Ahhhh...Those Beautiful Blue Eyes Are Closed

It was the summer of 1963 when I was first mesmerized by both Lawrence of Arabia and the young gorgeous man who portrayed him.  I was spending the summer with my aunt and uncle in San Diego.  Lawrence was being shown in a new theater with a huge wide screen and the latest sound system.  This was a time when first run theaters had reserved seating and the ushers were there to help you find it.  It was truly a great experience, sitting in the darkness, listening to that fantastic score and watching all those fantastic scenes flash by.  And to top it all off, seeing the introduction of one of the movies finest actors, swaggering across the screen in military uniforms and flowing Arabic robes, being a character larger than life ... BEING Lawrence.  And those incredible blue eyes staring off the screen right into your soul.  Ahhh, thank you, Mr. O'Toole, for your many wonderful performances, many of which deserved the Oscar you were continually denied.  Thank you for sharing your greatness on the screen and in our hearts. 

               Peter O'Toole (August 2, 1932 - December 14, 2013)