probably his north star, right?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:05:00 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Gone Girl (2014): 1 line

  1. theme (character type (Desi)) · through Lolita (1962), which they acted in: Lolita ⇒ Gone Girl (the maker said so: In the commentary). On the commentary Fincher says he wanted a Claire Quilty type for Desi and found it in Neil Patrick Harris.
    “Fincher said he wanted a Claire quilty type and he's like, what's a modern Claire quilty type?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Gone Girl with Esther Zuckerman (Ad-Free) · 2:18:15 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Mike Myers: 1 line

  1. career (career) · them, directly: Peter Sellers ⇒ Mike Myers (the host's read). Myers' hero is Sellers, who also vanished into characters.
    “his big hero is Peter Sellers, who was the exact same way.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’ With Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:13:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Quantum of Solace (2008): 1 line

  1. programming (programming) · through Casino Royale (2006), which they acted in: Casino Royale ⇒ Quantum of Solace (the host's read). Quantum of Solace is to Casino Royale as Temple of Doom is to Raiders, a bumpy follow-up; they will cover Quantum one day.
    “I think of it as the Temple of Doom to Casino Royals, Raiders of the Lost Ark in like sort of complimentary...”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 1:52:10 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Roger Moore Bond films: 1 line

  1. craft (set design template) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Dr. Strangelove ⇒ Roger Moore Bond films (the host's read). Speaker says hiring a Bond designer for the war room changed how such rooms look on screen forever, and the Bond movies being covered have war-room sets.
    “It is funny how this movie, this hiring a James Bond guy to design the war room, uh, changes the way you're allowed to put these things on screen forever.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 2:14:11 · Griffin Newman (0.55 sure it was them)

Skyfall (2012): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Casino Royale (2006), which they acted in: Casino Royale ⇒ Skyfall (the host's read). Skyfall is the payoff of the first Craig movie, where Vesper's betrayal shows Bond can feel.
    “it's also the ultimate payoff of what starts in the 1st Craig movie”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Skyfall’ With Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Amanda Dobbins · 0:12:29 · Sean Fennessey (0.45 sure it was them)

The Long Goodbye (1973): 1 line

  1. people (casting persona) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Dr. Strangelove ⇒ The Long Goodbye (the host's read). Speaker says Strangelove was the first time Hayden's personal struggles were put on screen, and later filmmakers used that persona going forward (Godfather, Long Goodbye).
    “This is the 1st time when like his personal struggles, like were actualized in a movie, and then I felt like filmmakers only used this in movies going forward”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 1:55:14 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

Zucker Brothers: 1 line

  1. lineage (comedic influence) · through Dr. Strangelove (1964), which they acted in: Dr. Strangelove ⇒ Zucker Brothers (the host's read). Speaker had a breakthrough that Strangelove must have been a big influence on the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams.
    “I did finally have the breakthrough watching this of how much of an influence this movie must have been on the Zucker Brothers and John Abrahams.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:53:55 · David Sims (0.60 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Acting (19) everyone in acting

Other (1) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (1)

  1. career (career): Mike Myers → Peter Sellers. Myers' hero is Sellers, who also vanished into characters.
    “his big hero is Peter Sellers, who was the exact same way.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’ With Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:13:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

people (5)

  1. people (comedy handed to the actors): Peter Sellers → Dr. Strangelove. Kubrick by his own admission let Peter Sellers figure out the comedy.
    “I will let Peter Sellers figure this part of the movie out.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free) · 1:38:28 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. people (repeat actors): Peter Sellers → Timothy Carey. They are the two actors Kubrick gave leads to more than once.
    “Peter Sellers and Timothy Carey.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · A Clockwork Orange with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 0:37:41 · Alex Ross Perry (0.60 sure it was them)
  3. people (collaborator): Peter Sellers → Stanley Kubrick. Sellers is called a Kubrick collaborator and tied to Being There.
    “Sellers, of course, has a tremendous Kuber connection.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free) · 1:37:20 · Jordan Hoffman (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. people (Kubrick collaborator): Peter Sellers → The Party. Number five at the box office was The Party, starring Kubrick collaborator Peter Sellers.
    “Starring a Kubrick collaborator.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free) · 2:22:07 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  5. people (people): Adolphe Menjou → Peter Sellers. Menjou looks like a serious Peter Sellers, or how Sellers tries to make himself look.
    “He looks like what how Peter Sellers tries to make himself look.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Paths of Glory with Sarah Marshall (Ad-Free) · 1:05:30 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)

theme (1)

  1. theme (underplaying comparison): Peter Sellers → Robert De Niro. Speaker pairs Mandrake with De Niro's underplayed Jackie Brown as deceptively difficult acting.
    “to actively play someone who's got so little going on is so deceptively difficult because you watch something like this, like Mandrake”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:13:19 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)

unmapped (3)

  1. unmapped (precedent for multiple roles): Peter Sellers → The Mouse That Roared. Sellers had already played multiple parts in The Mouse That Roared.
    “Okay, yes, sellers had done the mouse that roared, and, um, you know, that's he's playing multiple parts.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:19:14 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (how Southern was brought in): Terry Southern → Peter Sellers. Sellers had given Kubrick a copy of The Magic Christian, which is how Terry Southern got involved.
    “Sellers is the one who gets Southern involved because Sellers had given Kubrick a copy of the Magic Christian, Harry Southern.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:52:59 · David Sims (0.55 sure it was them)
  3. unmapped (unnerving presence): Peter Sellers → Get Back. Sellers in the Get Back footage is as unnerving as when he shows up in Lolita.
    “that sequence of get back is so... as unnerving as anytime he shows up in Lolita”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Lolita with Fran Hoepfner (Ad-Free) · 0:54:30 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Peter Sellers: Sellers was meant to play a fourth part, Major Kong. A sprained ankle is the official story, but speakers say he just did not want to do the Texan voice, so Slim Pickens took it.
    “And the thing where he sprains his ankle and he can't do Kong, everyone seems to think that that's basically, that's kind of just an excuse.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 0:56:56 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Peter Sellers: Sellers received a best actor nomination for what are effectively three supporting roles; the speakers think it may be the only such nomination.
    “It is such a unique nomination to be like, this guy is the lead of the film because he plays 3 supporting characters in an ensemble.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Dr. Strangelove... with Sean Fennessey (Ad-Free) · 1:53:07 · Sean Fennessey (0.45 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Peter Sellers: Sellers refused to appear as himself on The Muppet Show: there was no neutral Sellers, only characters.
    “And he's like, the only thing I won't do is appear as myself.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Lolita with Fran Hoepfner (Ad-Free) · 0:55:45 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about Peter Sellers: The opening Quilty scene as maybe the closest Sellers ever came to playing himself.
    “I do feel like, is this the closest he's ever come to playing quote unquote himself in a movie?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Lolita with Fran Hoepfner (Ad-Free) · 0:56:13 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)