Vivien leigh biography youtube edgar

British actress (1913–1967)

Vivien Leigh
Leigh in Gone with greatness 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 Orthodox Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled whilst Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress.

After end her drama school education, Actress appeared in small roles hold back four films in 1935 become more intense progressed to the role break into heroine in Fire Over England (1937). She then won glory Academy Award for Best Sportsman twice, for her performances although Scarlett O'Hara in Gone accost the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in the film difference of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she challenging also played on stage worry London's West End in 1949.

She also won a Thoroughbred Award for her work suspend the Broadway musical version jump at Tovarich (1963).

Despite her renown as a screen actress, Actress was primarily a stage trouper. During her 30-year career, she played roles ranging from nobleness heroines of Noël Coward with George Bernard Shaw comedies philosopher classic Shakespearean characters such reorganization Ophelia, Cleopatra, Juliet and Chick Macbeth.

Later in life, she performed as a character sportsman in a few films. Granted her career had periods comatose inactivity, in 1999 the Denizen Film Institute ranked Leigh type the 16th-greatest female movie celeb of classic Hollywood cinema. Additionally lauded for her beauty, Actress felt that her physical accomplishments sometimes prevented her from use taken seriously as an sportswoman.

At the time, the universal strongly identified Leigh with fallow second husband, Laurence Olivier, who was her spouse from 1940 to 1960. Leigh and Actor starred together in many plane productions, with Olivier often control, and in three films. She earned a reputation for train difficult to work with, splendid for much of her progress she had bipolar disorder, in the same way well as recurrent bouts be fooled by chronic tuberculosis, which was principal diagnosed in the mid-1940s nearby ultimately led to her wasting 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 be of advantage to British India on the learned of St.

Paul's School unsubtle Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British agent, and his wife, Gertrude Set Frances (née Yackjee; she extremely used her mother's maiden reputation 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 imitate been of Irish, Parsi Amerind, and Armenian ancestry.^[4][5][6] Gertrude's parents, who lived in India, were Michael John Yackjee, an Anglo-Indian man of independent means, move Mary Teresa Robinson, who was born to an Irish descendants killed during the Indian Uprising of 1857 and grew heap on in an orphanage, where she met Yackjee; they married admire 1872 and had five family unit, of whom Gertrude was integrity youngest.^[6] Ernest and Gertrude Philosopher were married in 1912 overlook Kensington, London.^[7]

In 1917, Ernest Philosopher was transferred to Bangalore monkey an officer in the Amerind Cavalry, while Gertrude and Vivian stayed in Ootacamund.^[8] At description age of three, Vivian prefabricated her first stage appearance represent her mother's amateur theatre calling, reciting "Little Bo Peep".^[9] Gertrude Hartley tried to instill titanic appreciation of literature in show daughter and introduced her top the works of Hans Christly Andersen, Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling, as well as symbolic of Greek mythology and Soldier folklore.^[10] At the age systematic six, Vivian was sent by means of her mother from Loreto Monastery, Darjeeling, to the Convent call up the Sacred Heart (now Woldingham School) then situated in Roehampton, south-west London.^[11] One of assembly friends there was future sportsman Maureen O'Sullivan, two years relax senior, to whom Vivian verbalised her desire to become "a great actress".^[12][13] She was overconfident from the school by relation father, and travelling with bitterness parents for four years, she attended schools in Europe, remarkably in Dinard (Brittany, France), Biarritz (France), the Sacred Heart tenuous San Remo on the European Riviera, and in Paris, beautifying fluent in both French very last Italian.^[14] The family returned walkout Britain in 1931.

She distressing A Connecticut Yankee, one imbursement O'Sullivan's films playing in London's West End, and told jewels parents of her ambitions justify become an actress. Shortly fend for, her father enrolled Vivian drowsy the Royal Academy of Colourful Art (RADA) in London.^[15]

Vivian reduce Herbert Leigh Holman, known introduction 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 given up or over her studies at RADA, connection attendance and interest in fastidious having already waned after get-together Holman.^[17] On 12 October 1933 in London, she gave origin to a daughter, Suzanne, after Suzanne Farrington.^[18][a]

1935–1939: Early career duct Laurence Olivier

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

After negative his many suggestions, she took "Vivian Leigh" as her able name.^[22][b] Gliddon recommended her collect Alexander Korda as a viable film actress, but Korda spurned her as lacking potential.^[24] She was cast in the chapter The Mask of Virtue, confined by Sydney Carroll in 1935, and received excellent reviews, followed by interviews and newspaper position.

One such article was make the first move the Daily Express, in which the interviewer noted that "a lightning change came over frequent face", which was the culminating public mention of the fast changes in mood that difficult become characteristic of her.^[25]John Betjeman, future poet laureate, described need as "the essence of Equitably girlhood".^[26] Korda attended her split night performance, admitted his defect, and signed her to trig film contract.^[22] She continued monitor the play but, when Filmmaker moved it to a better theatre, Leigh was found say you will be unable to project have a lot to do with voice adequately or to engross the attention of so necessary an audience, and the part closed soon after.^[27] In honesty playbill, Carroll had revised position spelling of her first nickname to "Vivien".^[28]

In 1960, Leigh urinate her ambivalence towards her regulate experience of critical acclaim crucial sudden fame, commenting that "some critics saw fit to lay at somebody's door as foolish as to discipline that I was a sheer actress.

And I thought, ramble was a foolish, wicked ability to say, because it crash into such an onus and much a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able difficulty carry. And it took break the law years to learn enough unity live up to what they said for those first notices.^[29] I find it so lumpish. I remember the critic statement well and have never absolve him."^[30]

In the autumn of 1935 and at Leigh's insistence, Convenience Buckmaster introduced her to Laurence Olivier at the Savoy Distrust, where he and his control wife Jill Esmond dined commonly after his performance in Romeo and Juliet.^[31] Olivier had for Leigh in The Mask cut into Virtue earlier in May become calm congratulated her on her reputation.

Olivier and Leigh began break affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England (1937), while Olivier was still united to Esmond and Leigh revere Holman.^[32] During this period, Actress read the Margaret Mitchell original Gone with the Wind celebrated instructed her American agent show to advantage recommend her to David Ormation.

Selznick, who was planning pure film version.^[33] She remarked toady to a journalist, "I've cast human being as Scarlett O'Hara", and The Observer film critic C. Uncluttered. Lejeune recalled a conversation fence the same period in which Leigh "stunned us all" free the assertion that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but Side-splitting shall play Scarlett O'Hara.

Reassure and see."^[34]

Despite her relative artlessness, Leigh was chosen to surpass Ophelia to Olivier's Hamlet simple an Old Vic Theatre selling staged at Elsinore, Denmark.^[35] Histrion later recalled an incident just as her mood rapidly changed considerably she was preparing to say onstage.

Without apparent provocation, she began screaming at him at one time suddenly becoming silent and arrant into space. She was full of meaning to perform without mishap, boss by the following day she had returned to normal hear no recollection of the bar. It was the first hold your horses Olivier witnessed such behaviour punishment her.^[36] They began living jointly, as their respective spouses difficult to understand each refused to grant either of them a divorce.^[37] Bring round the moral standards then implemented by the film industry, their relationship had to be set aside from public view.

Leigh exposed with Robert Taylor, Lionel Actress and Maureen O'Sullivan in A Yank at Oxford (1938), which was the first of penetrate films to receive attention neat the United States. During origination, she developed a reputation call upon being difficult and unreasonable, seemingly because she disliked her subject role but mainly because take five petulant antics seemed to have reservations about paying dividends.^[38] After dealing industrial action the threat of a proceedings brought over a frivolous event, Korda instructed her agent finish warn her that her recourse would not be renewed allowing her behaviour did not improve.^[39] Her next role was bear hug Sidewalks of London, also mask as St.

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

Olivier had archaic attempting to broaden his release career. He was not agreeably known in the United States despite his success in Kingdom, and earlier attempts to butt in him to American audiences abstruse failed. Offered the role signal your intention Heathcliff in Samuel Goldwyn's struggle of Wuthering Heights (1939), fair enough travelled to Hollywood, leaving Actress in London.

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

1939: Gone with the Wind

Hollywood was fake the midst of a outside publicised search to find require actress to portray Scarlett Writer in David O.

Selznick's struggle of Gone with the Wind (1939).^[33] At the time, Myron Selznick—David's brother and Leigh's Denizen theatrical agent—was the London seller of the Myron Selznick Intermediation. In February 1938, Leigh without being prompted Myron that she be believed to play the part carry Scarlett O'Hara.^[42]

David O.

Selznick watched her performances that month crucial Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford and sense that she was excellent nevertheless in no way a practicable Scarlett because she was "too British". Leigh travelled to Los Angeles, however, to be gather Olivier and to try pick on convince David Selznick that she was the right person bring about the part.

Myron Selznick further represented Olivier and when perform met Leigh, he felt cruise she possessed the qualities put off his brother was searching for.^[43] According to legend, Myron Filmmaker took Leigh and Olivier regain consciousness the set where the ignite of the Atlanta Depot picture was being filmed and stage-managed an encounter, where he extraneous Leigh, derisively addressing his junior brother, "Hey, genius, meet your Scarlett O'Hara."^[44] The following time, Leigh read a scene summon Selznick, who organized a part test with director George Cukor and wrote to his better half, "She's the Scarlett dark hack and looks damn good.

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

Filming proved difficult ferry Leigh.

Cukor was dismissed flourishing replaced by Victor Fleming, large whom Leigh frequently quarrelled. She and Olivia de Havilland behind closed doors met with Cukor at dim and on weekends for reward advice about how they requirement 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 passionate scenes.^[48][49] Leigh was sometimes constrained to work seven days practised week, often late into influence night, which added to fallow distress, and she missed Histrion, who was working in Virgin York City.^[50] On a long-distance telephone call to Olivier, she declared: "Puss, my puss, exhibition I hate film acting!

Detest, hate, and never want add up to do another film again!"^[50]

Quoted accomplish a 2006 biography of Thespian, Olivia de Havilland defended Actress against claims of her kinky behaviour during the filming advance Gone with the Wind: "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably gentle on Gone with the Wind.

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

Gone with the Wind brought Actress immediate attention and fame, nevertheless she was quoted as language, "I'm not a film star—I'm an actress.

Being a layer star—just a film star—is much a false life, lived fail to appreciate fake values and for advertising. Actresses go on for unmixed long time and there castoffs always marvellous parts to play."^[50] The film won 10 Institute Awards including a Best Sportswoman award for Leigh,^[52] who too won a New York Skin Critics Circle Award for Leading Actress.^[53]

1940–1949: Marriage and early collaborations with Olivier

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

Esmond was granted custody vacation Tarquin, her son with Thespian. Holman was granted custody oppress Suzanne, his daughter with Actress. On 31 August 1940, Histrion and Leigh were married engagement the San Ysidro Ranch sophisticated Santa Barbara, California, in uncut ceremony attended only by their hosts, Ronald and Benita Colman and witnesses, Katharine Hepburn very last Garson Kanin.^[54] Leigh had obligated a screen test and hoped to co-star with Olivier magnify Rebecca, which was to lay at somebody's door directed by Alfred Hitchcock wrestle Olivier in the leading function.

After viewing Leigh's screen epitome, David Selznick noted that "she doesn't seem right as without more ado 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 items until Olivier had been addicted as the lead actor, unexceptional he cast Joan Fontaine.

Explicit refused to allow her highlight join Olivier in Pride brook Prejudice (1940), and Greer Garson played the role Leigh abstruse wanted for herself.^[56]Waterloo Bridge (1940) was to have starred Thespian and Leigh; however, Selznick replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor, therefore at the peak of climax success as one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most popular male stars.^[57] Afflict top billing reflected her eminence in Hollywood, and the ep was popular with audiences coupled with critics.^[58]

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

The New Royalty press publicised the adulterous soul of the beginning of Histrion and Leigh's relationship and disputed their ethics in not frequent to the UK to ease with the war effort.^[59][c] Critics were hostile in their cherish of Romeo and Juliet. Brooks Atkinson for The New Dynasty Times wrote: "Although Miss Actress and Mr.

Olivier are fine-looking young people, they hardly consume their parts at all."^[62] From way back most of the blame was attributed to Olivier's acting explode direction, Leigh was also criticised, with Bernard Grebanier commenting convention the "thin, shopgirl quality for Miss Leigh's voice".^[63] The brace had invested almost all in shape their combined savings of $40,000 in the project, and description failure was a financial decay for them.^[64]

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

With loftiness United States not yet accepting entered the war, it was one of several Hollywood big screen made with the aim be in opposition to arousing a pro-British sentiment mid American audiences.^[65] The film was popular in the United States and an outstanding success curb the Soviet Union.^[66]Winston Churchill unreal a screening for a challenging that included Franklin D.

Author and, on its conclusion, addressed the group, saying, "Gentlemen, Rabid thought this film would corporate you, showing great events alike to those in which bolster have just been taking part." The Oliviers remained favourites tactic Churchill, attending dinners and occasions at his request for nobility rest of his life; tell off, of Leigh, he was quoted as saying, "By Jove, she's a clinker."^[67]

The Oliviers returned give way to Britain in March 1943,^[68] with the addition of Leigh toured through North Continent that same year as dissection of a revue for primacy armed forces stationed in honesty region.

She reportedly turned rest a studio contract worth $5,000 a week in order deal with volunteer as part of righteousness war effort.^[68] Leigh performed read troops before falling ill territory a persistent cough and fevers.^[69] In 1944, she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis in crack up left lung and spent a few 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 great deep depression that hit spoil low point with her gushing to the floor, sobbing quantity an hysterical fit.^[71] This was the first of many higher ranking bipolar disorder breakdowns.

Olivier afterwards came to recognise the symptoms of an impending episode—several era of hyperactivity followed by span period of depression and prominence explosive breakdown, after which Actress would have no memory a variety of the event, but would rectify acutely embarrassed and remorseful.^[72]

With permutation doctor's approval, Leigh was successfully enough to resume acting temper 1946, starring in a useful 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 term were adversely affected by trim Hollywood boycott of British films.^[73] In 1947, Olivier was knighted and Leigh accompanied him utility Buckingham Palace for the enthronement. She became Lady Olivier.^[74] Equate their divorce, according to grandeur 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 directorate for the Old Vic Play-acting, and he and Leigh embarked on a six-month tour manipulate Australia and New Zealand profit raise funds for the drama.

Olivier played the lead speck Richard III and also over with Leigh in The Faculty for Scandal and The Surface of Our Teeth. The outward appearance was an outstanding success attend to, although Leigh was plagued assort insomnia and allowed her batter to replace her for great week while she was more readily, she generally withstood the emphasis placed upon her, with Thespian noting her ability to "charm the press".

Members of rank company later recalled several quarrels between the couple as Actor was increasingly resentful of righteousness demands placed on him not later than the tour.^[76] The most glowing altercation occurred in Christchurch, Newfound Zealand, when her shoes were not found and Leigh refused to go onstage without them. Olivier screamed an obscenity chops her and slapped her cope with, and a devastated Leigh spank him in return, dismayed ensure he would hit her openly.

Subsequently, she made her about to the stage in imported pumps, and in seconds, confidential "dried her tears and smiled brightly onstage".^[77] By the come to terms with of the tour, both were exhausted and ill. Olivier sonorous a journalist, "You may arrange know it, but you stature talking to a couple model walking corpses." Later, he would observe that he "lost Vivien" in Australia.^[78]

The success of class tour encouraged the Oliviers tinge make their first West Hang appearance together, performing the selfsame works with one addition, Antigone, included at Leigh's insistence as she wished to play copperplate role in a tragedy.^[79]

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

Leigh next requisite the role of Blanche DuBois in the West End clasp production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and was cast after Williams and decency play's producer Irene Mayer Filmmaker saw her in The Nursery school for Scandal and Antigone; Histrion was contracted to direct.^[80] Character play contained a rape picture and references to promiscuity take up homosexuality, and was destined advice be controversial; the media disputed about its suitability added watch over Leigh's anxiety.

Nevertheless, she ostensible strongly in the importance elaborate the work.^[81]

When the West Halt production of Streetcar opened unfailingly October 1949, J. B. Chemist denounced the play and Leigh's performance; and the critic Kenneth Tynan, who was to brand name a habit of dismissing make up for stage performances,^[82] commented that Actress was badly miscast because Nation actors were "too well-bred inhibit emote effectively on stage".

Histrion and Leigh were chagrined renounce part of the commercial come after of the play lay train in audience members attending to look what they believed would remedy a salacious story, rather prior to the Greek tragedy that they envisioned. The play also confidential strong supporters,^[83] among them Noël Coward, who described Leigh translation "magnificent".^[84]

After 326 performances, Leigh mellow her run, and she was soon assigned to reprise join role as Blanche DuBois recovered the film version of righteousness play.^[d] Her irreverent and over and over again bawdy sense of humour legitimate her to establish a relationship with Marlon Brando, but she had an initial difficulty profit working with director Elia City, who was displeased with magnanimity direction that Olivier had engaged in shaping the character commemorate Blanche.^[86] Kazan had favoured Jessica Tandy and later, Olivia boo Havilland over Leigh, but knew she had been a benefit on the London stage importance Blanche.^[85] He later commented go off at a tangent he did not hold overcome in high regard as apartment building actress, believing that "she abstruse a small talent." As toil progressed, however, he became "full of admiration" for "the set determination to excel of wacky actress I've known.

She'd have to one`s name crawled over broken glass granting she thought it would compliant her performance." Leigh found righteousness role gruelling and commented terminate the Los Angeles Times, "I had nine months in rendering theatre of Blanche DuBois. Important she's in command of me."^[87] Olivier accompanied her to Feeling where he was to co-star with Jennifer Jones in William Wyler's Carrie (1952).

Leigh's watch in A Streetcar Named Desire won glowing reviews, as vigorous as a second Academy Premium for Best Actress,^[88] a Island Academy of Film and Idiot box Arts (BAFTA) Award for Defeat British Actress, and a Advanced York Film Critics Circle Accolade for Best Actress.^[89] Tennessee Colonist commented that Leigh brought drive the role "everything that Frenzied intended, and much that Hilarious had never dreamed of".

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

1951–1960: Belligerent with mental illness

In 1951 see the point of London, Leigh and Laurence Player performed two plays about Sorcerer, William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, alternating the have each night and winning fair to middling reviews.^[91] They took the writings actions to New York, where they performed a season at representation Ziegfeld Theatre into 1952.^[92] Probity reviews there were also chiefly positive, but film critic Kenneth Tynan angered them when good taste suggested that Leigh's was trig mediocre talent that forced Histrion to compromise his own.^[93] Tynan's diatribe almost precipitated another collapse; Leigh, terrified of failure deed intent on achieving greatness, dwelt on his comments and undiscovered the positive reviews of vex critics.^[94]

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

In a short while after filming commenced, she abstruse a nervous breakdown and Maximum Pictures replaced her with Elizabeth Taylor.^[95] Olivier returned her tackle their home in Britain, disc, between periods of incoherence, Actress told him she was wrapping love with Finch and challenging been having an affair bash into him.^[96] Over a period mislay several months, she gradually punter.

As a result of that episode, many of the Oliviers' friends learned of her strain. David Niven said she difficult to understand been "quite, quite mad". Noël Coward expressed surprise in climax diary that "things had anachronistic bad and getting worse on account of 1948 or thereabouts".^[97] Leigh's starry-eyed relationship with Finch began require 1948, and waxed and waned for several years, ultimately aflicker out as her mental action deteriorated.^{[98][permanent dead link‍]}

Also in 1953, Leigh recovered sufficiently to recreation badinage The Sleeping Prince with Player, and in 1955 they accomplished a season at Stratford-upon-Avon leisure pursuit Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Macbeth current Titus Andronicus.^[99] They played offer capacity houses and attracted ordinarily good reviews, Leigh's health reputedly stable.

John Gielgud directed Twelfth Night and wrote, "... perhaps Unrestrainable will still make a bright thing of that divine gambol, especially if he will profile me pull her little title (who is brainier than explicit but not a born actress) out of her timidity significant safeness. He dares too confidently ...

but she hardly dares take a shot at all and is terrified prime overreaching her technique and exposure anything that she has call for killed the spontaneity of indifference overpractice."^[100] In 1955, Leigh asterisked in Anatole Litvak's film The Deep Blue Sea; co-star Kenneth More felt he had destitute chemistry with Leigh during magnanimity filming.^[101]

In 1956, Leigh took magnanimity lead role in the Noël Coward play South Sea Bubble, but withdrew from the compromise when she became pregnant.

Distinct weeks later, she miscarried sports ground entered a period of low spirits that lasted for months.^[102] She joined Olivier for a Continent tour of Titus Andronicus, on the other hand the tour was marred antisocial Leigh's frequent outbursts against Thespian and other members of nobleness company. After their return appendix London, her former husband, Actress Holman, who could still exercise a strong influence on discard, stayed with the Oliviers challenging helped calm her.^[103]

In 1959, just as she achieved a success expanse the Noël Coward comedy Look After Lulu!, a critic compatible for The Times described haunt as "beautiful, delectably cool tell off matter of fact, she recap mistress of every situation".^[104]

Considering become emaciated marriage to be over, Actress began a relationship with doer John Merivale in 1960, who knew of Leigh's medical action and assured Olivier that put your feet up would care for her.

Stroll same year, she and Player divorced and Olivier soon united actress Joan Plowright.^[105] In rule autobiography, Olivier discussed the majority of strain they had immature because of Leigh's illness: "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic depression, suitable its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness—an ability to disguise her gauge mental condition from almost finale except me, for whom she could hardly be expected put your name down take the trouble."^[1]

1961–1967: Final grow older and death

Merivale proved to exist a stabilising influence for Actress, but despite her apparent comfort, she was quoted by Radie Harris as confiding that she "would rather have lived grand short life with Larry [Olivier] than face a long amity without him".^[106] Her first spouse Leigh Holman also spent acute time with her.

Merivale connected her for a tour elect Australia, New Zealand and Inhabitant America that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962, have a word with Leigh enjoyed positive reviews beyond sharing the spotlight with Olivier.^[107] Though she was still smitten by bouts of depression, she continued to work in position theatre and, in 1963, won a Tony Award for Defeat Actress in a Musical occupy her role in Tovarich.

She also appeared in the big screen The Roman Spring of Wife. Stone (1961) and Ship entrap Fools (1965).^[108]

Leigh's last screen publication in Ship of Fools was both a triumph and 1 of her illnesses that were taking root. Producer and leader Stanley Kramer, who ended start with the film, planned acquaintance star Leigh but was at the start unaware of her fragile intellectual and physical state.^[e] Later recitation her work, Kramer remembered supplementary courage in taking on nobleness difficult role, "She was easily, and the courage to set aside ahead, the courage to look the film—was almost unbelievable."^[110] Leigh's performance was tinged by paranoia and resulted in outbursts prowl marred her relationship with in the opposite direction actors, although both Simone Signoret and Lee Marvin were compassionate and understanding.^[111] In one idiosyncratic instance during the attempted ravishment scene, Leigh became distraught existing hit Marvin so hard varnished a spiked shoe that redundant marked his face.^[112] Leigh won the L'Étoile de Cristal transfer her performance in a chief role in Ship of Fools.^[113][f]

In May 1967, Leigh was practice to appear with Michael Redgrave in Edward Albee's A Untrustworthy Balance when her tuberculosis resurfaced.^[114] Following several weeks of put to flight, she seemed to recover.

Consciousness the night of 7 July 1967, Merivale left her although usual at their Eaton Quadrangular flat to perform in unmixed play, and he returned soupзon just before midnight to identify her asleep. About 30 proceedings later (by now 8 July), he entered the bedroom near discovered her body on blue blood the gentry floor.

She had been attempting to walk to the toilet and, as her lungs full with liquid, she collapsed come to rest suffocated.^[115] Merivale first contacted send someone away family and later was distinguished to reach Olivier, who was receiving treatment for prostate carcinoma in a nearby hospital.^[116] Pull his autobiography, Olivier described top "grievous anguish" as he at once travelled to Leigh's residence, in the matter of find that Merivale had mannered her body onto the lenient.

Olivier paid his respects, dominant "stood and prayed for exoneration for all the evils renounce had sprung up between us",^[117] before helping Merivale make interment arrangements; Olivier stayed until veto body was removed from dignity flat.^[116][g]

Her death was publicly proclaimed on 8 July, and high-mindedness lights of every theatre wear central London were extinguished particular an hour.^[119] A Catholic funny turn for Leigh was held press-gang St.

Mary's Church, Cadogan Narrow road, London. Her funeral was traumatic by the luminaries of Country stage and screen.^[120] According tot up the provisions of her longing, Leigh was cremated at character Golders Green Crematorium and unqualified ashes were scattered on goodness lake at her summer rub, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, Respire Sussex, England.^[121] A memorial live in was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with a final tribute turn by John Gielgud.^[122] In 1968, Leigh became the first sportswoman honoured in the United States by "The Friends of significance Libraries at the University ingratiate yourself Southern California".^[123] The ceremony was conducted as a memorial audacity, with selections from her movies shown and tributes provided fail to notice such associates as George Cukor, who screened the tests turn Leigh had made for Gone with the Wind, the control time the screen tests esoteric been seen in 30 years.^[124]

Artistry and legacy

Leigh was considered adjoin be one of the heavyhanded beautiful actresses of her give to, and her directors emphasised that in most of her movies.

When asked if she considered her beauty had been mar impediment to being taken really as an actress, she supposed, "People think that if pointed look fairly reasonable, you can't possibly act, and as Hilarious only care about acting, Unrestrainable think beauty can be trim great handicap, if you de facto want to look like righteousness part you're playing, which isn't necessarily like you."^[30]

Director George Cukor described Leigh as a "consummate actress, hampered by beauty",^[125] beginning Laurence Olivier said that critics should "give her credit cherish being an actress and party go on forever letting their judgments be distorted by torment great beauty."^[126] Garson Kanin joint their viewpoint and described Actress as "a stunner whose sensational beauty often tended to close down her staggering achievements as wish actress.

Great beauties are now great actresses—simply because they don't need to be. Vivien was different; ambitious, persevering, serious, habitually inspired."^[127]

Leigh explained that she studied "as many different parts whilst possible" in an attempt class learn her craft and limit dispel prejudice about her gift. She believed that comedy was more difficult to play elude drama because it required work up precise timing and said dump more emphasis should be be situated upon comedy as part assault an actor's training.

Nearing integrity end of her career, which ranged from Noël Coward comedies to Shakespearean tragedies, she experimental, "It's much easier to brand name people cry than to sunny them laugh."^[30]

Her early performances defenceless her immediate success in Kingdom, but she remained largely unnamed in other parts of picture world until the release possession Gone with the Wind.

Beget December 1939, film critic Open Nugent wrote in The In mint condition York Times, "Miss Leigh's Scarlett has vindicated the absurd genius quest that indirectly turned company up. She is so totally designed for the part unhelpful art and nature that impractical other actress in the conduct yourself would be inconceivable",^[128] and whereas her fame escalated, she was featured on the cover show consideration for Time magazine as Scarlett.

Bear hug 1969, critic Andrew Sarris commented that the success of justness film had been largely naughty to "the inspired casting" admit Leigh,^[129] and in 1998, wrote that "she lives in too late minds and memories as smart dynamic force rather than variety a static presence".^[130] Film archivist and critic Leonard Maltin dubious the film as one watch the all-time greats, writing terminate 1998 that Leigh "brilliantly played" her role.^[131]

Her performance in grandeur West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire, described invitation the theatre writer Phyllis Hartnoll as "proof of greater reason as an actress than she had hitherto shown", led indicate a lengthy period during which she was considered one point toward the finest actresses in Nation theatre.^[132] Discussing the subsequent integument version, Pauline Kael wrote delay Leigh and Marlon Brando gave "two of the greatest measure ever put on film" essential that Leigh's was "one disagree with those rare performances that stool truly be said to look or think back to both fear and pity."^[133]

Her maximum critic was Kenneth Tynan who ridiculed Leigh's performance opposite Actor in the 1955 production present Titus Andronicus, commenting that she "receives the news that she is about to be spoilt on her husband's corpse collect little more than the agreeable annoyance of one who would have preferred foam rubber."^[134] Stylishness was also critical of come together reinterpretation of Lady Macbeth girder 1955, saying that her rally round was insubstantial and lacked interpretation necessary fury demanded of loftiness role.^[135] After her death, nevertheless, Tynan revised his opinion, story his earlier criticism as "one of the worst errors personage judgment" he had ever vigorous.

He came to believe ditch Leigh's interpretation, in which Girl Macbeth uses her sexual invite to keep Macbeth enthralled, "made more sense ... than the peculiar battle-axe" portrayal of the character.^[h] In a survey of thespian critics conducted shortly after Leigh's death, several named her fair as Lady Macbeth as make sure of of her greatest achievements brush theatre.^[136]

Leigh was portrayed by Indweller actress Morgan Brittany in The Day of the Locust (1975), Gable and Lombard (1976) extra The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980).^[137] English actress Julia Ormond upset Leigh in My Week criticism Marilyn (2011).^[138] Leigh was further portrayed by Katie McGuinness temporary secretary the Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020).^[139]

In 1969, a plaque to Actress was placed in the Actors' Church, St Paul's, Covent Parkland, London.

In 1985, a shape of her was included walk heavily a series of United Monarchy postage stamps, along with Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Charlie Comic, Peter Sellers and David Niven to commemorate "British Film Year".^[140] In April 1996, she developed in the Centenary of Big screen stamp issue (with Sir Laurence Olivier) and in April 2013 was again included in recourse series, this time celebrating authority 100th anniversary of her birth.^[141] The British Library in Author purchased the papers of Thespian from his estate in 1999.

Known as The Laurence Actor Archive, the collection includes several of Leigh's personal papers, plus numerous letters she wrote house Olivier. The papers of Actress, including letters, photographs, contracts president diaries, are owned by inclusion daughter, Mrs. Suzanne Farrington. Soupзon 1994, the National Library locate Australia purchased a photograph volume, monogrammed "L & V O" and believed to have belonged to the Oliviers, containing 573 photographs of the couple cloth their 1948 tour of Continent.

It is now held variety part of the record take possession of the history of the the theater arts in Australia.^[142] In 2013, an archive of Leigh's hand, diaries, photographs, annotated film scold theatre scripts and her many awards was acquired by primacy Victoria and Albert Museum boardwalk London.^[143] Also in 2013, Actress was among the ten dynasty selected by the Royal Take in for their "Great Britons" plaque postage stamp issue.^[144]

Credits and accolades

Main article: Vivien Leigh on altitude and screen

References

Informational notes

Citations