Remembering Peter O’Toole

Actor Peter O’Toole died today at the age of 81.

He has been my favorite actor since I was in high school.   Here are a few of the reasons why:

“I’m not an actor, I’m a movie star!” – My Favorite Year

“If God could do the tricks we do he’d be a happy man.” – The Stuntman

“My life, when it is ended, will read better than it lived.” – The Lion in Winter

But my all-time favorite Peter O’Toole line is from Lawrence of Arabia, the movie that made him a star.  T.E. Lawrence (played by a very young O’Toole) does his trick of extinguishing a match with his fingers for his aide William Potter:

“Ooh! It damn well ‘urts!’
“Certainly it hurts.”
“Whats the trick then?”
“The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts.” – Lawrence of Arabia

UPDATE: Full-length obit from the New York Times.

Also, here is his acceptance speech for his honorary Oscar:

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