The English actor and writer settled in Switzerland in 1980. Born in London in 1921, Peter Ustinov may be of Russian origin, but Ethiopian, German and Austrian blood also flows through his veins. He quit his studies to take theater classes at the London Theatre Studio and his first appearance on stage at 18 was a huge success. But then the Second World War broke out. Mobilized in the British army, he met another English actor named David Niven, who also lives in Switzerland now.
Peter Ustinov's talents are as diverse as his origins. A writer, he sold his first film script in 1945 for The True Glory, and in 1956 he wrote Romanoff and Juliet. An actor, he played in major epic films such as Quo Vadis in 1951, for which he won an Oscar. He received international acclaim with Stanley Kubrick'sSpartacus in 1962. Film director, he directed Billy Budd that same year and Lady L in 1966, films he wrote himself and in which he also performed. With Death on the Nile in 1978, he took on the role of Hercules Poirot from the cult series of mystery novels by Agatha Christie.
Peter Ustinov's talents are not confined to the silver screen. He is also a distinguished orchestra conductor and television presenter. He wrote over 20 plays and short stories, such as Krumnagel in 1971. That year, he was also appointed ambassador for UNICEF, a humanitarian mission to which he gave his all.
In 1980, Peter Ustinov settled in Bursins, Switzerland. He meets often with his fellow Englishmen, particularly two of his friends, David Niven and Graham Greene, who are also living in Switzerland. In 1989, he created the Global Harmony Foundation in Lausanne, a charitable organization working to overcome poverty in the Third World. Ennobled for his work by the Queen of England in 1990, Peter Ustinov remains very active and travels frequently from his home on the shores of Lake Geneva.