Sir Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, CBE was an English actor, writer, dramatist, and filmmaker, who, for Disney, voiced Prince John and King Richard in Robin Hood (where he also voiced only the former in German) and also played the title character of Blackbeard's Ghost, Dr. Snodgrass in Treasure of Matecumbe, and Hnup Wan in One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing. He also guest-starred on The Muppet Show in episode 112 and made a cameo appearance in The Great Muppet Caper.
Ustinov was born in London, England and descended from Russian nobles and Jewish refugees. He was educated at Westminster School and, in his late teens, he trained as an actor at the London Theatre Studio. He established himself as stage actor before he served as a private in the British Army during World War II. He also appeared in propaganda films, debuting in One of Our Aircraft Is Missing in which he was required to deliver lines in English, Latin, and Dutch.
After the war, he appeared in, as well as produced, directed, and wrote his own films, like School for Secrets, Vice Versa, Private Angelo, Romanoff and Juliet, Billy Bud, Hammersmith Is Out, Hot Millions, Memed, My Hawk, and Lady L. His other acting credits included Odette, Quo Vadis, The Magic Box, We're No Angels, The Wanderers, Spartacus, The Sundowners, Topkapi, The Comedians, Viva Max!, Logan's Run, Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen, and as Hercule Poirot in Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun, and Appointment with Death.
Ustinov suffered from diabetes and a weakened heart in his last years. He died on March 28, 2004 of heart failure in a clinic in Genolier, near his home in Bursins, Switzerland.
Roles[]
(Robin Hood)
_-4.jpg "Treasure of Matecumbe (1976) -4.jpg (43 KB)")
(Treasure of Matecumbe)
(One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing)
Trivia[]
- He was first married to Isolde Denham, daughter of Reginald Denham and Moyna MacGill, and the half-sister of Angela Lansbury.
- He was also considered for the roles of George Banks and Bert in Mary Poppins before David Tomlinson and Dick Van Dyke got the roles respectively.
- He was considered for the role of Professor Browne in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, along with several actors that were considered, but lost to Tomlinson again.
- He was also considered to voice Chairmouse in The Rescuers.
