During the making of his well-received BBC television series, ‘Peter Ustinov's Russia’, the ever-curious thespian made a journey of 100,000 miles and visited more than 30 cities. But if his academic achievements appealed to those schooled in literature and geography, his way with a good joke ensured his popularity with a less esoteric audience. His mischievous geniality and ready wit made him a welcome guest on chat shows and a popular speaker on the international dinner circuit.

Despite a successful career as journalist, actor, playwright and author, Sir Peter Ustinov was at his best telling his own stories, and reveled in the role of raconteur. Famous for his rich, musical speaking voice, he was also fluent in French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish, and could also speak Greek and Turkish.
For over 30 years Ustinov also served as an ambassador at large for the UNICEF, the children's agency of the United Nations. Over the years Ustinov could be found raising money for charities or aiding children in Third World countries. His work garnered him the UNICEF medal for distinguished services. Ustinov’s long service as a goodwill ambassador with the United Nations led UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to joke that Ustinov was the man to take over from him.

Quotes:
As for being a General, well, at the age of four with paper hates and wooden swords, we're all Generals. Only some of us never grow out of it.

Critics search for ages for the wrong word, which, to give them credit, they eventually find.

Her virtue was that she said what she thought, her vice that what she thought didn't amount to much.

I have four children which is not bad considering I'm not a Catholic.

I'm convinced there's a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer.

Autobiographies:
'Dear me' 1977

Suggested films to see:

Topkapi (1964)
Spartacus (1960)
Quo Vadis (1951)
Death on the Nile (1978)