Peter Sellers' explosive talent made him a beloved figure in world cinema and continues to attract new audiences. With his darkly comic performances in Dr. Strangelove and Lolita and his outrageously funny appearances as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films, he became one of the most popular movie stars of his time. In this lively and exhaustively researched biography, Ed Sikov offers unique insight into Sellers' comedic style. Beginning with Sellers' lonely childhood dominated by a mother who wouldn't let go, through his service in the Royal Air Force, and his success on BBC Radio's The Goon Show, Sikov goes on to detail the actor's relationships with his family, costars, directors, and admirers--a portrait that is as comic and tragic as Peter Sellers himself.