REMEMBERING PETE DUEL
Thank you to everyone who leaves such poignant and heartfelt expressions in The Memorial Book—and for all your kind words about this site. Your kinship is extremely appreciated. —Laura
Please post your thoughts below. The previous Memorial Book was receiving too much spam, so I had to close it and start this page instead. The previous memorial page also had hundreds of remembrances. I hope to someday transfer them here.
There may be a delay between when you leave your thoughts below and when your post appears, but rest assured, the post will eventually be published. Please keep in mind that many questions still remain about Peter’s state of mind in those final days of his life. One recent question is how much of a role the anti-seizure drug, Dilantin, played on his thoughts. Perhaps Pete was a victim of a pharmaceutical drug and not so much of self-inflicted depression. Also note that Geoffrey Deuel sometimes visited this page. Thank you.
I was just a boy when I used to sit in front of the telly watching him and his buddy, get out of scrapes I just like the two of them they were men, and I needed a dad in my life so you know kids think things, like wow if only he could be my dad, I felt so bad when he died I was just 12 or so, and going through hard times with my parents. well see you soon ok.
i was 16 and madly in love with Pete! After all this time I find he’s still in my heart!
and always will be.
reading these words and memories of Pete shows what a talented and greatly mourned actor PD was. Discovered ITV4 running the series and skyplus to watch later, fantastic and brings back those ASAJ Monday evenings on BBC2 @ 8.10pm, sheer bliss. That smile, glint in the eyes, charm,, wit and laugh just made for such a top man,, tragically taken from us much too soon. Pure TV gold and so much better than the rubbish we get served up…..I.e. X Factor. RIP main man and keeping smiling down from your star in heaven
JUST TAKEN TOO SOON SADLY
phil, Dorking, Surrey, UK
I Wish ………….
I wish I could have known you
The real you not the ‘star’
But I only knew the actor
Who was ‘loved’ by me afar,
The only ‘you’ I really knew
Was what I read in the press,
So I didn’t realise how your soul
Was consumed with such unhappiness.
I wish we could have talked awhile
And chased some ‘demons’ away,
Then maybe see upon your face
That wonderful beaming smile.
I have held you softly in my heart
For more than forty years,
Memories of you will never part,
And I still can shed some tears,
I know the world so beautiful
Can also be so cruel,
Especially for such a sensitive soul
As yours dear Peter Deuel,
So I pray you’ve found peace
And your soul is now at rest
As I couldn’t wish you any more
Than tranquillity and happiness,
So perhaps one day I’ll meet you,
When my time on earth is done,
Maybe for just a minute or two,
Then for me a wish would be won.
Thank you Laura for putting this memorial site together ! Pete was an incredible actor who never got to see his success. Look at the numbers of fans & the number of years since his passing and all that with the amount & quality of his work having been fixed in time. Yet his name does not disappear; he is not forgotten. People still morn as if 12/31/71 was yesterday even though life trudges on. Words cannot express my grief especially for his family & for his friends & for all his fans who miss him dearly. He never knew how much he was loved & admired. He never got a chance for those better roles. He had the talent & he was gifted. We all know that he could have gotten roles he so much wanted in time. Hannibal Heyes & AS&J has been a big part of my life as Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid has been my favorite movie & the whole premise of the AS&J show being “what if…Butch & Sundance had gotten a second chance” Ironic ! What if Pete had just not pulled that trigger ? I use his life as direction for mine. Even when things really really REALLY suck, stuff changes…this too shall pass. Pete did not like doing Hannibal Heyes but look how awesomely well he played Heyes ! He did his job so well it “trapped” him in the role. But he did all his performances like that. Even on the Virginian his acting guest role was mind blowing. I hope he is at peace. I hope his soul & energy feels the love for him from around the world throughout time & it envelopes his spirit.