Laurence Olivier
photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1939
Born	Laurence Kerr Olivier 22 May 1907(1907-05-22) Dorking, Surrey, England
Died	11 July 1989 (aged 82) Steyning, West Sussex, England
Occupation	actor, producer, director, screenwriter
Years active	1930 - 1989
Spouse(s)	Jill Esmond (1930-1940) Vivien Leigh (1940-1960) Joan Plowright (1961-1989)
Official website

Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM (IPA: /ˈlɒrəns əˈlɪvieɪ/; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor, director, and producer and the recipient of scores of awards. Carl Van Vechten ( June 17, 1880 &ndash December 21, 1964) was an American Writer and Photographer who was a Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Dorking is an historic Market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Steyning is a small town and Civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. Settlements Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or are situated in the M23 corridor England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events Top grossing films Tom Sawyer Whoopee! Common Clay Check Events Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton Georgia for $20 million Jill Esmond (born Jill Esmond Moore) ( 26 January, 1908 &ndash 28 July, 1990) was an English actress. Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works A theatre director or stage director is a practitioner in the Theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production (a play, A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. He is one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century, along with his contemporaries John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft and Ralph Richardson. Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Dame Peggy Ashcroft DBE ( 22 December, 1907 &ndash 14 June, 1991) was an acclaimed Academy Award -winning English Sir Ralph David Richardson ( 19 December 1902 &ndash 10 October 1983) was an English Actor, one of a group of theatrical ^[1] Olivier played a wide variety of roles on stage and screen from Greek tragedy, Shakespeare and Restoration comedy to modern American and British drama. He was the first artistic director of the National Theatre of Great Britain and its main stage is named in his honour. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. He is generally regarded to be the greatest actor of the 20th century, in the same category as David Garrick, Richard Burbage, Edmund Kean and Henry Irving in their own centuries. David Garrick (born 19 February 1717 in Hereford &ndash 20 January 1779) was an English Actor, Playwright, Richard Burbage ( January 7, 1568 &ndash March 13 1619) was an Actor and theatre owner Edmund Kean (March 17 1789 &ndash May 15 1833 was an English Actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever Sir Henry Irving ( February 6 1838 &ndash October 13 1905) born John Henry Brodribb was an English stage actor in the Victorian era ^[2] Olivier's Academy acknowledgments are considerable—fourteen Oscar nominations, with two wins for Best Actor and Best Picture for the 1948 film Hamlet, and two honorary awards including a statuette and certificate. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS) is a professional honorary organization ostensibly dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of Motion Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. He was also awarded five Emmy awards from the nine nominations he received. Additionally, he was a three-time Golden Globe and BAFTA winner. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation

Olivier's career as a stage and film actor spanned more than six decades and included a wide variety of roles, from Shakespeare's Othello and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night to the sadistic Nazi dentist Christian Szell in Marathon Man and the kindly but determined Nazi-hunter in The Boys from Brazil. William Shakespeare ( baptised Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by Marathon Man is a 1976 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 Academy Award-nominated thriller made by Lew Grade 's ITC Entertainment and distributed by A High Church clergyman's son who found fame on the West End stage, Olivier became determined early on to master Shakespeare, and eventually came to be regarded as one of the foremost Shakespeare interpreters of the 20th century. " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" He continued to act until his death in 1989. ^[3] Olivier played more than 120 stage roles: Richard III, Macbeth, Romeo, Hamlet, Othello, Uncle Vanya, and Archie Rice in The Entertainer. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death Mac Bethad mac Findlaích ( Modern Gaelic: MacBheatha mac Fhionnlaigh) anglicised as Macbeth, and nicknamed Rí Deircc, "the Red King" Romeo Montague is a fictional character in William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet. Prince Hamlet is the protagonist in Shakespeare 's tragedy Hamlet. Uncle Vanya ( Russian: Дядя Ваня — "Dyadya Vanya" is a Tragicomedy by the Russian Playwright The Entertainer is a 1957 play by John Osborne, made into a Film in 1960, which told the story of a failing third-rate Music He appeared in nearly sixty films, including William Wyler's Wuthering Heights, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus, Otto Preminger's Bunny Lake is Missing, Richard Attenborough's Oh! What a Lovely War, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Sleuth, John Schlesinger's Marathon Man, Daniel Petrie's The Betsy, Desmond Davis' Clash of the Titans, and his own Henry V, Hamlet, and Richard III. William Wyler ( July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a four-time Academy Award -winning motion picture director Wuthering Heights is a 1939 film directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 Otto Ludwig Preminger ( December 5[[ 906]]&ndash April 23[[ 986]] was an Austrian born Film director who moved from the theatre to Hollywood Bunny Lake Is Missing is a Psychological thriller directed and produced by Otto Preminger. Richard Samuel Attenborough Baron Attenborough Oh! What a Lovely War is Stage musical and 1969 Musical film. Joseph Leo Mankiewicz ( February 11, 1909 – February 5, 1993) was an American Academy Award -winning director Sleuth is the 1972 film adaptation of the Tony Award -winning play of the same title by British playwright Anthony Shaffer. John Richard Schlesinger, CBE ( February 16, 1926 &ndash July 25, 2003) was an Academy Award -winning English Marathon Man is a 1976 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. Daniel M Petrie ( November 26, 1920, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada - August 22, 2004, Los Angeles California The Betsy is a 1978 film made by the Harold Robbins International Company and released by Allied Artists. Clash of the Titans is a 1981 Fantasy and Mythology movie based on the myth of Perseus. Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III He also preserved his Othello on film, with its stage cast virtually intact. Othello is a 1965 film based on the Shakespeare play Othello; starring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, For television, he starred in The Moon and Sixpence, John Gabriel Borkman, Long Day's Journey into Night, The Merchant of Venice, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and King Lear, among others. The Moon and Sixpence ( 1919) is a short novel by William Somerset Maugham based on the life of the painter Paul Gauguin. John Gabriel Borkman is the Penultimate composition of the Norwegian Playwright, Henrik Ibsen, written in 1896 Long Day's Journey into Night is a 1956 dramatic play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill, widely considered to be his masterwork The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a Tony -nominated play by Tennessee Williams. King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606 and is considered one of his greatest works

In 1999, the American Film Institute named Olivier among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time, at fourteen on the list. The American Film Institute ( AFI) is an independent Non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 Part of the AFI 100 Years series, AFI's 100 Years 100 Stars is a list of the top 50 stars of American cinema

Contents 1 Early life 2 Early career 3 Vivien Leigh 4 War 5 Shakespeare trilogy 5.1 Henry V 5.2 Hamlet 5.3 Richard III 6 The Entertainer 7 National Theatre 7.1 Othello 7.2 Three Sisters 8 Later career 9 Bisexual claim 10 Honours 11 Centenary 12 Awards and nominations 13 Theatre credits and filmography 14 Notes 15 Further reading 16 External links

Early life

Olivier was born in 1907 in Dorking, Surrey, England. Dorking is an historic Market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He was raised in a severe, strict, and religious household, ruled over by his father, Gerard Kerr Olivier (1869–1939), a High Anglican priest. " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice ^[4] whose father was Henry Arnold Olivier, a rector. Young Laurence took solace in the care of his mother, Agnes Louise Crookenden (1871–1920), and was grief-stricken when she died (at 48) when he was only 12. ^[5] Richard and Sybille were his two older siblings.

In 1918 his father became the new church minister at St. Mary's Church, Letchworth, Hertfordshire and the family lived at the Old Rectory, now part of St Christopher School. For the US businessman see William Pryor Letchworth. For the New York State Park see Letchworth State Park. Hertfordshire (ˈhɑːtfədʃə(r, abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of St Christopher School is a boarding and day co-educational Independent school located in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire.

He performed at the St. Christopher School Theatre, in December 1924 in Through the Crack (unknown author) as understudy and assistant stage manager, and in April 1925 he played Lennox in Shakespeare's Macbeth and was assistant stage manager. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between

He was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford, and, at 15, played Katherine in his school's production of The Taming of the Shrew, to rave reviews. Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, The Taming of the Shrew is an early comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1590 and 1594 After his brother, Richard, left for India, it was his father who decided that Laurence — or "Kim", as the family called him — would become an actor. ^[6]

Early career

Olivier then attended the Central School of Dramatic Art at the age of 17. The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young Actors and other students ^[7] In 1926, he joined The Birmingham Repertory Company. Birmingham Repertory Theatre (commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep) is a Theatre and theatre company based on Centenary Square in ^[8] At first he was given only paltry tasks at the theatre, such as being the bell-ringer; however, his roles eventually became more significant, and in 1937 he was playing roles such as Hamlet and Macbeth. ^[3] Throughout his career he insisted that his acting was pure technique, and he was contemptuous of contemporaries who adopted the 'Method' popularized by Lee Strasberg. Lee Strasberg ( November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an Academy Award -nominated Austro-Hungarian - American Olivier met and married Jill Esmond, a rising young actress, on July 25, 1930 and had one son, Tarquin, born in 1936. Jill Esmond (born Jill Esmond Moore) ( 26 January, 1908 &ndash 28 July, 1990) was an English actress. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Olivier was not happy in his first marriage from the beginning, however. Repressed, as he came to see it, by his religious upbringing, Olivier recounted in his autobiography the disappointments of his wedding night, culminating in his failure to perform sexually. He renounced religion forever and soon came to resent his wife, though the marriage would last for ten years.

He made his film debut in The Temporary Widow, and played his first leading role on film in The Yellow Ticket; however, he held the film in little regard. The Yellow Ticket is a 1931 Drama film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Lionel Barrymore and featuring Boris Karloff ^[7] His stage breakthroughs were in Noel Coward's Private Lives in 1930, and in Romeo and Juliet in 1935, alternating the roles of Romeo and Mercutio with John Gielgud. Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright Private Lives is a play written by Noel Coward in 1930 Coward who also starred in the first production alongside Gertrude Lawrence and Laurence Olivier Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Olivier did not agree with Gielgud's style of acting Shakespeare and was irritated by the fact that Gielgud was getting better reviews than he was. ^[9][10] His tension towards Gielgud came to a head in 1940, when Olivier approached London impresario Binkie Beaumont about financing him in a repertory of the four great Shakespearean tragedies of Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear, but Beaumont would only agree to the plan if Olivier and Gielgud alternated in the roles of Hamlet/Laertes, Othello/Iago, Macbeth/Macduff, and Lear/Gloucester and that Gielgud direct at least one of the productions, a proposition Olivier bluntly declined. Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Hugh "Binkie" Beaumont (1908-1973 was a British Theatre manager William Shakespeare ( baptised Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601 Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606 and is considered one of his greatest works Hugh "Binkie" Beaumont (1908-1973 was a British Theatre manager Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an ^[11]

The engagement as Romeo resulted in an invitation by Lilian Baylis to be the star at the Old Vic Theatre in 1937/38. Lilian Mary Baylis CH ( 9 May 1874 – 25 November 1937) was an English Theatrical producer and manager The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Olivier's tenure had mixed artistic results, with his performances as Hamlet and Iago drawing a negative response from critics and his first attempt at Macbeth receiving mixed reviews. Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601 Iago is a Fictional character in William Shakespeare 's play Othello. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between But his appearances as Henry V, Coriolanus, and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night were triumphs, and his popularity with Old Vic audiences left Olivier as one of the major Shakespearean actors in England by the season's end. Gaius Marcius Coriolanus was possibly a legendary Roman general who lived in the 5th century BC Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. William Shakespeare ( baptised England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Olivier continued to hold his scorn for film, and though he constantly worked for Alexander Korda, he still felt most at home on the stage. Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. He made his first Shakespeare film, As You Like It, with Paul Czinner, however, Olivier disliked it, thinking that Shakespeare did not work well on film. As You Like It is a 1936 film directed by Paul Czinner and starring Laurence Olivier as Orlando and Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind Paul Czinner ( May 30, 1890 - June 22, 1972) was a Writer, Film director, and producer.

Vivien Leigh

Laurence Olivier saw Vivien Leigh in The Mask of Virtue in 1936, and a friendship developed after he congratulated her on her performance. Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. Fire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. 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. Fire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh ^[12]

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. Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601 The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. 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. ^[13]

Olivier travelled to Hollywood to begin filming Wuthering Heights as Heathcliff. Wuthering Heights is a 1939 film directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. Heathcliff' is the central male character of the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Leigh followed soon after, partly to be with him, but also to pursue her dream of playing Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939). Scarlett O'Hara (full name Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler) is the Protagonist in Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 novel Gone with Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 Olivier found the filming of Wuthering Heights to be difficult but it proved to be a turning point for him, both in his success in the United States, which had eluded him until then, but also in his attitude to film, which he had regarded as an inferior medium to theatre. The film's producer, Samuel Goldwyn was highly dissatisfied with Olivier's overstated performance after several weeks of filming and threatened to dismiss him. Samuel Goldwyn ( ca. July 1879 &ndash 31 January 1974) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning producer Olivier had grown to regard the film's female lead, Merle Oberon, as an amateur; however, when he stated his opinion to Goldwyn, he was reminded that Oberon was the star of the film and already a well-known name in American cinema. Merle Oberon ( 19 February 1911 &ndash 23 November 1979) born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson, was an Academy Award Olivier was told that he was dispensable and that he was required to be more tolerant of Oberon. Olivier recalled that he took Goldwyn's words to heart, but after some consideration realized that he was correct; he began to moderate his performance to fit the more intimate film medium and began to appreciate the possibilities it offered.

The film was a hit and Olivier was praised for his performance, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to recognize Leigh won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Gone with the Wind, and the couple suddenly found themselves to be major celebrities throughout the world. Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to They wanted to marry, but at first both Leigh's husband and Olivier's wife at the time, Jill Esmond, refused to divorce them. Finally divorced, they were married on 31 August 1940. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Olivier's American film career flourished with highly regarded performances in Rebecca (1940) and Pride and Prejudice (1940). Jane Austen 's novel Pride and Prejudice ( 1813) has been the subject of numerous television and film adaptations.

Olivier and Leigh starred in a theater production of Romeo and Juliet in New York City. The City of New York It was an extravagant production, but a commercial failure. ^[14] 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. Justin Brooks Atkinson ( November 28, 1894 &ndash January 14, 1984) was an American Theatre Critic. "^[15] The couple had invested almost their entire savings into the project, and its failure was a financial disaster for them. ^[16]

They filmed That Hamilton Woman (1941) with Olivier as Horatio Nelson and Leigh as Emma Hamilton. That Hamilton Woman ( 1941) -- the original British title was simply Lady Hamilton -- is a historical film drama produced and directed by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British Emma Lady Hamilton (born 1761 baptised 26 April 1765 &ndash 15 January 1815 is best remembered as the mistress of Lord Nelson and as the muse of George With Britain engaged in World War II, the Oliviers returned to England, and in 1944 Leigh was diagnosed as having tuberculosis in her left lung, but after spending several weeks in hospital, she appeared to be cured. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common lung is the essential Respiration organ in air-breathing Animals including most Tetrapods a few Fish and a few Snails The most primitive In spring she was filming Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) when she discovered she was pregnant, but suffered a miscarriage. Caesar and Cleopatra is a 1945 film starring Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh, produced and directed by Gabriel Pascal from the 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 – several days of hyperactivity followed by a period of depression and an explosive breakdown, after which Leigh would have no memory of the event, but would be acutely embarrassed and remorseful. Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression ^[17]

In 1947 Olivier was knighted as a Knight Bachelor and by 1948 he 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. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island 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. Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591 The School for Scandal is a Comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 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". Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity 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. Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand 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. ^[18]

The success of the tour encouraged the Oliviers to make their first 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. The West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions businesses headquarters and the commercial

Leigh next sought the role of Blanche DuBois in the 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. Blanche DuBois (b September 15, 1919) is a fictional character in Tennessee Williams ' play A Streetcar Named Desire. The West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions businesses headquarters and the commercial Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26 1911 &ndash February 25 1983 better known as Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright who received many of the top theatrical A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize Irene Mayer Selznick ( April 2, 1907 - October 10, 1990) was an American Theatrical producer. ^[19]

In 1951, Leigh and Olivier performed two plays about Cleopatra, William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, alternating the play each night and winning good reviews. Cleopatra VII Philopator (in Greek, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ; January 69 BC &ndash 30 BC was a Hellenistic ruler of Egypt William Shakespeare ( baptised Antony and Cleopatra is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623 George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. They took the productions to New York, where they performed a season at the Ziegfeld Theatre into 1952. The Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway Theatre formerly located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, 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. Kenneth Peacock Tynan ( 2 April 1927 - 26 July 1980) was an influential and often controversial British Theatre Critic 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. ^[20]

In January 1953 Leigh travelled to Ceylon to film Elephant Walk with Peter Finch. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Elephant Walk should not be confused with the song " Baby Elephant Walk " This article is about the actor For the poet see Peter Finch (poet. Shortly after filming commenced, she suffered a breakdown, and Paramount Pictures replaced her with Elizabeth Taylor. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (born 27 February 1932) is a two-time Academy Award -winning English-American actress 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. 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. James David Graham Niven (1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983 was an English Academy Award -winning Actor probably best known for his role as the punctuality-obsessed Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright "^[21]

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. The Sleeping Prince is a 1953 play by Terrence Rattigan. Set in London England in 1911 it tells the story of a young actress who meets and ultimately Stratford-upon-Avon (ˌstrætfɚd əpɒn ˈɛɪvən is a Market town and Civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between Titus Andronicus may be Shakespeare's earliest Tragedy; it is believed to have been written sometime between 1584 and the early 1590s 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. Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright South Sea Bubble is a 1950s play by British actor and playwright Noel Coward. 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.

In 1958, considering her marriage to be over, Leigh began a relationship with the actor Jack Merivale, who knew of Leigh's medical condition and assured Olivier he would care for her. John Herman Merivale ( December 1, 1917 &ndash February 6, 1990) was a theatre Actor, and occasional supporting player in British 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. "^[22]

In December 1960 she and Olivier divorced, and Olivier married the actress Joan Plowright, with whom he later had three children: Richard Kerr (b. Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress 1961), Tamsin Agnes Margaret (b. 1963), and Julie-Kate (b. 1966).

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 – an ability to disguise her true mental condition from almost all except me, for whom she could hardly be expected to take the trouble. "^[23]

War

When World War II broke out, Olivier intended to join the Royal Air Force, but was still contractually obliged to other parties. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He apparently disliked actors such as Charles Laughton and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, who would hold charity cricket matches to help the war effort. Charles Laughton ( 1 July, 1899 &ndash 15 December, 1962) was an English Academy Award -winning stage and Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke KBE (19 February 1893 - 6 August 1964 was a notable English actor ^[3] Olivier took flying lessons, and racked up over 200 hours. After two years of service, he rose to the rank Lieutenant Olivier RNVR, as a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm^[24] but was never called to see action. Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships

In 1944 he and fellow actor Ralph Richardson were released from their naval commitments to form a new Old Vic Theatre Company at the New Theatre (later the Albery, now the Noel Coward Theatre) with a nightly repertory of three plays, initially Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man and Shakespeare's Richard III (which would become Olivier's signature role), rehearsed over 10 weeks to the accompaniment of German V1 ‘doodlebugs’. Sir Ralph David Richardson ( 19 December 1902 &ndash 10 October 1983) was an English Actor, one of a group of theatrical The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. The Noël Coward Theatre is a West End theatre on St Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster. "Ibsen" redirects here For other people named Ibsen see Ibsen (disambiguation. Peer Gynt (per gʏnt is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Bernard Shaw may refer to George Bernard Shaw, the celebrated Irish playwright Bernard Shaw (footballer, English footballer of the Arms and the Man is a Comedy by George Bernard Shaw. Its title comes from the opening words of Virgil 's Aeneid: "Arma virumque Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591 The Fieseler Fi 103, better known as V-1 (German Vergeltungswaffe 1 was an early Cruise missile used during World War Two The enterprise, with John Burrell as manager, eventually extended to five acclaimed seasons ending in 1949, after a prestigious 1948 tour of Australia and New Zealand, which included Vivien Leigh in productions of Richard III, Richard Brinsley Sheridan's School for Scandal, and Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth. John Buster Burrell (born November 22, 1940 in Fort Worth, Texas) is a former American football Wide receiver in the Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591 Richard Brinsley Sheridan (30 October 1751 &ndash 7 July 1816 was an Irish playwright and Whig Statesman. The School for Scandal is a Comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Thornton Niven Wilder ( April 17, 1897 &ndash December 7, 1975) was an American Playwright and Novelist. The Skin of Our Teeth is a play by Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The second New Theatre season opened with Olivier playing both Harry Hotspur and Justice Shallow to Richardson's Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, in what is now seen as a high point of English classical theatre. Sir John Falstaff is a Fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare as a companion to Prince Hal the future King Henry V. Henry IV may refer to Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor, the first monarch styled as King of the Romans, signifying he had not yet been anointed and crowned The magic continued with one of Olivier's most famous endeavours, the double bill of Sophocles' Oedipus and Sheridan's The Critic, with Olivier's transition from Greek tragedy to high comedy in a single evening becoming a thing of legend. Sophocles (ˈsɒfəkliːz Ancient Greek, sopʰoklɛ̂ːs circa Oedipus (pronounced /ˈɛdəpəs/ in American English or /ˈiːdəpəs/ in British English; Greek: Oidípous meaning "swollen-footed" Richard Brinsley Sheridan (30 October 1751 &ndash 7 July 1816 was an Irish playwright and Whig Statesman. The Critic or a Tragedy Rehearsed is a Satire by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He followed this triumph with one of his favorite roles, Astrov in Uncle Vanya. Uncle Vanya ( Russian: Дядя Ваня — "Dyadya Vanya" is a Tragicomedy by the Russian Playwright Kenneth Tynan was to write (in He Who Plays the King, 1950): ‘The Old Vic was now at its height: the watershed had been reached and one of those rare moments in the theatre had arrived when drama paused, took stock of all that it had learnt since Irving, and then produced a monument in celebration. Kenneth Peacock Tynan ( 2 April 1927 - 26 July 1980) was an influential and often controversial British Theatre Critic It is surprising when one considers it, that English acting should have reached up and seized a laurel crown in the middle of a war. ’

In 1945 Olivier and Richardson were made honorary Lieutenants with ENSA, and did a six-week tour of Europe for the army, performing Arms and the Man, Peer Gynt and Richard III for the troops, followed by a visit to the Comédie-Française in Paris, the first time a foreign company had been invited to play on its famous stage. Arms and the Man is a Comedy by George Bernard Shaw. Its title comes from the opening words of Virgil 's Aeneid: "Arma virumque Peer Gynt (per gʏnt is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591 The Comédie-Française or Théâtre-Français is one of the few State Theaters in France. ^[25] When Olivier returned to London the populace noticed a change in him. Olivier's only explanation was: "Maybe it's just that I've got older. "^[7]

A 2007 biography of Olivier, Lord Larry: The Secret Life of Laurence Olivier by Michael Munn, claims that Olivier was recruited to be an undercover agent inside the United States for the British government by film producer and MI5 operative Alexander Korda on the instructions of Winston Churchill. Michael Munn is an Author and Film critic, and was born in London in 1952 Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874

According to an article in The Telegraph, David Niven, a good friend of Olivier's, is said to have told Michael Munn, "What was dangerous for his country was that (Olivier) could have been accused of being an agent. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia. So this was a danger for Larry because he could have been arrested. And what was worse, if German agents had realised what Larry was doing, they would, I am sure, have gone after him. "

Shakespeare trilogy

After gaining widespread popularity in the film medium, Olivier was approached by several investors (namely Filippo Del Giudice, Alexander Korda and J. Arthur Rank), to create several Shakespearean films, based on stage productions of each respective play. Filippo Del Giudice, ( 26 March 1892 - 1 January 1963) born in Trani, Italy was an Italian Film producer. Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. Joseph Arthur Rank 1st Baron Rank ( December 22 1888 &ndash March 29 1972) was a British industrialist and Film producer Olivier tried his hand at directing, and as a result, created three highly successful films: Henry V, Hamlet and Richard III.

Henry V

Main article: Henry V (1944 film)

Olivier made his directorial debut with a film of Shakespeare's Henry V. Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. At first, he did not believe he was up to the task, instead trying to offer it to William Wyler, Carol Reed, and Terence Young. William Wyler ( July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a four-time Academy Award -winning motion picture director For the New York weathercaster see Carol Reed (weather broadcaster. Terence Young is the name of Terence Young (director (1915-1994 British film director Terence Young (politician, Canadian Conservative The film was shot in Ireland (due to the fact that it was neutral), with the Irish plains having to double for the fields of Agincourt. During the shooting of one of the battle scenes, a horse collided with a camera that Olivier was attending. Olivier had had his eye to the viewfinder, and when the horse crashed into his position, the camera smashed into him, cutting his lip, and leaving a scar that would be prominent in later roles.

The film opened to rave reviews, despite Olivier's initial reluctance. It was the first widely successful Shakespeare film, and was considered a work of art by many. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Actor, but the Academy, in Olivier's opinion, did not feel comfortable in giving out all of their major awards to a foreigner, so they gave him a special Honorary Award. Olivier disregarded the award as a "fob-off". ^[26]

Hamlet

Main article: Hamlet (1948 film)

Olivier followed up on his success with an adaptation of Hamlet. Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. He had played this role more often than he had Henry, and was more familiar with the melancholy Dane. However, Olivier was not particularly comfortable with the introverted role of Hamlet, as opposed to the extroverts that he was famous for portraying. The running time of Hamlet (1948) was not allowed to exceed 153 minutes, and as a result Olivier cut almost half of Shakespeare's text. He was severely criticized for doing so by purists, most notably Ethel Barrymore; Barrymore stated that the adaptation was not nearly as faithful to the original text as her brother John's stage production from 1922. Ethel Barrymore ( August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an Academy Award -winning American actress and a member of John Sidney Blyth Barrymore ( February 15 1882 – May 29 1942) was an American Actor, frequently called the greatest Ironically, Ethel presented the Best Picture Oscar that year--and was visibly shaken when she read,"Hamlet".

The film became another resounding critical and commercial success in Britain and abroad,^[3] winning Olivier Best Picture and Best Actor at the 1948 Academy Awards. It was the first British film to win Best Picture, and Olivier's only Best Actor win, a category he would be nominated for five more times before his death. Olivier also became the first person to direct himself in an Oscar-winning performance, a feat not repeated until Roberto Benigni directed himself to Best Actor in 1999 for Life Is Beautiful. Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (born 27 October 1952 is an Academy Award -winning Italian actor writer and director of Life Is Beautiful (Italian La vita è bella) is a 1997 Italian language film which tells the story of a Jewish Italian Also, Olivier remains the only actor to receive an Oscar for Shakespeare. Olivier, however, did not win the Best Director Oscar that year, preventing what would have almost been a clean sweep of all the major awards for which the film was nominated.

Richard III

Main article: Richard III (1955 film)

Olivier's third major Shakespeare project as director and star was Richard III. Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Alexander Korda initially approached Olivier to reprise on film the role he had played to acclaim at the Old Vic in the 1940s. This role had been lauded as Olivier's greatest (rivaled only by his 1955 stage production of Macbeth and his performance as the broken down music hall performer Archie Rice in The Entertainer), and is arguably considered to be his greatest screen performance. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 The Entertainer is a 1957 play by John Osborne, made into a Film in 1960, which told the story of a failing third-rate Music During the filming of the battle scenes in Spain, one of the archers actually shot Olivier in the ankle, causing him to limp. Fortunately, the limp was required for the part, so Olivier had already been limping for the parts of the film already shot.

Although the film was critically well received, it was a financial failure. Korda sold the rights to the American television network NBC, and the film became the first to be aired on television and released in theatres simultaneously. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Many deduce that from the enormous ratings that the NBC transmissions received, more people saw Richard III in that single showing than all the people who had seen it on stage in the play's history.

The Entertainer

Since the end of World War II, apart from his Shakespeare trilogy, Olivier had made only sporadic film appearances.

In the second half of the 1950s, British theatre was changing with the rise of the "Angry Young Men". Angry Young Men is a journalistic catchphrase applied to a number of British Playwrights and Novelists from the mid-1950s John Osborne, author of Look Back in Anger wrote a play for Olivier entitled The Entertainer, centred on a washed-up stage comedian called Archie Rice, which opened at the Royal Court on 10 April 1957. John James Osborne ( December 12, 1929 &ndash December 24, 1994) was an English Playwright, Screenwriter, Look Back in Anger (1956 is a John Osborne play and 1958 movie about a love triangle involving an intelligent but disaffected young man (Jimmy Porter The Entertainer is a 1957 play by John Osborne, made into a Film in 1960, which told the story of a failing third-rate Music Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) As Olivier later stated, "I am Archie Rice. I am not Hamlet. "

During rehearsals of The Entertainer, Olivier met Joan Plowright who took over the role of Jean Rice from Dorothy Tutin when Tony Richardson's Royal Court production transferred to the Palace Theatre in September 1957. Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress Tony Richardson ( June 5, 1928 – November 14, 1991) was an English theatre and Academy Award -winning film The Palace Theatre, is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster. ^[27] Later, in 1960, Tony Richardson also directed the screen version with Olivier and Plowright repeating their stage roles.

He left Vivien Leigh for Plowright, a decision that apparently gave him a sense of guilt for the rest of his life. ^[3] Olivier married Plowright on St. Patrick's Day, 1961, finally providing him with domestic stability and happiness. Saint Patrick's Day (Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig) colloquially St Leigh died in 1967.

National Theatre

Olivier was one of the founders of the National Theatre. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. He became first NT Director at the Old Vic before the South Bank building was constructed with his opening production of Hamlet in October 1963. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. The South Bank is the area in London on the southern bank of the River Thames near Waterloo station that houses a number of important Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601

During his directorship he appeared in twelve plays (taking over roles in three) and directed nine. However, his career at the National ended, in his view, in betrayal and tragedy. ^[3]

Othello

Main article: Othello (1965 film)

For Othello, Olivier underwent a transformation, requiring extensive study and heavy weightlifting, in order to get the physique needed for the Moor of Venice. Othello is a 1965 film based on the Shakespeare play Othello; starring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, It is said that he bellowed at a herd of cows for an hour to get the deep voice that was required. John Dexter's 1964 stage production of the play was filmed in 1965, securing Olivier his 6th Oscar Nomination for Best Actor. John Dexter ( 2 August 1925 - 23 March 1990) was an English award-winning Theatre, Opera, and Film Othello is a 1965 film based on the Shakespeare play Othello; starring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, It was not without criticism as director Jonathan Miller called it "a condescending view of an Afro Caribbean person". Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller, CBE (born 21 July 1934) is a British Neurologist, Theatre and Opera director

Three Sisters

Main article: Three Sisters (film)

Olivier's final film as director was the 1970 film Three Sisters, based on the Chekhov play of the same name, and his 1967 National Theatre production. Three Sisters is a 1970 film starring Alan Bates, Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright, based on the play by Anton Three Sisters is a 1970 film starring Alan Bates, Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright, based on the play by Anton Three Sisters (Russian Три сестры - Tri sestry is a play written in 1900 and first produced in 1901 by Russian author Anton Chekhov. It was, in Olivier's opinion, his best work as director. ^[6] The film was co-directed by John Sichel. John Sichel (21 September 1937 - 5 April 2005 was a British director of film stage and television and later in life a television and theatre trainer

In addition his most fondly remembered National Theatre performances at the Old Vic were as Astrov in his own production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, seen first in 1962 at the Chichester Festival Theatre; his Captain Brazen in William Gaskill's December 1963 staging of George Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer; Shylock in Jonathan Miller's 1970 revival of The Merchant of Venice; and his definitive portrayal of James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night, produced in December 1971 by Michael Blakemore. Uncle Vanya ( Russian: Дядя Ваня — "Dyadya Vanya" is a Tragicomedy by the Russian Playwright Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and opened by its founder Leslie William 'Bill' Gaskill (born 24 June 1930, Shipley West Yorkshire) is a British theatre director George Farquhar (1677 or 1678 – April 29, 1707) was an Irish Dramatist. The Recruiting Officer is a 1706 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar, which follows the social and sexual exploits of two officers the womanising Plume and the Shylock is a central character in Shakespeare 's The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller, CBE (born 21 July 1934) is a British Neurologist, Theatre and Opera director Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16 1888–November 27 1953 was a Nobel -prize winning American playwright Michael Howell Blakemore OBE (born 18 June 1928) is an Australian actor writer and Theatre director These last two were later restaged for television, and telecast both in England and in the United States.

He played an unforgettably droll supporting role as the ancient Antonio in Franco Zeffirelli's 1973 production of Eduardo de Filippo's Saturday, Sunday, Monday, with his wife Joan Plowright in the starring role of Rosa. Franco Zeffirelli, KBE (born Gianfranco Corsi on February 12, 1923) is an Italian Film director. Eduardo De Filippo, often called simply Eduardo ( 24 May, 1900 - 31 October 1984) was an Italian actor playwright screenwriter Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress His final stage appearance, on 21 March, 1974, was as the fiery Glaswegian, John Tagg, in John Dexter's production of Trevor Griffiths' The Party. Trevor Griffiths (born 4 April 1935 in Ancoats, Manchester) is an English Dramatist.

The only appearance he made on the stage of the new Olivier Theatre, was at the royal opening of the new National Theatre building on 25 October, 1976. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England.

Later career

Famous throughout his career for his commitment to his art, Olivier immersed himself even more completely in his work during his later years, reportedly as a way of distracting himself from the guilt he felt at having left his second wife Vivien Leigh. Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. ^[3] He began appearing more frequently in films, usually in character parts rather than the leading romantic roles of his early career, and received Academy Award nominations for Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976) and The Boys from Brazil (1978). "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Sleuth is the 1972 film adaptation of the Tony Award -winning play of the same title by British playwright Anthony Shaffer. Marathon Man is a 1976 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 Academy Award-nominated thriller made by Lew Grade 's ITC Entertainment and distributed by Having been recently forced out of his role as director of the Royal National Theatre, he worried that his family would not be sufficiently provided for in the event of his death, and consequently chose to do many of his later TV special and film appearances on a "pay cheque" basis. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. He later freely admitted that he was not proud of most of these credits, and noted that he particularly despised the 1982 film Inchon, in which he played the role of General Douglas McArthur. Inchon (originally called Oh Inchon) is a 1982 film directed by Terence Young about the Battle of Incheon during the Korean General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. ^[27]

In 1967 Olivier underwent radiation treatment for prostate cancer, and was also hospitalised with pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal For the remainder of his life, he would suffer from many different health problems, including bronchitis, amnesia and pleurisy. Bronchitis is an Inflammation of the Bronchi. More specifically it may refer to Acute bronchitis, caused by viruses or bacteria and lasting Amnesia (from Greek) is a condition in which Memory is disturbed Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is an Inflammation of the pleura the lining of the Pleural cavity surrounding the Lungs Pleurisy has a variety In 1974 he was diagnosed with dermatomyositis - a degenerative muscle disorder, and nearly died the following year, but he battled through the next decade. Dermatomyositis (DM is a connective-tissue disease related to Polymyositis (PM that is characterized by Inflammation of the muscles and the skin

One of Olivier's enduring achievements involved neither stage nor screentime. In 1974, UK Thames Television released The World at War, an exhaustive 26-part documentary on the Second World War to which Olivier, with some reluctance, lent his voice. Thames Television was a licencee of the British ITV television network covering London and parts of the surrounding counties The World at War is a 26-episode television documentary series on World War II, including the events leading up to it and following in its wake His narration serves as the so-called "voice of God", surveying with deep lament the devastation as it unfolds.

His last decade did contain three great roles for the television medium. In 1981 he appeared in Brideshead Revisited, the final episode of which revolved entirely around Olivier's character Lord Marchmain, patriarch of the Flyte family, as he came to his deathbed. Brideshead Revisited is a 1981 British Television serial based on the novel of the same name by Evelyn Waugh. Brideshead Revisited was credited with having been adapted for the screen by John Mortimer, and in the year following Brideshead, Olivier was cast in the much-praised television adaptation of Mortimer's own stage play A Voyage Round My Father, in the role of Clifford Mortimer, the author's blind father. Sir John Clifford Mortimer, CBE QC (born 21 April 1923) is an English Barrister, Dramatist and author A Voyage Round My Father is an Autobiographical play by John Mortimer, later adapted for television Finally, in 1983 Olivier played his last great Shakespearian role, which inevitably was King Lear, for Granada Television. King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606 and is considered one of his greatest works For the Voyage Olivier received a BAFTA nomination, but for the final episode of Brideshead Revisited and for the King Lear he won Emmys in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor categories, respectively.

When presenting the Best Picture Oscar in 1985, he absent-mindedly presented it by simply stepping up to the microphone and saying "Amadeus". He had grown forgetful, and had forgotten to read out the nominees first. ^[28]

In 1986, Olivier appeared as the pre-filmed holographic narrator of the West End production of the multi-media Dave Clark rock musical Time. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a 2004 American Pulp adventure, Science fiction film written and directed by Kerry Holography (from the Greek, ὅλος - hólos whole + γραφή - grafē writing drawing is a technique that allows the West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" Multimedia is media and content that utilizes a combination of different content forms. David Clark or Dave Clark may refer to Dave Clark (baseball, baseball player David Clark (cartoonist, illustrator A rock musical is a Musical theatre work with Rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, Concept albums Time is a musical with a book and lyrics by Dave Clark and David Soames music by Jeff Daniels and additional songs by David Pomeranz.

One of Olivier's last feature films was Wild Geese II (1985), in which, aged 77, he played Rudolf Hess in the sequel to The Wild Geese (1978). The Wild Geese is a 1978 film about a group of Mercenaries in Africa. Rudolf Walter Richard Hess ( Heß in German) (26 April 1894 &ndash 17 August 1987 was a prominent figure in Nazi Germany, acting as Adolf Hitler The Wild Geese is a 1978 film about a group of Mercenaries in Africa. According to the biography Olivier by Francis Becket (Haus Publishing, 2005), Hess's son Wolf Rudiger Hess said Olivier's portrayal of his father was, 'uncannily accurate'.

In 1988 Olivier gave his final performance, aged 81, as a wheelchair-bound old soldier in Derek Jarman's film War Requiem (1989). Derek Jarman ( January 31 1942 – February 19 1994) was an English Film director, Stage designer The War Requiem, Op 66 is a large-scale non- liturgical setting of the Requiem Mass composed by Benjamin Britten in 1962

He died of cancer in Steyning, West Sussex, England, in 1989 at the age of 82. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled Steyning is a small town and Civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. Settlements Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or are situated in the M23 corridor England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He left his son from his first marriage, as well as his wife and their three children. Lord Olivier's body was cremated, his ashes interred in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey, London. Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire Poets’ Corner is the name traditionally given to a section of the South Transept of Westminster Abbey due to the number of Poets Playwrights and The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Olivier is one of only four actors to have been accorded this honour.

Interestingly, Olivier is buried alongside some of the people he has portrayed in theatre and film, for example King Henry V, General John Burgoyne and Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding. Henry V (16 September 1386 &ndash 31 August 1422 was one of the most significant English warrior kings of the 15th century General John Burgoyne ( February 24, 1722 &ndash August 4, 1792) was a British army officer Politician Air Chief Marshal Hugh Caswell Tremenheere Dowding 1st Baron Dowding GCB, GCVO, CMG ( 24 April 1882 &ndash 15 February

Fifteen years after his death, Olivier once again received star billing in a film. Through the use of computer graphics, footage of him as a young man was integrated into the 2004 film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in which Olivier "played" the villain. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a 2004 American Pulp adventure, Science fiction film written and directed by Kerry

Bisexual claim

Since Olivier's death, multiple biographers have produced books about him, several of which include the claim that Olivier was bisexual. Bisexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of both sexes or to a bisexual orientation

Joan Plowright has said,

I have always resented the comments that it was I who was the homewrecker of Larry's marriage to Vivien Leigh. Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. Danny Kaye was attached to Larry far earlier than I. Danny Kaye ( January 18, 1913 – March 3, 1987) was an American award-winning Actor, Singer and Comedian ^[29]

in reference to biographer Donald Spoto's claim that Kaye and Olivier were lovers. ^[30] According to Sir Noel Coward, sexually speaking, Olivier had "a puppy-like acquiescence to all experiences", as quoted by friend the late Michael Thornton. Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright ^[31] Terry Coleman's authorised biography of Olivier suggests a relationship between Olivier and an older actor, Henry Ainley, based on correspondence from Ainley to Olivier although the book disputes that there is any evidence linking Olivier sexually to Kaye. Henry Hinchliffe Ainley ( ^[3] Olivier's son Tarquin disputed these rumours as 'unforgivable garbage'. ^[32] and sought to suppress them, leading Dame Joan Plowright to privately state that "a man who had been to Eton and in the Guards might be expected to be a little more broad-minded". ^[31] Also, during the filming of A Streetcar Named Desire, which featured Olivier's wife, Vivien Leigh, David Niven discovered Leigh's co-star Marlon Brando and Olivier kissing in the swimming pool. A Streetcar Named Desire is a film adaptation of the play of the same name by Tennessee Williams. Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. James David Graham Niven (1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983 was an English Academy Award -winning Actor probably best known for his role as the punctuality-obsessed Marlon Brando Jr (April 3 1924 – July 1 2004 was an Academy Award -winning American Actor, whose body of work spanned over half a century

I turned my back to them and went back inside to join Vivien. I'm sure she knew what was going on, but she made no mention of it. Nor did I. One must be sophisticated about such matters in life. ^[33]

In August 2006, on the radio program Desert Island Discs, Plowright responded to the question of Olivier's alleged bisexuality by stating:

If a man is touched by genius, he is not an ordinary person. Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme It was first broadcast on 29 January 1942 and is said by the Guinness He doesn't lead an ordinary life. He has extremes of behaviour which you understand and you just find a way not to be swept overboard by his demons. You kind of stand apart. You continue your own work and your absorption in the family. And those other things finally don't matter. ^[31]

Honours

Olivier was the founding director of the Chichester Festival Theatre (1962–1966) and of the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain (1962–1973) for which he received his life peerage. Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and opened by its founder Leslie The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands He was created a Knight Bachelor on 12 June 1947 (in the King's Birthday Honours,^[34] and created a life peer on 13 June 1970 (in the Queen's Birthday Honours) as Baron Olivier, of Brighton in the County of Sussex, the first actor to be accorded this distinction. The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Queen's Birthday Honours (or King's Birthday Honours when the monarch is male is a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[35][36] He was admitted to the Order of Merit in 1981. The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. ^[37] The Laurence Olivier Awards, organised by The Society of London Theatre, were renamed in his honour in 1984. The Laurence Olivier Award is regarded as the most prestigious award in British theatre and is presented in recognition of artistic achievement in London theatre The Society of London Theatre (previously The Society of West End Theatre) is an umbrella organization for West End theatre in London. Though he was a Life Peer and one of the most respected personalities in the industry, Olivier insisted that one should address him as "Larry", and he simply would not listen to anyone addressing him with honorifics such as "Lord", and "Sir". ^[3]

Centenary

To mark the 22 May 2007 centenary of Olivier's birth, Network Media and ITV released DVD libraries of his work:

Network Media – The Laurence Olivier Centenary Collection (10 disks):

• Henry V (1944)
• Richard III (1955)
• The Merchant of Venice (1973)
• King Lear (1983)
• The Ebony Tower (1984)
• Long Day's Journey Into Night (1973)
• Laurence Olivier Presents (complete)
• The South Bank Show: Laurence Olivier, A Life (1982) featuring interviews with Olivier, John Gielgud and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

ITV – Laurence Olivier Shakespeare Collection (7 disks):

• King Lear (1983)
• Henry V (1944)
• Hamlet (1948)
• As You Like It (1936)
• The Merchant of Venice (1973)
• Richard III (1955)

ITV - The Laurence Olivier "Icon" Collection (10 disks):

• Henry V (1944)
• Richard III (1955)
• Hamlet (1948)
• 21 Days (1940)
• That Hamilton Woman (1941)
• Forty-Ninth Parallel (1941)
• The Demi-Paradise (1943)
• The Boys from Brazil (1978)
• The Jazz Singer (1980)

Both DVD sets include a Michael Parkinson interview with Olivier from the 1970s. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598 King Lear is a 1983 videotaped production that was directed by Michael Elliott The Ebony Tower (1974 by John Fowles consists of 5 short novels with interlacing themes built around a medieval myth The Ebony Tower Eliduc Long Day's Journey into Night is a 1956 dramatic play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill, widely considered to be his masterwork Laurence Olivier Presents was a British television series made by Granada Television which ran from 1976 to 1978 The South Bank Show is an award-winning Television arts magazine show made by London Weekend Television, presented by Melvyn Bragg, broadcast Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr, KBE, DSC ( December 9, 1909 &ndash May 7, 2000) was an American Actor Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent King Lear is a 1983 videotaped production that was directed by Michael Elliott Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. As You Like It is a 1936 film directed by Paul Czinner and starring Laurence Olivier as Orlando and Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598 Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. 21 Days, also known as 21 Days Together in the US is a 1940 Drama film based on the short play The First and the Last That Hamilton Woman ( 1941) -- the original British title was simply Lady Hamilton -- is a historical film drama produced and directed by 49th Parallel ( is the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The Demi-Paradise (also known as Adventure for Two) is a 1943 Comedy film made by Two Cities Films and distributed in the The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 Academy Award-nominated thriller made by Lew Grade 's ITC Entertainment and distributed by The Jazz Singer was a 1980 musical Remake of the 1927 classic The Jazz Singer. Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE (born March 28 1935) is an English broadcaster and Journalist.

In September 2007 the National Theatre marked the centenary of his birth with a Centenary Celebration. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England.

This told the story of Olivier's working life through film and stage extracts, letters, reminiscence and readings, the participants included Eileen Atkins, Claire Bloom, Anna Carteret, Derek Jacobi, Charles Kay, Clive Merrison, Edward Petherbridge, Joan Plowright, Ronald Pickup and Billie Whitelaw. Dame Eileen June Atkins DBE (born 16 June 1934 is an English Writer and BAFTA and Emmy Award -winning Film, Television Claire Bloom (born Patricia Claire Blume; 15 February 1931) is an English Film and stage Actress. Anna Carteret (born 11 December 1942) is a British stage and screen actress born in Bangalore the daughter of Peter John Wilkinson and his wife Patricia Sir Derek George Jacobi CBE (ˈdʒækəbi born 22 October, 1938) is an English Actor and Film director, knighted Charles Kay (born Charles Piff; 31 August, 1930) is an English actor Clive Merrison (born 15 September 1945) is a Welsh Actor of Film, Television, Stage and Radio Edward Petherbridge (born on 3 August 1936 in Bradford) is a British Actor. Joan Ann Olivier Baroness Olivier, DBE (born 28 October 1929) better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress Ronald Pickup (born 7 June 1940) is a well-established English Actor. Billie Whitelaw, CBE (born June 6, 1932) is a distinguished English actress of both stage and film

Prior to the evening celebration, a new statue of Olivier as Hamlet, created by the sculptor Angela Conner and funded by private subscription, was unveiled on the South Bank, next to the National's Theatre Square. Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601

Awards and nominations

Further information: Laurence Olivier list of awards & nominations

Theatre credits and filmography

Further information: Laurence Olivier chronology of stage and film performances

Notes

Further reading

• Coleman, Terry (2005). Olivier: The authorised biography. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-7798-6
• Plowright, Joan (2001). And That's Not All: The Memoirs of Joan Plowright. Weidenfeld. ISBN 0-29764594-3
• Hall, Lyn, editor (1989). Olivier at Work: The National Years. Nick Hern Books/National Theatre. ISBN 1-85459-037-5
• Holden, Anthony (1998). Olivier. Weidenfeld. ISBN 0-297-79089-7
• Olivier, Laurence (1987). Confessions of an Actor. Sceptre. ISBN 0-340-40758-1
• Olivier, Laurence (1986). On Acting. Weidenfeld. ISBN 0-297-78864-7
• Olivier, Laurence (1982). Confessions of an Actor. Weidenfeld. ISBN 0-297-78106-5

External links

• Laurence Olivier official website
• Laurence Olivier at Find A Grave
• Laurence Olivier at the Internet Broadway Database
• Laurence Olivier at the Internet Movie Database
• Laurence Olivier at the TCM Movie Database
• University of Bristol Theatre Collection, University of Bristol

Awards
Academy Award
Preceded by Daniel J. Bloomberg, Walter Wanger, Frank Ross, Mervyn LeRoy	Academy Honorary Award 1947 for Henry V with Ernst Lubitsch, Harold Russell	Succeeded by William Nicholas Selig, Albert E. Smith, Thomas Armat George K. Spoor
Preceded by Ben Burtt, Margaret Booth	Academy Honorary Award 1979 with Walter Lantz, King Vidor	Succeeded by Hal Elias, Alec Guinness
BAFTA Award
Preceded by Kenneth More for Doctor in the House	Best Actor in a Leading Role (British Actor) 1955 for Richard III	Succeeded by Peter Finch for A Town Like Alice
Preceded by Ian Holm for The Bofors Gun	Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1970 for Oh! What A Lovely War	Succeeded by Colin Welland for Kes
Golden Globe Award
Preceded by Ronald Colman for A Double Life	Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama 1949 for Hamlet	Succeeded by Broderick Crawford for All the King's Men
Preceded by Richard Benjamin for The Sunshine Boys	Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture 1977 for Marathon Man	Succeeded by Peter Firth for Equus
Preceded by Sidney Poitier	Cecil B. DeMille Award 1983	Succeeded by Paul Newman
Golden Raspberry Award
Preceded by None	Worst Supporting Actor 1980 for The Jazz Singer	Succeeded by Steve Forrest for Mommie Dearest
Preceded by Klinton Spilsbury for The Legend of the Lone Ranger	Worst Actor 1982 for Inchon	Succeeded by Christopher Atkins for A Night in Heaven
National Board of Review Award
Preceded by John Travolta for Saturday Night Fever	Best Actor 1978 for The Boys from Brazil	Succeeded by Peter Sellers for Being There
New York Film Critics Circle Award
Preceded by Ray Milland for The Lost Weekend	Best Actor 1946 for Henry V	Succeeded by William Powell for Life with Father
Preceded by William Powell for Life with Father	Best Actor 1948 for Hamlet	Succeeded by Broderick Crawford for All the King's Men

Persondata
NAME	Olivier, Laurence
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Olivier, Laurence Kerr; Olivier, Sir Laurence
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Actor, producer, director, peer, knight
DATE OF BIRTH	May 22, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH	Dorking, Surrey, England
DATE OF DEATH	July 11, 1989
PLACE OF DEATH	Steyning, West Sussex, England

Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records The Internet Broadway Database ( IBDB) is an online Database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner the University (or derivatives but lower-case when referring to many universitiesor universities "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Daniel J Bloomberg ( July 4, 1905 &ndash August 14, 1984) was an Academy award -winning audio engineer Walter Wanger ( July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer Frank Mackenzie Ross (1891 in Glasgow, Scotland – 1971 in Vancouver) was the twentieth Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia. Mervyn LeRoy ( October 15, 1900 - September 13, 1987) was an Academy Award -winning American Film director The Academy Honorary Award, instituted in 1948 for the 21st Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award) is given by the discretion of the Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. Ernst Lubitsch ( January 28, 1892 – November 30, 1947) was a German -born Jewish Film director. Harold John Russell ( January 14, 1914 - January 29, 2002) was a Canadian-American World War II veteran who became one of only two Rev Albert Edward Smith ( October 20, 1871 —1947 was a Canadian religious leader and politician Thomas J Armat ( 25 October, 1866 – September 30, 1948) was an American mechanic and Inventor, a pioneer of Benjamin Burtt Jr (born July 12, 1948) is a four time Academy Award-winning Sound designer and sound editor for many famous and noteworthy films Margaret Booth ( January 16, 1898 &ndash October 28, 2002) was an American Film editor. Walter Benjamin Lantz ( April 27 1899 &ndash March 22 1994) was an American Cartoonist and Animator, best King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE (2 April 1914 &ndash 5 August 2000 was an English Actor. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation Kenneth Gilbert More CBE ( 20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English Actor. Doctor in the House is a 1954 British Comedy Film, directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III This article is about the actor For the poet see Peter Finch (poet. A Town Like Alice ( US title The Legacy) is a novel by the English author Nevil Shute. Sir Ian Holm CBE (born 12 September, 1931) is an English award-winning Actor known for his stage work and for many film roles The following is a complete list of the winners and nominees for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Oh! What a Lovely War is Stage musical and 1969 Musical film. Colin Welland (born 4 July 1934 in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire) is an English Actor and Screenwriter. Kes is a British film from 1969 by director Ken Loach and producer Tony Garnett. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner Ronald Colman ( February 9 1891 &ndash May 19 1958) was an English Academy Award and Golden Globe -winning actor A Double Life is a 1947 Film noir which tells the story of an actor whose mind becomes affected by the character he portrays The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951 Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. William Broderick Crawford ( December 9, 1911 - April 26, 1986) was an American Academy Award -winning actor All the King's Men is a 1949 drama Film based on the Robert Penn Warren novel of the same name. Richard Benjamin (born May 22, 1938) is an American Actor and Film director. The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor — Motion Picture was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 for a performance in Marathon Man is a 1976 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. Peter Firth (born 27 October, 1953) is an English Actor. He is well known for a variety of starring roles in Film and on Television Equus is a 1977 film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Richard Burton. Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE (ˈpwɑːtie born February 20, 1927) is an Oscar - Golden Globe - BAFTA - and Grammy The Cecil B DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in Motion pictures has been given annually since 1952 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Paul Leonard Newman (January 26 1925 &ndash September 26 2008 was an Academy Award Steven Forrest is a Drummer with the band Placebo. Before joining Placebo Forrest was drummer for the Punk rock band Evaline. Mommie Dearest is a 1981 Paramount Drama film about Joan Crawford, starring Faye Dunaway. Klinton Spilsbury (born 1955) is an American Actor. This actor was born in Chihuahua Mexico. The Legend of the Lone Ranger is a 1981 film of the story of The Lone Ranger, a Western character created by George W The Razzie Award for Worst Actor was an "honor" given out at the Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst actor of the previous year Inchon (originally called Oh Inchon) is a 1982 film directed by Terence Young about the Battle of Incheon during the Korean Christopher Atkins (born Christopher Atkins Bomann on February 21, 1961) is a Golden Globe -nominated American Actor A Night in Heaven is a 1983 Romance film directed by John G Avildsen, starring Christopher Atkins as a College student The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 film starring John Travolta as Tony Manero a troubled Brooklyn youth whose weekend activities are dominated An incomplete list of the winners of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Award for Best Actor: Winners 1940s 1945 Ray Milland The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 Academy Award-nominated thriller made by Lew Grade 's ITC Entertainment and distributed by Richard Henry Sellers, CBE, commonly known as Peter Sellers ( 8 September 1925 &ndash 24 July 1980) was a British Being There is a 1979 film directed by Hal Ashby, adapted from the 1971 novel written by Jerzy Kosiński. New York Film Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor excellence in cinema worldwide by an organization of film reviewers from New York City -based publications Ray Milland ( January 3, 1907 - March 10, 1986) was a Welsh Actor and director who worked primarily in the The Lost Weekend is a 1945 motion picture directed by Billy Wilder for Paramount Pictures, starring Ray Milland, The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in filmmaking Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name. William Horatio Powell ( July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was a three-time Academy Award -nominated American actor noted Life with Father is the title of a humorous autobiographical book of stories compiled in 1935 by Clarence Day Jr William Horatio Powell ( July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was a three-time Academy Award -nominated American actor noted Life with Father is the title of a humorous autobiographical book of stories compiled in 1935 by Clarence Day Jr Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. William Broderick Crawford ( December 9, 1911 - April 26, 1986) was an American Academy Award -winning actor All the King's Men is a 1949 drama Film based on the Robert Penn Warren novel of the same name. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Dorking is an historic Market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Steyning is a small town and Civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. Settlements Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or are situated in the M23 corridor England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

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