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P.S. I Love You: Peter Sellers 1925-1980
Written by the only son of the late actor, with the cooperation of the other two Sellers children, this candid biography portrays Sellers's tormented private life and his extreme emotional vulnerability and insecurity
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 17, 2017
I read this book the first time a long while back, so it was a nice surprise to stumble over again whilst in the middle of unpacking boxes after a recent house move (am I the only person on here who seems to have more boxes of books than any other possession?)
To put my cards on the table, I am, and always will be a fan of Peter Sellers the artist. Very few people fall into the category of true genius like he did, and I approached this book the second time, being sure to remember that the first reading clouded my watching of Sellers for a long time after reading it.
This time around, it was no less a traumatic a read.
Sellers emerges from the pages an extremely troubled man. His son, the author (now sadly deceased himself, coincidentally dying 25 years to the day after his father's own untimely passing of a similar heart condition) paints his father as some sort of childish monster, prone to petulant rages, and vindictiveness, driven by vanity, and insecurity, and ruining the lives of pretty much anyone who managed to get within touching distance of his heart.
There are gaps though.
I struggled to understand how a monster such as the one painted here retained the loyalty of what appeared to be true friends, such as Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. Both of these men had nothing to gain professionally by the association, so their friendships seemed sincere and loving. Why did they stick around with Sellers if he was the monster as painted by his son?
As for the author, he too comes under scrutiny for his apparent willingness to overlook the cruelty dished out to his sister and half sister at various times. He details more than once how he would be spending time, living the high life with his father, whilst at the same time one sister or other was being cut from a will, or receiving a hurtful letter.
These unanswered questions do frustrate slightly, as does the somewhat clunky writing style that screams out for a decent editors lightness of touch.
Despite the above, the book is fascinating for those who are interested in the workings of Hollywood around the time, or even those who might like to study a such a talented tortured soul from the safety of times filtered lens.
To put my cards on the table, I am, and always will be a fan of Peter Sellers the artist. Very few people fall into the category of true genius like he did, and I approached this book the second time, being sure to remember that the first reading clouded my watching of Sellers for a long time after reading it.
This time around, it was no less a traumatic a read.
Sellers emerges from the pages an extremely troubled man. His son, the author (now sadly deceased himself, coincidentally dying 25 years to the day after his father's own untimely passing of a similar heart condition) paints his father as some sort of childish monster, prone to petulant rages, and vindictiveness, driven by vanity, and insecurity, and ruining the lives of pretty much anyone who managed to get within touching distance of his heart.
There are gaps though.
I struggled to understand how a monster such as the one painted here retained the loyalty of what appeared to be true friends, such as Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. Both of these men had nothing to gain professionally by the association, so their friendships seemed sincere and loving. Why did they stick around with Sellers if he was the monster as painted by his son?
As for the author, he too comes under scrutiny for his apparent willingness to overlook the cruelty dished out to his sister and half sister at various times. He details more than once how he would be spending time, living the high life with his father, whilst at the same time one sister or other was being cut from a will, or receiving a hurtful letter.
These unanswered questions do frustrate slightly, as does the somewhat clunky writing style that screams out for a decent editors lightness of touch.
Despite the above, the book is fascinating for those who are interested in the workings of Hollywood around the time, or even those who might like to study a such a talented tortured soul from the safety of times filtered lens.
January 29, 2010
Let's see if I still have a big celebrity crush on Peter Sellers when I'm done with this.
...
Okay, so- written by his son, Michael Sellers, P.S. I Love You is mostly about Sellers's blond young women, expensive apology gifts, and temper tantrums that destroy those expensive apology gifts (stomping on train sets, throwing jewelry out the window, crushing watches under foot, etc etc). The trajectory of his life is interesting in that it follows a miserable pattern up until the end, as if he experienced one marriage on a loop (Peter was married four times).
He almost married Liza Minelli, which seemed like a match that actually makes sense, but since they both are/were superstitious kooks, they consulted clairvoyants independent of one another regarding the future of their marriage. Peter felt betrayed that Liza didn't consult HIS personal clairvoyant,and that Liza's said the marriage would be a no dice situation.
This was written well enough. It's a look into his personal life, not his creative persona, so don't expect a whole lot about his performance career.
...
Okay, so- written by his son, Michael Sellers, P.S. I Love You is mostly about Sellers's blond young women, expensive apology gifts, and temper tantrums that destroy those expensive apology gifts (stomping on train sets, throwing jewelry out the window, crushing watches under foot, etc etc). The trajectory of his life is interesting in that it follows a miserable pattern up until the end, as if he experienced one marriage on a loop (Peter was married four times).
He almost married Liza Minelli, which seemed like a match that actually makes sense, but since they both are/were superstitious kooks, they consulted clairvoyants independent of one another regarding the future of their marriage. Peter felt betrayed that Liza didn't consult HIS personal clairvoyant,and that Liza's said the marriage would be a no dice situation.
This was written well enough. It's a look into his personal life, not his creative persona, so don't expect a whole lot about his performance career.
August 4, 2018
It wasn’t until I was nearly finished with P.S. I LOVE YOU: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF PETER SELLERS by his son Michael, with help from daughters Sarah and Victoria, that I realized the initials of the title were not a post script but their father’s initials. Maybe it was intended as both, for Sellers was a father who treated his children as an afterthought, frequently ignoring them for his own pleasures and disowning them on more than one occasion. The title had me spontaneously breaking into that old Beatles song of the same name. That’s one of the more pleasant memories of reading this portrait as the artist as a bad father. It opens with his death, so you don’t even have the satisfaction of watching him croak at the end. His swings from love to abuse are so regular it feel like déjà vu all over again. I tried to think of the memoir as a parenting primer for laughs, but mostly it was just the morbid curiosity of celebrity that pulled me through. Don’t expect much about the artist, though, his career is background to contrast with the sadly insecure man in the foreground.
January 17, 2013
The book gave an interesting insight of Peter Sellers from the perspective of his son. I've enjoyed his movies for years, but find that since reading this that I don't care much for the person he was.
September 9, 2009
Funny man, not so nice dad. Too bad.
February 7, 2013
A fascinating insight into the life of comic genius Peter Sellers by his son.
A comic genius but there was a lot of sadness in his life.
A comic genius but there was a lot of sadness in his life.
January 9, 2014
A warts-and-all memoir of a famous father by his offspring. Doesn't pull its punches.
February 11, 2026
A real hatchet job, but what makes it more shocking is it's written by his own son.
Sellers comes across as a solipsistic, paranoid, spoilt, bullying git, with very few redeeming qualities.
A fascinating, exhausting read.
Sellers comes across as a solipsistic, paranoid, spoilt, bullying git, with very few redeeming qualities.
A fascinating, exhausting read.
August 22, 2013
It's always disheartening to learn that one of your favorite actors or musicians was a complete ass in real life. Peter Sellers had immense talent in acting and was a comedic genius. Being There was his greatest movie, in my opinion, and I've been an enormous fan of Murder by Death since I was a child.
Unfortunately, narcissism, mania, depression and a heart condition made him such a selfish son of a bitch that his horrible reputation in show business was legendary. I later learned that his son Michael died of a heart attack 26 years to date from Peter's death.
A very intriguing read.
Unfortunately, narcissism, mania, depression and a heart condition made him such a selfish son of a bitch that his horrible reputation in show business was legendary. I later learned that his son Michael died of a heart attack 26 years to date from Peter's death.
A very intriguing read.
February 14, 2015
I never realized how crazy Peter Sellers was until reading this book.
Once I started it I couldn't put it down because I was just drawn in by the craziness.
His poor children, wives, and co-stars.
He was a brilliant actor and I love his movies but I definiitely not have wanted to work with him or for him.
Once I started it I couldn't put it down because I was just drawn in by the craziness.
His poor children, wives, and co-stars.
He was a brilliant actor and I love his movies but I definiitely not have wanted to work with him or for him.
March 15, 2018
I knew Peter Sellers was a troubled soul, but I didn't know it was like this. I feel sorry for the man, and mainly his children. Very emotional book, at least for me. Intresting read!
April 27, 2024
Memories are filtered by one's perspective and what we have here is a collection of memories about Peter Sellers, purely from the perspective of his only son, with contributions from his two daughters.
At the time of reading, this book is now over 40 years old, but it does not feel dated in any way. It is essentially a montage of recollections and anecdotes. It reads well and is crammed full of interesting insights. It is well documented that Peter Sellers had a very fickle and emotional attitude in making life choices. He was governed by a multitude of demons, often letting his desires and anger direct his life. From the book you also got a sense that Peter Sellers was also a very generous man and used money in an attempt to buy happiness, something which he never truly accomplished. One could also see a streak of narcissism, spoilt upbringing and a strong sense of entitlement by the way he treated his family and friends. Peter Sellers would have been a psychologist's wet dream given the number of complexions he had.
What I found interesting is that Michael himself is unaware (or at least did not write about it) that his own lifestyle was completely hedonistic. In his youth Michael experienced a lifestyle that most of us can only dream about, yet he seems oblivious to appreciating what he had. Yes, he grew up in a broken home, but so have millions of other people, but they knew that life was not going to hand to them opportunities on the plate, something Michael always had. Michael seems oblivious to his own narcissist lifestyle (at that time). Michael took pride on turning down a Porsche when his father offered one to him. Apparently we, as readers, are suppose to be impressed by the writer's lack of pretension.
This biography of Peter Sellers is wholly lensed through the perspective of his son and that is not a bad thing, but I guess the truth of why Peter Sellers was such a complicated man, is still a mystery.
At the time of reading, this book is now over 40 years old, but it does not feel dated in any way. It is essentially a montage of recollections and anecdotes. It reads well and is crammed full of interesting insights. It is well documented that Peter Sellers had a very fickle and emotional attitude in making life choices. He was governed by a multitude of demons, often letting his desires and anger direct his life. From the book you also got a sense that Peter Sellers was also a very generous man and used money in an attempt to buy happiness, something which he never truly accomplished. One could also see a streak of narcissism, spoilt upbringing and a strong sense of entitlement by the way he treated his family and friends. Peter Sellers would have been a psychologist's wet dream given the number of complexions he had.
What I found interesting is that Michael himself is unaware (or at least did not write about it) that his own lifestyle was completely hedonistic. In his youth Michael experienced a lifestyle that most of us can only dream about, yet he seems oblivious to appreciating what he had. Yes, he grew up in a broken home, but so have millions of other people, but they knew that life was not going to hand to them opportunities on the plate, something Michael always had. Michael seems oblivious to his own narcissist lifestyle (at that time). Michael took pride on turning down a Porsche when his father offered one to him. Apparently we, as readers, are suppose to be impressed by the writer's lack of pretension.
This biography of Peter Sellers is wholly lensed through the perspective of his son and that is not a bad thing, but I guess the truth of why Peter Sellers was such a complicated man, is still a mystery.
April 29, 2018
I almost feel as if I need to read another biography of Sellers to see if the portrait painted by his son is truly accurate.
It's hard to believe that anyone so immature, psychotic, hateful, etc. could have succeeded
in the career he had. He seemed to be completely detached from reality, i.e. believing that Sophia Loren would divorce Ponti and marry him and he had no qualms about advising his wife that this was going to happen. He was horribly vindictive to his children and wives, but no much to his
coworkers.
Michael and his other children kept up a relationship with their father even though it
was always a tempestuous one. Michael's portrayal of his dad mellows as his father's health declines and he succumbs to his final illness.
It's hard to believe that anyone so immature, psychotic, hateful, etc. could have succeeded
in the career he had. He seemed to be completely detached from reality, i.e. believing that Sophia Loren would divorce Ponti and marry him and he had no qualms about advising his wife that this was going to happen. He was horribly vindictive to his children and wives, but no much to his
coworkers.
Michael and his other children kept up a relationship with their father even though it
was always a tempestuous one. Michael's portrayal of his dad mellows as his father's health declines and he succumbs to his final illness.
March 18, 2026
This is a hard book to read. He was an absolutely vile man, who beat his wife and children, cheated, lied, raged and broke things. A nasty piece of work - charming at first, as people like that always are. I don't care about his films. He was just garbage. I am sorry his children had to have such a disgusting excuse for a father.
October 31, 2011
Peter Sellers' son writes about his famous dad.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews