Peter O'Toole breezed through town this week, touting "The Tudors," the new Showtime miniseries in which he portrays Pope Paul III.

He became a star with "Lawrence of Arabia," a part coveted by everyone from Albert Finney to John Hurt. But it wasn't his first film. No, before that breakthrough role, he appeared in "Kidnapped" and "The Day They Robbed England," as well as bit roles on British TV.

O'Toole is one of the last of the post war so-called "Angry Young Man" generation of English actors; Richard Harris, Sir Stanley Baker, and Oliver Reed were others; Richard Burton, too, though he had more stage experience.

O'Toole holds a record which, like some baseball records, will surely never be broken: most Best Actor Oscar nominations with no wins -- an incredible eight. Most recently it was "Venus," and before that, "My Favorite Year," as an inebriated Errol Flynn-type, "The Stunt Man," "The Ruling Class," "Becket, " “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” "The Lion in Winter" and his starring debut in the aforementioned "Lawrence of Arabia." He once told me he loved that role, but hated the camels. "Horrid creatures," he would say.

I first met him on the set of "Lord Jim" in 1965. He is truly a world-renowned movie star, with an honorary Oscar and soon, I hope, a knighthood. Hey Queen Elizabeth (she regularly checks our REEL TALK blogs) what're you waiting for?