World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
The “filthy insults” that ruined Peter Sellers’ 1980 farewell to cinema: “We were at loggerheads”
Peter Sellers’ final film, The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, was overshadowed by a hostile working relationship between Sellers and its director, Piers Haggard. Haggard said Sellers repeatedly insulted him during production, contributing to a strained atmosphere and making the comedy’s troubled creation more notable than its eventual reception.
Released in 1980, the film cast Sellers as both Fu Manchu and Inspector Nayland Smith, marking his last cinema role before his death later that year aged 54. Haggard recalled that he and Sellers were “at loggerheads”, with the actor directing “filthy insults” at him; the film was poorly received and is widely regarded as an unsuccessful end to Sellers’ film career.
In short
- Sellers clashed bitterly with his final film’s director.
- The 1980 comedy became his last cinema release.
- Sellers died later that year, aged 54.
Explained simply
Peter Sellers was a celebrated British comic actor, best known for roles including Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films. The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, released in 1980, was his final cinema appearance, as he died later that year aged 54.
The film cast Sellers in a dual role as both the villain Fu Manchu and Inspector Nayland Smith. The relationship between Sellers and director Piers Haggard became severely strained during production, creating a fraught atmosphere.
The film was poorly received and is largely regarded as an unsuccessful conclusion to Sellers' celebrated career. Its troubled production has come to define the picture as much as the final film itself.
Americas Entertainment Film World