Peter Sellers and Lynne Frederick, bizarre story

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  • haphashhaphash Posts: 21,448
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    pfgpowell wrote: »
    Once again, he claimed he had shagged Sophia Loren. Not quite the same thing. The guy was, after all someting of a fantasist. I remember years ago watching Parkinson interview him and he went through at least eight different accents, in no particular order, returning to one then the other. It was as though there was no Peter Sellers, just the characters he played. He seemed not to have existed outside his characters.

    He did manage to marry the beautiful Britt Ekland though. Goodness knows what these women saw in him.
  • katmobilekatmobile Posts: 10,872
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    Sambda wrote: »
    There was a TV documentary about him some years ago, and they said his allusions to having had sexual relationships with both of them was largely in his own head.

    I don't know about Princess Margaret but Sophia Loren I believe was happily married at the time and although he had an enormous crush on her it was almost certainly unrequited - that's the version I've heard at least.
  • jill1812jill1812 Posts: 12,560
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    katmobile wrote: »
    I did see a documentary about her ex Lord Snowdon though who was just as unfaithful to her and managed to charm the royal family into thinking the sun shone out of his posterior and blame her for the failure of their marriage. She was also talked out of marrying Peter Townsend because he was divorced - I do wonder if she'd have been a much happier woman if she just been allowed to marry the man she originally wanted to in the first place - in any case I kinda of feel sorry for her. Bizzy Lizzy was pretty good at screwing with people's chances of marrying people who would actually make them happy and leading them to marry people who wouldn't.

    She could've married Townsend, she didn't want to lose her place in the royal family and the money from the civil list that would've meant.
  • Patti-AnnPatti-Ann Posts: 22,747
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    jill1812 wrote: »
    She could've married Townsend, she didn't want to lose her place in the royal family and the money from the civil list that would've meant.

    That's right, I think she would have had to relinquish her title and become plain Mrs Townsend.
  • katmobilekatmobile Posts: 10,872
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    Patti-Ann wrote: »
    That's right, I think she would have had to relinquish her title and become plain Mrs Townsend.

    Version I heard is that she was happy to do that but Buzy Lizzy talked her out of it. She might have ended up the same way whatever she did but I can't help wondering sometimes.
  • Gusto BruntGusto Brunt Posts: 12,351
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    The pair would make a good TV documentary wouldn't they.

    BBC2 Arena and C4 Dispatches do that sort of thing well. ;)
  • History GalHistory Gal Posts: 42
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    Having just finished the Roger Lewis book about Sellers I think he certainly had serious mental health problems.

    He appeared to be pretty violent, beating Britt Ekland and his first wife, pointing loaded shot guns at them and threatening suicide if he didn't get his own way. Apparently the jewellers got used to having to fix Ekland's wedding ring after he had stamped it flat on numerous occasions.

    He always said there is no Peter Sellers, only an empty vessel...
  • woot_whoowoot_whoo Posts: 18,030
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    The pair would make a good TV documentary wouldn't they.

    BBC2 Arena and C4 Dispatches do that sort of thing well. ;)

    I was thinking a BBC4 drama (as has been done with figures like Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Liz Taylor, etc).
  • boddismboddism Posts: 16,436
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    Having just finished the Roger Lewis book about Sellers I think he certainly had serious mental health problems.

    He appeared to be pretty violent, beating Britt Ekland and his first wife, pointing loaded shot guns at them and threatening suicide if he didn't get his own way. Apparently the jewellers got used to having to fix Ekland's wedding ring after he had stamped it flat on numerous occasions.

    He always said there is no Peter Sellers, only an empty vessel...

    I read a biog of him and he seems to come across as a massive dick.
    Personally I think he sustained brain damage after his massive heart attack in the 60's. He def got odder after that event.
    You wouldn't think he was an ar$ehole watching his TV interviews, he could really switch on the charm.
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,630
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    I was watching an old horror movie called Vampire Circus (1972), and decided to look up the actress Lynne Frederick who appeared in the movie.

    She married Peter Sellers but divorce papers were being filed just before he died of a heart attack in 1980. The thing is, months prior to his death he had been looking into changing his will to exclude Ms Frederick from it.

    However, he was too late and she inherited a reported £5 million or more from his estate. She also didn't give a penny to his kids. So they got nothing.

    They got £750 each. Lynne got £4.5 million.
  • louise1966louise1966 Posts: 4,012
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    katmobile wrote: »
    Version I heard is that she was happy to do that but Buzy Lizzy talked her out of it. She might have ended up the same way whatever she did but I can't help wondering sometimes.

    I always got the impression that, although she was genuinely in love with Peter Townsend, HM and the Queen Mother did, in effect, make her feel that, by following her heart and marrying a divorce (Charles and Camilla - how have times changed), she was not doing her duty by the royal family. A form of treachery. Margaret was, imo, always aware of her standing as 'second best', a bit like 'the heir and the spare' scenario and, consequently, would have been intent on doing what was - she was told - in the best interests of 'the firm'. Another consideration could have been : what if it doesn't work out, and she had given up her official title? I don't know, but I certainly feel that she would have been a happier, more content lady, had she married him.
  • cleo petracleo petra Posts: 984
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    Having just finished the Roger Lewis book about Sellers I think he certainly had serious mental health problems.

    He appeared to be pretty violent, beating Britt Ekland and his first wife, pointing loaded shot guns at them and threatening suicide if he didn't get his own way. Apparently the jewellers got used to having to fix Ekland's wedding ring after he had stamped it flat on numerous occasions.

    He always said there is no Peter Sellers, only an empty vessel...

    Britt says she thought he did in this interview from last September “I think today we would say he was bipolar, although that word is bandied about so often. He had mental problems and he should have been on therapy. If I’d met him today I would know so much more, but I didn’t. I had no experience of that sort of life but I learnt very quickly.”

    There are quite a few pieces on the internet saying he may have had Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder.
  • muddipawsmuddipaws Posts: 3,300
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    If you watch the life and death do Peter Sellers it's quite disturbing. Absolutely nothing like the charm personified he us on TV or the baffoon of cluseau
  • Fadge1968Fadge1968 Posts: 431
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    haphash wrote: »
    He did manage to marry the beautiful Britt Ekland though. Goodness knows what these women saw in him.

    Amil nitrate apparently:o
  • History GalHistory Gal Posts: 42
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    I think when he wanted to, he could be the most charming man in the world, but once he got bored with his wives, kids, cars... he just dumped them and moved on to the next shiny thing.

    I got the impression that from a small boy he was allowed to do what he wanted, including pushing an aunt into an open fire, which his mother just laughed at!
  • jeff_vaderjeff_vader Posts: 938
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    woot_whoo wrote: »
    I was thinking a BBC4 drama (as has been done with figures like Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Liz Taylor, etc).
    muddipaws wrote: »
    If you watch the life and death do Peter Sellers it's quite disturbing. Absolutely nothing like the charm personified he us on TV or the baffoon of cluseau

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_and_Death_of_Peter_Sellers

    Great cast. Remembered seeing it at the time and found enjoyable. Nice period detail and feel, which many films get wrong.
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