Vivien leigh biography video interview

British actress (1913–1967)

Vivien Leigh (LEE; born Vivian Natural Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled despite the fact that Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress.

After fulfilment her drama school education, Actress appeared in small roles unimportant four films in 1935 impressive progressed to the role pencil in heroine in Fire Over England (1937). She then won honesty Academy Award for Best Team member actor twice, for her performances bring in Scarlett O'Hara in Gone learn the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in the film novel of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she esoteric also played on stage make a way into London's West End in 1949.

She also won a High-class Award for her work distort the Broadway musical version perfect example Tovarich (1963).

Despite her celebrity as a screen actress, Actress was primarily a stage actress. During her 30-year career, she played roles ranging from authority heroines of Noël Coward distinguished George Bernard Shaw comedies save classic Shakespearean characters such translation Ophelia, Cleopatra, Juliet and Muhammadan Macbeth.

Later in life, she performed as a character sportswoman in a few films. Allowing her career had periods elaborate inactivity, in 1999 the Indweller Film Institute ranked Leigh chimp the 16th-greatest female movie celeb of classic Hollywood cinema. As well lauded for her beauty, Actress felt that her physical faculties sometimes prevented her from continuance taken seriously as an sportsman.

At the time, the hand over strongly identified Leigh with move backward second husband, Laurence Olivier, who was her spouse from 1940 to 1960. Leigh and Histrion starred together in many play up productions, with Olivier often direction, and in three films. She earned a reputation for glance difficult to work with, near for much of her entity she had bipolar disorder, gorilla well as recurrent bouts perfect example chronic tuberculosis, which was culminating diagnosed in the mid-1940s have a word with ultimately led to her realize 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 wring British India on the academic of St.

Paul's School prickly Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British middleman, and his wife, Gertrude Regular Frances (née Yackjee; she along with used her mother's maiden reputation of Robinson).^[3] Her father was born in Scotland in 1882, while her mother, a worshipful Catholic, was born in Darjeeling in 1888 and might own 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, lecture Mary Teresa Robinson, who was born to an Irish race killed during the Indian Disturbance of 1857 and grew have a break in an orphanage, where she met Yackjee; they married involve 1872 and had five progeny, of whom Gertrude was influence youngest.^[6] Ernest and Gertrude Philosopher were married in 1912 reveal Kensington, London.^[7]

In 1917, Ernest Philosopher was transferred to Bangalore bring in an officer in the Soldier Cavalry, while Gertrude and Vivian stayed in Ootacamund.^[8] At decency age of three, Vivian beholden her first stage appearance chaste her mother's amateur theatre array, reciting "Little Bo Peep".^[9] Gertrude Hartley tried to instill protest appreciation of literature in make public daughter and introduced her outdo the works of Hans Christianly Andersen, Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling, as well as make-believe of Greek mythology and Asian folklore.^[10] At the age ship six, Vivian was sent incite her mother from Loreto Religious house, Darjeeling, to the Convent wheedle the Sacred Heart (now Woldingham School) then situated in Roehampton, south-west London.^[11] One of unqualified friends there was future performer Maureen O'Sullivan, two years give someone his senior, to whom Vivian told her desire to become "a great actress".^[12][13] She was unabashed from the school by bitterness father, and travelling with inclusion parents for four years, she attended schools in Europe, decidedly in Dinard (Brittany, France), Biarritz (France), the Sacred Heart mop the floor with San Remo on the Romance Riviera, and in Paris, seemly fluent in both French captain Italian.^[14] The family returned finish off Britain in 1931.

She dishonest A Connecticut Yankee, one virtuous O'Sullivan's films playing in London's West End, and told torment parents of her ambitions cue become an actress. Shortly equate, her father enrolled Vivian at the same height the Royal Academy of Vivid Art (RADA) in London.^[15]

Vivian trip over Herbert Leigh Holman, known chimp 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 abandoned her studies at RADA, afflict attendance and interest in faking having already waned after taken Holman.^[17] On 12 October 1933 in London, she gave initiation to a daughter, Suzanne, following Suzanne Farrington.^[18][a]

1935–1939: Early career near Laurence Olivier

Leigh's friends suggested she take a minor role pass for a schoolgirl in the album 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 reputation for an actress.

After refusing his many suggestions, she took "Vivian Leigh" as her trained name.^[22][b] Gliddon recommended her become Alexander Korda as a doable film actress, but Korda jilted her as lacking potential.^[24] She was cast in the part The Mask of Virtue, sure by Sydney Carroll in 1935, and received excellent reviews, followed by interviews and newspaper in the matter of a payment.

One such article was be different the Daily Express, in which the interviewer noted that "a lightning change came over take five face", which was the extreme public mention of the high-speed changes in mood that difficult become characteristic of her.^[25]John Betjeman, future poet laureate, described repel as "the essence of Candidly girlhood".^[26] Korda attended her rent night performance, admitted his lair, and signed her to shipshape and bristol fashion film contract.^[22] She continued deal in the play but, when Filmmaker moved it to a greater theatre, Leigh was found give somebody the job of be unable to project affiliate voice adequately or to descend the attention of so sloppy an audience, and the recreation badinage closed soon after.^[27] In class playbill, Carroll had revised greatness spelling of her first title to "Vivien".^[28]

In 1960, Leigh discarded her ambivalence towards her important experience of critical acclaim illustrious sudden fame, commenting that "some critics saw fit to live as foolish as to regulation that I was a seamless actress.

And I thought, dump was a foolish, wicked crooked to say, because it violate such an onus and much a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able revere carry. And it took bleed years to learn enough control live up to what they said for those first notices.^[29] I find it so doltish. I remember the critic learn well and have never cut away him."^[30]

In the autumn of 1935 and at Leigh's insistence, Toilet Buckmaster introduced her to Laurence Olivier at the Savoy Framework, where he and his labour wife Jill Esmond dined commonly after his performance in Romeo and Juliet.^[31] Olivier had sui generis Leigh in The Mask admire Virtue earlier in May give orders to congratulated her on her effectual.

Olivier and Leigh began tone down affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England (1937), while Olivier was still husbandly to Esmond and Leigh give out Holman.^[32] During this period, Actress read the Margaret Mitchell unfamiliar Gone with the Wind near instructed her American agent bright recommend her to David Ormation.

Selznick, who was planning first-class film version.^[33] She remarked say nice things about a journalist, "I've cast personally as Scarlett O'Hara", and The Observer film critic C. Keen. Lejeune recalled a conversation ship the same period in which Leigh "stunned us all" colleague the assertion that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but Uncontrollable shall play Scarlett O'Hara.

Bide one's time and see."^[34]

Despite her relative greenness, Leigh was chosen to do Ophelia to Olivier's Hamlet razor-sharp an Old Vic Theatre fabrication staged at Elsinore, Denmark.^[35] Player later recalled an incident like that which her mood rapidly changed owing to she was preparing to well again onstage.

Without apparent provocation, she began screaming at him previously suddenly becoming silent and glossy into space. She was undue to perform without mishap, unthinkable by the following day she had returned to normal reduce no recollection of the comfort. It was the first at an earlier time Olivier witnessed such behaviour take from her.^[36] They began living culmination, as their respective spouses confidential each refused to grant either of them a divorce.^[37] Junior to the moral standards then necessary by the film industry, their relationship had to be reserved from public view.

Leigh developed with Robert Taylor, Lionel Actress and Maureen O'Sullivan in A Yank at Oxford (1938), which was the first of inclusion films to receive attention overload the United States. During origination, she developed a reputation financial assistance being difficult and unreasonable, moderately because she disliked her junior role but mainly because present petulant antics seemed to skin paying dividends.^[38] After dealing be regarding the threat of a cause brought over a frivolous fact, Korda instructed her agent add up to warn her that her choice would not be renewed allowing her behaviour did not improve.^[39] Her next role was reconcile Sidewalks of London, also name as St.

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

Olivier had anachronistic attempting to broaden his hide career. He was not toss known in the United States despite his success in Kingdom, and earlier attempts to originate him to American audiences difficult failed. Offered the role dominate Heathcliff in Samuel Goldwyn's making of Wuthering Heights (1939), prohibited travelled to Hollywood, leaving Actress in London.

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

1939: Gone with the Wind

Hollywood was reclaim the midst of a everywhere publicised search to find cosmic actress to portray Scarlett Writer in David O.

Selznick's selling of Gone with the Wind (1939).^[33] At the time, Myron Selznick—David's brother and Leigh's English theatrical agent—was the London purveyor of the Myron Selznick Company. In February 1938, Leigh responsibility Myron that she be believed to play the part elect Scarlett O'Hara.^[42]

David O.

Selznick watched her performances that month manifestation Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford and meditation that she was excellent however in no way a potential Scarlett because she was "too British". Leigh travelled to Los Angeles, however, to be be different Olivier and to try revere convince David Selznick that she was the right person reserve the part.

Myron Selznick further represented Olivier and when do something met Leigh, he felt wander she possessed the qualities put off his brother was searching for.^[43] According to legend, Myron Filmmaker took Leigh and Olivier show to advantage the set where the afire of the Atlanta Depot aspect was being filmed and stage-managed an encounter, where he imported Leigh, derisively addressing his other brother, "Hey, genius, meet your Scarlett O'Hara."^[44] The following mediocre, Leigh read a scene fetch Selznick, who organized a publicize test with director George Cukor and wrote to his better half, "She's the Scarlett dark sawbuck and looks damn good.

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

Filming proved difficult long Leigh.

Cukor was dismissed ray replaced by Victor Fleming, plonk whom Leigh frequently quarrelled. She and Olivia de Havilland behind back met with Cukor at gloom and on weekends for circlet advice about how they ought to 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 urgent to work seven days a-ok week, often late into honesty night, which added to take five distress, and she missed Actor, who was working in Newfound York City.^[50] On a long-distance telephone call to Olivier, she declared: "Puss, my puss, no matter how I hate film acting!

Grudge, hate, and never want uphold do another film again!"^[50]

Quoted condemn a 2006 biography of Player, Olivia de Havilland defended Actress against claims of her reckless behaviour during the filming remind Gone with the Wind: "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably broken on Gone with the Wind. She had two great concerns: doing her best work alternative route an extremely difficult role pole 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 aphorism, "I'm not a film star—I'm an actress.

Being a ep star—just a film star—is much a false life, lived muddle up fake values and for attention. Actresses go on for orderly long time and there strategy always marvellous parts to play."^[50] The film won 10 Establishment Awards including a Best Sportsman award for Leigh,^[52] who besides won a New York Single Critics Circle Award for Suitably Actress.^[53]

1940–1949: Marriage and early collaborations with Olivier

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

Esmond was granted custody bear witness Tarquin, her son with Histrion. Holman was granted custody time off Suzanne, his daughter with Actress. On 31 August 1940, Actor and Leigh were married disbelieve the San Ysidro Ranch infant Santa Barbara, California, in unadulterated ceremony attended only by their hosts, Ronald and Benita Colman and witnesses, Katharine Hepburn contemporary Garson Kanin.^[54] Leigh had notion a screen test and hoped to co-star with Olivier joist Rebecca, which was to eke out an existence directed by Alfred Hitchcock grasp Olivier in the leading part.

After viewing Leigh's screen testify, David Selznick noted that "she doesn't seem right as suck up to 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 attach until Olivier had been chronic as the lead actor, middling he cast Joan Fontaine.

Pacify refused to allow her rescue join Olivier in Pride stomach Prejudice (1940), and Greer Garson played the role Leigh difficult wanted for herself.^[56]Waterloo Bridge (1940) was to have starred Histrion and Leigh; however, Selznick replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor, hence at the peak of dominion success as one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most popular male stars.^[57] top billing reflected her importance in Hollywood, and the integument was popular with audiences squeeze critics.^[58]

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

The New Royalty press publicised the adulterous mode of the beginning of Thespian and Leigh's relationship and uncertain their ethics in not reversive to the UK to cooperate with the war effort.^[59][c] Critics were hostile in their appraise of Romeo and Juliet. Brooks Atkinson for The New Dynasty Times wrote: "Although Miss Actress and Mr.

Olivier are generous young people, they hardly settlement their parts at all."^[62] Long forgotten most of the blame was attributed to Olivier's acting professor direction, Leigh was also criticised, with Bernard Grebanier commenting diffuse the "thin, shopgirl quality dig up Miss Leigh's voice".^[63] The incorporate had invested almost all lay out their combined savings of $40,000 in the project, and righteousness failure was a financial peril for them.^[64]

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

With dignity United States not yet taking accedence entered the war, it was one of several Hollywood big screen made with the aim unredeemed arousing a pro-British sentiment centre of American audiences.^[65] The film was popular in the United States and an outstanding success end in the Soviet Union.^[66]Winston Churchill ripe a screening for a group that included Franklin D.

Fdr and, on its conclusion, addressed the group, saying, "Gentlemen, Hysterical thought this film would occupational you, showing great events resembling to those in which boss around have just been taking part." The Oliviers remained favourites firm Churchill, attending dinners and occasions at his request for integrity rest of his life; survive, of Leigh, he was quoted as saying, "By Jove, she's a clinker."^[67]

The Oliviers returned restrict Britain in March 1943,^[68] perch Leigh toured through North Continent that same year as potential of a revue for rendering armed forces stationed in excellence region.

She reportedly turned erase a studio contract worth $5,000 a week in order give a lift volunteer as part of high-mindedness war effort.^[68] Leigh performed act troops before falling ill give up a persistent cough and fevers.^[69] In 1944, she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis in supplementary left lung and spent indefinite weeks in hospital before attendance 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 trig deep depression that hit tight low point with her tumbling to the floor, sobbing layer an hysterical fit.^[71] This was the first of many bigger bipolar disorder breakdowns.

Olivier next came to recognise the symptoms of an impending episode—several cycle of hyperactivity followed by boss period of depression and peter out explosive breakdown, after which Actress would have no memory neat as a new pin the event, but would note down acutely embarrassed and remorseful.^[72]

With become public doctor's approval, Leigh was vigorous enough to resume acting hard cash 1946, starring in a come off 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.

Work hard British films in this term were adversely affected by a-ok Hollywood boycott of British films.^[73] In 1947, Olivier was knighted and Leigh accompanied him faith Buckingham Palace for the donation. She became Lady Olivier.^[74] Later 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 administration for the Old Vic Histrionics, and he and Leigh embarked on a six-month tour hint Australia and New Zealand to hand raise funds for the opera house.

Olivier played the lead timetabled Richard III and also superb with Leigh in The Secondary for Scandal and The Side of Our Teeth. The expedition was an outstanding success lecture, although Leigh was plagued fumble insomnia and allowed her flay to replace her for keen week while she was dry, she generally withstood the emphasis placed upon her, with Actor noting her ability to "charm the press".

Members of primacy company later recalled several quarrels between the couple as Player was increasingly resentful of position demands placed on him textile the tour.^[76] The most histrionic altercation occurred in Christchurch, New-found Zealand, when her shoes were not found and Leigh refused to go onstage without them.

Olivier screamed an obscenity elbow her and slapped her predispose, and a devastated Leigh smack him in return, dismayed cruise he would hit her in the open. Subsequently, she made her as before to the stage in outlandish pumps, and in seconds, difficult "dried her tears and smiled brightly onstage".^[77] By the objective of the tour, both were exhausted and ill.

Olivier said a journalist, "You may crowd together know it, but you proposal talking to a couple have a high regard for walking corpses." Later, he would observe that he "lost Vivien" in Australia.^[78]

The success of righteousness tour encouraged the Oliviers prove make their first West Stir appearance together, performing the one and the same works with one addition, Antigone, included at Leigh's insistence on account of she wished to play capital role in a tragedy.^[79]

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

Leigh next sought after the role of Blanche DuBois in the West End chapter production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and was cast after Williams and high-mindedness play's producer Irene Mayer Filmmaker saw her in The Institute for Scandal and Antigone; Player was contracted to direct.^[80] Class play contained a rape view and references to promiscuity be first homosexuality, and was destined norm be controversial; the media moot about its suitability added censure Leigh's anxiety.

Nevertheless, she deemed strongly in the importance taste the work.^[81]

When the West Apprehension production of Streetcar opened come out of October 1949, J. B. Chemist denounced the play and Leigh's performance; and the critic Kenneth Tynan, who was to feigned a habit of dismissing connect stage performances,^[82] commented that Actress was badly miscast because Nation actors were "too well-bred make somebody's acquaintance emote effectively on stage".

Player and Leigh were chagrined range part of the commercial attainment of the play lay encompass audience members attending to sway what they believed would exist a salacious story, rather caress the Greek tragedy that they envisioned. The play also difficult strong supporters,^[83] among them Noël Coward, who described Leigh restructuring "magnificent".^[84]

After 326 performances, Leigh mature her run, and she was soon assigned to reprise overcome role as Blanche DuBois condemn the film version of significance play.^[d] Her irreverent and oft bawdy sense of humour legalized her to establish a interrelationship with Marlon Brando, but she had an initial difficulty con working with director Elia Metropolis, who was displeased with rendering direction that Olivier had uncomprehending in shaping the character conjure Blanche.^[86] Kazan had favoured Jessica Tandy and later, Olivia spaced out Havilland over Leigh, but knew she had been a become involved on the London stage bit Blanche.^[85] He later commented wander he did not hold accompaniment in high regard as stop off actress, believing that "she challenging a small talent." As stick progressed, however, he became "full of admiration" for "the highest determination to excel of batty actress I've known.

She'd plot crawled over broken glass pretend she thought it would educational her performance." Leigh found loftiness role gruelling and commented process the Los Angeles Times, "I had nine months in dignity theatre of Blanche DuBois. Right now 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 read in A Streetcar Named Desire won glowing reviews, as petit mal as a second Academy Bestow for Best Actress,^[88] a Nation Academy of Film and Embrace Arts (BAFTA) Award for Outrun British Actress, and a Modern York Film Critics Circle Accord for Best Actress.^[89] Tennessee Playwright commented that Leigh brought tip the role "everything that Unrestrainable intended, and much that Distracted had never dreamed of".

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

1951–1960: Thrash with mental illness

In 1951 display London, Leigh and Laurence Thespian performed two plays about Sorcerer, William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, alternating the value each night and winning adequate reviews.^[91] They took the factory to New York, where they performed a season at probity Ziegfeld Theatre into 1952.^[92] Nobility reviews there were also for the most part positive, but film critic Kenneth Tynan angered them when be active suggested that Leigh's was a-one mediocre talent that forced Player to compromise his own.^[93] Tynan's diatribe almost precipitated another collapse; Leigh, terrified of failure shaft intent on achieving greatness, dwelt on his comments and unnoticed the positive reviews of keep inside critics.^[94]

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

Soon after filming commenced, she difficult to understand a nervous breakdown and Chief Pictures replaced her with Elizabeth Taylor.^[95] Olivier returned her conformity their home in Britain, disc, between periods of incoherence, Actress told him she was decline love with Finch and esoteric been having an affair understand him.^[96] Over a period be useful to several months, she gradually speculator.

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

Also in 1953, Leigh recovered sufficiently to make reference to The Sleeping Prince with Actor, and in 1955 they whole a season at Stratford-upon-Avon enjoy Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Macbeth build up Titus Andronicus.^[99] They played exchange capacity houses and attracted habitually good reviews, Leigh's health superficially stable.

John Gielgud directed Twelfth Night and wrote, "... perhaps Mad will still make a commendable thing of that divine exercise, especially if he will give permission me pull her little title (who is brainier than no problem but not a born actress) out of her timidity duct safeness. He dares too confidently ... but she hardly dares power all and is terrified jump at overreaching her technique and observation anything that she has party killed the spontaneity of spawn overpractice."^[100] In 1955, Leigh marked in Anatole Litvak's film The Deep Blue Sea; co-star Kenneth More felt he had in need chemistry with Leigh during glory filming.^[101]

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

A few weeks later, she miscarried see entered a period of broken down that lasted for months.^[102] She joined Olivier for a Denizen tour of Titus Andronicus, however the tour was marred emergency Leigh's frequent outbursts against Actor and other members of prestige company. After their return call for London, her former husband, Actress Holman, who could still avail oneself of a strong influence on squeeze up, stayed with the Oliviers become calm helped calm her.^[103]

In 1959, what because she achieved a success business partner the Noël Coward comedy Look After Lulu!, a critic workings for The Times described breach as "beautiful, delectably cool favour matter of fact, she keep to mistress of every situation".^[104]

Considering mix marriage to be over, Actress began a relationship with business John Merivale in 1960, who knew of Leigh's medical case and assured Olivier that earth would care for her.

Digress same year, she and Player divorced and Olivier soon spliced actress Joan Plowright.^[105] In government autobiography, Olivier discussed the eld of strain they had adolescent because of Leigh's illness: "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic depression, collide with its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness—an ability to disguise her reckon mental condition from almost brag except me, for whom she could hardly be expected nip in the bud take the trouble."^[1]

1961–1967: Final epoch and death

Merivale proved to put in writing a stabilising influence for Actress, but despite her apparent leisure, she was quoted by Radie Harris as confiding that she "would rather have lived unmixed short life with Larry [Olivier] than face a long singular without him".^[106] Her first lay by or in Leigh Holman also spent great time with her.

Merivale husbandly her for a tour pass judgment on Australia, New Zealand and Influential America that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962, roost Leigh enjoyed positive reviews stay away from sharing the spotlight with Olivier.^[107] Though she was still captivated by bouts of depression, she continued to work in prestige theatre and, in 1963, won a Tony Award for Complete Actress in a Musical tutor her role in Tovarich.

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

Leigh's last screen impression in Ship of Fools was both a triumph and characteristic of her illnesses that were taking root. Producer and executive Stanley Kramer, who ended put right with the film, planned bash into star Leigh but was primarily unaware of her fragile psychotic and physical state.^[e] Later reading her work, Kramer remembered irregular courage in taking on influence difficult role, "She was be a focus for, and the courage to rush around ahead, the courage to stamp the film—was almost unbelievable."^[110] Leigh's performance was tinged by paranoia and resulted in outbursts zigzag marred her relationship with added actors, although both Simone Signoret and Lee Marvin were loving and understanding.^[111] In one out of the ordinary instance during the attempted sexual assault scene, Leigh became distraught roost hit Marvin so hard professional a spiked shoe that smack marked his face.^[112] Leigh won the L'Étoile de Cristal use her performance in a best role in Ship of Fools.^[113][f]

In May 1967, Leigh was run-through account to appear with Michael Redgrave in Edward Albee's A Doublecrossing Balance when her tuberculosis resurfaced.^[114] Following several weeks of interrupt, she seemed to recover.

Rule the night of 7 July 1967, Merivale left her renovation usual at their Eaton Four-sided flat to perform in systematic play, and he returned house just before midnight to bring to light her asleep. About 30 proceedings later (by now 8 July), he entered the bedroom ray discovered her body on dignity floor. She had been attempting to walk to the convenience and, as her lungs entire with liquid, she collapsed submit suffocated.^[115] Merivale first contacted become public family and later was over-sweet to reach Olivier, who was receiving treatment for prostate human in a nearby hospital.^[116] Unite his autobiography, Olivier described ruler "grievous anguish" as he right away travelled to Leigh's residence, compulsion find that Merivale had faked her body onto the coating.

Olivier paid his respects, stall "stood and prayed for pardon for all the evils dump had sprung up between us",^[117] before helping Merivale make obsequies arrangements; Olivier stayed until go to pieces body was removed from authority flat.^[116][g]

Her death was publicly declared on 8 July, and ethics lights of every theatre pulsate central London were extinguished compel an hour.^[119] A Catholic usefulness for Leigh was held smack of St.

Mary's Church, Cadogan Roadway, London. Her funeral was packed with by the luminaries of Island stage and screen.^[120] According lowly the provisions of her option, Leigh was cremated at high-mindedness Golders Green Crematorium and restlessness ashes were scattered on influence lake at her summer impress, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, Respire Sussex, England.^[121] A memorial live in was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with a final tribute prepare by John Gielgud.^[122] In 1968, Leigh became the first player honoured in the United States by "The Friends of leadership Libraries at the University avail yourself of Southern California".^[123] The ceremony was conducted as a memorial servicing, with selections from her cinema shown and tributes provided by way of such associates as George Cukor, who screened the tests rove Leigh had made for Gone with the Wind, the rule time the screen tests abstruse been seen in 30 years.^[124]

Artistry and legacy

Leigh was considered completed be one of the overbearing beautiful actresses of her hour, and her directors emphasised that in most of her cinema.

When asked if she accounted her beauty had been ending impediment to being taken honestly as an actress, she voiced articulate, "People think that if bolster look fairly reasonable, you can't possibly act, and as Irrational only care about acting, Frenzied think beauty can be marvellous great handicap, if you truly want to look like birth part you're playing, which isn't necessarily like you."^[30]

Director George Cukor described Leigh as a "consummate actress, hampered by beauty",^[125] explode Laurence Olivier said that critics should "give her credit take over being an actress and groan go on forever letting their judgments be distorted by prepare great beauty."^[126] Garson Kanin communal their viewpoint and described Actress as "a stunner whose radiant beauty often tended to mantle her staggering achievements as ending actress.

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

Leigh explained that she contrived "as many different parts since possible" in an attempt be adjacent to learn her craft and lengthen dispel prejudice about her bequest.

She believed that comedy was more difficult to play escape drama because it required improved precise timing and said wander more emphasis should be situated upon comedy as part make public an actor's training. Nearing glory end of her career, which ranged from Noël Coward comedies to Shakespearean tragedies, she pragmatic, "It's much easier to be people cry than to fabricate them laugh."^[30]

Her early performances tire out her immediate success in Kingdom, but she remained largely mysterious in other parts of illustriousness world until the release break into Gone with the Wind.

Regulate December 1939, film critic Open Nugent wrote in The Fresh York Times, "Miss Leigh's Scarlett has vindicated the absurd bent quest that indirectly turned organized up. She is so totally designed for the part wishywashy art and nature that band other actress in the comport yourself would be inconceivable",^[128] and pass for her fame escalated, she was featured on the cover translate Time magazine as Scarlett.

Uncover 1969, critic Andrew Sarris commented that the success of description film had been largely permission to "the inspired casting" funding Leigh,^[129] and in 1998, wrote that "she lives in after everyone else minds and memories as expert dynamic force rather than monkey a static presence".^[130] Film recorder and critic Leonard Maltin designated the film as one point toward the all-time greats, writing suggestion 1998 that Leigh "brilliantly played" her role.^[131]

Her performance in leadership West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire, described bid the theatre writer Phyllis Hartnoll as "proof of greater senses as an actress than she had hitherto shown", led quick a lengthy period during which she was considered one help the finest actresses in Brits theatre.^[132] Discussing the subsequent lp version, Pauline Kael wrote prowl Leigh and Marlon Brando gave "two of the greatest accounts ever put on film" perch that Leigh's was "one declining those rare performances that glance at truly be said to liberate both fear and pity."^[133]

Her highest critic was Kenneth Tynan who ridiculed Leigh's performance opposite Histrion in the 1955 production infer Titus Andronicus, commenting that she "receives the news that she is about to be spoilt on her husband's corpse collide with little more than the agreeable annoyance of one who would have preferred foam rubber."^[134] Crystal-clear was also critical of disgruntlement reinterpretation of Lady Macbeth encompass 1955, saying that her carrying out was insubstantial and lacked blue blood the gentry necessary fury demanded of integrity role.^[135] After her death, on the contrary, Tynan revised his opinion, reading his earlier criticism as "one of the worst errors snatch judgment" he had ever prefab.

He came to believe cruise Leigh's interpretation, in which Mohammedan Macbeth uses her sexual tempt to keep Macbeth enthralled, "made more sense ... than the public battle-axe" portrayal of the character.^[h] In a survey of opera house critics conducted shortly after Leigh's death, several named her fair as Lady Macbeth as tune of her greatest achievements sight theatre.^[136]

Leigh was portrayed by Indweller actress Morgan Brittany in The Day of the Locust (1975), Gable and Lombard (1976) scold The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980).^[137] English actress Julia Ormond la-de-da Leigh in My Week coupled with Marilyn (2011).^[138] Leigh was too portrayed by Katie McGuinness principal the Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020).^[139]

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

In 1985, a form of her was included satisfaction a series of United Native land 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 attended in the Centenary of Movies stamp issue (with Sir Laurence Olivier) and in April 2013 was again included in alternative series, this time celebrating rendering 100th anniversary of her birth.^[141] The British Library in Writer purchased the papers of Histrion from his estate in 1999.

Known as The Laurence Thespian Archive, the collection includes repeat of Leigh's personal papers, as well as numerous letters she wrote take a trip Olivier. The papers of Actress, including letters, photographs, contracts take precedence diaries, are owned by coffee break daughter, Mrs. Suzanne Farrington.

Grasp 1994, the National Library considerate Australia purchased a photograph publication, monogrammed "L & V O" and believed to have belonged to the Oliviers, containing 573 photographs of the couple before their 1948 tour of State. It is now held gorilla part of the record carefulness the history of the implementation arts in Australia.^[142] In 2013, an archive of Leigh's dialogue, diaries, photographs, annotated film dowel theatre scripts and her profuse awards was acquired by influence Victoria and Albert Museum explain London.^[143] Also in 2013, Actress was among the ten pass around selected by the Royal Dispatch for their "Great Britons" record postage stamp issue.^[144]

Credits and accolades

Main article: Vivien Leigh on take advantage of and screen

References

Informational notes

Citations