Limelight:

Peter the Great

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Peter Ustinov Great humanitarian (1921-2004)

By Lubna Abdel-Aziz

"We will miss him terribly", said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy, "the children of the world have lost a true friend in Peter Ustinov." So have we all. So has all of humanity. Film director Michael Winner, a friend of 50 years, said it best: "Peter Ustinov will unquestionably be remembered as Peter Ustinov -- and that's enough."

Everything that Peter Ustinov touched, turned into gold. Everything he said was sublime. Whether on radio, television, concert hall, stage or screen, his words were laced with subtle, playful humour, sharp-witted intelligence, and resourceful creativity. Yet beneath it all, he felt an acute sense of pain for the plight of humanity, especially its children. "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious," and laughter was at the root of his philosophy. With laughter he set about to help all children ... everywhere ... children who had been abused, children with disabilities, children living in the streets and children whose lives had been blighted by environmental degradation.

It was when he spoke that Peter Ustinov's artistry was celestial. His imagery with words, his visions of rapturous fancies, his composed zeal yet irrepressible humour had audiences laughing and crying, and clamouring for more. With all the sensitivities of the accomplished actor, the wit of the satirist, the wisdom of the philosopher and the comedy of the clown, Peter gave himself to his many causes. The splendour of his passionate, amusing tales of life and love, of mice and men, some tall, some small, all memorable and powerful left their enduring mark on our collective conscience.

Not all of us had the good fortune of attending one of his live performances. Catching his show on television a few years ago, put me in a trance for two whole hours. This was a sorcerer, an enchanter, a magician. His words were hypnotic, bewitching, spell binding. His art was his secret, his secret was his language. His manipulative use of lilting words, accompanied by his thousand faces and million emotions, made him a Houdini, a Merlin, a Beethoven all rolled into one. Language was his witchcraft, his toy.. his joy- and for good reason: He spoke eight of the world's languages: Russian, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Greek. He could also fool any native by mimicking the sound and rhythm of his language after one hour of listening to it.

Born in London in 1921 to Russian immigrants, his father was half German half Russian, his mother Russian, French, Italian and Ethiopian. "I really have automatic loyalty to something like the United Nations." By age three he was already an accomplished entertainer. At a private dinner given by his family for Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia in 1924, little Peter was the evening's main attraction, mocking and mimicking politicians of the day, to everyone's amazement and amusement. At l6 he dropped out of the prestigious Westminster School because he hated it, and never again set foot in another educational institution. He did not need to. By age 19 he had written his first play, Home of Regrets, which opened in London in 1942. Peter never stopped writing henceforth. He wrote books, plays, novels, short stories, film-scripts, newspaper columns, letters, poems and songs. There was always something he wanted to say, and whenever there was pen and paper, he sat down and wrote in long hand: "If I could type, I'd rather play the harpsichord."

Of all his many arts and countless achievements, writing was his greatest challenge: "the first page is difficult to fill properly, and if you're lucky, it sets a high standard that is hard to follow on page two." Had not his days and nights been crowded with enthusiasm for every idea that crossed his mind, every project that came his way, "he may be ranked with the most agreeable and ingenious writers of the century". Did he spread himself too thin? "Absolutely not", said actor and friend Sir Roger Moore on British Television, as he eulogised his departed friend, "What a shame if we were deprived of this fountain of creativity. Peter could make anyone laugh. His one-man-show in Germany last year was the funniest performance I have ever seen, and I don't speak a word of German."

In a career that spanned six decades Ustinov continued to write, perform and travel, till the very end. "I am not one to retire easily." The end came after he returned from a trip to Thailand in January, where he contracted a mysterious illness, from which he never recovered. Sir Peter Ustinov died in his home in Switzerland, where he has lived since 1954. A birthday tribute at Lucerne planned for April 16th, his 83rd birthday, will be held without him. His four children, Tamara, Pavla, Andrea and Igor will be present. He was proud of his multinational heritage. He never failed to mention that his mother was one quarter Ethiopian.

Everyone called him "Peter, the great raconteur" which he was. He was also one of the most distinguished character actors, appearing in 90 films and memorable roles, from Emperor Nero in Quo Vadis (1952) to detective Hercule Poirot in Death on the Nile (1978). The role of the amiable Belgian detective pursued him to the small screen where he starred in half a dozen Agatha Christie adaptations for British television. He possessed the power of stealing the soul of the camera, even in the company of such legendary masters as Charles Laughton and Laurence Olivier. Ustinov snatched an Oscar from under their very noses as Lentilus Batialus in Spartacus (1960). Four years later he received his second Oscar for his portrayal of sleazy Arthur Simon Simpson in Jules Dassin's Topkapi opposite Melina Mercouri.

Indefatigable Peter became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1968. He fulfilled the voluntary post with his customary zeal, raising hundreds of millions of dollars, pounds and rubles to ensure that all children survive and thrive through adolescence. He did not travel to observe children, visit their hospitals, shelters or care- facilities. He went to engage them. He played ping-pong with them in Egypt, rode bicycles by their side in China, vaccinated them in Kenya and danced with them in Cambodia. When his eight languages failed him, he resorted to the universal language of childhood. He made them laugh by imitating voices, poking fun, making faces and going down on all fours, producing uncanny animal noises. "He had a magical way with children."

Honours and awards are far too numerous to list. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1990, "in recognition of his innumerable artistic and humanitarian achievements". How has his life changed since he became "Sir Peter"? His wry reply: "I got older; but I think I would have done anyway." How come he was born with so many gifts? Was it the product of some marvelous gene pool? "Well", he mused, "my great, great, great, great grand uncle did create the part of Don Ottavio in the Opera Don Giovanni, under Mozart's baton in the World Premiere at the Opera House in Prague." Ustinov directed 9 Operas during his life time.

It is impossible to do justice to the range of a talent like Peter Ustinov's. As Peter, Pyotr, Pier, Pierre, Pedro, Pieter, Petros or Pietro he was a citizen of the world in the best sense, and will be remembered by the world, for his urbane witticisms, his language prowess, his acting genius, his prolific writings and his famous quotes. Mostly, Sir Peter will be remembered as the great humanitarian with the great heart ever-beating in his chest with love and compassion for all the children of the world. Peter, the very lovable, ever loving human being, belonged to all of us. " Love is an endless forgiveness, a tender look, which becomes a habit, "

Peter Ustinov

(1921-2004).