Irish actor Peter O'Toole, the star of the 1962 Oscar-winning epic Lawrence of Arabia, has died aged 81, his agent Steve Kenis said.

"He was one of a kind in the very best sense and a giant in his field," Mr Kenis said.

O'Toole was famed for his intense blue eyes, a fondness for drinking and a career on stage and screen that spanned 50 years, ranging from drama and Shakespeare to romantic comedy.

Tributes have been flowing for the film legend, who died at London's Wellington hospital after a long illness.

O'Toole's daughter, actress Kate O'Toole, says the family was "completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of real love and affection".

"In due course there will be a memorial filled with song and good cheer, as he would have wished," she said.

"Thank you all again for your beautiful tributes - keep them coming."

British prime minister David Cameron offered his condolences to O'Toole's family and friends.

"His performance in my favourite film, Lawrence of Arabia, was stunning," he said.

Comedian Stephen Fry called the actor's death "terrible news".

Irish president Michael Daniel Higgins says it was "with great sadness" that he heard of O'Toole's death.

"Ireland, and the world, has lost one of the giants of film and theatre," he said in a statement.

Film critic Barry Norman praised O'Toole's ability to play a wide range of roles.

"He was an extraordinarily good actor," he said.

"[He was] a much more versatile actor than most people give him credit for.

"He's generally remembered for Lawrence of Arabia, in which he was quite superb, but he was terrific in many other films.

"He's always remembered for the fact that he was nominated seven times for the best actor nomination at the Oscars."

The son of an Irish bookmaker, O'Toole was born in Galway, Ireland in 1932 but raised in northern England.

After working briefly as a journalist and a radioman for the Royal Navy, he went to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, in a class that included future stars Albert Finney, Alan Bates and Richard Harris.

After making a name in theatre, his big break arrived in the form of the title role of David Lean's 1962 desert epic Lawrence of Arabia.

O'Toole was nominated eight times for an Academy Award but never won - a record for the profession.

However, he was awarded an honorary Oscar at the age of 70, which he initially refused to accept.

His death comes just one year after he formally retired from acting.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

I loved him.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

He was a wonderful actor and had the most beautiful eyes.....lived life in his own terms! RIP

I can think of only one epigram for his gravestone.

Fuck off, I'm Peter O'Toole.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Well said ^^^ my friend.
So much for the meaningful wisdom and insight of the Academy.

With the contributions of cinema benchmarks that are among the top two dozen, his performance in Lawrence of Arabia and Lion of Winter will be the standard by which all acting will be judged.

__________________

. . . . is judged.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Yeah! That too.

__________________

A fine actor.

R.I.P. Sir.

__________________
Eudaimonia