Biographie

Frequently played real life characters

Bold blue eyes

Deep, melodic voice

Often played rebels

Known in his youth for his dark brown curly hair and striking good looks

He was nominated eight times for the Academy Award for Best Actor, but never won. He had more nominations without winning than any other actor.

According to his daughter Kate O'Toole, the actor wore green socks every day due to personal superstitions. But in a 1983 interview on David Letterman he explained that his father's superstition required that he not wear any green, which his father had "rather harshly" expressed to him. To disobey his father, he figured that his green socks would go unnoticed, which he took to wearing forever.

When he was named the recipient of a Special Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2003, he originally intended to turn it down, feeling that the lifetime award signaled the end of his career. He wrote the Academy a letter stating that he was "still in the game" and would like more time to "win the lovely bugger outright." It was only after the Academy informed him that they were bestowing the award on him whether he came to collect it or not that he relented.

After his death his ashes were brought back to Ireland, where they are held in safe keeping by President Michael D Higgins in his official residence, Áras an Uachtaráin, until he can be laid to rest in the west of Ireland.

He once said his actual date of birth went unrecorded, and that he may have been born in June 1932. However the Leeds City Council register of births, deaths and marriages proved that he was born on 2 August 1932 at St James University Hospital in Leeds.

I can't stand light. I hate weather. My idea of heaven is moving from one smoke-filled room to another.

For me, life has either been a wake or a wedding.

[on receiving a lifetime achievement at The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003)] Always a bridesmaid, never a bride - my foot!

The nicest buttocks in the world are in Ireland. Irish women are always carrying water on their heads, and always carrying their husbands home from pubs. Such things are the greatest posture-builders in the world.

For a young actor it was intimidating. But! You look into the eyes and you see actors know actors. It's like playing jazz. You really have to go there with your trumpet and compete.