Sir Peter Ustinov

(1921-2004)

Sir Peter Ustinov was a cosmopolitan and a true all-rounder. He was an artist and Oscar-winning actor, writer and director, stage designer and storyteller, but above all, he was one thing: a humanist who always believed that no commitment for a good cause was ever in vain.

Igor Ustinov

His Life

Being aware of his social responsibility, Sir Peter Ustinov used his worldwide popularity for a good cause including 30 years as UNICEF Special Envoy, He helped where help was most needed and committed his aid to children in need. Truly cosmopolitan in word and deed, he took a stand for a society of diversity and a culture of mutual respect which he saw continuously endangered by the insidious power of prejudices. In education and financial support, he saw the appropriate means to face the ills of this world and, to the same end, established his own foundation in 1999. His plea for mutual respect, his values and his open-hearted spirit live on in the daily work of the Sir Peter Ustinov Foundation which has continued his legacy since his death in 2004.

His Films

Sir Peter Ustinov will most likely be remembered mainly as a performer. At the age of 19 he made his debut as a film actor. From the 1940s on he could be seen on the screen, where he remained for the next six decades.

His portrayal of Nero in "Quo Vadis" earned him great recognition and international success in 1951. In the classic comedy "We’re No Angels" (1955) he played at the side of Humphrey Bogart and won an Oscar for best-supporting actor for his role of the slave trader "Lentulus Batius" in the monumental epic „Spartacus" (1960). Four years later, he won another Oscar for his role as Arthur Simpson in the comedy-thriller "Topkapi" (1964), in which he could once again prove his witty humour which was to become his trademark. He starred in numerous TV productions and won three Emmys for best actor. In the screen adaptions of Agatha Christie's novels, he played Hercule Poirot - a role tailor-made for him. Cinema-goers could follow the exploits of famed Belgian detective in” Death on the Nile “, "Evil Under the Sun", "Murder in Three Acts" or” Appointment with Death “. In 1992, he appeared in "Lorenzo's Oil" alongside Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte. His movie career amount to nearly 100 films in all genres.

His Work

His Works

and Awards

Peter Ustinov first appeared on stage at the age of 17, several theatre engagements were to follow in the late 1930s, In the mid-1950s, he parodied the East-West conflict with the play "Romanoff and Julia" which earned him two Tony Award nominations in 1958. At the same time he made his mark as an opera director.

Many of Ustinov's plays formed the basis for television productions. He wrote over 30 books, including novels, short stories, travelogues, and even a cookbook. He was honoured with numerous prizes for his artistic achievements: In1972 with the "Berlinale Special Prize for Artistic Achievement " and in 1985 with the "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres". In 1994, he received the "German Culture Award" and the "Bambi “, followed by the Federal Cross of Merit in 1998. In 1990, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2001, Sir Peter Ustinov's life's work was awarded the "Golden Camera" and the "Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art".

Awards

Films

Wikipedia

Scenes of his work

Szenen seines Schaffens

Since 2008, the Peter Ustinov Foundation awards annually the "Sir Peter Ustinov Outreach Award" to selected international schools that have distinguished themselves in humanitarian projects for children and young people. With the price up to four schools from the network of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) will be awarded in each. Above all, find schools in emerging and developing countries into account when choosing who exemplified used for the benefit of children and young people and engage simultaneously in an exemplary manner against prejudice and for a culture of diversity and mutual respect.

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