Seven times is a charm: O’Toole gets his Oscar

O’Toole shot to fame in 1962, when he was cast as the British adventurer T.E. Lawrence in David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia.” This marked his first nomination in the Best Actor category. While “Lawrence” won Best Picture, O’Toole lost out to Gregory Peck, who dazzled audiences in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Other Oscar-nominate roles included “Becket” (1964), “The Lion in Winter” (1968), “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” (1969), “The Ruling Class” (1972), “The Stunt Man” (1980) and “My Favorite Year” (1982).
“O’Toole’s performances have ignited the screen for more than four decades,” said Frank Pierson, president of the Academy, in announcing the award. “The Board of Governors felt it was time for him to hold his own Oscar in his hands.”