Ustinov feted by peers

The good and the great of the show business world turned out today to celebrate the life of actor, writer and raconteur Peter Ustinov.

More than 600 people filled St-Martin-In-The-Fields in London to pay their last respects.

Ustinov, best known for his screen role as Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and his fabulous mimicry, died last March aged 82.

He died in Switzerland, where he had lived for more than 30 years, and was buried in the small Swiss wine-making village of Bursins.

Today stars such as Ben Kingsley, Terence Stamp, Lord Attenborough and his brother David ignored the miserable weather to attend the thanksgiving service.

Stamp, who starred as a young man with Ustinov in Billy Budd, paid tribute to the actor and quoted Robert Louis Stevenson: “He has achieved success. He has lived well, laughed often and loved much.”

Talking about his relationship with the revered actor, Stamp said: “My first impression of Peter was of a large man sitting in a small chair.

“The strength of his presence was such that all the things I wanted to say were squashed in my throat.”

After the filming of Billy Budd, Ustinov took the 21-year-old Stamp to one side and advised: “If you do good things, then good things will come to you.”

There was laughter in the hour-long memorial service as his daughter Tamara Ustinov and her husband Malcolm Rennie read an extract from The Love of Four Colonels.

Several others spoke of Ustinov's great wit. His ability to speak many languages and imitate past world leaders and various musical instruments caused much mirth among the congregation.

On his way into the church, Lord Attenborough told how Ustinov and he had started their acting careers within three weeks of each other in 1942.

“We have known each other for a long time and I feel very gladdened that today’s (memorial) is taking place,” he said.

Chat show host Michael Parkinson also praised the half Russian, part German, part Italian and part French actor, saying: “He was a remarkable man, a really lovely man – God’s gift to talk show hosts.

“I knew Peter from 1971 to the day he died and he had been on eight or nine of my shows.

“He was a wonderful man and I loved him.”

Actress turned British Labour MP Glenda Jackson, added her own tribute.

“I feel very honoured to be invited today, Peter was a wonderful human being.

“The work he did against war and violence and for human rights all over the world was wonderful.”

David Frost said he had known Ustinov since 1969 and referring to today’s memorial, he said: “It is a great chance to celebrate a unique man.”

The service featured music performed by the Russian National Orchestra and a solo piece by the respected cellist Steven Isserlis.

During his address, Theodore Steinway Chapin listed Ustinov’s many skills: “He was actor, writer, dramatist, wit, mimic, raconteur, humorist, director, producer, goodwill ambassador, cartoonist and above all a humanitarian.”