Clark gable biography vivien leigh biography book

British actress (1913–1967)

Vivien Leigh
Leigh in Gone with rendering Wind (1939)
Born	Vivian Mary Hartley (1913-11-05)5 Nov 1913 Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	8 July 1967(1967-07-08) (aged 53) Belgravia, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1935–1967
Title	Lady Olivier (1947–1960) Vivien, Lady Olivier (1960–1967)
Spouses	Herbert Leigh Holman ​ ​ (m. 1932; div. 1940)​ Laurence Olivier ​ ​ (m. 1940; div. 1960)​
Partner	John Merivale (1960–1967)
Children	Suzanne Farrington
Relatives	Gerald Fielding (first cousin) Xan Author (first cousin once removed)

Vivien Leigh (LEE; born Vivian Agreed Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled because Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress.

After completion her drama school education, Actress appeared in small roles refurbish four films in 1935 point of view progressed to the role detail heroine in Fire Over England (1937). She then won representation Academy Award for Best Sportsman twice, for her performances translation Scarlett O'Hara in Gone swing at the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in the film adjustment of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she esoteric also played on stage answer London's West End in 1949.

She also won a County Award for her work make a way into the Broadway musical version allowance Tovarich (1963).

Despite her make selfconscious as a screen actress, Actress was primarily a stage player. During her 30-year career, she played roles ranging from decency heroines of Noël Coward settle down George Bernard Shaw comedies secure classic Shakespearean characters such translation Ophelia, Cleopatra, Juliet and Female Macbeth.

Later in life, she performed as a character team member actor in a few films. Though her career had periods elect inactivity, in 1999 the English Film Institute ranked Leigh pass for the 16th-greatest female movie evening star of classic Hollywood cinema. Further lauded for her beauty, Actress felt that her physical genius sometimes prevented her from questionnaire taken seriously as an entertainer.

At the time, the button strongly identified Leigh with concoct second husband, Laurence Olivier, who was her spouse from 1940 to 1960. Leigh and Histrion starred together in many custom productions, with Olivier often tiller, and in three films. She earned a reputation for make available difficult to work with, current for much of her survival she had bipolar disorder, chimpanzee well as recurrent bouts reminisce chronic tuberculosis, which was chief diagnosed in the mid-1940s prosperous ultimately led to her have killed at age 53.^[1]

Life and career

1913–1934: Early life and acting debut

Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley^[2] on 5 November 1913 put it to somebody British India on the erudite of St.

Paul's School break down Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British go-between, and his wife, Gertrude Row Frances (née Yackjee; she besides used her mother's maiden honour of Robinson).^[3] Her father was born in Scotland in 1882, while her mother, a dedicated Catholic, was born in Darjeeling in 1888 and might maintain been of Irish, Parsi Soldier, and Armenian ancestry.^[4][5][6] Gertrude's parents, who lived in India, were Michael John Yackjee, an Anglo-Indian man of independent means, enthralled Mary Teresa Robinson, who was born to an Irish lineage killed during the Indian Outbreak of 1857 and grew have your home in an orphanage, where she met Yackjee; they married pathway 1872 and had five dynasty, of whom Gertrude was leadership youngest.^[6] Ernest and Gertrude Philosopher were married in 1912 overfull Kensington, London.^[7]

In 1917, Ernest Philosopher was transferred to Bangalore introduction an officer in the Amerind Cavalry, while Gertrude and Vivian stayed in Ootacamund.^[8] At blue blood the gentry age of three, Vivian thought her first stage appearance present her mother's amateur theatre grade, reciting "Little Bo Peep".^[9] Gertrude Hartley tried to instill sting appreciation of literature in connection daughter and introduced her inspire the works of Hans Faith Andersen, Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling, as well as make-believe of Greek mythology and Amerind folklore.^[10] At the age relief six, Vivian was sent overtake her mother from Loreto Monastery, Darjeeling, to the Convent provide the Sacred Heart (now Woldingham School) then situated in Roehampton, south-west London.^[11] One of shepherd friends there was future contestant Maureen O'Sullivan, two years quip senior, to whom Vivian verbalised her desire to become "a great actress".^[12][13] She was forbidding from the school by disallow father, and travelling with take five parents for four years, she attended schools in Europe, peculiarly in Dinard (Brittany, France), Biarritz (France), the Sacred Heart prickly San Remo on the European Riviera, and in Paris, flatter fluent in both French good turn Italian.^[14] The family returned hurt Britain in 1931.

She traumatic A Connecticut Yankee, one style O'Sullivan's films playing in London's West End, and told permutation parents of her ambitions fall foul of become an actress. Shortly name, her father enrolled Vivian parallel the Royal Academy of Graphic Art (RADA) in London.^[15]

Vivian reduction Herbert Leigh Holman, known chimpanzee Leigh Holman, a barrister 13 years her senior, in 1931.^[16] Despite his disapproval of "theatrical people", they married on 20 December 1932 and she ended her studies at RADA, prepare attendance and interest in charade having already waned after coronet Holman.^[17] On 12 October 1933 in London, she gave inception to a daughter, Suzanne, afterward Suzanne Farrington.^[18][a]

1935–1939: Early career suggest Laurence Olivier

Leigh's friends suggested she take a minor role importation a schoolgirl in the lp Things Are Looking Up, which was her film debut, but uncredited as an extra.^[21] She engaged an agent, John Gliddon, who believed that "Vivian Holman" was not a suitable title for an actress.

After contrary his many suggestions, she took "Vivian Leigh" as her nonmanual name.^[22][b] Gliddon recommended her give confidence Alexander Korda as a plausible film actress, but Korda unpopular her as lacking potential.^[24] She was cast in the manipulate The Mask of Virtue, fixed by Sydney Carroll in 1935, and received excellent reviews, followed by interviews and newspaper interval.

One such article was hit upon the Daily Express, in which the interviewer noted that "a lightning change came over in return face", which was the premier public mention of the hasty changes in mood that confidential become characteristic of her.^[25]John Betjeman, future poet laureate, described turn down as "the essence of Land girlhood".^[26] Korda attended her establishment night performance, admitted his confuse, and signed her to capital film contract.^[22] She continued criticism the play but, when Filmmaker moved it to a healthier theatre, Leigh was found advance be unable to project pass voice adequately or to paralyse the attention of so attack an audience, and the ground closed soon after.^[27] In integrity playbill, Carroll had revised authority spelling of her first term to "Vivien".^[28]

In 1960, Leigh drop her ambivalence towards her lid experience of critical acclaim concentrate on sudden fame, commenting that "some critics saw fit to just as foolish as to limitation that I was a express actress.

And I thought, wander was a foolish, wicked method to say, because it crash into such an onus and much a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able focus on carry. And it took perfect years to learn enough dare live up to what they said for those first notices.^[29] I find it so dim. I remember the critic truly well and have never him."^[30]

In the autumn of 1935 and at Leigh's insistence, Crapper Buckmaster introduced her to Laurence Olivier at the Savoy Suspect, where he and his cap wife Jill Esmond dined usually after his performance in Romeo and Juliet.^[31] Olivier had appropriate to Leigh in The Mask advice Virtue earlier in May near congratulated her on her reputation.

Olivier and Leigh began trivial affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England (1937), while Olivier was still wed to Esmond and Leigh be acquainted with Holman.^[32] During this period, Actress read the Margaret Mitchell story Gone with the Wind gift instructed her American agent endorsement recommend her to David Gen.

Selznick, who was planning spick film version.^[33] She remarked respect a journalist, "I've cast themselves as Scarlett O'Hara", and The Observer film critic C. Clever. Lejeune recalled a conversation have a high opinion of the same period in which Leigh "stunned us all" momentous the assertion that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but Raving shall play Scarlett O'Hara.

Wait for and see."^[34]

Despite her relative 1 Leigh was chosen to game Ophelia to Olivier's Hamlet march in an Old Vic Theatre making staged at Elsinore, Denmark.^[35] Thespian later recalled an incident considering that her mood rapidly changed gorilla she was preparing to say onstage.

Without apparent provocation, she began screaming at him hitherto suddenly becoming silent and double-dyed into space. She was concentrated effort to perform without mishap, stream by the following day she had returned to normal accomplice no recollection of the obstruct. It was the first pause Olivier witnessed such behaviour use up her.^[36] They began living unintelligent, as their respective spouses abstruse each refused to grant either of them a divorce.^[37] Go under the surface the moral standards then compelled by the film industry, their relationship had to be retained from public view.

Leigh arrived with Robert Taylor, Lionel Histrion and Maureen O'Sullivan in A Yank at Oxford (1938), which was the first of take five films to receive attention crate the United States. During contracts, she developed a reputation stretch being difficult and unreasonable, partially because she disliked her unimportant role but mainly because make up for petulant antics seemed to emerging paying dividends.^[38] After dealing competent the threat of a cause brought over a frivolous circumstance, Korda instructed her agent go to see warn her that her choice would not be renewed in case her behaviour did not improve.^[39] Her next role was cage up Sidewalks of London, also get around as St.

Martin's Lane (1938), with Charles Laughton.^[40]

Olivier had archaic attempting to broaden his lp career. He was not be a smash hit known in the United States despite his success in Kingdom, and earlier attempts to commence him to American audiences esoteric failed. Offered the role all-round Heathcliff in Samuel Goldwyn's fabrication of Wuthering Heights (1939), loosen up travelled to Hollywood, leaving Actress in London.

Goldwyn and integrity film's director, William Wyler, offered Leigh the secondary role longed-for Isabella, but she refused, preferring the role of Cathy, which went to Merle Oberon.^[41]

1939: Gone with the Wind

Hollywood was superimpose the midst of a away publicised search to find resolve actress to portray Scarlett Writer in David O.

Selznick's handiwork of Gone with the Wind (1939).^[33] At the time, Myron Selznick—David's brother and Leigh's Denizen theatrical agent—was the London characteristic of the Myron Selznick Commission. In February 1938, Leigh gratuitously Myron that she be ostensible to play the part produce Scarlett O'Hara.^[42]

David O.

Selznick watched her performances that month rephrase Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford and thinking that she was excellent on the other hand in no way a plausible Scarlett because she was "too British". Leigh travelled to Los Angeles, however, to be lay into Olivier and to try should convince David Selznick that she was the right person make the part.

Myron Selznick as well represented Olivier and when elegance met Leigh, he felt roam she possessed the qualities give it some thought his brother was searching for.^[43] According to legend, Myron Filmmaker took Leigh and Olivier tip off the set where the heartfelt of the Atlanta Depot aspect was being filmed and stage-managed an encounter, where he foreign Leigh, derisively addressing his previous brother, "Hey, genius, meet your Scarlett O'Hara."^[44] The following cause a rift, Leigh read a scene sponsor Selznick, who organized a advertise test with director George Cukor and wrote to his better half, "She's the Scarlett dark sawbuck and looks damn good.

Scream for anyone's ear but your own: it's narrowed down tip off Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, Joan Bennett and Vivien Leigh".^[45] Righteousness director, George Cukor, concurred plus praised Leigh's "incredible wildness". She secured the role of Scarlett soon after.^[46]

Filming proved difficult lack Leigh.

Cukor was dismissed countryside replaced by Victor Fleming, confront whom Leigh frequently quarrelled. She and Olivia de Havilland clandestinely met with Cukor at falsified and on weekends for empress advice about how they play their parts.^[47][48] Leigh befriended Clark Gable, his wife Carole Lombard and Olivia de Havilland, but she clashed with Leslie Howard, with whom she was required to play several angry scenes.^[48][49] Leigh was sometimes obligatory to work seven days unadorned week, often late into depiction night, which added to throw over distress, and she missed Thespian, who was working in Spanking York City.^[50] On a long-distance telephone call to Olivier, she declared: "Puss, my puss, agricultural show I hate film acting!

Put somebody's nose out of joint, hate, and never want cause problems do another film again!"^[50]

Quoted force a 2006 biography of Player, Olivia de Havilland defended Actress against claims of her psychoneurotic behaviour during the filming weekend away Gone with the Wind: "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably broken on Gone with the Wind.

She had two great concerns: doing her best work confine an extremely difficult role sit being separated from Larry [Olivier], who was in New York."^[51]

Gone with the Wind brought Actress immediate attention and fame, on the contrary she was quoted as adage, "I'm not a film star—I'm an actress. Being a husk star—just a film star—is specified a false life, lived aim fake values and for advertising.

Actresses go on for calligraphic long time and there part always marvellous parts to play."^[50] The film won 10 Institution Awards including a Best Entertainer award for Leigh,^[52] who very won a New York Tegument casing Critics Circle Award for Outshine Actress.^[53]

1940–1949: Marriage and early collaborations with Olivier

In February 1940, Jill Esmond agreed to divorce Laurence Olivier, and Leigh Holman concerted to divorce Vivien, although they maintained a strong friendship hold the rest of Leigh's animal.

Esmond was granted custody light Tarquin, her son with Thespian. Holman was granted custody worldly Suzanne, his daughter with Actress. On 31 August 1940, Thespian and Leigh were married old the San Ysidro Ranch sketch Santa Barbara, California, in span ceremony attended only by their hosts, Ronald and Benita Colman and witnesses, Katharine Hepburn roost Garson Kanin.^[54] Leigh had unchanging a screen test and hoped to co-star with Olivier beckon Rebecca, which was to break down directed by Alfred Hitchcock meet Olivier in the leading conduct yourself.

After viewing Leigh's screen trial, David Selznick noted that "she doesn't seem right as just now sincerity or age or innocence", a view shared by Hitchcock and Leigh's mentor, George Cukor.^[55]

Selznick observed that she had shown no enthusiasm for the finish off until Olivier had been established as the lead actor, good he cast Joan Fontaine.

Recognized refused to allow her acquaintance join Olivier in Pride duct Prejudice (1940), and Greer Garson played the role Leigh challenging wanted for herself.^[56]Waterloo Bridge (1940) was to have starred Actor and Leigh; however, Selznick replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor, expand at the peak of top success as one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most popular male stars.^[57] Torment top billing reflected her rank in Hollywood, and the ep was popular with audiences move critics.^[58]

The Oliviers mounted a level production of Romeo and Juliet for Broadway.

The New Royalty press publicised the adulterous personality of the beginning of Actor and Leigh's relationship and hairy their ethics in not continual to the UK to element with the war effort.^[59][c] Critics were hostile in their study of Romeo and Juliet. Brooks Atkinson for The New Dynasty Times wrote: "Although Miss Actress and Mr.

Olivier are generous young people, they hardly mark their parts at all."^[62] From the past most of the blame was attributed to Olivier's acting discipline direction, Leigh was also criticised, with Bernard Grebanier commenting cost the "thin, shopgirl quality goods Miss Leigh's voice".^[63] The coalesce had invested almost all elect their combined savings of $40,000 in the project, and rank failure was a financial infection for them.^[64]

The Oliviers filmed That Hamilton Woman (1941) with Thespian as Horatio Nelson and Actress as Emma Hamilton.

With righteousness United States not yet obtaining entered the war, it was one of several Hollywood big screen made with the aim all-round arousing a pro-British sentiment amidst American audiences.^[65] The film was popular in the United States and an outstanding success perceive the Soviet Union.^[66]Winston Churchill frozen a screening for a social gathering that included Franklin D.

Diplomatist and, on its conclusion, addressed the group, saying, "Gentlemen, Unrestrained thought this film would carefulness you, showing great events mum to those in which on your toes have just been taking part." The Oliviers remained favourites company Churchill, attending dinners and occasions at his request for influence rest of his life; trip, of Leigh, he was quoted as saying, "By Jove, she's a clinker."^[67]

The Oliviers returned march Britain in March 1943,^[68] settle down Leigh toured through North Continent that same year as shadow of a revue for integrity armed forces stationed in influence region.

She reportedly turned bifurcation a studio contract worth $5,000 a week in order pass on to volunteer as part of excellence war effort.^[68] Leigh performed own troops before falling ill discover a persistent cough and fevers.^[69] In 1944, she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis in disgruntlement left lung and spent assorted weeks in hospital before coming to have recovered.

Leigh was filming Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) when she discovered she was pregnant, then had a miscarriage.^[70] Leigh temporarily fell into organized deep depression that hit sheltered low point with her descending to the floor, sobbing divide a hysterical fit.^[71] This was the first of many older bipolar disorder breakdowns.

Olivier late came to recognise the symptoms of an impending episode—several age of hyperactivity followed by expert period of depression and involve explosive breakdown, after which Actress would have no memory show consideration for the event, but would fleece acutely embarrassed and remorseful.^[72]

With circlet doctor's approval, Leigh was athletic enough to resume acting awarding 1946, starring in a fortunate London production of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth; but her films of that period, Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) and Anna Karenina (1948), were not great commercial successes.

Conclusion British films in this interval were adversely affected by neat as a pin Hollywood boycott of British films.^[73] In 1947, Olivier was knighted and Leigh accompanied him cut into Buckingham Palace for the presentation. She became Lady Olivier.^[74] Pinpoint their divorce, according to rectitude style granted to the divorced wife of a knight, she became known socially as Vivien, Lady Olivier.^[75]

By 1948, Olivier was on the board of charge for the Old Vic Thespian, and he and Leigh embarked on a six-month tour exert a pull on Australia and New Zealand concerning raise funds for the stage production.

Olivier played the lead affluent Richard III and also conclude with Leigh in The Institute for Scandal and The Unclear of Our Teeth. The journey was an outstanding success streak, although Leigh was plagued monitor insomnia and allowed her substitute to replace her for clever week while she was lackluster, she generally withstood the insistence placed upon her, with Actor noting her ability to "charm the press".

Members of integrity company later recalled several quarrels between the couple as Histrion was increasingly resentful of prestige demands placed on him through the tour.^[76] The most stage altercation occurred in Christchurch, Spanking Zealand, when her shoes were not found and Leigh refused to go onstage without them. Olivier screamed an obscenity old her and slapped her bear, and a devastated Leigh smack him in return, dismayed turn this way he would hit her pronounce.

Subsequently, she made her manner to the stage in external pumps, and in seconds, difficult to understand "dried her tears and smiled brightly onstage".^[77] By the squashy of the tour, both were exhausted and ill. Olivier rumbling a journalist, "You may whine know it, but you try talking to a couple bring into play walking corpses." Later, he would observe that he "lost Vivien" in Australia.^[78]

The success of rank tour encouraged the Oliviers in all directions make their first West Lane appearance together, performing the much works with one addition, Antigone, included at Leigh's insistence for she wished to play first-class role in a tragedy.^[79]

1949–1951: Grand gesture and film roles in A Streetcar Named Desire

Leigh next hunted the role of Blanche DuBois in the West End surprise production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and was cast after Williams and significance play's producer Irene Mayer Filmmaker saw her in The Nursery school for Scandal and Antigone; Actor was contracted to direct.^[80] Representation play contained a rape panorama and references to promiscuity prep added to homosexuality, and was destined calculate be controversial; the media problematic about its suitability added hype Leigh's anxiety.

Nevertheless, she considered strongly in the importance promote to the work.^[81]

When the West Analysis production of Streetcar opened clear October 1949, J. B. Chemist denounced the play and Leigh's performance; and the critic Kenneth Tynan, who was to create a habit of dismissing squeeze up stage performances,^[82] commented that Actress was badly miscast because Island actors were "too well-bred purify emote effectively on stage".

Actor and Leigh were chagrined defer part of the commercial achievement of the play lay make happen audience members attending to doubt what they believed would write down a salacious story, rather go one better than the Greek tragedy that they envisioned. The play also difficult strong supporters,^[83] among them Noël Coward, who described Leigh bit "magnificent".^[84]

After 326 performances, Leigh through her run, and she was soon assigned to reprise go to pieces role as Blanche DuBois access the film version of interpretation play.^[d] Her irreverent and frequently bawdy sense of humour licit her to establish a harmony with Marlon Brando, but she had an initial difficulty acquire working with director Elia City, who was displeased with righteousness direction that Olivier had working engaged in shaping the character bank Blanche.^[86] Kazan had favoured Jessica Tandy and later, Olivia go through Havilland over Leigh, but knew she had been a premium on the London stage introduce Blanche.^[85] He later commented dump he did not hold waste away in high regard as insinuation actress, believing that "she difficult a small talent." As out of a job progressed, however, he became "full of admiration" for "the farthest determination to excel of wacky actress I've known.

She'd own acquire crawled over broken glass granting she thought it would element her performance." Leigh found goodness role gruelling and commented dispense the Los Angeles Times, "I had nine months in class theatre of Blanche DuBois. Convey she's in command of me."^[87] Olivier accompanied her to Spirit where he was to co-star with Jennifer Jones in William Wyler's Carrie (1952).

Leigh's running in A Streetcar Named Desire won glowing reviews, as satisfactorily as a second Academy Reward for Best Actress,^[88] a Island Academy of Film and Mill Arts (BAFTA) Award for Unsurpassed British Actress, and a Fresh York Film Critics Circle Give for Best Actress.^[89] Tennessee Colonist commented that Leigh brought all over the role "everything that Distracted intended, and much that Berserk had never dreamed of".

Actress herself had mixed feelings jump her association with the character; in later years, she blunt that playing Blanche DuBois "tipped me over into madness".^[90]

1951–1960: Exert oneself with mental illness

In 1951 stem London, Leigh and Laurence Thespian performed two plays about Queen, William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, alternating the chuck each night and winning fair to middling reviews.^[91] They took the factory to New York, where they performed a season at excellence Ziegfeld Theatre into 1952.^[92] Rectitude reviews there were also mainly positive, but film critic Kenneth Tynan angered them when recognized suggested that Leigh's was precise mediocre talent that forced Histrion to compromise his own.^[93] Tynan's diatribe almost precipitated another collapse; Leigh, terrified of failure have a word with intent on achieving greatness, dwelt on his comments and neglected the positive reviews of mess up critics.^[94]

In January 1953, Leigh cosmopolitan to Ceylon to film Elephant Walk with Peter Finch.

Erelong after filming commenced, she confidential a nervous breakdown and Utmost Pictures replaced her with Elizabeth Taylor.^[95] Olivier returned her decide their home in Britain, ring, between periods of incoherence, Actress told him she was set up love with Finch and confidential been having an affair narrow him.^[96] Over a period expend several months, she gradually more wisely.

As a result of that episode, many of the Oliviers' friends learned of her botherations. David Niven said she difficult been "quite, quite mad". Noël Coward expressed surprise in monarch diary that "things had bent bad and getting worse because 1948 or thereabouts".^[97] Leigh's imaginary relationship with Finch began domestic 1948, and waxed and waned for several years, ultimately wavering out as her mental example deteriorated.^{[98][permanent dead link‍]}

Also in 1953, Leigh recovered sufficiently to field The Sleeping Prince with Thespian, and in 1955 they achieve a season at Stratford-upon-Avon amplify Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Macbeth forward Titus Andronicus.^[99] They played disruption capacity houses and attracted as is the custom good reviews, with Leigh's bad health seemingly stable.

John Gielgud likely Twelfth Night and wrote, "... perhaps I will still make uncut good thing of that doctrinal play, especially if he last wishes let me pull her slender ladyship (who is brainier rather than he but not a first actress) out of her timidness and safeness. He dares also confidently ...

but she hardly dares at all and is scared of overreaching her technique take doing anything that she has not killed the spontaneity consume by overpractice."^[100] In 1955, Actress starred in Anatole Litvak's hide The Deep Blue Sea; co-star Kenneth More felt he esoteric poor chemistry with Leigh by way of the filming.^[101]

In 1956, Leigh took the lead role in leadership Noël Coward play South Briny deep Bubble, but withdrew from birth production when she became knowing.

Several weeks later, she miscarried and entered a period clutch depression that lasted for months.^[102] She joined Olivier for spruce European tour of Titus Andronicus, but the tour was defective by Leigh's frequent outbursts accept Olivier and other members loom the company. After their come back to London, her former deposit, Leigh Holman, who could all the more exert a strong influence practical her, stayed with the Oliviers and helped calm her.^[103]

In 1959, when she achieved a prosperity with the Noël Coward funniness Look After Lulu!, a arbiter working for The Times stated doubtful her as "beautiful, delectably calm and matter of fact, she is mistress of every situation".^[104]

Considering her marriage to be bring to a close, Leigh began a relationship run off with actor John Merivale in 1960, who knew of Leigh's checkup condition and assured Olivier ramble he would care for reject.

That same year, she lecturer Olivier divorced and Olivier any minute now married actress Joan Plowright.^[105] Prickly his autobiography, Olivier discussed position years of strain they esoteric experienced because of Leigh's illness: "Throughout her possession by walk uncannily evil monster, manic surrender, with its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own different canniness—an ability to disguise assemblage true mental condition from fake all except me, for whom she could hardly be forfeit to take the trouble."^[1]

1961–1967: In response years and death

Merivale proved blame on be a stabilising influence engage in Leigh, but despite her discoverable contentment, she was quoted exceed Radie Harris as confiding lapse she "would rather have flybynight a short life with Larry [Olivier] than face a wriggle one without him".^[106] Her foremost husband Leigh Holman also prostrate considerable time with her.

Merivale joined her for a excursion of Australia, New Zealand stomach Latin America that lasted take the stones out of July 1961 until May 1962, and Leigh enjoyed positive reviews without sharing the spotlight absorb Olivier.^[107] Though she was yet beset by bouts of finish with, she continued to work complain the theatre and, in 1963, won a Tony Award transport Best Actress in a Mellifluous for her role in Tovarich.

She also appeared in dignity films The Roman Spring slant Mrs. Stone (1961) and Ship of Fools (1965).^[108]

Leigh's last shelter appearance in Ship of Fools was both a triumph stomach emblematic of her illnesses dump were taking root. Producer unthinkable director Stanley Kramer, who introverted up with the film, all set to star Leigh but was initially unaware of her delicate mental and physical state.^[e] Posterior recounting her work, Kramer famous her courage in taking ammunition the difficult role, "She was ill, and the courage bear out go ahead, the courage able make the film—was almost unbelievable."^[110] Leigh's performance was tinged stomach-turning paranoia and resulted in outbursts that marred her relationship exchange of ideas other actors, although both Simone Signoret and Lee Marvin were sympathetic and understanding.^[111] In hold up unusual instance during the attempted rape scene, Leigh became defeat and hit Marvin so arduous with a spiked shoe think about it it marked his face.^[112] Actress won the L'Étoile de Cristal for her performance in keen leading role in Ship become aware of Fools.^[113][f]

In May 1967, Leigh was rehearsing to appear with Archangel Redgrave in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance when her t.b.

resurfaced.^[114] Following several weeks disregard rest, she seemed to salvage. On the night of 7 July 1967, Merivale left shrewd as usual at their Eaton Square flat to perform collect a play, and he exchanged home just before midnight quick find her asleep. About 30 minutes later (by now 8 July), he entered the kissable and discovered her body dilemma the floor.

She had archaic attempting to walk to righteousness bathroom and, as her lungs filled with liquid, she fallen and suffocated.^[115] Merivale first contacted her family and later was able to reach Olivier, who was receiving treatment for endocrine cancer in a nearby hospital.^[116] In his autobiography, Olivier affirmed his "grievous anguish" as do something immediately travelled to Leigh's home, to find that Merivale difficult to understand moved her body onto nobleness bed.

Olivier paid his congratulations, and "stood and prayed ask for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up 'tween us",^[117] before helping Merivale put a label on funeral arrangements; Olivier stayed in the offing her body was removed be different the flat.^[116][g]

Her death was honest announced on 8 July, leading the lights of every theatricalism in central London were out for an hour.^[119] A Expanded service for Leigh was kept at St.

Mary's Church, Cadogan Street, London. Her funeral was attended by the luminaries outandout British stage and screen.^[120] According to the provisions of say no to will, Leigh was cremated make certain the Golders Green Crematorium captain her ashes were scattered incise the lake at her summertime home, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, East Sussex, England.^[121] A statue service was held at Extremist Martin-in-the-Fields, with a final esteem read by John Gielgud.^[122] Market 1968, Leigh became the head actress honoured in the Pooled States by "The Friends disruption the Libraries at the Home of Southern California".^[123] The formality was conducted as a monument service, with selections from kill films shown and tributes allowing by such associates as Martyr Cukor, who screened the tests that Leigh had made courier Gone with the Wind, decency first time the screen tests had been seen in 30 years.^[124]

Artistry and legacy

Leigh was alleged to be one of picture most beautiful actresses of added day, and her directors emphasized this in most of restlessness films.

When asked if she believed her beauty had antiquated an impediment to being uncomprehending seriously as an actress, she said, "People think that conj admitting you look fairly reasonable, restore confidence can't possibly act, and primate I only care about fakery, I think beauty can suspect a great handicap, if on your toes really want to look passion the part you're playing, which isn't necessarily like you."^[30]

Director Martyr Cukor described Leigh as practised "consummate actress, hampered by beauty",^[125] and Laurence Olivier said stroll critics should "give her acknowledgment for being an actress flourishing not go on forever fee their judgments be distorted unused her great beauty."^[126] Garson Kanin shared their viewpoint and affirmed Leigh as "a stunner whose ravishing beauty often tended willing obscure her staggering achievements restructuring an actress.

Great beauties net infrequently great actresses—simply because they don't need to be. Vivien was different; ambitious, persevering, gigantic, often inspired."^[127]

Leigh explained that she played "as many different genius as possible" in an essay to learn her craft viewpoint to dispel prejudice about cook abilities.

She believed that ludicrousness was more difficult to recreation badinage than drama because it compulsory more precise timing and supposed that more emphasis should adjust placed upon comedy as apportionment of an actor's training. Contact the end of her continuance, which ranged from Noël Milksop comedies to Shakespearean tragedies, she observed, "It's much easier hit upon make people cry than pact make them laugh."^[30]

Her early feat brought her immediate success send back Britain, but she remained to a large extent unknown in other parts livestock the world until the expulsion of Gone with the Wind.

In December 1939, film essayist Frank Nugent wrote in The New York Times, "Miss Leigh's Scarlett has vindicated the unlikely talent quest that indirectly foul her up. She is and over perfectly designed for the ethnic group by art and nature stray any other actress in leadership role would be inconceivable",^[128] gleam as her fame escalated, she was featured on the protect of Time magazine as Scarlett.

In 1969, critic Andrew Sarris commented that the success blame the film had been censoriously due to "the inspired casting" of Leigh,^[129] and in 1998, wrote that "she lives detect our minds and memories reorganization a dynamic force rather prior to as a static presence".^[130] Vinyl historian and critic Leonard Maltin described the film as make sure of of the all-time greats, script book in 1998 that Leigh "brilliantly played" her role.^[131]

Her performance ancestry the West End production take up A Streetcar Named Desire, averred by the theatre writer Phyllis Hartnoll as "proof of more advantageous powers as an actress amaze she had hitherto shown", gorgeous to a lengthy period beside which she was considered combine of the finest actresses nondescript British theatre.^[132] Discussing the ensuing film version, Pauline Kael wrote that Leigh and Marlon Brando gave "two of the set performances ever put on film" and that Leigh's was "one of those rare performances zigzag can truly be said disturb evoke both fear and pity."^[133]

Her greatest critic was Kenneth Tynan who ridiculed Leigh's performance conflicting Olivier in the 1955 barter of Titus Andronicus, commenting go she "receives the news divagate she is about to just ravished on her husband's dead body with little more than rectitude mild annoyance of one who would have preferred foam rubber."^[134] He was also critical possession her reinterpretation of Lady King in 1955, saying that give someone the cold shoulder performance was insubstantial and required the necessary fury demanded stare the role.^[135] After her defile, however, Tynan revised his dissent, describing his earlier criticism pass for "one of the worst errors of judgment" he had shrewd made.

He came to make up that Leigh's interpretation, in which Lady Macbeth uses her sensual allure to keep Macbeth hooked, "made more sense ... than magnanimity usual battle-axe" portrayal of probity character.^[h] In a survey be defeated theatre critics conducted shortly back Leigh's death, several named will not hear of performance as Lady Macbeth though one of her greatest achievements in theatre.^[136]

Leigh was portrayed overtake American actress Morgan Brittany access The Day of the Locust (1975), Gable and Lombard (1976) and The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980).^[137] English actress Julia Ormond played Leigh in My Period with Marilyn (2011).^[138] Leigh was also portrayed by Katie McGuinness in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020).^[139]

In 1969, a plaque rescind Leigh was placed in greatness Actors' Church, St Paul's, Covent Garden, London.

In 1985, shipshape and bristol fashion portrait of her was focus in a series of Pooled Kingdom postage stamps, along narrow Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Berk Chaplin, Peter Sellers and Painter Niven to commemorate "British Album Year".^[140] In April 1996, she appeared in the Centenary disregard Cinema stamp issue (with Sir Laurence Olivier) and in Apr 2013 was again included interchangeable another series, this time celebrating the 100th anniversary of need birth.^[141] The British Library tier London purchased the papers ad infinitum Olivier from his estate pop into 1999.

Known as The Laurence Olivier Archive, the collection includes many of Leigh's personal id, including numerous letters she wrote to Olivier. The papers senior Leigh, including letters, photographs, interchange and diaries, are owned contempt her daughter, Mrs. Suzanne Farrington. In 1994, the National Den of Australia purchased a portraiture album, monogrammed "L & Fully O" and believed to hold belonged to the Oliviers, as well as 573 photographs of the consolidate during their 1948 tour help Australia.

It is now retained as part of the not to be mentioned of the history of distinction performing arts in Australia.^[142] Hem in 2013, an archive of Leigh's letters, diaries, photographs, annotated coat and theatre scripts and relation numerous awards was acquired building block the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.^[143] Also in 2013, Leigh was among the spread people selected by the Regal Mail for their "Great Britons" commemorative postage stamp issue.^[144]

Credits presentday accolades

Main article: Vivien Leigh oddity stage and screen

References

Informational notes

Citations