The Hindu Business Line : Quo Vadis, Sir Peter!

Recently, the world bade adieu to one of its greatest showmen. Sir Peter Ustinov, best remembered for his role as the crazy Nero, has left behind a trail of memories and laughter.

Peter Ustinov poses with actress Eva Marie Saint at the 33rd Academy Awards after winning the Oscar for his supporting performance in `Spartacus'.

Seated at the farthest corner of the huge dining table at the Portugese holiday resort Estoril at a Reader's Digest editorial conference in 1979 and not provided with the list of guest speakers, one thought there was something familiar with one of the after-dinner speakers. He was stocky with curly hair and a pouting mouth, gestured freely while speaking and came out with one wisecrack after another. Then suddenly realisation dawned, that was Nero, the Roman Emprepor! Who can forget Peter Ustinov's brilliant portrayal of the mad Emperor in the MGM blockbuster of the1950s, Quo Vadis? The crazy ruler ranted and raved, played the fiddle while the city of Rome burned, fed Christians to the lions at the Coliseum and on hearing of the death of his only friend Petronius, collected his royal tears in a small bottle!

"That bloke had real power," Ustinov recollected as he sat down for a chat. "It was a good role, I could pop into my mouth as many grapes I wanted but had to leave charming Deborah Kerr alone because she had been claimed by one of Nero's warriors played by Robert Taylor."

When asked what type of advice he'd received from director Mervyn Le Roy to play Nero, he lowered his voice, winked, leaned closer and whispered, "Le Roy told me that Nero was the kind of guy who played with himself every night."

Actor, producer, director, author, UNICEF ambassador, TV anchor, mimic and the voice in many TV shows, one often wondered when Ustinov was serious and when he was joking. He mimicked Winston Churchill and Chairman Mao. "I don't rehearse for these shows. I just go on stage believing I am Churchill, FDR or De Gaulle," he explained.

For Ustinov, laughter was the best medicine and that was why he had a soft corner for the Reader's Digest magazine, which was very strong on humour. He did not accept roles that he did not enjoy.

"Playing Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot was fun," he recalled, and added, "I mean, Poirot was a unique character with lots of whims. Forget his detecting skills. I liked his passion for order, wishing hens laid square eggs. And who will order `sirop' rather than tea, coffee or whiskey?" Ustinov made two feature films and three TV films as Poirot. "Other actors like Albert Finney also made Poirot films and I had fun comparing myself with them."

Early in his career, Ustinov was often cast in historical films. Nero, Prince of Wales in Beau Brummel and a high priest in The Egyptian. "I was flattered because I was part of world history," he joked.

His work was of different kinds. In between shots, he scribbled notes for novels and plays, which later became best sellers. Dear Me, the autobiography published in 1977, was a best seller and reflected the genius and sense of humour of the author. A two-time Oscar winner for best supporting actor roles in Spartacus and Topakapi, Ustinov loved to walk around in tie and tails and play the diplomat. Perhaps, that was why he enjoyed the role of an ambassador for the UNICEF.

Though he defined a diplomat as a `headwaiter who is allowed to sit down occasionally,' he was proud of his stature as an international citizen. A Britisher of Russian descent, Ustinov claimed he had Russian, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Ethiopian blood in his veins. Unfortunately, his association with India ended in a tragedy. He was in Indira Gandhi's office waiting to shoot a TV film on her when news came that she had been shot dead. The film could not be shot, but Ustinov recorded the entire event soundwise.

But India intrigued him nonetheless. "Amazing, I mean, the number of kids you create every year!" he exclaimed. He had read books by Jawaharlal Nehru and as suspected, was more impressed with Nehru than Gandhi.

For more than 60 years, Ustinov played an amazing variety of roles both on and off the screen. He was the voice of the Walrus in Alice in Wonderland, one of his favourite books.

He said in a TV interview that he was prepared to work until he dropped "as long I can be guaranteed that I won't know in advance when it was going to happen."

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Quo Vadis, Sir Peter!