I've had to write this comment. I'm a council estate lad, a chippy, not highly educated or well worded. I can't read a book without a dictionary. This video came up on my suggestions for some reason and I clicked on it. mainly because I'd seen this blokes face before and heard the name. I always thought he was a boring and serious man. I clicked on it because I wondered why he'd be on an audience with. Well I'm half way through and I haven't stopped laughing or being amazed at how brilliant he is. I've definitely found an absolute gem and I feel I've missed out in a big way. What a discovery. Fantastic
This is a bit late Steve, you posted a year ago, but you should check out the interviews with him. Ones where he gets a chance to tell some old stories. His was a life well lived. He had the talent to laugh at what he found & not take himself too seriously. I’m also a lad from a council estate. Nothing wrong in that.
I received my degree at Durham from Peter Ustinov. He described the giant red robes he was wearing as "being dressed as a Ferrari." He also said there were two types of graduand (what you are before after exams but before receiving the "paperwork"), those who say thank you before receiving their diploma and those who say thank you after. "Be careful," he warned, "ensure you get paid before saying thank you to an employer. In acting, there is no shame in checking the envelope before showing your gratitude.,"
Intelligent, erudite, multi talented, linguist, sharp, well dressed, no foul language, witty, entertaining.....I could go on. RIP Notice all the young comics looking up to him.
One thing that always strikes me when I look at these older vids is the eloquence, vocabulary and intelligence of people (not just the performers). People back then really used to speak to each other and tell stories - I fear we are really losing that ability to elegantly communicate in this modern age.
Not only in England I Listened to the female reading the News on the radio today I could not understand her at all , some new raspy kind of accent I believe it's called "vocal Fry " people in Australia blame the Americans .lol..
I admit there is something to that perception that the average person (or at least the average White male who mattered politically and left his mark somehow -- someone mentioned the example of American Civil War letters), was more eloquent than later generations. But I think there is also a selection bias at work. We remember people who left their mark by being the wittiest and the smartest around as witty and smart and think they were representative. Reagan was the great communicator, but Bush I, despite his patrician aplomb, was much less inspiring and coherent. Even regarding the basic gifts of the mind... I mean, how many decades ago a book called Why Johnny Can't Read was written? It complained about low standards among youth draft during the Korean War (1950-1953). Even if we admit the intellectual standards were higher a few decades ago, it was the end tail of the proccess of dissemination of basic education. As late as the early 1900s, 20 percent of the American adult population was illiterate. Among American Blacks, the rate of illiteracy was four times the one for the general population. To be honest, I am particularly skeptical because, as a Brazilian, I keep hearing people ranting about people in Brazil being smarter in the 1950s, when about 50% of Brazil's population was illiterate. Sure, one can be eloquent and illiterate, but I don't think it is what people have in mind.
I can't help feeling how sad Peter Ustinov would be to see the state of the world today (particularly how Russia has gone). He's the type of humane, tolerant, decent and intelligent person we so badly need to remind us people are capable of doing good.
If I had to be stuck in a lift for a considerable amount of time, I couldn't wish for a better companion! What a brilliant man, so full of life and living it! Absolutely brilliant.
It was said of him that he never talked with you, he talked at you. That is to say the conversation was a performance for him and you were the audience.
One of the most intelligent, beautifully spoken, talented and witty men whoever existed, in my humble opinion. Whenever he was on a talk show, I watched eagerly and he never disappointed.
I agree with you. Eloquently spoken, expertainly executated voice and body mimicking. Never will we have comics, come actors genius entertainers in the makings for a long long time.
@@lenagreen4031 His father was a spy and his nickname was Clop (bed bug) because that was a vital part of spying and Clop was one of the best at seduction and a MASTER spy, I mean one of the best...
He doesn’t so much name drop as name carpet-bomb, but you know that he’s genuinely met all of these people and done all of these things. 2 Oscars, 2 Emmy’s, a Grammy, and a Golden globe - actor, screenwriter, playwrite, UN Ambassador and so on….
What a legend Peter Ustinov was loved his stories and the way he does the different characters and voices funny and educational what a legend he was a true comedy and great actor
A true "renaissace man" . Knew everyone important in the day. Speaks languages just like that, makes impressions, sings like a bird and is witted beyond belief. And top of that, funny as hell.
Peter Ustinov has been a hero of mine since I was a child. It wasn't mentioned here but he could speak 12 yes TWELVE languages extremely well. I know his French was accentless and in this video his German sounds excellent too.English Russian French German Italian Mandarin and perhaps someone else knows the other six. Peter Ustinov also worked with British intelligence. He was truly larger than life. Sadly missed.
Forgive me I had actually forgot the genius of this man. As already mentioned you could listen to him all day. Crying with laughter. Nothing vulgar or offensive.
In the four seconds from 8:50, Peter Ustinov's utterly masterful insight and consummate acting have captured a quintessence of Englishness through the butler. No script, no props, no costume. Ephemeral, minimalist, this is a thespian equivalent of the Zen brush stroke.
Unless you live in Britain you cannot get it. I remember the terror of trying to understand the language people spoke in my first week in England. Like a carnival of accents
I'm 25 and I can clearly see how the ugly contrast of today and the previous generations. The only words I can use to describe what I've just seen is BRILLIANT............. JUST BRILLIANT.
Hi Yasser I'm 55 and I remember Ustinov, Niven, Borge etc. They were terrific and as funny to look back on now as they were then. However, with a lifetime ahead of you I am optimistic that there will be plenty of inovative humour in the future too.
Hello Yasser. I pray yours and the next generation are exposed to great minds and new talent, the likes of Ustinov. This will only come about by comedians daring to use their intellect and the young willing to say no to crude and poor substitutes. You yourself have started the ball rolling by finding this BRILLIANT! Spread the word.
Richard Thorpe I am not at all optimistic that another 'Ustinov' will be produced. Globalisation and the EU are flat out working to homogenise everyone and make sure that noble, educated, interesting and erudite people are unable to exist. Follow the French system and realise that everyone must be specialised in one field and one field only and that children should spend as little time with family as possible so that the state can mould them into EUites.
Contrast this genius to the celebrities of today. It's almost unbelievable how stupid people have become. Ustinov was a complete genius, what a legend!
This awesome man was a couple of seats away from me on a night flight from Heathrow to San Francisco in 1990 - and he chatted to us all throughout the flight. On landing, as we plebs queued up at Customs, he was waived straight through with a "Mr Ustinov, nice to see you again, come straight through!"
As an American I cannot imagine what your country and others think of where we are at in the U S when so many of us cannot think how we got here. When we visited our relatives in Norway they told us ET was not shown there because of the disrespect to parents. In this day and age it’s nothing but violence and shows that I can’t understand how writers got the idea they could strike. My daughter and I watch Britbox, Acorn the Canadian ch. PBS, Hallmark, not much else. $265. A month for hundreds of ch that are useless if not worse. For us this Ustinov is priceless. Have saved it for the future. A treasure for us
My relatives don’t lie. I’m talking about 1976. I would guess ET would have been in theatres there in time. There were only three channels at the time. To say liar is a very serious accusation to me
@@lynnecody1548 Yes, I'm very sorry, but I say "a tall tale", not a lie - I do not want to accuse your relatives of lying! But the movie E.T. (I assumed we were talking about the movie E.T.?) was not made until 1982, so that cannot be the case for 1976... Anyhow, the movie E.T. was indeed shown publicly in cinemas/theatres in Norway (I am Norwegian and was 12 at the time and lived in Norway). But perhaps you were talking about something else entirely? If so, just ignore my comment! I just don't want people to think that an innocent movie like E.T. was banned in Norway. :-)
Peter was revered as one of the world's truly legendary entertainers. As an actor, producer, director, novelist, playwright, and columnist, his body of work was thoroughly impressive. RIP Legend❤︎
I came across this video by chance now in 2022. As an elderly guy, I can remember all the featured audience members, and the relevance of much of Peter's material. I had forgotten just how talented Peter was, and spent my time watching with a glass (or two) of red wine, in awe and admiration of his superb talent. Although we shall never see his like again, the hope is that others will come to the fore as time goes on, although succeeding generations may well find such finely nuanced humour mystifying.
The absolute, total sadness fills me that the likes of this incredible GentleMan will never come our way again.......What a loss AND.what an unbelievable pity!
Dearly love this wonderful man. I also enjoyed seeing the audience. All those fantastic faces. I may not remember the names but I will never forget the faces.
Almost 2022 and I still find this man fantastically entertaining. I cried so many tears of laughter during this. Just brilliant. Incomparable and sadly Irreplaceable.
I have watched this many times and it always makes me laugh. Peter was an outstanding talent the likes of which we will never see again. What an amazing man he was , I could listen to him for hours. His ability to instantly be the person he is mimicking was legendary. What a great man.
I worked in a posh hotel as a room service waiter in the early 90s and I met him while he was touring his one man show. I met a lot of celebs in that job but he was without doubt the most charming and generous of all of them. When I first spoke to him he was curious about my accent, a mix of Irish/English, which turned into a good 10 minute chat. He asked if I was going to see the show, I quipped something about waiters wages not being overly generous and I thought that was that, when I went back to collect his trolley he handed me an envelope it was 2 tickets for the show, 3rd or 4th row, right in front of the stage, and then apologised he couldn’t invite me backstage as he had another engagement straight after! I said I’d go if he didn’t make jokes about poor Irish waiters. Went to the show and of course he made a joke about poor Irish waiters😂. It was fantastic. The following day I wasn’t working but went to thank him and we were there another 15 mins or so talking about films, he seemed genuinely tickled one of my favourite things about his Poirot was his reaction when other characters mispronounced his name (Hercules Parrot) and also that I loved “Spartacus”, I was 18 then but looked younger so I guess he thought it wouldn’t be the sort of thing I’d be into. He raved about Charles Laughton telling me quite seriously to check his films out which I did and am very grateful for. A while after, months, I had a random phone call one afternoon from a waiter, who happened to be Irish, working in a completely different hotel who rang to say “Mr Ustinov said to say “hello”. “ A moniker often overused these days is “legend”, this guy really is.
Ustinovs father, Jona Freiherr von Ustinov, was of Russian, German, Polish, and Ethiopian and Jewish descent. Peter's paternal grandfather was Baron Plato von Ustinov, a Russian noble, and his grandmother was Magdalena Hall, of mixed German-Ethiopian-Jewish origin. Ustinov's great-grandfather Moritz Hall, a Jewish refugee from Kraków and later a Christian convert and colleague of Swiss and German missionaries in Ethiopia, married into a German-Ethiopian family. Peter's paternal great-great-grandparents (through Magdalena's mother) were the German painter Eduard Zander and the Ethiopian aristocrat Court-Lady Isette-Werq in Gondar. Ustinov's mother, Nadezhda Leontievna Benois, known as Nadia, was a painter and ballet designer of French, German, Italian, and Russian descent. Her father, Leon Benois, was an Imperial Russian architect.
What a great person he was. He was a real polymath. He could talk for hours entertaining people. And a great actor of course. We will not see the likes of his kind for some time.
It's late and I'm watching this in bed. I know for certain that I will wake in the middle of the night laughing unexplicibly over this outragously funny and talented man.
Not only the best "An Audience With..." One of the most entertaining pieces of tv I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot! Thanks so much for posting this gem. Ustinov has got to be the number 1 dinner party guest. I'm a Scot and enjoyed Billy Connolly's audience, but Ustinov is in a completely different league.👍
A gifted, brilliant man who was so much more than an actor. Where are people like that today in entertainment? Educated, witty, worldly, multi-lingual, shrewd, with an endless appetite for knowledge. I miss people like this in the entertainment industry.
In 1987 Sir Peter was in Berlin at Schillertheater. He played Beethoven tenth, abplay for one. For the SFB, the German Broadcaster WE Had to Spende a whole day with him in Berlin. A wonderful summerday with this wonderful and lovely Person. Thank you...
I had the fortune to met him at an small theater - 120 seats or so - in Germany in the 1980ies . When we arrived Sir Peter stood at the doorway greeting everyone , intriducing homself and asking for the nanes of the visitors. During the show he built in the name of every visitor or asked him/her an question. And no one was left out. At the end 30 minutes standing ovations for him.
One of the most funny, witty, clever and eloquent gentleman ever to grace our shores! The only person even slightly close is a current national treasure, Stephen Fry. We're haemorrhaging, even bleeding out, when it comes to wonderful people like these
How very nice to hear an hour of jokes, and anecdotes without any sly double meanings or a solitary swear word. The World is not always a better place without these men who were truly greats in their profession.
You got old-timer syndrome. Understandable, but Sir Ustinov was not only great, a Hollywood great and a global super star for decades; he truly was one of a kind. You can't compare him to "acts of today" in or any era and be fair.
He has the ability to draw an audience deeply into a story … he can go 10-15 seconds just making faces and then deliver a subtle punch line that the audience loves. He makes something that is just silly into something that is side-spitting hilarious.
As kid in the 80s he was Dr Snuggles & the voice of Prince John, now as a +40 year old man he still fascinates me just as much as he did then but for different reasons. What an absolutely wonderful genius person Peter Ustinov was. I could listen to him all day long. RIP
For anyone outside the UK who may not know, and won't get the point, he mentions that his mother wondered why every railway station was called Bovril. It's a long-established kind of paste made from beef, and was at one time advertised using massive hoardings (bilboards) on railway stations, to be visible as the trains passed. Always much bigger than the station nameplates.
One that understands the German language can relate to this hilarious , wonderful man. So remarkable, brilliant and humble person. I love his movies especially his role as Monsieur Poirot. He was always my fav. Immensely missed.
For the last 30 years since seeing this live our family always responds, when asked what we would like with a cup of tea, with a screwed up face a la Ustinov: "Any cake?"
@@c.a.g.3130 Sadly, the majority of today's comics receive next to no training or apprenticeship under the auspices of a qualified tanner, cobbler or bootblack, and the world is poorer for it. The late Mitch Hedberg had amassed some degree of skill in the related art of the pedicure by the time of his passing, but most social historians regard even this as a case of "too little, too late".
Had the privilidge of meeting him around 1975. My father was his biggest fan. We were staying at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, dining at la Normandie restaurant. Ustinov was at the next table, dad sat there for ages compling something clever to say to him finally "Mr Ustinov may your shadow never diminish." Ustinov turned to my father we made introductions and he replied "Unless its a sunless day". Will never forget it.One of the most educated, erudite raconteurs that this world has ever produced, and had the privildge to meet. :)
Peter Ustinov - a name I have known since my childhood - but never really experienced. This is simply sublime - I have never seen a performer or entertainer of this caliber. This is simply a class of its own
There have been many great actors in the past, but, not many great gentlemen, like our dare Peter Ustinov. We lost a giant in how humans should behave with dignity.
I had the amazing pleasure of seeing PEter's one-man show in San Francisco. I still remember when he said, "At my age, quanity of life far outweighs quality."
One of the comedians in the audience is the late great Roy Kinnear a man who reminded me a lot of the great he had come to see. Kinnear was taken tragically while filming the Three Musketeers breaking his hip falling off his horse and had complications. Very funny and great character player like Ustinov.
How strange, I'd nearly forgotten having dinner with Pete Ustinov at my girlfriend's parents house. He was a delightful person with a lovely, gentle sense of humour. I was just 16 but he made me feel very grown up.
Dear Friends, DER HUND DER HERR POZZI HIESS war mein erster Kino Film im Leben in Nürnberg auf Deutsch. Ich war sechs Jahre alt. Herr Ustinov war so beeindruckend, dass ich heute immer noch versuche Menschen zu helfen, anstatt mich zu verstecken. Er hat natürlich viele wunderbare Filme gedreht, aber dieser erste für mich war richtig WICHTIG! Und jetzt bin ich schon eine alte Omi und denke immer noch daran. Ganz herzliche Grüße zur Weihnachtszeit!
A tour de force - thanks for uploading. Years ago I was in the audience for a similarly amusing Clive James programme in which he interviewed Ustinov for an hour. After Ustinov left, James confided quietly to the audience that as an interviewer he had been somewhat worried whether he would ask Ustinov the right question. Of course it didn't matter: the man had such a fund of knowledge and stories that he could probably do 60 minutes off the cuff on the opening of a sliding door. What a wonderful chap Ustinov was.
I've watched this so many times in as many years and will watch it more. Simply a brilliant performance by Sir Peter, and being German myself, I appreciate his humor. Thank you for uploading this video!
Peter was absolutely BRILLIANT at what ever he turned his hand to, His genius voice's and well travelled brain gave all of us a fantastic memory of him.
Today we are flooded with Zelebrity reality Tv shows , back then Witty , gifted , intelligent humanitarians such as this man ,graced our screens . People like Billy Connolly ,certainly inherited some of the traits that this man possessed , but Peter Ustinov was a true one of a kind . A man who Kings, Queens and Prime ministers looked to for advice , a man who could hold court with the best of them , a story teller so gifted he could summon up a cast of a thousand characters . He was an actor, writer , ambassador for peace .... a man of so many talents , it was impossible to define him . He was many things to many people . He is sorely missed .
I absolutely loved Peter Ustinov from a very young age. I was fascinated by his linguistics and personal experiences. Intellect, humility, wit, charm and compassion encompassed this gentle man. The world today is empty without such giants. Alarmingly, our own intelligence is being continually assaulted by depraved individuals intent on dumbing us down with substandard, vulgar or drug-fueled rhetoric. In my opinion, those who would argue against this point of view, were never in possession of an athletic and well utilized brain to start with. As they say... humour is knowledge. Without it, ignorance is a sad and dangerous thing.
I remember watching an audience with Peter ustinov originally, I'm now watching it again and it's as brilliant as when it first aired, I could listen to this man forever ,his knowledge and obviously his willingness to absorb and integrate new culture into his life is just fantastic, and for him to share this is just ingenious, wonderful man wonderful actor wonderful comedy But most of all a wonderful human being. So sadly missed
What an INCREDIBLY wiity man - so perceptive to those absurd scenarios, that yield these hilarious hysterical anecdotes, from his spectacularly varied experiences of life! 🤣🤣🤣😄 😄😂😂 👏👏👏
I've had to write this comment. I'm a council estate lad, a chippy, not highly educated or well worded. I can't read a book without a dictionary. This video came up on my suggestions for some reason and I clicked on it. mainly because I'd seen this blokes face before and heard the name. I always thought he was a boring and serious man. I clicked on it because I wondered why he'd be on an audience with. Well I'm half way through and I haven't stopped laughing or being amazed at how brilliant he is. I've definitely found an absolute gem and I feel I've missed out in a big way. What a discovery. Fantastic
A great big man.
Well done for watching a great British comic Genius and a gentleman x
This is a bit late Steve, you posted a year ago, but you should check out the interviews with him. Ones where he gets a chance to tell some old stories. His was a life well lived. He had the talent to laugh at what he found & not take himself too seriously.
I’m also a lad from a council estate. Nothing wrong in that.
I received my degree at Durham from Peter Ustinov. He described the giant red robes he was wearing as "being dressed as a Ferrari."
He also said there were two types of graduand (what you are before after exams but before receiving the "paperwork"), those who say thank you before receiving their diploma and those who say thank you after. "Be careful," he warned, "ensure you get paid before saying thank you to an employer. In acting, there is no shame in checking the envelope before showing your gratitude.,"
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How I miss real talent in this world, he was irreplacable.
Ustinov was a genius and this is wonderful. Unfortunately, I am reminded - not for the first time - of just how dumbed-down television has now become.
Intelligent, erudite, multi talented, linguist, sharp, well dressed, no foul language, witty, entertaining.....I could go on. RIP
Notice all the young comics looking up to him.
John Cleese!
I love him, my Yorkie was terrified when I yelled with laughter
Unquestionably THE best raconteur ever. Such a talent. What a speaker. No one could come close to him in this day and age.
One thing that always strikes me when I look at these older vids is the eloquence, vocabulary and intelligence of people (not just the performers). People back then really used to speak to each other and tell stories - I fear we are really losing that ability to elegantly communicate in this modern age.
Electronic age
Read letters from the civil war.
Not only in England I Listened to the female reading the News on the radio today I could not understand her at all , some new raspy kind of accent I believe it's called "vocal Fry " people in Australia blame the Americans .lol..
Many younger people are enjoying reviving this elegance, recognising how clean the sound projects. It's on its way back ;-)
I admit there is something to that perception that the average person (or at least the average White male who mattered politically and left his mark somehow -- someone mentioned the example of American Civil War letters), was more eloquent than later generations. But I think there is also a selection bias at work. We remember people who left their mark by being the wittiest and the smartest around as witty and smart and think they were representative. Reagan was the great communicator, but Bush I, despite his patrician aplomb, was much less inspiring and coherent. Even regarding the basic gifts of the mind... I mean, how many decades ago a book called Why Johnny Can't Read was written? It complained about low standards among youth draft during the Korean War (1950-1953). Even if we admit the intellectual standards were higher a few decades ago, it was the end tail of the proccess of dissemination of basic education. As late as the early 1900s, 20 percent of the American adult population was illiterate. Among American Blacks, the rate of illiteracy was four times the one for the general population.
To be honest, I am particularly skeptical because, as a Brazilian, I keep hearing people ranting about people in Brazil being smarter in the 1950s, when about 50% of Brazil's population was illiterate. Sure, one can be eloquent and illiterate, but I don't think it is what people have in mind.
I can't help feeling how sad Peter Ustinov would be to see the state of the world today (particularly how Russia has gone). He's the type of humane, tolerant, decent and intelligent person we so badly need to remind us people are capable of doing good.
L Zambia
Well I have to say,that was a beautiful message and brilliantly worded❤
His genius knows no bounds...
Putin has taken Russia backwards, being the former Head of the KGB it was always likely
The World is a poorer place by his passing. A genius no less.
But you can own a full set of Ustinov CDs
And to think that the audience was chock full of todays "geniuses" who were all in awe...
I wish he was still with us. He would have been 101 6 days ago.
@@budbutley532 àq1q2aaà were
The Queen Mary story still has me in stitches every time I hear it
If I had to be stuck in a lift for a considerable amount of time, I couldn't wish for a better companion! What a brilliant man, so full of life and living it! Absolutely brilliant.
And when the stories ran out, you could eat him.
It was said of him that he never talked with you, he talked at you. That is to say the conversation was a performance for him and you were the audience.
One of the most intelligent, beautifully spoken, talented and witty men whoever existed, in my humble opinion. Whenever he was on a talk show, I watched eagerly and he never disappointed.
Orson Wells tells a good story also about Churchill...
I agree with you. Eloquently spoken, expertainly executated voice and body mimicking. Never will we have comics, come actors genius entertainers in the makings for a long long time.
@@lenagreen4031 His father was a spy and his nickname was Clop (bed bug) because that was a vital part of spying and Clop was one of the best at seduction and a MASTER spy, I mean one of the best...
So fortunate to see his show 30 odd years ago in Birmingham, Uk. So clever, funny, his ability for accents was amazing.❤
How do you know
I could happily listen to this great man for the rest of my life. I have admired Peter Ustinov for many, many years.
He is totally irreplaceable. The world and in entertainment is a very very lonely place without him. Even God is having a laughing fit
Amazing writer too
fastest 50 minutes I can remember. What a wonderful global treasure.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
He doesn’t so much name drop as name carpet-bomb, but you know that he’s genuinely met all of these people and done all of these things. 2 Oscars, 2 Emmy’s, a Grammy, and a Golden globe - actor, screenwriter, playwrite, UN Ambassador and so on….
One of the greatest raconteurs that the world will ever see.
R.I.P Sir Peter Ustinov.
The other one is David Niven!
What a legend Peter Ustinov was loved his stories and the way he does the different characters and voices funny and educational what a legend he was a true comedy and great actor
A true "renaissace man" . Knew everyone important in the day. Speaks languages just like that, makes impressions, sings like a bird and is witted beyond belief. And top of that, funny as hell.
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Peter Ustinov has been a hero of mine since I was a child. It wasn't mentioned here but he could speak 12 yes TWELVE languages extremely well. I know his French was accentless and in this video his German sounds excellent too.English Russian French German Italian Mandarin and perhaps someone else knows the other six. Peter Ustinov also worked with British intelligence. He was truly larger than life. Sadly missed.
God Rest Your Soul, Mr. Ustinov...you will NEVER be duplicated....nor forgotten!
I was 27 when this was broadcast.. It totally blew me away, just how eloquent, funny, and outstanding this man was. SUPERB RACONTEUR.
This man is an absolute genius we should grieve his passing I feel privileged thank you Mr Ustinov
Peter Ustinov, how we miss his universality, intellect, humour and inclusiveness.
But he never talks about his famous relative, Benois.
So much LOVE for one of THEE ALL TIME GREATS. Sorely missed Utinoff!
A stark reminder of how far we are falling with trash media at the helm..great stuff
Forgive me I had actually forgot the genius of this man. As already mentioned you could listen to him all day. Crying with laughter. Nothing vulgar or offensive.
Making people laugh is a very rare thing. Especially when it's done expertly.
In the four seconds from 8:50, Peter Ustinov's utterly masterful insight and consummate acting have captured a quintessence of Englishness through the butler. No script, no props, no costume. Ephemeral, minimalist, this is a thespian equivalent of the Zen brush stroke.
I thought the same.... perfect in its minimalism.
@@barryryan8267 Brevity is the soul of wit
TeeHHee
So skilled to act between 3 characters plus his own narration without hesitation
Unless you live in Britain you cannot get it. I remember the terror of trying to understand the language people spoke in my first week in England. Like a carnival of accents
I'm 25 and I can clearly see how the ugly contrast of today and the previous generations. The only words I can use to describe what I've just seen is BRILLIANT............. JUST BRILLIANT.
Hi Yasser
I'm 55 and I remember Ustinov, Niven, Borge etc. They were terrific and as funny to look back on now as they were then.
However, with a lifetime ahead of you I am optimistic that there will be plenty of inovative humour in the future too.
Hello Yasser. I pray yours and the next generation are exposed to great minds and new talent, the likes of Ustinov. This will only come about by comedians daring to use their intellect and the young willing to say no to crude and poor substitutes. You yourself have started the ball rolling by finding this BRILLIANT! Spread the word.
Richard Thorpe I am not at all optimistic that another 'Ustinov' will be produced. Globalisation and the EU are flat out working to homogenise everyone and make sure that noble, educated, interesting and erudite people are unable to exist. Follow the French system and realise that everyone must be specialised in one field and one field only and that children should spend as little time with family as possible so that the state can mould them into EUites.
A possible candidate for Ustinovian brilliance: the multifarious Eddie Izzard?
Yasser Salem (
30 years on and this still has me crying with laughter.
I agree
The STaTe of AuaTria
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STaTe of GB never AT no point
@@andrealuisecandido7372 ..
He begins at around three and half minutes in, and it simply never stops...
@@martijnspruit 👍😊
Contrast this genius to the celebrities of today. It's almost unbelievable how stupid people have become. Ustinov was a complete genius, what a legend!
Found myself laughing out loud. What a tremendous personality and gifted man, totally irreplaceable, and sorely missed.
This awesome man was a couple of seats away from me on a night flight from Heathrow to San Francisco in 1990 - and he chatted to us all throughout the flight. On landing, as we plebs queued up at Customs, he was waived straight through with a "Mr Ustinov, nice to see you again, come straight through!"
As an American I cannot imagine what your country and others think of where we are at in the U S when so many of us cannot think how we got here. When we visited our relatives in Norway they told us ET was not shown there because of the disrespect to parents. In this day and age it’s nothing but violence and shows that I can’t understand how writers got the idea they could strike. My daughter and I watch Britbox, Acorn the Canadian ch. PBS, Hallmark, not much else. $265. A month for hundreds of ch that are useless if not worse. For us this Ustinov is priceless. Have saved it for the future. A treasure for us
Someone told you a tall tale, because ET was indeed shown in Norway and was a big hit!
My relatives don’t lie. I’m talking about 1976. I would guess ET would have been in theatres there in time. There were only three channels at the time. To say liar is a very serious accusation to me
@@lynnecody1548 Yes, I'm very sorry, but I say "a tall tale", not a lie - I do not want to accuse your relatives of lying! But the movie E.T. (I assumed we were talking about the movie E.T.?) was not made until 1982, so that cannot be the case for 1976... Anyhow, the movie E.T. was indeed shown publicly in cinemas/theatres in Norway (I am Norwegian and was 12 at the time and lived in Norway). But perhaps you were talking about something else entirely? If so, just ignore my comment! I just don't want people to think that an innocent movie like E.T. was banned in Norway. :-)
Very good show , with a much missed man , 🙏🇬🇧❤️
Thank you for posting. A walk back in time seeing all the famous people in the audience. Peter Ustinov was a brilliant man.
Rest In Peace Peter Ustinov
(1921 - 2004)
Peter was revered as one of the world's truly legendary entertainers. As an actor, producer, director, novelist, playwright, and columnist, his body of work was thoroughly impressive.
RIP Legend❤︎
I came across this video by chance now in 2022. As an elderly guy, I can remember all the featured audience members, and the relevance of much of Peter's material. I had forgotten just how talented Peter was, and spent my time watching with a glass (or two) of red wine, in awe and admiration of his superb talent. Although we shall never see his like again, the hope is that others will come to the fore as time goes on, although succeeding generations may well find such finely nuanced humour mystifying.
The absolute, total sadness fills me that the likes of this incredible GentleMan will never come our way again.......What a loss AND.what an unbelievable pity!
I miss this incredible man and his amazing stories.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
50 minutes have never gone by so quickly. Utterly fantastic.
One of the greatest raconteurs of the 20th century, and so talented that he made a conspicuous success in everything he did.
Dearly love this wonderful man. I also enjoyed seeing the audience. All those fantastic faces. I may not remember the names but I will never forget the faces.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
Almost 2022 and I still find this man fantastically entertaining. I cried so many tears of laughter during this. Just brilliant. Incomparable and sadly Irreplaceable.
Absolutely Brilliant. 😂❤
I'm an American, before listening to this I thought I spoke English.
Thank-you for this. I remember watching this with the whole family and crying with laughter. It brought back happy and hilarious memories.
I haven't watched this in ages. Ustinov is the consummate raconteur. Articulate, elegantly spoken and effortlessly amusing. Utterly wonderful.
I have watched this many times and it always makes me laugh. Peter was an outstanding talent the likes of which we will never see again. What an amazing man he was , I could listen to him for hours. His ability to instantly be the person he is mimicking was legendary. What a great man.
I worked in a posh hotel as a room service waiter in the early 90s and I met him while he was touring his one man show. I met a lot of celebs in that job but he was without doubt the most charming and generous of all of them.
When I first spoke to him he was curious about my accent, a mix of Irish/English, which turned into a good 10 minute chat. He asked if I was going to see the show, I quipped something about waiters wages not being overly generous and I thought that was that, when I went back to collect his trolley he handed me an envelope it was 2 tickets for the show, 3rd or 4th row, right in front of the stage, and then apologised he couldn’t invite me backstage as he had another engagement straight after! I said I’d go if he didn’t make jokes about poor Irish waiters. Went to the show and of course he made a joke about poor Irish waiters😂. It was fantastic.
The following day I wasn’t working but went to thank him and we were there another 15 mins or so talking about films, he seemed genuinely tickled one of my favourite things about his Poirot was his reaction when other characters mispronounced his name (Hercules Parrot) and also that I loved “Spartacus”, I was 18 then but looked younger so I guess he thought it wouldn’t be the sort of thing I’d be into. He raved about Charles Laughton telling me quite seriously to check his films out which I did and am very grateful for.
A while after, months, I had a random phone call one afternoon from a waiter, who happened to be Irish, working in a completely different hotel who rang to say “Mr Ustinov said to say “hello”. “
A moniker often overused these days is “legend”, this guy really is.
Ustinovs father, Jona Freiherr von Ustinov, was of Russian, German, Polish, and Ethiopian and Jewish descent. Peter's paternal grandfather was Baron Plato von Ustinov, a Russian noble, and his grandmother was Magdalena Hall, of mixed German-Ethiopian-Jewish origin. Ustinov's great-grandfather Moritz Hall, a Jewish refugee from Kraków and later a Christian convert and colleague of Swiss and German missionaries in Ethiopia, married into a German-Ethiopian family. Peter's paternal great-great-grandparents (through Magdalena's mother) were the German painter Eduard Zander and the Ethiopian aristocrat Court-Lady Isette-Werq in Gondar.
Ustinov's mother, Nadezhda Leontievna Benois, known as Nadia, was a painter and ballet designer of French, German, Italian, and Russian descent. Her father, Leon Benois, was an Imperial Russian architect.
What a great person he was. He was a real polymath. He could talk for hours entertaining people. And a great actor of course. We will not see the likes of his kind for some time.
Interesting' none the less
And such ancestry could find a home only in Britain. The greatest melting pot ever
This is a really Class Comedy Act, No Swearing , No Insults Positively Great!!
It's late and I'm watching this in bed. I know for certain that I will wake in the middle of the night laughing unexplicibly over this outragously funny and talented man.
Not only the best "An Audience With..." One of the most entertaining pieces of tv I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot! Thanks so much for posting this gem. Ustinov has got to be the number 1 dinner party guest. I'm a Scot and enjoyed Billy Connolly's audience, but Ustinov is in a completely different league.👍
A TRUE RENAISSANCE MAN... with some of the best timing in delivering his impressions... piercing without be cruel or malicious-hilarious...
As a raconteur, he was non pareil.
Incomparable!
A gifted, brilliant man who was so much more than an actor. Where are people like that today in entertainment? Educated, witty, worldly, multi-lingual, shrewd, with an endless appetite for knowledge. I miss people like this in the entertainment industry.
In 1987 Sir Peter was in Berlin at Schillertheater. He played Beethoven tenth, abplay for one. For the SFB, the German Broadcaster WE Had to Spende a whole day with him in Berlin. A wonderful summerday with this wonderful and lovely Person. Thank you...
Can you imagine sitting at a dinner table with Ustinov and , for example, Steven Fry and David Niven. I saw Fry in the audience.
Thank you so much for putting this on! Peter Ustinov was a wonderful, wonderful man. 🤗🤗
I had the pleasure of sitting with him in a train from London to Leeds
He was a delight
Lucky you.
I had the fortune to met him at an small theater - 120 seats or so - in Germany in the 1980ies . When we arrived Sir Peter stood at the doorway greeting everyone , intriducing homself and asking for the nanes of the visitors. During the show he built in the name of every visitor or asked him/her an question. And no one was left out. At the end 30 minutes standing ovations for him.
"Genius" is a word that has lost its meaning as it's bandied about too much now, but when it meant something, it definitely applied to this man.
One of the most funny, witty, clever and eloquent gentleman ever to grace our shores! The only person even slightly close is a current national treasure, Stephen Fry. We're haemorrhaging, even bleeding out, when it comes to wonderful people like these
How very nice to hear an hour of jokes, and anecdotes without any sly double meanings or a solitary swear word. The World is not always a better place without these men who were truly greats in their profession.
Well said.
Christopher Lovelock qa
You got old-timer syndrome. Understandable, but Sir Ustinov was not only great, a Hollywood great and a global super star for decades; he truly was one of a kind. You can't compare him to "acts of today" in or any era and be fair.
Christopher Lovelock idiot
I could listen to him for hours
RIP Sir Peter Ustinov (April 16, 1921 - March 28, 2004), aged 82
You will be remembered as a legend
He has the ability to draw an audience deeply into a story … he can go 10-15 seconds just making faces and then deliver a subtle punch line that the audience loves. He makes something that is just silly into something that is side-spitting hilarious.
A star- studded audience gathering to hear the eloquent and entertaining Ustinov. An evening unlike anything that happens today.
As kid in the 80s he was Dr Snuggles & the voice of Prince John, now as a +40 year old man he still fascinates me just as much as he did then but for different reasons. What an absolutely wonderful genius person Peter Ustinov was. I could listen to him all day long. RIP
Good bless you, Mr Ustinov! Some people are born to brighten our lives… World citizens…Loved by people everywhere.
For anyone outside the UK who may not know, and won't get the point, he mentions that his mother wondered why every railway station was called Bovril. It's a long-established kind of paste made from beef, and was at one time advertised using massive hoardings (bilboards) on railway stations, to be visible as the trains passed. Always much bigger than the station nameplates.
*mrsbrown andhercat*
Thanks! I laughed yet again. ; )
@mrsbrown andhercat
Thank you for that. As a Yank, I wondered to what he referred.
I’ll add my thanks, as well.
Pashtet.
Bovril is a beef-tea. Dried concentrated beef that you add hot water to making a fortifying drink served with buttered toast.
He was brilliant and the bit about Queen Mary priceless
One that understands the German language can relate to this hilarious , wonderful man. So remarkable, brilliant and humble person. I love his movies especially his role as Monsieur Poirot. He was always my fav. Immensely missed.
Peter Ustinov was a brilliant, and very funny, man.
For the last 30 years since seeing this live our family always responds, when asked what we would like with a cup of tea, with a screwed up face a la Ustinov: "Any cake?"
There is not a comedian today who is good enough to clean his shoes.
@ Max - but not much else.
No, I think they're good enough to clean his shoes.
Robert Hastings 2za
@@c.a.g.3130 Sadly, the majority of today's comics receive next to no training or apprenticeship under the auspices of a qualified tanner, cobbler or bootblack, and the world is poorer for it. The late Mitch Hedberg had amassed some degree of skill in the related art of the pedicure by the time of his passing, but most social historians regard even this as a case of "too little, too late".
Replies seem to cover it All . GOOD MAN
HE WAS A BLESSING
TO MANY.
THANK YOU FOR
POSTING.......... PAW
Had the privilidge of meeting him around 1975. My father was his biggest fan. We were staying at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, dining at la Normandie restaurant. Ustinov was at the next table, dad sat there for ages compling something clever to say to him finally "Mr Ustinov may your shadow never diminish." Ustinov turned to my father we made introductions and he replied "Unless its a sunless day". Will never forget it.One of the most educated, erudite raconteurs that this world has ever produced, and had the privildge to meet.
:)
I'd forgotten how brilliant this man was. Fabulous to see this. UA-cam has so many great memories to show us.
Peter Ustinov - a name I have known since my childhood - but never really experienced.
This is simply sublime - I have never seen a performer or entertainer of this caliber. This is simply a class of its own
Ustinov , we miss you!
Always.
Genius! never a dull moment with this funny & wise man, I could watch and listen to him all day.
There have been many great actors in the past, but, not many great gentlemen, like our dare Peter Ustinov. We lost a giant in how humans should behave with dignity.
I had the amazing pleasure of seeing PEter's one-man show in San Francisco. I still remember when he said, "At my age, quanity of life far outweighs quality."
One of the comedians in the audience is the late great Roy Kinnear a man who reminded me a lot of the great he had come to see. Kinnear was taken tragically while filming the Three Musketeers breaking his hip falling off his horse and had complications. Very funny and great character player like Ustinov.
A giant of a man and human being.
How strange, I'd nearly forgotten having dinner with Pete Ustinov at my girlfriend's parents house. He was a delightful person with a lovely, gentle sense of humour. I was just 16 but he made me feel very grown up.
Dear Friends, DER HUND DER HERR POZZI HIESS war mein erster Kino Film im Leben in Nürnberg auf Deutsch. Ich war sechs Jahre alt.
Herr Ustinov war so beeindruckend, dass ich heute immer noch versuche Menschen zu helfen, anstatt mich zu verstecken.
Er hat natürlich viele wunderbare Filme gedreht, aber dieser erste für mich war richtig WICHTIG! Und jetzt bin ich schon eine alte Omi und denke immer noch daran.
Ganz herzliche Grüße zur Weihnachtszeit!
A tour de force - thanks for uploading. Years ago I was in the audience for a similarly amusing Clive James programme in which he interviewed Ustinov for an hour. After Ustinov left, James confided quietly to the audience that as an interviewer he had been somewhat worried whether he would ask Ustinov the right question. Of course it didn't matter: the man had such a fund of knowledge and stories that he could probably do 60 minutes off the cuff on the opening of a sliding door. What a wonderful chap Ustinov was.
Admirable character and personality. Remarkable and highly educated man. Great sense of humor.
I've watched this so many times in as many years and will watch it more. Simply a brilliant performance by Sir Peter, and being German myself, I appreciate his humor.
Thank you for uploading this video!
The anecdotes about his time in the Army are the funniest, most well delivered stories I have ever heard. “Any cake?” 🤣🤣
Loved every minute of Peter's absolute genius.
He was absolutely brilliant
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
Peter was absolutely BRILLIANT at what ever he turned his hand to, His genius voice's and well travelled brain gave all of us a fantastic memory of him.
Surely the greatest raconteur and mimic of all time. And what an audience!
I agree with the raconteur comment. From what I have seen only David Niven, Stephen Fry, and maybe Kenneth Williams, at a pinch, come close to him.
The Dutch painting joke is one of the all time greats
Today we are flooded with Zelebrity reality Tv shows , back then Witty , gifted , intelligent humanitarians such as this man ,graced our screens . People like Billy Connolly ,certainly inherited some of the traits that this man possessed , but Peter Ustinov was a true one of a kind . A man who Kings, Queens and Prime ministers looked to for advice , a man who could hold court with the best of them , a story teller so gifted he could summon up a cast of a thousand characters . He was an actor, writer , ambassador for peace .... a man of so many talents , it was impossible to define him . He was many things to many people . He is sorely missed .
Was it only 31 years ago that a celebrated actor and raconteur could still confidently assert: "...the essence of what it is to be English..."?
So good, amusing, intelligent, I admire this man so much !
I absolutely loved Peter Ustinov from a very young age. I was fascinated by his linguistics and personal experiences. Intellect, humility, wit, charm and compassion encompassed this gentle man. The world today is empty without such giants. Alarmingly, our own intelligence is being continually assaulted by depraved individuals intent on dumbing us down with substandard, vulgar or drug-fueled rhetoric. In my opinion, those who would argue against this point of view, were never in possession of an athletic and well utilized brain to start with. As they say... humour is knowledge. Without it, ignorance is a sad and dangerous thing.
I always loved this guy. He was a riot. There was a great 60 minutes with him and Pavarotti together it was wonderful.
I remember watching an audience with Peter ustinov originally, I'm now watching it again and it's as brilliant as when it first aired, I could listen to this man forever ,his knowledge and obviously his willingness to absorb and integrate new culture into his life is just fantastic, and for him to share this is just ingenious, wonderful man wonderful actor wonderful comedy
But most of all a wonderful human being. So sadly missed
Sums up perfectly what I was thinking
What an INCREDIBLY wiity man - so perceptive to those absurd scenarios, that yield these hilarious hysterical anecdotes, from his spectacularly varied experiences of life! 🤣🤣🤣😄 😄😂😂 👏👏👏