Peter John Sullis is a British theater, film, television and voice actor. His voice is spoken by the main character Wallace in a series of animated films about the adventures of Wallace and Gromit. The films have been nominated for Oscars 6 times and have received three Academy Awards.
The creative biography of the actor began during the Second World War. He went to serve in the Air Force, but Peter was not allowed to fly due to health problems. Then he started working as a radio operator and teacher of radio engineering disciplines.
Once one of his students invited Peter to play in an amateur performance. The debut was so successful that Sallis decided to pursue a professional acting education and pursue a theatrical career after the end of the war.
Peter came to the cinema in 1947, and ended his career in 2010. On account of his more than 100 roles in television and film projects, including participation in the dubbing of characters in many popular animated films. The actor has appeared frequently in entertainment programs and documentaries.
Biography facts
Peter was born in England in the winter of 1921. He was the only son in the family. Father - Harry, worked as a bank clerk, mother - Dorothy Amea, was a housewife.
The boy received his primary education at Southgate High School. After leaving school, he decided to follow his father's example and also became a bank clerk.
Immediately after the outbreak of war, Peter went to serve in the army in the United Kingdom Air Force (RAF). He was going to become a pilot. But for medical reasons, he was not allowed to fly. Then the young man began to teach radio engineering disciplines at the RAFC College to train flight personnel and work as a mechanic and radio operator.
In those years, Peter performed on the stage of an amateur theater and played a small role in the play "Hay Fever". He really enjoyed performing on stage, especially since the debut was successful, his work was highly appreciated by the director.
After the end of the war, Sallis decided to become a professional actor and pursue a career in the theater scene. He entered the competition and received a personal scholarship to study at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
Theatrical career
Already in 1946, Peter appeared on the stage of the London theater in the play "The Scheming Lieutenant", then worked in the repertoire theater. After 3 years, the young actor began his professional career on the stages of London's West End.
In 1952, Sallis starred in Shakespeare's play Richard II, directed by the Shakespeare Memorial Theater. The play was staged at the Royal Theater in Brighton, directed by John Gielgud. Many famous actors were involved in the production: P. Scofield, E. Porter, G. Lomasom, V. Turley, P. Daynman.
In 1955, the actor played on the stage of the Theater Royal Haymarket in London in the play "Matchmaker" by T. Wilder.
In the following years, Peter worked on the stage of London's West End theaters and played in many famous productions. In 1963 he was invited to the United States. The performer made his Broadway debut in the play "Baker Street" based on the works of A. Conan Doyle about the adventures of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Sallis played Dr. Watson. The play was a great success with the public and ran on Broadway for six months.
Before the very end of work in the Broadway production, the actor was offered to play one of the main roles of Hudson in the play "Invalid Evidence." Although many theater critics did not appreciate the production, the play was staged in New York for 6 months, first at the Belasco Theater and then at the Shubert Theater. In 1968, the movie of the same name was released, where Sallis played Hudson again.
Film career
For the first time on the screen, Peter appeared in 1947 in a cameo role in the television film "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
He began a full-fledged film career in 1958, when he starred in the drama directed by Anthony Esquith "The Doctor's Dilemma."The plot of the picture unfolds in London, where the Dubed family lives. A young talented artist Louis is diagnosed with tuberculosis. His wife is looking for a way to help her husband and one day she sees in the newspaper a note that a famous doctor has invented a new drug for a terrible disease. She decides to get the medicine by all means and save Louis.
In the same year, Sallis starred in several television projects unknown to the general public. A year later, he got a small role in the crime drama "The Scapegoat", then in the TV series "Maigret" and "BBC: A Play on Sunday Night", "Dangerous Man".
Since 1960, the actor starred in the films: "Johnny Without Love", "The Avengers", "Curse of the Werewolf", "Drama 61-67", "Comedy Theater", "Thank You", "Mouse on the Moon", "Very Important persons "," Festival "," Doctor Who "," The third secret "," Delight "," Mystery and imagination "," Inadmissible evidence "," Taste of Dracula's blood "," Scream and cry again "," My lover, my son”,“Play of the Day”,“Wuthering Heights”,“Extra Class Amateur Detectives”,“Vicious Circle”,“Witness for the Prosecution”,“The Wind in the Willows”,“Doctors”,“Being Stanley Kubrick”.
Sallis is best known for his recurring role as Norman Clegg in Indian Summer. This picture became the final one in the actor's career. He played in 31 seasons starting in 1973.
Since 1989, Peter has been actively involved in voice acting for characters in animated films. He voiced Wallace, the protagonist of the films about the adventures of Wallace and Gromit, which became popular around the world. The films have received many awards and prizes, including 3 Oscar statuettes.
Personal life
Peter was married to actress Elaine Asher. They met in the mid-1950s and got married in February 1957. The relationship between the spouses was not easy. The wife left her husband dozens of times and threatened to file for divorce. As a result, in 1965, Elaine and Peter broke up completely.
After the official divorce, the former spouses did not communicate for some time, but later reconciled and maintained close relations until Elaine's death. She passed away in 2014.
In 1959, a son, Crispian, was born into the family. He became a renowned production designer and was nominated for an Oscar.
Sallis lived in Richmond for a long time in his own house, until health and vision problems forced him to move to London.
He spent the last years of his life in the Denville Hall nursing home, located in north London. Peter passed away in the summer of 2017 at the age of 96.
