August 2, 1932

Actor Peter O’Toole was born in Connemara on August 2nd, 1932. O’Toole, educated at the Royal Academy for the Dramatic Arts after being rejected from Dublin’s Abbey Theater, first achieved stardom after landing the role of T.E. Lawrence in “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962). His performance in “Lawrence of Arabia” is considered by many to be one of the best performances in cinematic history, however he lost the Academy Award that year to Gregory Peck (To Kill a Mockingbird.) He achieved his goal of performing at the Abbey Theater after appearing in Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” In 2003, O’Toole was honored with an Academy Honorary Award for his contribution to film. He still lives in Co. Galway.