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21 May 2010 - LONDON

Great news for Peter Sellers fans living in the U.K! A special screening of the film BEING THERE will take place in London, on Saturday 21 May 2011.
What's even greater for the Peter Sellers Appreciation Society (PSAS) is that there will be quite a few complimentary tickets exclusively for PSAS members.
So, to all those who are members of PSAS or those wishing to join in: please contact Dimitris as soon as possible. There will be priority in giving the tickets, so hurry up!

The screening will take place at Institute of Contemporary Arts (The Mall, London) at 12:30pm, ICA cinema 1. Editor Chris Dickens will introduce it.

www.ica.org.uk

 

21 May 2010 - NEW YORK CITY

Rare screening in 35MM of WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? at 92YTribeca in Manhattan.

The 1965 all-star comedy with Peter Sellers as Dr. "Fritzy" Fassbender is back on the big screen for one night only:

Saturday 21 May 2011, 8:00pm.

www.92y.org/92yTribeca

 

15 May 2010 - NEW YORK CITY

The 1979 classic BEING THERE, which earned PS his final Academy Award nomination, will be screened at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Sunday, May 15th - at BAM's Cinematek revival house, meaning on the big screen and in a 35mm print, the way it was meant to be seen.

The rare showings - at 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 9:00 PM - are as part of a larger retrospective of the work of the film's late director Hal Ashby.

www.bam.org

 

Manchester-born actor Burt Kwouk, the long-suffering manservant Kato in the PINK PANTHER movies, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to drama.

He received his OBE from a fan, Charles, Prince of Wales, at the investiture at Buckingham Palace.

www.mirror.co.uk

 

The U.S. National Film Registry added 25 films this year deemed to be "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." The registry, which preserves its holdings, now houses 550 films.
One of them was the PINK PANTHER (1964) where writer/director Blake Edwards introduced the comic character Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) in this classic.
Registry's explanation of why they picked it:
"The influence of the great comics of the silent era on Edwards and Sellers is apparent throughout the film, which is recognized for its enduring popularity."

 

PINK PANTHER and PARTY director Blake Edwards passed away on Thursday, 16 December 2010. He died from complications due to pneumonia at the age of 88.
Edwards is survived by his wife of 42 years, Julie Andrews, five children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His family says a private memorial is planned and a public memorial will be scheduled in the new year.
Some links from news around the world:

www.dailymail.co.uk
www.nytimes.com
www.telegraph.co.uk
news.yahoo.com
www.guardian.co.uk
www.latimes.com/
www.aintitcool.com/

 

December 2010 - Sky Arts 2

Sky Arts 2 subscription channel in UK will feature the television premiere of the restored PENNY POINTS TO PARADISE as part of an Adelphi Films showcase twice in December:

Sunday, 26th December at 17:00
Friday, 31st December at 14:45

Not been on tele for several decades!

www.skyarts.co.uk

 

January 2011 - Turner Classic Movies

Cable network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will pay tribute to Peter Sellers on January with night marathons of his movies on every Thursday of the month! Please allow for extra time if you are recording, as some movies may run just past the hour or half-hour (and into the next one).

www.tcm.com

January 6 Thursday
08:00pm I'm All Right Jack (1959)
10:00pm Heavens Above! (1963)
12:15am Two Way Stretch (1960)
02:00am The Ladykillers (1955)
03:45am Your Past is Showing (1957)
05:30am The Wrong Box (1966)
07:30am Never Let Go (1960)

January 13 Thursday
08:00pm Waltz of the Toreadors (1962)
10:00pm The Millionairess (1960)
11:45pm I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968)
01:30am What's New, Pussycat (1965)
03:30am After the Fox (1966)
05:15am The Bobo (1967)

January 20 Thursday
08:00pm The Pink Panther (1963)
10:00pm A Shot In The Dark (1964)
12:00am Murder by Death (1976)
01:45am Casino Royale (1967)
04:00am The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)

January 27 Thursday
08:00pm Man in a Cocked Hat (1960)
09:45pm Being There (1979)
12:00am Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb (1964)
01:45am Lolita (1962)
04:30am Only Two Can Play (1962)
06:30am Tom Thumb (1958)
 

8 & 10 November 2010 - LEEDS

Leeds International Film Festival is showcasing:

DR. STRANGELOVE
Mon 8th Nov, 2010 - 16:30 @ Leeds Town Hall 1 (TOWN1)
and
Wed 10th Nov, 2010 - 18:00 @ Leeds Town Hall 1 (TOWN1)

www.leedsfilm.com

 

November / December 2010 - LONDON / NEW YORK CITY

It happens very infrequently, but Peter Sellers is about to be portrayed by an(other) actor.

The @70-minute one-man show BEING SELLERS, written some two decades ago by Carl Caulfield, will be staged at London's Waterloo East Theatre (www.waterlooeast.co.uk) from November 2nd through 19th. David Boyle will portray PS.

The production will then visit NYC, to play at Manhattan's 59E59 theater complex (www.59e59.org), from November 22nd through December 12th.

 

Thursday 9th 7:30 PM September 2010 - HOLLYWOOD

The American Cinematheque is showcasing:

DR. STRANGELOVE
and
LOLITA

at the historic Egyptian Theatre (6712 Hollywood Boulevard) as part of a Stanley Kubrick tribute.

www.AmericanCinematheque.com

 

28 May 2010 - NEW YORK CITY

Manhattan's Film Society of Lincoln Center will screen the 1968 classic THE PARTY at their Walter Reade Theatre, one of the best venues to see revivals at in NYC.

Their description rightly refers to "the incomparable Peter Sellers" as the movie's star. The movie will screen on Friday May 28th @7:45 PM in what will doubtless be the finest studio print available. THE PARTY demands to be seen on the big screen with an audience, so now is your chance!

www.filmlinc.com

 

9 October 2009 - SANTA MONICA

The American Cinematheque's Aero Theater in Santa Monica, CA will screen BEING THERE to honor the 30th anniversary of its release in 1979.

BEING THERE, the prescient dark comedy of media manipulation and reality sculpting which Sellers considered the pinnacle of his career, will be shown on Friday Oct. 9 at 7:30 pm as the first of two movies from director Hal Ashby, followed by The Landlord starring Beau Bridges.

www.americancinematheque.com

 

29-30 August 2009 - Turner Classic Movies

Cable network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will pay tribute to PS on Saturday August 29th (not long before what would have been his 84th birthday) and Sunday August 30th with a 24-hour marathon of his movies, including some rarities! Please allow for extra time if you are recording, as some movies may run just past the hour or half-hour (and into the next one).

www.tcm.com

The List:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29th (and SUNDAY, AUGUST 30th) on TCM
6 a.m. Your Past is Showing (a.k.a. The Naked Truth)
7:30 a.m. The Mouse that Roared
9 a.m. I'm All Right Jack
11 a.m. The Millionairess
12:30 p.m. Only Two Can Play
2:30 p.m. The Wrong Box
4:30 p.m. After the Fox
6:15 p.m. Murder by Death
8 p.m. ["THE ESSENTIALS" hosted showcase] Lolita
11 p.m. Waltz of the Toreadors
1 a.m. Two-Way Stretch
2:30 a.m. There's a Girl in My Soup
4 a.m. The Party
 

21-22 August 2009 - NEW YORK CITY

NEVER LET GO, the 1960 drama directed by John Guillermin in which PS stars in a rare dramatic role as a ruthless criminal, will be screened for the first time in 14 years in NYC at Manhattan's Film Forum. Showtimes are Friday August 21st and Saturday August 22nd at both 3:35 PM and 7:25 PM.

www.filmforum.org

 

9, 11 & 14 July 2009 - PARIS

This year's Paris Cinema Festival in July will include a multi-film tribute to Claudia Cardinale; THE PINK PANTHER will be screened on 9 (15:25), 11 (19:55) & 14 (17:35) July @ Arlequin cinema, thereby bringing PS's Clouseau back to (appropriately enough) Paris!

www.pariscinema.org

 

27 July 2009 - LONDON

The BFI restoration project is complete! The restored versions of PENNY POINTS TO PARADISE and LET'S GO CRAZY will be screened at BFI Southbank in London on Monday, July 27, 2009, concurrent with the launch of the two titles, collectively, on region 2 dvd and blu-ray. The discs will contain a rare and heretofore undiscovered project from Sellers.

www.bfi.org.uk

 

20-24 June 2009 - NEW YORK CITY

Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art, which over the years has screened (in the best film prints available) such Peter Sellers classics as THE PARTY, THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH, and THE PINK PANTHER, is now showcasing PS' two unforgettable movies that he made with the late great director Stanley Kubrick.

Lolita
Saturday, June 20th @5:00 PM
Monday, June 22nd @8:00 PM

Dr. Strangelove
Sunday, June 21st @5:30 PM
Wednesday, June 24th @8:00 PM

www.moma.org

 

22-28 May 2009 - NEW YORK CITY

New York City's Film Forum is once again reviving a Peter Sellers classic; the 1964 DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB, directed by Stanley Kubrick, will play the theater for one week, from Friday May 22nd through Thursday May 28th, 2009.

The 45th Anniversary of the picture is being commemorated with a new 35mm print - one from a new 4K digitally created negative using the best surviving film elements. If you're in Manhattan around Memorial Day, don't miss PS in not one but three of his greatest roles!

Daily showtimes are: 1:10 PM, 3:20 PM, 5:30 PM, 7:40 PM, and 9:50 PM (albeit with no late-afternoon/evening shows on Monday May 25th).

www.filmforum.org

 

February 2009 - LONDON

Throughout February, BFI Southbank in London honors Stanley Kubrick with part one of a major survey of the master director's films, including multiple screenings of two of Sellers' most accomplished performances, in Lolita and Dr. Strangelove. Screening dates, times and rooms are as follows:

Lolita
SUN Feb 8 15:20 NFT1
WED Feb 18 20:10 NFT2
THU Feb 19 20:10 NFT1

Dr. Strangelove
MON Feb 16 20:50 NFT1
FRI Feb 20 20:45 NFT1

www.bfi.org.uk

 
The BFI Restoration Project

The BFI National Archive is commencing a project to restore and preserve PENNY POINTS TO PARADISE, the 1951 Peter Sellers comedy that marks the beginning of his career on screen.

In conjunction with Kate Lees, rightsholder in the Adelphi Films catalogue, and with full funding in place from Sellers aficionado Laura Camuti, the BFI will shortly undertake as full a film restoration of this title as is possible, as well as preservation work on LET'S GO CRAZY, in order that these important pieces of comedy history are safely preserved and available for future generations of film fans and scholars to enjoy and study.

The BFI Archive holds most of PENNY POINTS TO PARADISE on good quality 35mm pre-print material, donated by Adelphi Films. But certain sequences are missing. Currently, our only source for these missing scenes is a 16mm print of the film donated to us by Adelphi Films. We are missing the whole last reel of LET'S GO CRAZY.

They're looking for any film material (or video material in the case of LET'S GO CRAZY) on either of these titles, for loan, for the restoration project. They would, of course, take the greatest care of any such loaned material. Any questions or queries about the project please contact:

Vic Pratt
Curator (Fiction Film)
BFI National Archive
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 2LN

Tel. 020 7957 4805
Fax. 020 7580 7503

vic.pratt@bfi.org.uk

 

12 & 15 October 2008 - LONDON

The British Film Institute will screen DR. STRANGELOVE at the National Film Theater/BFI Southbank in London twice in October on their largest screen, NFT1. A rare chance to see Kubrick's farcical cold war masterpiece in its full glory on the big screen happens Sunday Oct 12 at 8.45 pm in NFT1 and again on Wed Oct 15 at 6.20 pm in NFT1. The war room's never looked so good!

www.bfi.org.uk

 

11,12 & 16 July 2008 - SANTA MONICA

The American Cinematheque's Aero Theatre in Santa Monica is tributing filmmaker Blake Edwards on the occasion of his 86th birthday in July. Nearly all of his classic collaborations with Peter Sellers will be screened:

Friday, July 11 7:30 PM
double feature of THE PINK PANTHER and THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER

Saturday, July 12 7:30 PM
double feature of THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN and REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER

Wednesday, July 16 9:30 PM
THE PARTY as part of double feature (following 7:30 PM showing of S.O.B.)

As always, PSAS plans to lend on-site support to this great venue and showcase.

Go to www.AmericanCinematheque.com for further details and a full schedule of films showing, plus updates on in-person appearances by Mr. Edwards himself!

 

Wednesday 4th 7:30 PM June 2008 - SANTA MONICA

The American Cinematheque, which has made a practice of showing PS movies over the past few years, will screen A SHOT IN THE DARK, starring Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau, at its Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA (1328 Montana Ave.) on Wednesday 4th June.

This is part of a "personal choice" evening showcasing writer/director Blake Edwards, who is slated to be on-site for an in-person discussion in between showings of his films WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, DADDY? and A SHOT IN THE DARK. The evening program of double feature and discussion begins @ 7:30 PM.

As always, PSAS will offer to loan archival materials on-site for what promises to be a special evening showcasing one of PS' greatest films and performances.

www.AmericanCinematheque.com

 
Warren Cowan

PSAS Honorary Member Warren Cowan (the dean of Hollywood press agents) passed away on Wednesday, 14 May 2008. He joined PSAS only about 20 months ago.
Mr. Cowan was - hard as this is to believe - 87 years old.

Warren Cowan on The New Work Times

 

Tuesday 1st April 2008 - NEW YORK CITY

NYC's Film Forum (209 W Houston St) is presenting:

THE PARTY
1:30, 5:20, 9:10
and
A SHOT IN THE DARK
3:25, 7:15

This Blake Edwards-directed double feature is part of a United Artists 90th Anniversary retrospective. PSAS plans to lend on-site support for this double feature!

www.filmforum.org

 

Sunday 20th 7:30 PM January 2008 - HOLLYWOOD

The American Cinematheque is showcasing PS:

THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES
and
THE MOUSE THAT ROARED

at the historic Egyptian Theatre (6712 Hollywood Boulevard) as part of their "Not on DVD" film series.

www.AmericanCinematheque.com

 

Saturday 29th 7:30 PM July 2007 - SANTA MONICA

The American Cinematheque is presenting:

THE PARTY

at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave.) as part of a double feature with SKIDOO (1968). Blake Edwards will take part in the discussion between the films.

www.AmericanCinematheque.com

 

Saturday 14th 9:30 PM July 2007 - VIENNA

Open-Air Cinema in Augarten, Vienna, Austria is showing:

THE PARTY

www.kinountersternen.at

 

Monday 9th 6:20 PM July 2007 - LONDON

BFI Southbank (Belvedere Road, Waterloo, London SE1 8XT) will screen:

PORTRAIT OF A GOON

a 13 min short film with Spike Milligan.

www.bfi.org.uk

 

Friday 4th 4:15 PM and Saturday 5th 9:15 PM May 2007 - NEW YORK CITY

As part of a Paul Mazursky retrospective, the Walter Reade Theatre (west 65th Street) will screen:

I LOVE YOU, ALICE B. TOKLAS!

www.filmlinc.com

 

Friday 20th April 2007 - LONDON

Theatrical screening of:

PENNY POINTS TO PARADISE
and
ORDERS ARE ORDERS
5.20PM

@ BFI Southbank (Belvedere Road, Waterloo, London SE1 8XT)

www.bfi.org.uk

 

Monday 14th May 2007 - NEW YORK CITY

Theatrical screening of:

CASINO ROYALE
2:45 PM and 7:00 PM

@ Manhattan's Film Forum (209 W Houston St)

www.filmforum.org

 

Sunday 15th 2:00 PM & Saturday 28th 4:30 PM April 2007 - NEW YORK CITY

Theatrical screening of:

DR. STRANGELOVE

@ Museum of Modern Art (11 West 53 Street)

www.moma.org

 

25, 26 & 27 February 2007 - LA, CA

Double-feature showing of:

CASINO ROYALE
Sun: 5:00 & 9:35; Mon/Tue: 9:35
and
WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?
Sun: 2:55 & 7:30; Mon/Tue: 7:30

@ New Beverly Cinema (7165 West Beverly Bld)

www.newbevcinema.com

 

Friday 15th & Wednesday 20th December 2006 - NEW YORK CITY

NYC's noted Museum of Modern Art (which always endeavors to get the best archival prints) will screen, as part of a tribute to movie mogul Walter Mirisch, two Blake Edwards-directed Peter Sellers classics twice apiece in December. MoMA is located at 11 West 53rd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), in the heart of Manhattan, and can be visited at www.moma.org.

On Friday night December 15th (the same night as the Aero Theatre showing in Santa Monica), THE PINK PANTHER will screen at 6:15 PM. It will be followed by THE PARTY (1968) at 8:30 PM. Both showings will be in MoMA's sizable Titus Theatre 1 auditorium. In buying a museum admission, one can request and obtain tickets for both showings.

On Wednesday night December 20th, THE PARTY will screen at 6:15 PM, followed by THE PINK PANTHER at 8:15 PM, again in Titus 1. One museum admission enables you to get tickets for the two individual movies as a double feature.

 

Friday 15th & Saturday 16th December 2006 - Santa Monica, CA

The original classic PINK PANTHER movies will be back on the big screen for the first time in 3 years, in showcase presentation! The American Cinematheque will be showing the classic PINK PANTHER movies (in sequence) on December 15 & 16 at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave.) in Santa Monica, CA.

PSAS' US representative, Jason Simos, will host the screenings and coordinate PSAS' loaning photos and memorabilia for display, as well as a prize giveaway to further promote PSAS. You can purchase tickets on www.fandango.com, and general admission tickets are $10.

Friday, December 15 - 7:30 PM
THE PINK PANTHER
and
A SHOT IN THE DARK
 
Saturday, December 16 - 5:00 PM
THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER
 
Saturday, December 16 - 7:30 PM
THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN
and
REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER

 
Michael Sellers

Michael Sellers, who has died aged 52, was the only son of Peter, and the author of two memoirs detailing their strained and often tempestuous relationship.

He died during surgery on July 24 following a heart attack; his father died from the same cause 26 years earlier to the day. He married, in 1979, Carolyn Athay, who left him after six weeks for another man. He is survived by his second wife, Alison, whom he married in 1986, and by their two children.

Michael Sellers on Telegraph

 

Monday, July 31st 2006 - NEW YORK CITY

Outdoors screening of:

A SHOT IN THE DARK!

Beginning at dusk (after 8 PM -- but you can arrive hours earlier and picnic) in Bryant Park, in the heart of Manhattan. Location is West 42nd Street/West 43rd Street (the park spans over half a city block), near 6th Avenue.

 

Wednesday 9:30 PM, 2 August 2006 - Vienna

Filmcasino is showing:

THE PARTY

It is a part of the Psychedelia exhibition with the footnote: Summer of love, showing pictures, photographs, gadgets, movies, posters...produced throughout the world during the 60's and early 70's. It is on display in Kunsthalle Wien, brought mostly from the Tate in Liverpool.

Friday 9:30 PM, 4 August 2006 - Vienna

Open-air film festival in Augarten is showing:

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?

 

Sunday 7:30 PM, July 30th 2006 - HOLLYWOOD

Rare double-feature showing (a big screen! good prints assured!) of:

CASINO ROYALE
and
WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?

@ the famed Egyptian Theatre (6712 Hollywood Boulevard).

www.americancinematheque.com

 

Friday 9:30 PM, September 8th 2006 - NEW YORK CITY

DR. STRANGELOVE @
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street (in Manhattan)

It would have been Peter's 81st birthday on this date.

www.rmanyc.org

 

Saturday, June 24 - Sunday, June 25 - NEW YORK

The Museum of the Moving Image -- 35th Avenue at 36th Street, in Astoria (Queens), NY -- will be doing a Stanley Kubrick retrospective.

The two indelible collaborations of the great director with PS will both be shown twice. MMI always shows quality celluloid prints, so this is the way to see these movies!

2:00 PM -- LOLITA
5:00 PM -- DR. STRANGELOVE
 

Friday night, March 24th 2006 - NEW YORK CITY

BEING THERE @
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street (in Manhattan)

Introduced by PSAS U.S. Representative Jason Simos.

www.rmanyc.org

 
Mr. Strangelove: Peter Sellers On Screen And Off -- taught by Ed Sikov, Ph.D.

Dr. Sikov has taught at Haverford College and Columbia University and is the author of several film books. This course takes a look at the life and work of a screamingly funny, desperately unhappy soul - an international film star who thought he was empty. Through close analyses of four of Sellers' greatest films, the course-taught by Sellers biographer Ed Sikov (Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers)-examines the complex framework of Sellers' intuitive, untrained talent; his fruitful but often troubled collaboration with his directors; and the unique nature and style of his comedy.
Sellers could mimic anyone and don any mask at will, but he was privately convinced that his personality had no core. His blistering improvisations could ruin takes by sending the casts and crews of his films into peals of uncontrollable laughter while the camera was running, but off screen he was a confused and lonely man, volatile one minute and sullen the next. Join us as we trace both his life and his art.

Class meets Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22, 29, 10am to 1pm at Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
Fee: $100 includes screenings.
To register, call 610-527-4008.

www.brynmawrfilm.org

 
The Great Pram Race Found

One of Sellers' rarest films (made in 1976, a short film where Sellers does the funny voiceover narration) is now available by Michael J Boxall, with the help of PSAS. The funds raised will go to the Muscular Distrophy Campaign.

E-mail: mikejboxall@tiscali.co.uk
 
PSAS at the Cardiff Screen Festival

PSAS has helped in finding the films for the Peter Sellers Retrospective at the Cardiff Screen Festival, which took place in November 2004 (12-19).

The programme featured rare, unseen Sellers films like:
The Blockhouse,
Mr.Topaze,
Insomnia Is Good For You,
Cold Comfort,
Dearth Of A Salesman,
Not Only But Also...

and many other classics like:
Dr.Strangelove, Hoffman, I'm All Right, Jack, Never Let Go, The Naked Truth.

www.cardiffscreenfestival.co.uk

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