Leigh, Vivien

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[[Image:Vivien Leigh 1958.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Leigh photographed in 1958]]
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'''Vivien Mary, Lady Olivier''' (November 5 1913 – July 8 1967), known as '''Vivien Leigh''', was an [[England|English]] [[actor|actress]]. She won two [[Academy Awards]] playing "[[southern belle]]s": [[Scarlett O'Hara]] in ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' (1939) and [[Blanche DuBois]] in ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' (1951), a role she had also played in [[London]]'s [[West End Theatre|West End]]. She was a prolific stage performer, frequently in collaboration with her husband, [[Laurence Olivier]], who directed her in several of her roles. During her thirty-year stage career, she played parts that ranged from the heroines of [[Noel Coward|Noël Coward]] and [[George Bernard Shaw]] comedies to classic [[William Shakespeare|Shakespearean]] characters such as [[Ophelia (character)|Ophelia]], [[Cleopatra VII|Cleopatra]], [[Juliet]] and [[Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare)|Lady Macbeth]].
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{{Infobox person
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| name          = Vivien Leigh
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| image        = Vivien_Leigh_Scarlet.jpg
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| caption      = Vivien Leigh as [[Scarlett O'Hara]] in ''[[Gone with the Wind (1939 film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' (1939)
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| birth_name    = Vivian Mary Hartley
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| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1913|11|5|mf=y}}
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| birth_place  = [[Darjeeling]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
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| death_date    = {{death date and age|1967|7|8|1913|11|5|mf=y}}
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| death_place  = [[Belgravia]], [[London]], England
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| nationality  = British
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| education    = [[Loreto Convent, Darjeeling|Loreto Convent]]<br />[[Woldingham School|Convent of the Sacred Heart]]<br />[[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
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| occupation    = Actress
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| notable_works = {{plainlist|
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* ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]''
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* ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]''
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* ''[[Tovarich (musical)|Tovarich]]''
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}}
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| years_active  = 1935–1967
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| title        = Lady Olivier (1947–1960)<br />Vivien, Lady Olivier (1960–1967)
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| spouse        = Herbert Leigh Holman​<br />(m. 1932; div. 1940)<br />​
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Laurence Olivier​<br />(m. 1940; div. 1960)
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| partner      = [[John Merivale]] (1960–1967)
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| children      = [[Suzanne Farrington]]
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| awards        = [[#Accolades|List of awards and nominations]]
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| signature    = Vivien Leigh signature.png
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}}
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'''Vivien Mary, Lady Olivier''' (November 5, 1913 – July 8, 1967), known as '''Vivien Leigh''', was an [[United Kingdom|English]] [[actor|actress]] who won two [[Academy Awards]] for her portrayals of [[United States|American]] "[[southern belle]]s." She was the first non-American to win a "Best Actress" Oscar. Her award winning roles were as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and as Blanche DuBois in ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' (1951), a role she had also played in London's West End. She also won a [[Tony Award]] for her Broadway debut in the musical version of ''Tovarich'' in 1963.
  
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Lauded for her beauty, Leigh felt that it sometimes prevented her from being taken seriously as an actress, but ill health proved to be her greatest obstacle. Affected by [[bipolar disorder]] for most of her adult life, she gained a reputation for being a difficult person to work with, and her career went through periods of decline. She was further weakened by recurrent bouts of [[tuberculosis]], with which she was first diagnosed in the mid-1940s. She and Olivier divorced in 1960, and Leigh worked sporadically in film and theatre until her death from tuberculosis.
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In her 30-year career she made only 20 films, most of them in the 1930s. Her life was marked by two marriages, one child, severe bouts of [[Depression (psychology)|depression]], [[tuberculosis]] and world renown for her beauty and talent.  
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{{toc}}
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She frequently worked in collaboration with her second husband, [[Laurence Olivier]], who also directed her in several roles. Their life together was full of romance and tragedy, making them one of [[Hollywood]]'s most glamorous couples.
  
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==Early life and acting career==
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==Early life==
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Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley in [[Darjeeling]], [[British Raj|British India]] to Ernest Hartley, an officer in the [[British Indian Army|Indian Cavalry]] who was of [[English people|English]] parentage, and Gertrude Robinson Yackje, who was of [[France|French]] and [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X p 12</ref> The family relocated to [[Bangalore]], where Vivian Hartley made her first stage appearance at the age of three, reciting "Little Bo Peep" for her mother's amateur theatre group. Gertrude Hartley tried to instill in her daughter an appreciation of literature, and introduced her to the works of [[Hans Christian Andersen]], [[Lewis Carroll]] and [[Rudyard Kipling]], as well as stories of [[Greek mythology]]. An only child, Vivian Hartley was sent to the "Convent of the Sacred Heart" in [[Roehampton]] in England, in 1920. Her closest friend at the convent was the future actress [[Maureen O'Sullivan]], to whom she expressed her desire to become "a great actress".<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 12-19</ref>
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Vivien Leigh was born as Vivian Mary Hartley in [[Darjeeling]], [[United Kingdom|British]] [[India]] just before the outbreak of [[World War I]]. The only child of Ernest Hartley and Gertrude Robinson Yackje, they lived in India during a time when a simple officer in the [[British Indian Army|Indian Cavalry]] could live like a king. Her father was British, while her mother was of [[France|French]] and [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.<ref>Anne Edwards, ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'' (Coronet Books, 1978, ISBN 0671224964), 12.</ref>  
  
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Vivian Hartley completed her later education in [[Europe]], returning to her parents in England in 1931. She discovered that one of Maureen O'Sullivan's films was playing in London's [[West End of London|West End]] and told her parents of her ambitions to become an actress. Both were highly supportive, and her father helped her enroll at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] (RADA) in London.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 25-30</ref>
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Leigh made her first appearance on stage at the age of three. She recited "Little Bo Peep" in her mother's amateur theater group production. Leigh was introduced to authors [[Hans Christian Andersen]], [[Lewis Carroll]], and [[Rudyard Kipling]] by her mother, who instilled in her an appreciation of [[literature]] and [[art]]. Leigh particularly loved the stories from [[Greek mythology]].  
  
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In late 1931 she met Herbert Leigh Holman, known as Leigh, a barrister thirteen years her senior. Despite his disapproval of "theatrical people", they were married on December 20 1932, and upon their marriage she terminated her studies at RADA. On October 12 1933, she gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne, but felt stifled by her domestic life. Her friends suggested her for a small part in the film ''Things Are Looking Up'', which marked her film debut. She engaged an agent, John Gliddon, who believed that the name "Vivian Holman" was not suitable for an actress, and after rejecting his suggestion, "April Morn", she took "Vivian Leigh" as her professional name. Gliddon recommended her to [[Alexander Korda]] as a possible film actress, but Korda rejected her as lacking potential.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 30-43</ref>
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Leigh was sent to England for her formal education when her mother became worried that she would not receive proper instruction in Bangalore. Leigh was sent to the "Convent of the Sacred Heart" in Roehampton in 1920. Her first stage appearances at school were in [[Shakespeare]]'s ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (playing the fairy), and in ''The Tempest'' (as Miranda). She studied [[ballet]], played the [[cello]] in the school orchestra, and excelled at [[piano]] - taking her music exam at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] when she was a teenager.
  
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Cast in the play ''The Mask of Virtue'' in 1935, Leigh received excellent reviews followed by interviews and newspaper articles, among them one from the ''[[Daily Express]]'' in which the interviewer noted "a lightning change came over her face", which was the first public mention of the rapid changes in mood that became characteristic of her.<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 p 74</ref> [[John Betjeman]], the future [[Poet Laureate]], also wrote about her, describing her as "the essence of English girlhood".<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 p 75</ref> Korda, who attended her opening-night performance, admitted his error and signed her to a film contract, with the spelling of her name revised to "Vivien Leigh". She continued with the play, but when Korda moved it to a larger theatre, Leigh was found to be unable to project her voice adequately, or to hold the attention of so large an audience, and the play folded soon after.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 50-55 </ref> In 1960 Leigh recalled her ambivalence towards her first experience of critical acclaim and sudden fame, commenting, "some critics saw fit to be as foolish as to say that I was a great actress. And I thought, that was a foolish, wicked thing to say, because it put such an onus and such a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able to carry. And it took me years to learn enough to live up to what they said for those first notices. I find it so stupid. I remember the critic very well, and have never forgiven him."<ref>[http://www.vivien-leigh.com/interview.html ''Actors Talk About Acting'' - Vivien Leigh interview (1961)] Edited by John E. Boothe and Lewis Funke. Retrieved January 7, 2006</ref>
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A highlight of her education at Sacred Heart was the close friendship she formed with [[Maureen O'Sullivan]], also a future actress. She confided in Maureen that her greatest desire was to become "a great actress." <ref>Edwards, 12-19.</ref>
  
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==Meeting Laurence Olivier==
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Her formal education included finishing schools in [[Paris]] and the Bavarian Alps. After graduation in 1931 she returned to England. Leigh was surprised and excited to see that her old friend, Maureen O'Sullivan had a film playing in [[London]]'s [[West End of London|West End]]. This inspired her to tell her parents she had decided to become and actress and as a result they helped her enroll at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] (RADA) in London.<ref>Edwards, 25-30.</ref> Her studies at RADA did not last long, however. The same year she met Herbert Leigh Holman, a barrister who was 13 years her senior. Holman was not interested in "theatrical people" and disapproved of them, but he fell in love with Vivien and they were married on December 20, 1932. She became pregnant almost immediately and gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne, on October 12, 1933.
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[[Image:FireOverEnglandVivienLeighLaurenceOlivier.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Leigh with [[Laurence Olivier]] in ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937), their first collaboration]]
 
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[[Laurence Olivier]] saw Leigh in ''The Mask of Virtue'', and a friendship developed after he congratulated her on her performance. While playing lovers in the film ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937), Olivier and Leigh developed a strong attraction, and after filming was completed, they began an affair. During this time Leigh read the [[Margaret Mitchell]] novel ''[[Gone with the Wind]]'' and instructed her American agent to suggest her to [[David O. Selznick]], who was planning a film version.<ref>Selznick wrote in a memo on February 3, 1938, "I have no enthusiasm for Vivien Leigh. Maybe I will, but as yet have never even seen a photograph of her. Will be seeing "Fire Over England" shortly, at which time of course will see Leigh . . ."</ref> She remarked to a journalist, "I've cast myself as [[Scarlett O'Hara]]", and the film critic C. A. Lejeune recalled a conversation of the same period in which Leigh "stunned us all" with the assertion that Olivier "won't play [[Rhett Butler]], but I shall play Scarlett O'Hara. Wait and see."<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 pp 76-77, 90, 94-95 </ref>
 
  
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Leigh played [[Ophelia]] to Olivier's [[Hamlet]] in an [[Old Vic Theatre]] production, and Olivier later recalled an incident during which her mood rapidly changed as she was quietly preparing to go onstage. Without apparent provocation, she began screaming at him, before suddenly becoming silent and staring into space. She was able to perform without mishap, and by the following day, she had returned to normal with no recollection of the event. It was the first time Olivier witnessed such behaviour from her.<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7475-8350-1; p 97-98 </ref> They began living together; Holman and Olivier's wife, the actress [[Jill Esmond]], each having refused to grant either a divorce.
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==Acting career==
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Only ten months after her daughter's birth Leigh accepted a small part in the film ''Things Are Looking Up,'' her first motion picture appearance. Immediately upon completion, Leigh hired John Gliddon as her agent. It was Gliddon who suggested a name change as he did not think "Vivian Holman" was an appropriate name for an actress. After many versions, including the name "April Morn," Leigh decided on "Vivian Leigh" for her professional name.<ref>Edwards, 30-43.</ref>
  
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Leigh appeared with [[Robert Taylor (actor)|Robert Taylor]], [[Lionel Barrymore]] and Maureen O'Sullivan in ''[[A Yank at Oxford]]'' (1938), the first of her films to receive attention in the United States. During production she developed a reputation for being difficult and unreasonable, and Korda instructed her agent to warn her that her option would not be renewed if her behaviour did not improve.<ref> Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7475-8350-1; p 97 </ref> Her next role was in ''[[St. Martin's Lane]]'' (1938) with [[Charles Laughton]].
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With a new agent and a new name, Vivien began her career in earnest. In 1935, she received excellent reviews for her role in the [[drama|play]] ''The Mask of Virtue.'' Her performance led to a film contract and one last name change, that of "Vivian" to "Vivien." Years later Leigh remembered the influence of her first brush with fame and greatness:
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<blockquote>Some critics saw fit to be as foolish as to say that I was a great actress. And I thought, that was a foolish, wicked thing to say, because it put such an onus and such a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able to carry. And it took me years to learn enough to live up to what they said for those first notices. I find it so stupid. I remember the critic very well, and have never forgiven him.<ref>Kendra Bean, ''Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait'' (Running Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0762450992).</ref></blockquote>
  
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==Achieving international success==
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In 1938, Leigh appeared in another film, this time with her childhood friend, [[Maureen O'Sullivan]], along with [[Robert Taylor (actor)|Robert Taylor]] and [[Lionel Barrymore]]. The film was ''A Yank at Oxford,'' and it marked a shift in her career, as it was the first of her films to be widely received in the [[United States]].
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Olivier had been attempting to broaden his film career; despite his success in Britain, he was not well-known in the United States and earlier attempts to introduce him to the American market had failed. Offered the role of [[Heathcliff]] in [[Samuel Goldwyn]]'s production of ''[[Wuthering Heights (1939 film)|Wuthering Heights]]'' (1939), he travelled to Hollywood, leaving Leigh in London. Goldwyn and the film's director, [[William Wyler]], offered Leigh the secondary role of Isabella, but she refused it, saying she would only play Cathy, a role already assigned to [[Merle Oberon]].<ref> Berg, A. Scott. ''Goldwyn'', Sphere Books, 1989. ISBN 0-7474-0593-X, p 323</ref>
 
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[[Image:Vivien-Leigh publicity still Gone-with-the-Wind.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Leigh in a 1939 publicity photograph for ''Gone with the Wind''.]]
 
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Hollywood was in the midst of a widely publicised search to find an actress to portray [[Scarlett O'Hara]] in [[David O. Selznick]]'s production of [[Gone with the Wind (film)|''Gone with the Wind'']] ([[1939 in film|1939]]). Leigh's American agent was the London representative of the [[Myron Selznick|Myron Selznick Agency]] (Myron was David's brother), and in February 1938 she asked that her name be placed in consideration for the role of Scarlett. That month, David Selznick watched her two most recent pictures, ''Fire Over England'' and ''A Yank at Oxford'', and from that time she became a serious contender for the part. Between February and August, Selznick rented all of her English pictures, and by August he was in negotiation with producer [[Alexander Korda]], to whom Leigh was under contract, for her services later that year. On October 18, Selznick wrote in a confidential memo to director [[George Cukor]], "I am still hoping against hope for that new girl."<ref>{{cite book
 
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| first = David O.
 
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| last = Selznick
 
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| title = Memo from David O. Selznick
 
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| location = New York
 
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| publisher = Modern Library
 
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| year = 2000
 
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| pages = 184
 
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| id = ISBN 0-375-75531-4
 
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}}</ref> Leigh travelled to Los Angeles, ostensibly to be with Olivier. When Leigh met Olivier's American [[agent (law)|agent]] [[Myron Selznick]], he felt that she possessed the qualities his brother David O. Selznick was searching for. Myron Selznick took Leigh and Olivier to the set where the burning of the Atlanta Depot scene was being filmed, and introduced Leigh. The following day, Leigh read a scene for Selznick, who organised a [[screen test]] and wrote to his wife, "She's the Scarlett dark horse and looks damn good. Not for anyone's ear but your own: it's narrowed down to [[Paulette Goddard]], [[Jean Arthur]], [[Joan Bennett]] and Vivien Leigh". The director George Cukor concurred and praised the "incredible wildness" of Leigh, who was given the part soon after.<ref>Haver, Ronald. ''David O. Selznick's Hollywood'', Bonanza Books, New York, 1980. [ISBN 0-517-47665-7]; p 259</ref>
 
  
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Filming proved difficult for Leigh; Cukor was dismissed and replaced by [[Victor Fleming]], with whom Leigh frequently quarrelled. She and [[Olivia de Havilland]] secretly met with Cukor at night and on weekends for his advice about how they should play their parts. She befriended [[Clark Gable]], his wife [[Carole Lombard]] and de Havilland, but she clashed with [[Leslie Howard (actor)|Leslie Howard]], with whom she was required to play several emotional scenes. Adding to her distress, she was sometimes required to work seven days a week, often late into the night, and she missed Olivier who was working in New York. She wrote to Leigh Holman, "I loathe Hollywood.... I will never get used to this &ndash; how I ''hate'' film acting."<ref> Taylor, John Russell. ''Vivien Leigh'', Elm Tree Books, 1984. ISBN 0-241-11333-4, pp 22-23</ref>
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==Achieving International Success==
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During the filming of her two films in 1938, Leigh read [[Margaret Mitchell]]'s best-selling [[historical novel]] ''Gone with the Wind.'' She heard that a film version was going to be made and became very interested in playing the role of Scarlet O'Hara.<ref>Selznick wrote in a memo on February 3, 1938, "I have no enthusiasm for Vivien Leigh. Maybe I will, but as yet have never even seen a photograph of her. Will be seeing "Fire Over England" shortly, at which time of course will see Leigh…."</ref> She remarked to a journalist, "I've cast myself as Scarlett O'Hara," and the film critic C. A. Lejeune recalled a conversation with her where she made the prediction that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but I shall play Scarlett O'Hara. Wait and see."<ref>Terry Coleman, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'' (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0747583064), 76-77, 90, 94-95. </ref>
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[[File:Gable-Leigh GWTW-b.jpg|thumb|300px| Publicity photo of [[Clark Gable]] and Vivien Leigh for ''Gone with the Wind'']]
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Leigh requested that she be placed in the running for the role of Scarlett. That month, the producer of the film, [[David Selznick]], watched Leigh's two most recent pictures. Although he never thought he would like her, Selznick was won over by Leigh's beauty and her talent. Selznick deliberated for several months, studying Leigh's work and photographs. On October 18, Selznick wrote in a confidential memo to director [[George Cukor]], "I am still hoping against hope for that new girl."<ref>David O. Selznick, ''Memo from David O. Selznick'' (New York: Modern Library, 2000, ISBN 0375755314), 184.</ref>  
  
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In 2006 de Havilland responded to claims of Leigh's manic behaviour during filming ''Gone with the Wind'', published in a biography of Laurence Olivier. She defended Leigh, saying, "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably disciplined on ''Gone with the Wind''. She had two great concerns: doing her best work in an extremely difficult role and being separated from Larry [Olivier], who was in New York." <ref> [http://www.dcexaminer.com/articles/2006/01/04/features/books/62bbooks04olivier.txt The Washington Examiner] Bob Thomas, ''The Associated Press'', published January 3, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2006, quoting [[Olivia de Havilland]]</ref>
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When Leigh traveled to Los Angeles to be with Laurence Olivier, she had a chance meeting with Selznick's brother Myron. Myron was serving as Olivier's American agent, and he took the couple to the set of the film and introduced Leigh to his brother. Shortly after, Leigh did a formal [[audition]] and a [[screen test]] for David Selznick. After the audition Selznick wrote to his wife, "She's the Scarlett dark horse and looks damn good. Not for anyone's ear but your own: it's narrowed down to [[Paulette Goddard]], [[Jean Arthur]], [[Joan Bennett]] and Vivien Leigh." The director of the film, [[George Cukor]], agreed with Selznick and noted that the "incredible wildness" of Leigh was perfectly suited to Scarlett. Leigh was given the infamous part soon after.<ref>Ronald Haver, ''David O. Selznick's Hollywood'' (New York: Bonanza Books, 1980, ISBN 0517476657), 259.</ref>
  
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''Gone with the Wind'' brought Leigh immediate attention and fame, but she was quoted as saying, "I'm not a film star &ndash; I'm an actress. Being a film star &ndash; just a film star &ndash; is such a false life, lived for fake values and for publicity. Actresses go on for a long time and there are always marvellous parts to play."<ref> Taylor, John Russell. ''Vivien Leigh'', Elm Tree Books, 1984. ISBN 0-241-11333-4, pp 22-23</ref>
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The production of ''Gone with the Wind'' was fraught with difficulties. First Cukor was fired and then replaced by [[Victor Fleming]] as the new director. The change led to several conflicts between Leigh and Fleming. Leigh believed that Cukor was the man for the job, thus, along with [[Olivia de Havilland]], the two actresses met with Cukor secretly to ask advice on how the roles of Scarlett and Melanie should be played. Leigh truly admired and befriended [[Clark Gable]], his wife [[Carole Lombard]] and de Havilland. However, her relationship with [[Leslie Howard (actor)|Leslie Howard]] was tense and strained. Leigh was required to perform several of the most emotional scenes with Howard, she worked seven days a week, and often long evenings. She missed Olivier who was in [[New York City]], and she became tired and distraught. She wrote in a letter, "I loathe Hollywood…. I will never get used to this – how I ''hate'' film acting."<ref>John Russell Taylor, ''Vivien Leigh'' (Elm Tree Books, 1984, ISBN 0241113334), 22-23.</ref>
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Among the ten [[Academy Awards]] won by ''Gone with the Wind'' was a [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] award for Leigh, who also won a [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]]. In 1993, her Academy Award statuette was sold at auction for $510,000. <ref> [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADA0A911635E4F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM stacks.ajc.com] "Mystery voice on phone gets GWTW Oscar for $510,000", citing ''The Atlanta Journal'', published December 16, 1993. Retrieved December 29, 2006. </ref>
 
  
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==Marriage and joint projects==
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Many rumors flowed concerning Leigh's behavior during filming. It wasn't until 2006 that [[Olivia de Havilland]] spoke out against the rumors and accusations. She said of Leigh, "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably disciplined on ''Gone with the Wind.'' She had two great concerns: doing her best work in an extremely difficult role and being separated from Larry (Olivier), who was in New York."<ref>Bob Thomas, [https://www.today.com/popculture/private-public-olivier-revealed-biography-wbna10618886 Private and public Olivier revealed in biography] ''The Associated Press'', December 27, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2022.</ref>
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In February 1940 Jill Esmond agreed to divorce Olivier, and Holman also agreed to divorce Leigh, although they maintained a strong friendship for the rest of Leigh's life. Esmond was granted custody of Tarquin, her son with Olivier, and Holman was granted custody of Suzanne, his daughter with Leigh. On August 30 Olivier and Leigh were married in [[Santa Barbara, California]], in a ceremony attended only by their witnesses, [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Garson Kanin]].
 
  
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Leigh hoped to star with Olivier and made a screentest for ''[[Rebecca (film)|Rebecca]]'', which was to be directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]] with Olivier in the leading role, but after viewing her screentest Selznick noted that "she doesn't seem right as to sincerity or age or innocence", a view shared by Hitchcock, and Leigh's mentor, George Cukor.<ref>McGilligan, Patrick. ''Alfred Hitchcock, A Life in Darkness and Light'', ''Wiley Press'', 2003. ISBN 0-470-86973-9, p 238. </ref> Selznick also observed that she had shown no enthusiasm for the part until Olivier had been confirmed as the lead actor, and subsequently cast [[Joan Fontaine]]. He also refused to allow her to join Olivier in ''[[Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)|Pride and Prejudice]]'' (1940), and [[Greer Garson]] took the part Leigh had envisioned for herself. ''[[Waterloo Bridge (movie)|Waterloo Bridge]]'' (1940) was to have starred Olivier and Leigh, however Selznick replaced Olivier with [[Robert Taylor (actor)|Robert Taylor]], then at the peak of his success as one of [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]'s most popular male stars. Leigh's top-billing reflected her status in Hollywood, and despite her reluctance to participate without Olivier, the film proved to be popular with audiences and critics.
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''Gone with the Wind'' brought fame to Leigh. However, she never bought into the idea of being a huge star. She once said, "I'm not a film star – I'm an actress. Being a film star—just a film star—is such a false life, lived for fake values and for publicity. Actresses go on for a long time and there are always marvelous parts to play."<ref>Taylor, 22-23.</ref>
  
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She and Olivier mounted a stage production of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' for [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. The New York press discussed the adulterous nature that had marked the beginning of Olivier and Leigh's relationship, and questioned their ethics in not returning to England to help with the [[World War II|war]] effort, and the critics were hostile in their assessment of the production. [[Brooks Atkinson]] for the ''[[New York Times]]'' wrote, "Although Miss Leigh and Mr Olivier are handsome young people they hardly act their parts at all."<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X p 127 </ref> While most of the blame was attributed to Olivier's acting and direction, Leigh was also criticised, with [[Bernard Grebanier]] commenting on the "thin, shopgirl quality of Miss Leigh's voice." The couple had invested almost their entire savings into the project, and its failure was a financial disaster for them.<ref> Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, pp 189-190 </ref>
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''Gone with the Wind'' was nominated for several [[Academy Awards]], winning ten of them. Among the ten were Best Actress for Leigh, who also won a [[New York Film Critics Circle]] Award for Best Actress.  
  
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They filmed ''[[That Hamilton Woman]]'' (1941) with Olivier as [[Horatio Nelson]] and Leigh as [[Emma Hamilton]]. With Britain engaged in World War II, it was one of several Hollywood films made with the aim of arousing a pro-British sentiment among American audiences. The film was popular in the United States, but was an outstanding success in the [[Soviet Union]]. [[Winston Churchill]] arranged a screening for a party which included [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and, on its conclusion, addressed the group, saying, "Gentlemen, I thought this film would interest you, showing great events similar to those in which you have just been taking part." The Oliviers remained favourites of Churchill, attending dinners and occasions at his request for the rest of his life, and of Leigh he was quoted as saying, "By Jove, she's a clinker."<ref> Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, pp 202, 205 and 325 </ref>
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==Life with Laurence==
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[[File:Vivian Leigh Laurence Olivier That Hamilton Woman.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Leigh with [[Laurence Olivier]] in ''[[That Hamilton Woman.]]'' (1941)]]
  
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The Oliviers returned to England, and Leigh toured through [[North Africa]] in 1943, performing for troops before falling ill with a persistent cough and fevers. In 1944 she was diagnosed as having [[tuberculosis]] in her left [[lung]], but after spending several weeks in hospital, she appeared to be cured. In spring she was filming ''[[Caesar and Cleopatra]]'' (1945) when she discovered she was pregnant, but suffered a miscarriage. She fell into a deep depression which reached its nadir when she turned on Olivier, verbally and physically attacking him until she fell to the floor sobbing. This was the first of many major breakdowns related to manic-depression, or bipolar mood disorder. Olivier came to recognise the symptoms of an impending episode &ndash; several days of hyperactivity followed by a period of [[clinical depression|depression]] and an explosive breakdown, after which Leigh would have no memory of the event, but would be acutely embarrassed and remorseful.<ref>Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, pp 221-222 </ref>
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[[Laurence Olivier]] first saw Leigh when he attended one of her performances in ''The Mask of Virtue.'' After the play, Olivier was so impressed that he went backstage to congratulate the actress on her remarkable performance. From that moment, a friendship developed. A short time later, the two were cast in the 1937 film ''Fire Over England.''  
  
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She was well enough to resume acting in 1946 in a successful London production of [[Thornton Wilder]]'s ''[[The Skin of Our Teeth]]'', but her films of this period, ''[[Caesar and Cleopatra]]'' (1945) and ''[[Anna Karenina (1948 film)|Anna Karenina]]'' (1948), were not great successes.
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''Because We Must'' opened on February 5, 1937. She followed this play with the role of Ophelia in ''Hamlet,'' playing opposite her new love Laurence Olivier at the Kronborg Castle in Elsinore. [[Michael Redgrave]] was a young cast member, and [[Alec Guinness]] was Olivier's understudy at the time. At this point both Vivien and Olivier's marriages were failing due to their own affair, and this resulted in separation from their spouses and moving in together in Chelsea. Olivier continued to concentrate on [[Shakespeare]], joining the Old Vic Theatre Company, while Vivien performed briefly in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' as Titania in December of 1937. It ran successfully for several months.
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{{readout||right|250px|Vivien Leigh and [[Laurence Olivier]] were one of [[Hollywood]]'s most glamorous couples}}
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During the production of ''Because We Must'' Olivier got his first glimpse of Leigh's developing mental health problems. During one performance, Leigh abruptly changed her mood, yelling and screaming at Olivier shortly before appearing onstage. As suddenly as she began screaming, she stopped, calmed herself down, and went out to perform without mishap or incident. By the following day, Leigh was completely normal and couldn't even remember the incident had occurred.<ref>Coleman, 97-98. </ref>
  
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In 1947 Olivier was knighted, and Leigh accompanied him to [[Buckingham Palace]] for the investiture. She became Lady Olivier, a title she continued to use after their divorce, until she died.
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In February 1940 both Olivier and Leigh obtained divorces, with neither of them gaining custody of the children. In August of that same year the couple was married in a small wedding attended only by the two witnesses, [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Garson Kanin]].
  
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By 1948 Olivier was on the Board of Directors for the [[Old Vic Theatre]], and he and Leigh embarked on a tour of [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] to raise funds for the theatre. During their six-month tour, Olivier performed ''[[Richard III]]'' and also performed with Leigh in ''[[The School for Scandal]]'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth''. The tour was an outstanding success, and although Leigh was plagued with [[insomnia]] and allowed her understudy to replace her for a week while she was ill, she generally withstood the demands placed upon her, with Olivier noting her ability to "charm the press". Members of the company later recalled several quarrels between the couple, with the most dramatic of these occurring in [[Christchurch]] when Leigh refused to go on stage. Olivier slapped her face, and Leigh slapped him in return and swore at him before she made her way to the stage. By the end of the tour, both were exhausted and ill, and Olivier told a journalist, "You may not know it, but you are talking to a couple of walking corpses." Later he would comment that he "lost Vivien" in Australia.<ref>Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, pp 295 </ref>
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The couple loved working together, though Leigh met with disappointments as she was passed over for the leading lady role in Olivier's two films ''Rebecca'' directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]] and ''Pride and Prejudice'' (1940). When the film ''Waterloo Bridge'' (1940) was being made, it was to star the couple, however, Selznick replaced Olivier with [[Robert Taylor (actor)|Robert Taylor]]. Both Leigh and Taylor were at the top of their fame, and the film proved to be a major success.  
  
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The success of the tour encouraged the Oliviers to make their first [[West End of London|West End]] appearance together, performing the same works with one addition, ''[[Antigone]]'', included at Leigh's insistence because she wished to play a role in a tragedy.
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Olivier and Leigh took a break from film work and decided to perform on the stage in a production of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' for [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. However, the press reviews were not favorable. [[Brooks Atkinson]], a reporter for the ''New York Times'' wrote, "Although Miss Leigh and Mr. Olivier are handsome young people they hardly act their parts at all."<ref>Edwards, 127. </ref> The play's failure caused severe financial strain for the two, who had invested almost all of their savings into the production.<ref>Anthony Holden, ''Olivier'' (Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0722148577), 189-190. </ref>
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[[Image:VivienLeighMarlonBrandoAStreetcarNamedDesire.jpg|thumb|left|300px|As Blanche DuBois in the film version of ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' (1951), with [[Marlon Brando]]]]
 
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Leigh next sought the role of [[Blanche DuBois]] in the [[West End of London|West End]] stage production of [[Tennessee Williams]]'s ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire]]'', and was cast after Williams and the play's producer [[Irene Mayer Selznick]] saw her in the ''The School for Scandal'' and ''[[Antigone]]'', and Olivier was contracted to direct. Containing a rape scene and references to promiscuity and homosexuality, the play was destined to be controversial, and the media discussion about its suitability added to Leigh's anxiety, but she believed strongly in the importance of the work. [[J. B. Priestley]] denounced the play and Leigh's performance, and the critic [[Kenneth Tynan]] commented that Leigh was badly miscast because British actors were "too well-bred to emote effectively on stage". Olivier and Leigh were chagrined that part of the commercial success of the play lay in audience members attending to see what they believed would be a salacious and sensationalist story, rather than the [[Greek tragedy]] that they envisioned, but the play also had strong supporters,<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 pp 227-231</ref> among them [[Noël Coward]] who described Leigh as "magnificent".<ref> Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, p 312 </ref>
 
  
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After 326 performances Leigh finished her run; however, she was soon engaged for the [[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|film version]]. Her irreverent and often bawdy sense of humour allowed her to establish a rapport with her co-star [[Marlon Brando]], but she had difficulty with the director [[Elia Kazan]], who did not hold her in high regard as an actress. He later commented that "she had a small talent", but as work progressed, he became "full of admiration" for "the greatest determination to excel of any actress I've known. She'd have crawled over broken glass if she thought it would help her performance." Leigh found the role gruelling and commented to the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', "I had nine months in the theatre of Blanche DuBois. Now she's in command of me."<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 pp 233-236</ref> The film won glowing reviews for her, and she won a second [[Academy Award for Best Actress]], a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] Award and a [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]]. Tennessee Williams commented that Leigh brought to the role "everything that I intended, and much that I had never dreamed of", but in later years, Leigh would say that playing Blanche DuBois "tipped me over into madness".<ref> Holden, Anthony, ''Olivier'', Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0-7221-4857-7, pp 312-313 </ref>
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The couple went on to film ''[[That Hamilton Woman]]'' (1941) a [[World War II]] film that became very successful, especially in the [[Soviet Union]]. The film was also popular in the [[United States]]. [[Winston Churchill]] was very close to the couple, and he often requested that they attend dinners and other official events. He once said of Leigh, "By Jove, she's a clinker."<ref>Holden, 202, 205, 325. </ref>
  
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==Continuing illness==
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Troubles began for the couple when they returned to England. Leigh contracted [[tuberculosis]] after completing a tour through [[North Africa]]. Then she discovered she was pregnant while filming ''Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945). A short time later she suffered a [[miscarriage]], the first of two they would experience while together. She began to verbally and physically attack Olivier, suffering her first of many breakdowns as a result of [[manic-depression]], or [[bipolar mood disorder]]. Olivier came to recognize the symptoms and was able to prepare himself for them. The episodes were followed by Leigh having no memory of the event, but feeling deeply remorseful.<ref>Holden, 221-222. </ref>. In 1947 the couple ventured to [[Buckingham Palace]] where Olivier was knighted. Leigh became Lady Olivier, a title she used the rest of her life.
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In 1951, Leigh and Olivier performed two plays about [[Cleopatra VII|Cleopatra]], [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]'' and [[George Bernard Shaw]]'s ''[[Caesar and Cleopatra]]'', alternating the play each night and winning good reviews. They took the productions to New York, where they performed a season at the [[Ziegfeld Theatre]] into 1952. The reviews there were also mostly positive, but the critic [[Kenneth Tynan]] angered them when he suggested that Leigh's was a mediocre talent which forced Olivier to compromise his own. Tynan's diatribe almost precipitated another collapse; Leigh, terrified of failure and intent on achieving greatness, dwelt on his comments, while ignoring the positive reviews of other critics.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 196-197 </ref>
 
  
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In January 1953 Leigh travelled to [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]] to film ''[[Elephant Walk]]'' with [[Peter Finch]]. Shortly after filming commenced, she suffered a breakdown, and [[Paramount Studios]] replaced her with [[Elizabeth Taylor]]. Olivier returned her to their home in England, where between periods of incoherence, Leigh told him that she was in love with Finch, and had been having an affair with him. She gradually recovered over a period of several months. [[Image:LaurenceOlivierVivienLeighinTitusAndronicus1957.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Olivier and Leigh in the 1955 production of ''Titus Andronicus'']]
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By 1948 Olivier was on the Board of Directors for the [[Old Vic Theatre]], and to raise funds, the couple decided to tour through [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] to raise funds for the theater. The tour was long and exhausting, Leigh suffered from insomnia, and the couple fought often. At the very end of the tour, Olivier told a journalist, "You may not know it, but you are talking to a couple of walking corpses." Later he commented that he "lost Vivien" during the tour to Australia.<ref>Holden, 295. </ref>
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As a result of this episode, many of the Oliviers' friends learnt of her problems. [[David Niven]] said she had been "quite, quite mad", and in his diary [[Noël Coward]] expressed surprise that "things had been bad and getting worse since 1948 or thereabouts."<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 pp 254-263</ref>
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[[File:Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire.jpeg|thumb|350px|[[Marlon Brando]] and Vivien Leigh in ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' (1951)]]
  
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Leigh recovered sufficiently to play ''[[The Sleeping Prince]]'' with Olivier in 1953, and in 1955 they performed a season at [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] in Shakespeare's ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'' and ''[[Titus Andronicus]]''. They played to capacity houses and attracted generally good reviews, Leigh's health seemingly stable. [[Noël Coward]] was enjoying success with the play ''[[South Sea Bubble]]'', with Leigh in the lead role, but she became pregnant and withdrew from the production. Several weeks later, she miscarried and entered a period of depression that lasted for months. She joined Olivier for a European tour with ''Titus Andronicus'', but the tour was marred by Leigh's frequent outbursts against Olivier and other members of the company. After their return to London, her former husband Leigh Holman, who continued to exert a strong influence over her, stayed with the Oliviers and helped calm her.
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Leigh followed a few stage performances with her role as [[Blanche DuBois]] in the [[West End of London|West End]] stage production of [[Tennessee Williams]]'s ''A Streetcar Named Desire.'' Leigh's run lasted 326 performances, and garnered her the same role in the film version that starred [[Marlon Brando]]. Leigh and Brando got along well, but she had conflicts with the director, [[Elia Kazan]], who felt that Leigh "had a small talent." Kazan would soon change his mind, however, saying he was "full of admiration" for "the greatest determination to excel of any actress I've known. She'd have crawled over broken glass if she thought it would help her performance."<ref>Coleman, 233-236.</ref>
  
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In 1958, considering her marriage to be over, Leigh began a relationship with the actor [[John Merivale|Jack Merivale]], who knew of Leigh's medical condition and assured Olivier he would care for her. She achieved a success in 1959 with the Noël Coward comedy ''Look After Lulu'', with ''The Times'' critic describing her as "beautiful, delectably cool and matter of fact, she is mistress of every situation."<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 219-234 and 239</ref>
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Vivien Leigh received her second [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for Best Actress for her role as Blanche, as well as a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] Award and a [[New York Film Critics Circle Award]] for Best Actress. Author Tennessee Williams commented that Leigh was "everything that I intended, and much that I had never dreamed of," but in later years, Leigh said that her time as Blanche DuBois "tipped me over into madness".<ref>Holden, 312-313. </ref>
  
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In 1960 she and Olivier divorced, and Olivier married the actress [[Joan Plowright]]. In his autobiography he discussed the years of problems they had experienced because of Leigh's illness, writing, "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic depression, with its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness &ndash; an ability to disguise her true mental condition from almost all except me, for whom she could hardly be expected to take the trouble."<ref>[[Laurence Olivier|Olivier, Laurence]], ''Confessions Of an Actor'', Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0-14-006888-0 p 174 </ref>
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==Declining health==
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In January 1953, during the filming of ''Elephant Walk'' with [[Peter Finch]], Leigh suffered another breakdown. [[Paramount Studios]] replaced Leigh with the popular [[Elizabeth Taylor]]. Olivier brought Leigh back to their English home to recover. During this time Leigh said that she was in love with Peter Finch and had been having an affair with him. Gradually, over a period of months, Leigh made a recovery.
  
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==Final years and death==
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As a result of this breakdown many of the Olivier's friends learned just how sick Leigh had become. [[David Niven]] said she had been "quite, quite mad," and in his diary [[Noël Coward]] expressed surprise that "things had been bad and getting worse since 1948 or thereabouts."<ref>Coleman, 254-263.</ref>
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Merivale proved to be a stable influence for Leigh, but despite her apparent contentment she was quoted by [[Radie Harris]] as confiding that she "would rather have lived a short life with Larry [Olivier] than face a long one without him".<ref> Walker, Alexander. ''Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh'', Grove Press, 1987. ISBN 0-8021-3259-6 p290 </ref>
 
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Her first husband, Leigh Holman, also spent considerable time with her. Merivale joined her for a tour of Australia, New Zealand and [[Latin America]] that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962, and Leigh enjoyed positive reviews without Olivier sharing the spotlight with her. Though she was still beset by bouts of depression, she continued to work in the theatre and in 1963 won a [[Tony Award]] for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the Broadway musical ''[[Tovarich]]''. She also appeared in the films ''[[The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone]]'' (1961) and ''[[Ship of Fools (film)|Ship of Fools]]'' (1965).<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 266-272 </ref>
 
  
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In May 1967 she was rehearsing to appear with [[Michael Redgrave]] in [[Edward Albee]]'s ''[[A Delicate Balance]]'' when she became ill with [[tuberculosis]] but, after resting for several weeks, seemed to be recovering. On the night of July 7, Merivale left her as usual, to perform in a play, and returned home around midnight to find her asleep. About thirty minutes later (by now July 8), he returned to the bedroom and discovered her body on the floor.<ref>[http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/l/Vivien%20Leigh/DC.JPG Vivien Leigh's death certificate] </ref> She had been attempting to walk to the bathroom, and as her lungs filled with liquid, she had collapsed.<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X pp 304-305 </ref> Merivale contacted Olivier, who was receiving treatment for [[prostate cancer]] in a nearby hospital. In his autobiography, Olivier described his "grievous anguish" as he immediately travelled to Leigh's residence, to find that Merivale had moved her body onto the bed. Olivier paid his respects, and "stood and prayed for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up between us",<ref>[[Laurence Olivier|Olivier, Laurence]], ''Confessions Of an Actor'', Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0-14-006888-0 pp 273-274</ref> before helping Merivale make funeral arrangements.
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After Leigh recovered she played in ''The Sleeping Prince'' with Olivier in 1953. Two years later the couple performed at [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] in [[Shakespeare]]'s ''Twelfth Night,'' ''Macbeth'' and ''Titus Andronicus.'' The theater was always packed and the two received favorable reviews. Her second miscarriage threw her into another period of severe depression. Again, after recovery, the couple performed in a European tour of ''Titus Andronicus.'' The tour did not go well with Leigh becoming more frequent in her moody outbursts. Olivier took her home once again, even calling upon Leigh's ex-husband, Leigh Holman, to help calm her.  
  
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She was [[cremation|cremated]], and her ashes were scattered on the lake at her home, Tickerage Mill, near [[Blackboys]], [[East Sussex]], England. A memorial service was held at [[St Martin-in-the-Fields]], with a final tribute read by [[John Gielgud]]. In the United States, she became the first actress honoured by "The Friends of the Libraries at the [[University of Southern California]]". The ceremony was conducted as a memorial service, with selections from her films shown and tributes provided by such associates as [[George Cukor]].<ref>Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'', Coronet Books, 1978 edition. ISBN 0-340-23024-X p 306</ref>
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In 1958 Leigh decided that the marriage was over, and she began another affair with the actor [[John Merivale|Jack Merivale]]. Merivale said he was aware of Leigh's condition and assured Olivier that he would take good care of her. In 1959 Leigh found more success with the Noël Coward [[comedy]] ''Look After Lulu.''  
  
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==Critical comments==
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In 1960 she and Olivier formally divorced and Olivier soon afterwards married the actress [[Joan Plowright]]. In his autobiography Olivier wrote, "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic [[Depression (psychology)|depression]], with its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness – an ability to disguise her true mental condition from almost all except me, for whom she could hardly be expected to take the trouble."<ref>Laurence Olivier, ''Confessions Of an Actor'' (Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0140068880), 174, </ref>
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Vivien Leigh was considered one of the most beautiful actresses of her day, and her directors emphasised this in most of her films. When asked if she believed her beauty had been a handicap, she said, "people think that if you look fairly reasonable, you can't possibly act, and as I only care about acting, I think beauty can be a great handicap, if you really want to look like the part you're playing, which isn't necessarily like you."<ref>[http://www.vivien-leigh.com/interview.html ''Actors Talk About Acting'' - Vivien Leigh interview (1961)] Edited by John E. Boothe and Lewis Funke. Retrieved January 7, 2006</ref>
 
  
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[[George Cukor]] commented that Leigh was a "consummate actress, hampered by beauty",<ref>Shipman, David, ''Movie Talk'', St Martin's Press, 1988. ISBN 0-312-03403-2; p 126 </ref> and Laurence Olivier said that critics should "give her credit for being an actress and not go on forever letting their judgements be distorted by her great beauty."<ref>Coleman, Terry, ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0-7475-8306-4 p 227</ref> [[Garson Kanin]] shared their viewpoint and described Leigh as "a stunner whose ravishing beauty often tended to obscure her staggering achievements as an actress. Great beauties are infrequently great actresses—simply because they don't need to be. Vivien was different; ambitious, persevering, serious, often inspired."<ref>Shipman, David, ''Movie Talk'', St Martin's Press, 1988. ISBN 0-312-03403-2; p 125 </ref>
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==Final years and death==
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Merivale kept his promise and offered a stable environment for Leigh. The couple seemed happy but Leigh was quoted  by [[Radie Harris]] as confiding that she "would rather have lived a short life with Larry (Olivier) than face a long one without him."<ref>Alexander Walker, ''Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh'' (Grove Press, 1987, ISBN 0802132596), 290. </ref>
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Leigh explained that she played "as many different parts as possible" in an attempt to learn her craft and to dispel prejudice about her abilities. She believed that comedy was more difficult to play than drama because it required more precise timing, and said that more emphasis should be placed upon comedy as part of an actor's training. Nearing the end of her career, which ranged from [[Noël Coward]] comedies to Shakespearean tragedies, she observed, "It's much easier to make people cry than to make them laugh."<ref>[http://www.vivien-leigh.com/interview.html ''Actors Talk About Acting'' - Vivien Leigh interview (1961)] Edited by John E. Boothe and Lewis Funke. Retrieved January 7, 2006</ref>
 
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Her early performances brought her immediate success in Britain, but she remained largely unknown in other parts of the world until the release of ''Gone with the Wind''. In December 1939 the ''[[New York Times]]'' wrote, "Miss Leigh's Scarlett has vindicated the absurd talent quest that indirectly turned her up. She is so perfectly designed for the part by art and nature that any other actress in the role would be inconceivable",<ref>Haver, Ronald. ''David O. Selznick's Hollywood'' Bonanza Books, New York, 1980. ISBN 0-517-47665-7; p 305</ref> and as her fame escalated, she was featured on the cover of ''[[Time Magazine]]'' as Scarlett. In 1969 critic [[Andrew Sarris]] commented that the success of the film had been largely due to "the inspired casting" of Leigh,<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000101/CRITICALDEBATE/40310036 Roger Ebert.com] quoting [[Andrew Sarris]], ''The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968'', retrieved January 6, 2006. </ref> and in 1998 wrote that "she lives in our minds and memories as a dynamic force rather than as a static presence."<ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/05/03/reviews/980503.03woodlt.htmland ''New York Times - Reviews on the Web''] Quoting [[Andrew Sarris]] in ''You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet, The American Talking Film: History & Memory, 1927-1949''. May 3, 1998. Retrieved January 11, 2006. </ref>
 
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[[Leonard Maltin]] described the film as one of the all-time greats, writing in 1998 that Leigh "brilliantly played" her role.<ref>[[Leonard Maltin|Maltin, Leonard]], ''1998 Movie and Video Guide'', Signet Books, 1997, p 522</ref>
 
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Her performance in the [[West End of London|West End]] production of ''A Streetcar Named Desire'', described by the theatre writer [[Phyllis Hartnoll]] as "proof of greater powers as an actress than she had hitherto shown", led to a lengthy period during which she was considered one of the finest actresses in British theatre.<ref>[[Phyllis Hartnoll|Hartnoll, Phyllis]], ''The Concise Companion to the Theatre'', Omega Books, 1972, ISBN 1-85007-044-X, p 301 </ref> Discussing the subsequent film version, [[Pauline Kael]] wrote that Leigh and [[Marlon Brando]] gave "two of the greatest performances ever put on film" and that Leigh's was "one of those rare performances that can truly be said to evoke both fear and pity."<ref>[[Pauline Kael|Kael, Pauline]], ''5001 Nights At The Movies'', Zenith Books, 1982, ISBN 0-09-933550-6; p 564 </ref>
 
  
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Kenneth Tynan ridiculed Leigh's performance opposite Olivier in the 1955 production of ''[[Titus Andronicus]]'', commenting that she "receives the news that she is about to be ravished on her husband's corpse with little more than the mild annoyance of one who would have preferred foam rubber."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/curtainup/story/0,12830,984310,00.html Guardian Unlimited] Ellis, Samantha, for ''[[The Guardian]]'', June 23, 2003 (quoting Kenneth Tynan). Retrieved January 7, 2005</ref> He was one of several critics to react negatively to her reinterpretation of [[Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare)|Lady Macbeth]] in 1955, saying that her performance was insubstantial and lacked the necessary fury demanded of the role; however, after her death he revised his opinion, describing his earlier criticism as "one of the worst errors of judgement" he had ever made. He came to believe that Leigh's interpretation, in which Lady Macbeth uses her sexual allure to keep Macbeth enthralled, "made more sense ... than the usual battle-axe" portrayal of the character. In a survey of theatre critics conducted shortly after Leigh's death, several named it as one of her greatest achievements in theatre.<ref> Taylor, John Russell. ''Vivien Leigh'', Elm Tree Books, 1984. ISBN 0-241-11333-4 p 99 </ref>
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Even though Leigh was still prone to depression and anxiety she continued to act. In 1963 she won a [[Tony Award]] for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the [[Broadway]] musical ''Tovarich''. She also appeared in the films ''The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'' (1961) and ''Ship of Fools'' (1965).<ref>Edwards, 266-272. </ref> Her last play was [[Anton Chekhov]]'s ''Ivanov'' in 1966, with [[John Gielgud]], in which she ironically played a woman who dies of [[tuberculosis]].
  
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In 1969 a plaque to Leigh was placed in the actors' church, [[St Paul's, Covent Garden]], and in 1985 a portrait of her was included in a series of [[postage stamp]]s, along with [[Alfred Hitchcock]], [[Charles Chaplin]], [[Peter Sellers]] and [[David Niven]] to commemorate "British Film Year".<ref> Walker, Alexander. ''Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh'', Grove Press, 1987. ISBN 0-8021-3259-6 pp303, 304 </ref>
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In May 1967 Vivien had another bout of [[tuberculosis]]. After seeming to be on the road to recovery, on the night of July 7, Merivale returned from a play and found Leigh sleeping peacefully. Thirty minutes later he returned to the bedroom and discovered her body on the floor. Apparently, Leigh had been attempting to walk to the bathroom but her lungs filled with liquid, causing her to collapse.<ref>Edwards, 304-305. </ref> Merivale contacted Olivier immediately. In his autobiography, Olivier described his "grievous anguish" as he traveled quickly to Leigh's home. Olivier paid his respects and "stood and prayed for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up between us,"<ref>Olivier, 273-274.</ref> before helping Merivale make funeral arrangements.
  
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The [[British Library]] in London purchased the papers of Laurence Olivier from his estate in 1999. Known as ''The Laurence Olivier Archive'', the collection includes many of Vivien Leigh's personal papers, including numerous letters written by her to Olivier. The papers of Vivien Leigh, including letters, photographs, contracts and diaries, are owned by her daughter, Mrs Suzanne Farrington. In 1994 the [[National Library of Australia]] purchased a photograph album, monogrammed "L & V O" and believed to have belonged to the Oliviers, containing 573 photographs of the couple during their 1948 tour of Australia. It is now held as part of the record of the history of the performing arts in Australia.<ref> [http://www.nla.gov.au/pub/gateways/archive/14/14.html#laurieviv National Library of Australia &ndash; ''Gateways''] ISSN 1443-0568 No. 14 March 1995, retrieved January 7, 2006.</ref>
+
Vivien Leigh was [[cremation|cremated]]. Following a memorial service, and a final tribute read by [[John Gielgud]], Leigh's ashes were scattered on the lake at her home, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, [[East Sussex]], [[England]]. In the United States, Leigh was the very first actress to be honored by "The Friends of the Libraries at the [[University of Southern California]]." The ceremony was conducted like a memorial. Several of her friends, including [[George Cukor]], gave tributes, mixed with clips of various films she had done.<ref>Edwards, 306.</ref>
  
 
==Awards and nominations==
 
==Awards and nominations==
Line 112: Line 121:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[1939 in film|1939]]
 
| [[1939 in film|1939]]
−
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br>[[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]] (won)
+
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br/>[[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]] (won)
 
| ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]''
 
| ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]''
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[1952 in film|1952]]
 
| [[1952 in film|1952]]
−
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br>[[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role]] (won) <br>[[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama]] (nominated) <br>[[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br>[[Venice Film Festival|Venice Film Festival - Volpi Cup]] (won)
+
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br/>[[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role]] (won) <br/>[[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama]] (nominated) <br/>[[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]] (won)<br/>[[Venice Film Festival|Venice Film Festival - Volpi Cup]] (won)
 
| ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]''
 
| ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]''
 
|-
 
|-
Line 123: Line 132:
 
| ''[[Tovarich (musical)|Tovarich]]''
 
| ''[[Tovarich (musical)|Tovarich]]''
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
+
<br/>
 
{{start box}}{{s-awards}}
 
{{start box}}{{s-awards}}
 
{{succession box
 
{{succession box
 
| title=[[Academy Award for Best Actress]]
 
| title=[[Academy Award for Best Actress]]
−
| before=[[Bette Davis]]<br>for ''[[Jezebel (1938 film)|Jezebel]]''
+
| before=[[Bette Davis]]<br/>for ''[[Jezebel (1938 film)|Jezebel]]''
−
| years=1939<br>'''for ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' '''
+
| years=1939<br/>'''for ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' '''
−
| after=[[Ginger Rogers]]<br>for ''[[Kitty Foyle]]''}}
+
| after=[[Ginger Rogers]]<br/>for ''[[Kitty Foyle]]''}}
 
{{succession box
 
{{succession box
 
| title=Academy Award for Best Actress
 
| title=Academy Award for Best Actress
−
| before=[[Judy Holliday]]<br>for ''[[Born Yesterday (1950 film)|Born Yesterday]]''
+
| before=[[Judy Holliday]]<br/>for ''[[Born Yesterday (1950 film)|Born Yesterday]]''
−
| years=1951<br>'''for ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' '''
+
| years=1951<br/>'''for ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' '''
−
| after=[[Shirley Booth]]<br>for ''[[Come Back, Little Sheba (movie)|Come Back, Little Sheba]]''}}
+
| after=[[Shirley Booth]]<br/>for ''[[Come Back, Little Sheba (movie)|Come Back, Little Sheba]]''}}
 
{{succession box
 
{{succession box
−
| title=[[Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical|Tony Award for Best <br>Leading Actress in a Musical]]
+
| title=[[Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical|Tony Award for Best <br/>Leading Actress in a Musical]]
−
| years=1963<br>'''for ''[[Tovarich (musical)|Tovarich]]'' '''
+
| years=1963<br/>'''for ''[[Tovarich (musical)|Tovarich]]'' '''
−
| before=(tie)<br>[[Anna Maria Alberghetti]]<br>for ''[[Carnival]]''<br>and<br>[[Diahann Carroll]]<br> for ''No Strings''
+
| before=(tie)<br/>[[Anna Maria Alberghetti]]<br/>for ''[[Carnival]]''<br/>and<br/>[[Diahann Carroll]]<br/> for ''No Strings''
−
| after=[[Carol Channing]]<br>for ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]''
+
| after=[[Carol Channing]]<br/>for ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]''
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{end}}
 
{{end}}
 +
<br/>
  
−
==See also==
+
== Notes ==
−
*For a full chronology of Leigh's theatre and film work, see ''[[Vivien Leigh chronology of stage and film performances]].''
+
<references/>
  
−
== References ==
+
==References==  
−
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
+
*Bean, Kendra. ''Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait''. Running Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0762450992
−
<references/>
+
*Coleman, Terry. ''Olivier, The Authorised Biography.'' Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0747583064
−
</div>
+
*Edwards. Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography.'' Coronet Books, 1978. ISBN 0671224964
 +
*Haver, Ronald. ''David O. Selznick's Hollywood.'' New York: Bonanza Books, 1980. ISBN 0517476657
 +
*Holden, Anthony. ''Olivier.'' Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0722148577
 +
*Olivier, Laurence. ''Confessions Of an Actor.'' Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0140068880
 +
*Selznick, David O. ''Memo from David O. Selznick.'' New York: Modern Library, 2000. ISBN 0375755314
 +
*Taylor, John Russell. ''Vivien Leigh.'' Elm Tree Books, 1984. ISBN 0241113334
 +
*Walker, Alexander. ''Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh.'' Grove Press, 1987. ISBN 0802132596
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
*{{imdb name | id=0000046 | name=Vivien Leigh}}
+
All links retrieved May 3, 2023.
−
*{{tcmdb name | id=111615 | name=Vivien Leigh}}
 
−
*{{ibdb name | id=49426 | name=Vivien Leigh}}
 
−
*{{nndb name|id=470/000022404|name=Vivien Leigh}}
 
−
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an11334994 Australian National Library, photographs from Australian tour]
 
  
−
{{featured article}}
+
*{{imdb name | id=0000046 | name=Vivien Leigh}}  
 +
*[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/111615%7C152178/Vivien-Leigh/#overview Vivien Leigh] ''Turner Classic Movies''
 +
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1261/vivien-leigh Vivien Leigh] ''Find a Grave''
  
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<!-- Gone with the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire —>
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[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
 +
[[Category:Biography]]
 +
[[Category:film]]
 +
[[category:actors and playwrights]]
  
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{{Persondata
 
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|NAME=Leigh, Vivien
 
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|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Hartley, Vivian Mary
 
−
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=actress
 
−
|DATE OF BIRTH=November 5 1913
 
−
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Darjeeling]], [[India]]
 
−
|DATE OF DEATH=July 7 1967
 
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|PLACE OF DEATH=[[London, England]]
 
−
}}
 
  
−
[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
 
−
[[Category:History and biography]]
 
−
[[Category:Biography]]
 
  
 
{{Credit|97240748}}
 
{{Credit|97240748}}

Latest revision as of 17:29, 16 August 2023

Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh Scarlet.jpg
Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939)
BornVivian Mary Hartley
November 5 1913(1913-11-05)
Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency, British India
DiedJuly 8 1967 (aged 53)
Belgravia, London, England
NationalityBritish
EducationLoreto Convent
Convent of the Sacred Heart
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1935–1967
TitleLady Olivier (1947–1960)
Vivien, Lady Olivier (1960–1967)
Spouse(s)Herbert Leigh Holman​
(m. 1932; div. 1940)
​ Laurence Olivier​
(m. 1940; div. 1960)
Partner(s)John Merivale (1960–1967)
ChildrenSuzanne Farrington
Signature
Vivien Leigh signature.png

Vivien Mary, Lady Olivier (November 5, 1913 – July 8, 1967), known as Vivien Leigh, was an English actress who won two Academy Awards for her portrayals of American "southern belles." She was the first non-American to win a "Best Actress" Oscar. Her award winning roles were as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she had also played in London's West End. She also won a Tony Award for her Broadway debut in the musical version of Tovarich in 1963.

In her 30-year career she made only 20 films, most of them in the 1930s. Her life was marked by two marriages, one child, severe bouts of depression, tuberculosis and world renown for her beauty and talent.

She frequently worked in collaboration with her second husband, Laurence Olivier, who also directed her in several roles. Their life together was full of romance and tragedy, making them one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples.

Early life

Vivien Leigh was born as Vivian Mary Hartley in Darjeeling, British India just before the outbreak of World War I. The only child of Ernest Hartley and Gertrude Robinson Yackje, they lived in India during a time when a simple officer in the Indian Cavalry could live like a king. Her father was British, while her mother was of French and Irish descent.[1]

Leigh made her first appearance on stage at the age of three. She recited "Little Bo Peep" in her mother's amateur theater group production. Leigh was introduced to authors Hans Christian Andersen, Lewis Carroll, and Rudyard Kipling by her mother, who instilled in her an appreciation of literature and art. Leigh particularly loved the stories from Greek mythology.

Leigh was sent to England for her formal education when her mother became worried that she would not receive proper instruction in Bangalore. Leigh was sent to the "Convent of the Sacred Heart" in Roehampton in 1920. Her first stage appearances at school were in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (playing the fairy), and in The Tempest (as Miranda). She studied ballet, played the cello in the school orchestra, and excelled at piano - taking her music exam at the Royal Academy of Music when she was a teenager.

A highlight of her education at Sacred Heart was the close friendship she formed with Maureen O'Sullivan, also a future actress. She confided in Maureen that her greatest desire was to become "a great actress." [2]

Her formal education included finishing schools in Paris and the Bavarian Alps. After graduation in 1931 she returned to England. Leigh was surprised and excited to see that her old friend, Maureen O'Sullivan had a film playing in London's West End. This inspired her to tell her parents she had decided to become and actress and as a result they helped her enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.[3] Her studies at RADA did not last long, however. The same year she met Herbert Leigh Holman, a barrister who was 13 years her senior. Holman was not interested in "theatrical people" and disapproved of them, but he fell in love with Vivien and they were married on December 20, 1932. She became pregnant almost immediately and gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne, on October 12, 1933.

Acting career

Only ten months after her daughter's birth Leigh accepted a small part in the film Things Are Looking Up, her first motion picture appearance. Immediately upon completion, Leigh hired John Gliddon as her agent. It was Gliddon who suggested a name change as he did not think "Vivian Holman" was an appropriate name for an actress. After many versions, including the name "April Morn," Leigh decided on "Vivian Leigh" for her professional name.[4]

With a new agent and a new name, Vivien began her career in earnest. In 1935, she received excellent reviews for her role in the play The Mask of Virtue. Her performance led to a film contract and one last name change, that of "Vivian" to "Vivien." Years later Leigh remembered the influence of her first brush with fame and greatness:

Some critics saw fit to be as foolish as to say that I was a great actress. And I thought, that was a foolish, wicked thing to say, because it put such an onus and such a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able to carry. And it took me years to learn enough to live up to what they said for those first notices. I find it so stupid. I remember the critic very well, and have never forgiven him.[5]

In 1938, Leigh appeared in another film, this time with her childhood friend, Maureen O'Sullivan, along with Robert Taylor and Lionel Barrymore. The film was A Yank at Oxford, and it marked a shift in her career, as it was the first of her films to be widely received in the United States.

Achieving International Success

During the filming of her two films in 1938, Leigh read Margaret Mitchell's best-selling historical novel Gone with the Wind. She heard that a film version was going to be made and became very interested in playing the role of Scarlet O'Hara.[6] She remarked to a journalist, "I've cast myself as Scarlett O'Hara," and the film critic C. A. Lejeune recalled a conversation with her where she made the prediction that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but I shall play Scarlett O'Hara. Wait and see."[7]

Publicity photo of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind

Leigh requested that she be placed in the running for the role of Scarlett. That month, the producer of the film, David Selznick, watched Leigh's two most recent pictures. Although he never thought he would like her, Selznick was won over by Leigh's beauty and her talent. Selznick deliberated for several months, studying Leigh's work and photographs. On October 18, Selznick wrote in a confidential memo to director George Cukor, "I am still hoping against hope for that new girl."[8]

When Leigh traveled to Los Angeles to be with Laurence Olivier, she had a chance meeting with Selznick's brother Myron. Myron was serving as Olivier's American agent, and he took the couple to the set of the film and introduced Leigh to his brother. Shortly after, Leigh did a formal audition and a screen test for David Selznick. After the audition Selznick wrote to his wife, "She's the Scarlett dark horse and looks damn good. Not for anyone's ear but your own: it's narrowed down to Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, Joan Bennett and Vivien Leigh." The director of the film, George Cukor, agreed with Selznick and noted that the "incredible wildness" of Leigh was perfectly suited to Scarlett. Leigh was given the infamous part soon after.[9]

The production of Gone with the Wind was fraught with difficulties. First Cukor was fired and then replaced by Victor Fleming as the new director. The change led to several conflicts between Leigh and Fleming. Leigh believed that Cukor was the man for the job, thus, along with Olivia de Havilland, the two actresses met with Cukor secretly to ask advice on how the roles of Scarlett and Melanie should be played. Leigh truly admired and befriended Clark Gable, his wife Carole Lombard and de Havilland. However, her relationship with Leslie Howard was tense and strained. Leigh was required to perform several of the most emotional scenes with Howard, she worked seven days a week, and often long evenings. She missed Olivier who was in New York City, and she became tired and distraught. She wrote in a letter, "I loathe Hollywood…. I will never get used to this – how I hate film acting."[10]

Many rumors flowed concerning Leigh's behavior during filming. It wasn't until 2006 that Olivia de Havilland spoke out against the rumors and accusations. She said of Leigh, "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably disciplined on Gone with the Wind. She had two great concerns: doing her best work in an extremely difficult role and being separated from Larry (Olivier), who was in New York."[11]

Gone with the Wind brought fame to Leigh. However, she never bought into the idea of being a huge star. She once said, "I'm not a film star – I'm an actress. Being a film star—just a film star—is such a false life, lived for fake values and for publicity. Actresses go on for a long time and there are always marvelous parts to play."[12]

Gone with the Wind was nominated for several Academy Awards, winning ten of them. Among the ten were Best Actress for Leigh, who also won a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.

Life with Laurence

Leigh with Laurence Olivier in That Hamilton Woman. (1941)

Laurence Olivier first saw Leigh when he attended one of her performances in The Mask of Virtue. After the play, Olivier was so impressed that he went backstage to congratulate the actress on her remarkable performance. From that moment, a friendship developed. A short time later, the two were cast in the 1937 film Fire Over England.

Because We Must opened on February 5, 1937. She followed this play with the role of Ophelia in Hamlet, playing opposite her new love Laurence Olivier at the Kronborg Castle in Elsinore. Michael Redgrave was a young cast member, and Alec Guinness was Olivier's understudy at the time. At this point both Vivien and Olivier's marriages were failing due to their own affair, and this resulted in separation from their spouses and moving in together in Chelsea. Olivier continued to concentrate on Shakespeare, joining the Old Vic Theatre Company, while Vivien performed briefly in A Midsummer Night's Dream as Titania in December of 1937. It ran successfully for several months.

Did you know?
Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples

During the production of Because We Must Olivier got his first glimpse of Leigh's developing mental health problems. During one performance, Leigh abruptly changed her mood, yelling and screaming at Olivier shortly before appearing onstage. As suddenly as she began screaming, she stopped, calmed herself down, and went out to perform without mishap or incident. By the following day, Leigh was completely normal and couldn't even remember the incident had occurred.[13]

In February 1940 both Olivier and Leigh obtained divorces, with neither of them gaining custody of the children. In August of that same year the couple was married in a small wedding attended only by the two witnesses, Katharine Hepburn and Garson Kanin.

The couple loved working together, though Leigh met with disappointments as she was passed over for the leading lady role in Olivier's two films Rebecca directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Pride and Prejudice (1940). When the film Waterloo Bridge (1940) was being made, it was to star the couple, however, Selznick replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor. Both Leigh and Taylor were at the top of their fame, and the film proved to be a major success.

Olivier and Leigh took a break from film work and decided to perform on the stage in a production of Romeo and Juliet for Broadway. However, the press reviews were not favorable. Brooks Atkinson, a reporter for the New York Times wrote, "Although Miss Leigh and Mr. Olivier are handsome young people they hardly act their parts at all."[14] The play's failure caused severe financial strain for the two, who had invested almost all of their savings into the production.[15]

The couple went on to film That Hamilton Woman (1941) a World War II film that became very successful, especially in the Soviet Union. The film was also popular in the United States. Winston Churchill was very close to the couple, and he often requested that they attend dinners and other official events. He once said of Leigh, "By Jove, she's a clinker."[16]

Troubles began for the couple when they returned to England. Leigh contracted tuberculosis after completing a tour through North Africa. Then she discovered she was pregnant while filming Caesar and Cleopatra (1945). A short time later she suffered a miscarriage, the first of two they would experience while together. She began to verbally and physically attack Olivier, suffering her first of many breakdowns as a result of manic-depression, or bipolar mood disorder. Olivier came to recognize the symptoms and was able to prepare himself for them. The episodes were followed by Leigh having no memory of the event, but feeling deeply remorseful.[17]. In 1947 the couple ventured to Buckingham Palace where Olivier was knighted. Leigh became Lady Olivier, a title she used the rest of her life.

By 1948 Olivier was on the Board of Directors for the Old Vic Theatre, and to raise funds, the couple decided to tour through Australia and New Zealand to raise funds for the theater. The tour was long and exhausting, Leigh suffered from insomnia, and the couple fought often. At the very end of the tour, Olivier told a journalist, "You may not know it, but you are talking to a couple of walking corpses." Later he commented that he "lost Vivien" during the tour to Australia.[18]

Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Leigh followed a few stage performances with her role as Blanche DuBois in the West End stage production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire. Leigh's run lasted 326 performances, and garnered her the same role in the film version that starred Marlon Brando. Leigh and Brando got along well, but she had conflicts with the director, Elia Kazan, who felt that Leigh "had a small talent." Kazan would soon change his mind, however, saying he was "full of admiration" for "the greatest determination to excel of any actress I've known. She'd have crawled over broken glass if she thought it would help her performance."[19]

Vivien Leigh received her second Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Blanche, as well as a BAFTA Award and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress. Author Tennessee Williams commented that Leigh was "everything that I intended, and much that I had never dreamed of," but in later years, Leigh said that her time as Blanche DuBois "tipped me over into madness".[20]

Declining health

In January 1953, during the filming of Elephant Walk with Peter Finch, Leigh suffered another breakdown. Paramount Studios replaced Leigh with the popular Elizabeth Taylor. Olivier brought Leigh back to their English home to recover. During this time Leigh said that she was in love with Peter Finch and had been having an affair with him. Gradually, over a period of months, Leigh made a recovery.

As a result of this breakdown many of the Olivier's friends learned just how sick Leigh had become. David Niven said she had been "quite, quite mad," and in his diary Noël Coward expressed surprise that "things had been bad and getting worse since 1948 or thereabouts."[21]

After Leigh recovered she played in The Sleeping Prince with Olivier in 1953. Two years later the couple performed at Stratford-upon-Avon in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Titus Andronicus. The theater was always packed and the two received favorable reviews. Her second miscarriage threw her into another period of severe depression. Again, after recovery, the couple performed in a European tour of Titus Andronicus. The tour did not go well with Leigh becoming more frequent in her moody outbursts. Olivier took her home once again, even calling upon Leigh's ex-husband, Leigh Holman, to help calm her.

In 1958 Leigh decided that the marriage was over, and she began another affair with the actor Jack Merivale. Merivale said he was aware of Leigh's condition and assured Olivier that he would take good care of her. In 1959 Leigh found more success with the Noël Coward comedy Look After Lulu.

In 1960 she and Olivier formally divorced and Olivier soon afterwards married the actress Joan Plowright. In his autobiography Olivier wrote, "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic depression, with its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness – an ability to disguise her true mental condition from almost all except me, for whom she could hardly be expected to take the trouble."[22]

Final years and death

Merivale kept his promise and offered a stable environment for Leigh. The couple seemed happy but Leigh was quoted by Radie Harris as confiding that she "would rather have lived a short life with Larry (Olivier) than face a long one without him."[23]

Even though Leigh was still prone to depression and anxiety she continued to act. In 1963 she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the Broadway musical Tovarich. She also appeared in the films The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) and Ship of Fools (1965).[24] Her last play was Anton Chekhov's Ivanov in 1966, with John Gielgud, in which she ironically played a woman who dies of tuberculosis.

In May 1967 Vivien had another bout of tuberculosis. After seeming to be on the road to recovery, on the night of July 7, Merivale returned from a play and found Leigh sleeping peacefully. Thirty minutes later he returned to the bedroom and discovered her body on the floor. Apparently, Leigh had been attempting to walk to the bathroom but her lungs filled with liquid, causing her to collapse.[25] Merivale contacted Olivier immediately. In his autobiography, Olivier described his "grievous anguish" as he traveled quickly to Leigh's home. Olivier paid his respects and "stood and prayed for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up between us,"[26] before helping Merivale make funeral arrangements.

Vivien Leigh was cremated. Following a memorial service, and a final tribute read by John Gielgud, Leigh's ashes were scattered on the lake at her home, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, East Sussex, England. In the United States, Leigh was the very first actress to be honored by "The Friends of the Libraries at the University of Southern California." The ceremony was conducted like a memorial. Several of her friends, including George Cukor, gave tributes, mixed with clips of various films she had done.[27]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Work
1939 Academy Award for Best Actress (won)
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (won) 		Gone With the Wind
1952 Academy Award for Best Actress (won)
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (won)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama (nominated)
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (won)
Venice Film Festival - Volpi Cup (won) 		A Streetcar Named Desire
1963 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical (won) Tovarich


Awards
Preceded by:
Bette Davis
for Jezebel 		Academy Award for Best Actress
1939
for Gone with the Wind 		Succeeded by:
Ginger Rogers
for Kitty Foyle
Preceded by:
Judy Holliday
for Born Yesterday 		Academy Award for Best Actress
1951
for A Streetcar Named Desire 		Succeeded by:
Shirley Booth
for Come Back, Little Sheba
Preceded by:
(tie)
Anna Maria Alberghetti
for Carnival
and
Diahann Carroll
for No Strings 		Tony Award for Best
Leading Actress in a Musical
1963
for Tovarich 		Succeeded by:
Carol Channing
for Hello, Dolly!


Notes

  1. ↑ Anne Edwards, Vivien Leigh, A Biography (Coronet Books, 1978, ISBN 0671224964), 12.
  2. ↑ Edwards, 12-19.
  3. ↑ Edwards, 25-30.
  4. ↑ Edwards, 30-43.
  5. ↑ Kendra Bean, Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait (Running Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0762450992).
  6. ↑ Selznick wrote in a memo on February 3, 1938, "I have no enthusiasm for Vivien Leigh. Maybe I will, but as yet have never even seen a photograph of her. Will be seeing "Fire Over England" shortly, at which time of course will see Leigh…."
  7. ↑ Terry Coleman, Olivier, The Authorised Biography (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0747583064), 76-77, 90, 94-95.
  8. ↑ David O. Selznick, Memo from David O. Selznick (New York: Modern Library, 2000, ISBN 0375755314), 184.
  9. ↑ Ronald Haver, David O. Selznick's Hollywood (New York: Bonanza Books, 1980, ISBN 0517476657), 259.
  10. ↑ John Russell Taylor, Vivien Leigh (Elm Tree Books, 1984, ISBN 0241113334), 22-23.
  11. ↑ Bob Thomas, Private and public Olivier revealed in biography The Associated Press, December 27, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  12. ↑ Taylor, 22-23.
  13. ↑ Coleman, 97-98.
  14. ↑ Edwards, 127.
  15. ↑ Anthony Holden, Olivier (Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0722148577), 189-190.
  16. ↑ Holden, 202, 205, 325.
  17. ↑ Holden, 221-222.
  18. ↑ Holden, 295.
  19. ↑ Coleman, 233-236.
  20. ↑ Holden, 312-313.
  21. ↑ Coleman, 254-263.
  22. ↑ Laurence Olivier, Confessions Of an Actor (Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0140068880), 174,
  23. ↑ Alexander Walker, Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh (Grove Press, 1987, ISBN 0802132596), 290.
  24. ↑ Edwards, 266-272.
  25. ↑ Edwards, 304-305.
  26. ↑ Olivier, 273-274.
  27. ↑ Edwards, 306.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Bean, Kendra. Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait. Running Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0762450992
  • Coleman, Terry. Olivier, The Authorised Biography. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0747583064
  • Edwards. Anne. Vivien Leigh, A Biography. Coronet Books, 1978. ISBN 0671224964
  • Haver, Ronald. David O. Selznick's Hollywood. New York: Bonanza Books, 1980. ISBN 0517476657
  • Holden, Anthony. Olivier. Sphere Books Limited, 1989, ISBN 0722148577
  • Olivier, Laurence. Confessions Of an Actor. Simon and Schuster, 1982, ISBN 0140068880
  • Selznick, David O. Memo from David O. Selznick. New York: Modern Library, 2000. ISBN 0375755314
  • Taylor, John Russell. Vivien Leigh. Elm Tree Books, 1984. ISBN 0241113334
  • Walker, Alexander. Vivien, The Life of Vivien Leigh. Grove Press, 1987. ISBN 0802132596

External links

All links retrieved May 3, 2023.


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