What made Peter O'Toole such a mesmerizing presence on the stage and screen? The Irish-born O'Toole, dead at 81 on Sunday, had more than good looks and a rakish charm going for him. He was the consumate professional actor, able to elevate a production far beyond the ordinary to make it unforgettable. To his craft, he brought unbending dedication and a an attention to detail bordering on the obsessive. Here's how he prepared for his greatest role, that of T.E. Lawrence in David Lean's epic Lawrence of Arabia: At six feet two, Mr. O'Toole was not an obvious choice for the role of a five-foot-four scholar-soldier, and the producer, Sam Spiegel, had found him bumptious in a meeting. But after Marlon Brando turned down the role, Lean lobbied for Mr. O'Toole and won the day. His casting led to a mesmeric yet meticulous performance that brought world renown and an Oscar nomination to an actor whose only notable screen appearance to date had been as a priggish young officer in...(Read Full Post)