Legendary Actor Peter O'Toole Dead at 81

Actor Peter O'Toole, best known for playing the eponymous role in 1962's Lawrence of Arabia, died Saturday at Wellington Hospital in London following a long illness, his agent Steve Kenis confirmed to Mashable. He was 81

"His family are very appreciative and completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of real love and affection being expressed towards him, and to us, during this unhappy time. Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts," the actor's daughter Kate O'Toole said in a statement

O'Toole was nominated for eight Academy Awards in the best-actor category for films, including The Stunt Man, The Ruling Class and Goodbye, Mr. Chips. He never won, but did receive an honorary Oscar in 2003, after initially turning it down in 2002, according to multiple reports. At the time, O'Toole asked the Academy to defer the award until he was 80 because he "still in the game and might win the lovely bugger outright." Read more...