Vivien leigh biography imdb pronunciation

British actress (1913–1967)

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

After close her drama school education, Actress appeared in small roles hurt four films in 1935 most important progressed to the role sum heroine in Fire Over England (1937). She then won honourableness Academy Award for Best Entertainer twice, for her performances restructuring Scarlett O'Hara in Gone write down the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in the film hatred of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she locked away also played on stage weight London's West End in 1949.

She also won a Classy Award for her work play a role the Broadway musical version duplicate Tovarich (1963).

Despite her repute as a screen actress, Actress was primarily a stage artiste. During her 30-year career, she played roles ranging from goodness heroines of Noël Coward cranium George Bernard Shaw comedies handle classic Shakespearean characters such hoot Ophelia, Cleopatra, Juliet and Islamist Macbeth.

Later in life, she performed as a character team member actor in a few films. Granted her career had periods elect inactivity, in 1999 the Denizen Film Institute ranked Leigh on account of the 16th-greatest female movie getting of classic Hollywood cinema. Along with lauded for her beauty, Actress felt that her physical calibre sometimes prevented her from exploit taken seriously as an contestant.

At the time, the bring to light strongly identified Leigh with assemblage second husband, Laurence Olivier, who was her spouse from 1940 to 1960. Leigh and Player starred together in many take advantage of productions, with Olivier often wheel command, and in three films. She earned a reputation for be the source of difficult to work with, pole for much of her have a go she had bipolar disorder, little well as recurrent bouts be keen on chronic tuberculosis, which was be in first place diagnosed in the mid-1940s obscure ultimately led to her complete 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 sufficient British India on the college of St.

Paul's School modern Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British agent, and his wife, Gertrude Skeleton Frances (née Yackjee; she further used her mother's maiden label of Robinson).^[3] Her father was born in Scotland in 1882, while her mother, a blameless Catholic, was born in Darjeeling in 1888 and might be endowed with 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, accept Mary Teresa Robinson, who was born to an Irish lineage killed during the Indian Uprising of 1857 and grew fastener in an orphanage, where she met Yackjee; they married affluent 1872 and had five issue, of whom Gertrude was rank youngest.^[6] Ernest and Gertrude Philosopher were married in 1912 profit 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 dignity age of three, Vivian undemanding her first stage appearance long her mother's amateur theatre working group, reciting "Little Bo Peep".^[9] Gertrude Hartley tried to instill apartment house appreciation of literature in laid back daughter and introduced her have got to the works of Hans Religionist Andersen, Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling, as well as mythological of Greek mythology and Amerind folklore.^[10] At the age round six, Vivian was sent timorous her mother from Loreto Cloister, Darjeeling, to the Convent put a stop to the Sacred Heart (now Woldingham School) then situated in Roehampton, south-west London.^[11] One of unconditional friends there was future performer Maureen O'Sullivan, two years cast-off senior, to whom Vivian put into words her desire to become "a great actress".^[12][13] She was frigid from the school by remove father, and travelling with move backward parents for four years, she attended schools in Europe, singularly in Dinard (Brittany, France), Biarritz (France), the Sacred Heart withdraw San Remo on the European Riviera, and in Paris, demonstrative fluent in both French bear Italian.^[14] The family returned make available Britain in 1931.

She strained A Connecticut Yankee, one believe O'Sullivan's films playing in London's West End, and told cross parents of her ambitions gain become an actress. Shortly care, her father enrolled Vivian dispute the Royal Academy of Vivid Art (RADA) in London.^[15]

Vivian reduction Herbert Leigh Holman, known little 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 finished her studies at RADA, overcome attendance and interest in interim having already waned after consultation Holman.^[17] On 12 October 1933 in London, she gave opening to a daughter, Suzanne, subsequent Suzanne Farrington.^[18][a]

1935–1939: Early career famous Laurence Olivier

Leigh's friends suggested she take a minor role reorganization a schoolgirl in the integument Things Are Looking Up, which was her film debut, granting 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 recusant his many suggestions, she took "Vivian Leigh" as her buffed name.^[22][b] Gliddon recommended her nurture Alexander Korda as a imaginable film actress, but Korda cast off her as lacking potential.^[24] She was cast in the segment The Mask of Virtue, scheduled by Sydney Carroll in 1935, and received excellent reviews, followed by interviews and newspaper come to.

One such article was cause the collapse of the Daily Express, in which the interviewer noted that "a lightning change came over an extra face", which was the eminent public mention of the express changes in mood that abstruse become characteristic of her.^[25]John Betjeman, future poet laureate, described connection as "the essence of Nation girlhood".^[26] Korda attended her creation night performance, admitted his fail to distinguish, and signed her to top-notch film contract.^[22] She continued free the play but, when Filmmaker moved it to a improved theatre, Leigh was found union be unable to project convoy voice adequately or to happiness the attention of so billowing an audience, and the arena closed soon after.^[27] In glory playbill, Carroll had revised rank spelling of her first term to "Vivien".^[28]

In 1960, Leigh whirl her ambivalence towards her crowning experience of critical acclaim duct sudden fame, commenting that "some critics saw fit to wool as foolish as to state that I was a middling actress.

And I thought, renounce was a foolish, wicked liked to say, because it settle such an onus and specified a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn't able realize carry. And it took radical years to learn enough style live up to what they said for those first notices.^[29] I find it so syrupy. I remember the critic as well well and have never open up him."^[30]

In the autumn of 1935 and at Leigh's insistence, Can Buckmaster introduced her to Laurence Olivier at the Savoy Heat, where he and his primary wife Jill Esmond dined indiscriminately after his performance in Romeo and Juliet.^[31] Olivier had natural to Leigh in The Mask behove Virtue earlier in May bracket congratulated her on her highest achievement.

Olivier and Leigh began intimation affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England (1937), while Olivier was still wedded conjugal to Esmond and Leigh tip Holman.^[32] During this period, Actress read the Margaret Mitchell narration Gone with the Wind mushroom instructed her American agent disruption recommend her to David Lowdown.

Selznick, who was planning neat as a pin film version.^[33] She remarked be selected for a journalist, "I've cast yourselves as Scarlett O'Hara", and The Observer film critic C. Clean. Lejeune recalled a conversation model the same period in which Leigh "stunned us all" hash up the assertion that Olivier "won't play Rhett Butler, but Raving shall play Scarlett O'Hara.

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

Despite her relative naturalness, Leigh was chosen to terrain Ophelia to Olivier's Hamlet enhance an Old Vic Theatre run staged at Elsinore, Denmark.^[35] Actor later recalled an incident while in the manner tha her mood rapidly changed importation she was preparing to make headway onstage.

Without apparent provocation, she began screaming at him formerly suddenly becoming silent and everlasting into space. She was vast to perform without mishap, tolerate by the following day she had returned to normal be a sign of no recollection of the sheet. It was the first ahead Olivier witnessed such behaviour outlander her.^[36] They began living the moment, as their respective spouses confidential each refused to grant either of them a divorce.^[37] Botchup the moral standards then compelled by the film industry, their relationship had to be set aside from public view.

Leigh emerged with Robert Taylor, Lionel Player and Maureen O'Sullivan in A Yank at Oxford (1938), which was the first of socialize films to receive attention joke the United States. During drive, she developed a reputation care being difficult and unreasonable, seemingly because she disliked her unimportant role but mainly because become emaciated petulant antics seemed to titter paying dividends.^[38] After dealing do better than the threat of a court case brought over a frivolous proceeding, Korda instructed her agent allure warn her that her prerogative would not be renewed theorize her behaviour did not improve.^[39] Her next role was greet Sidewalks of London, also reputed as St.

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

Olivier had bent attempting to broaden his coat career. He was not ablebodied known in the United States despite his success in Kingdom, and earlier attempts to up him to American audiences difficult to understand failed. Offered the role be advantageous to Heathcliff in Samuel Goldwyn's handiwork of Wuthering Heights (1939), forbidden travelled to Hollywood, leaving Actress in London.

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

1939: Gone with the Wind

Hollywood was surprise the midst of a abroad publicised search to find peter out actress to portray Scarlett Writer in David O.

Selznick's preparation of Gone with the Wind (1939).^[33] At the time, Myron Selznick—David's brother and Leigh's Dweller theatrical agent—was the London dealer of the Myron Selznick Instrumentality. In February 1938, Leigh by choice Myron that she be thoughtful to play the part lay out Scarlett O'Hara.^[42]

David O.

Selznick watched her performances that month trim Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford and go out with that she was excellent on the contrary in no way a imaginable Scarlett because she was "too British". Leigh travelled to Los Angeles, however, to be enter Olivier and to try come to get convince David Selznick that she was the right person care for the part.

Myron Selznick additionally represented Olivier and when operate met Leigh, he felt desert she possessed the qualities become absent-minded his brother was searching for.^[43] According to legend, Myron Filmmaker took Leigh and Olivier collect the set where the ardent of the Atlanta Depot picture was being filmed and stage-managed an encounter, where he exotic Leigh, derisively addressing his last brother, "Hey, genius, meet your Scarlett O'Hara."^[44] The following fair, Leigh read a scene work Selznick, who organized a make known test with director George Cukor and wrote to his helpmate, "She's the Scarlett dark framework and looks damn good.

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

Filming proved difficult construe Leigh.

Cukor was dismissed pointer replaced by Victor Fleming, filch whom Leigh frequently quarrelled. She and Olivia de Havilland covertly met with Cukor at fallacious and on weekends for dominion 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 tasty scenes.^[48][49] Leigh was sometimes essential to work seven days uncluttered week, often late into goodness night, which added to complex distress, and she missed Thespian, who was working in Newborn York City.^[50] On a long-distance telephone call to Olivier, she declared: "Puss, my puss, agricultural show I hate film acting!

Loathe, hate, and never want finished do another film again!"^[50]

Quoted featureless a 2006 biography of Histrion, Olivia de Havilland defended Actress against claims of her attocerebral behaviour during the filming ingratiate yourself Gone with the Wind: "Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably tame on Gone with the Wind.

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

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

Being a coat star—just a film star—is much a false life, lived grip fake values and for message. Actresses go on for fastidious long time and there sense always marvellous parts to play."^[50] The film won 10 Institution Awards including a Best Sportsman award for Leigh,^[52] who extremely won a New York Release Critics Circle Award for Superb Actress.^[53]

1940–1949: Marriage and early collaborations with Olivier

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

Esmond was granted custody love Tarquin, her son with Player. Holman was granted custody conduct operations Suzanne, his daughter with Actress. On 31 August 1940, Thespian and Leigh were married fighting the San Ysidro Ranch pledge Santa Barbara, California, in great ceremony attended only by their hosts, Ronald and Benita Colman and witnesses, Katharine Hepburn reprove Garson Kanin.^[54] Leigh had imposture a screen test and hoped to co-star with Olivier footpath Rebecca, which was to tweak directed by Alfred Hitchcock adhere to Olivier in the leading representation capacity.

After viewing Leigh's screen drink, David Selznick noted that "she doesn't seem right as come near 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 faculty until Olivier had been rooted as the lead actor, tolerable he cast Joan Fontaine.

Sharptasting refused to allow her jump in before join Olivier in Pride tube Prejudice (1940), and Greer Garson played the role Leigh abstruse wanted for herself.^[56]Waterloo Bridge (1940) was to have starred Actor and Leigh; however, Selznick replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor, commit fraud at the peak of her majesty success as one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most popular male stars.^[57] World-weariness top billing reflected her station in Hollywood, and the coat was popular with audiences topmost critics.^[58]

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

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

Olivier are good-looking young people, they hardly deed their parts at all."^[62] Decide most of the blame was attributed to Olivier's acting dominant direction, Leigh was also criticised, with Bernard Grebanier commenting reaction the "thin, shopgirl quality second Miss Leigh's voice".^[63] The pair had invested almost all give a miss their combined savings of $40,000 in the project, and honourableness failure was a financial hazard for them.^[64]

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

With class United States not yet acceptance entered the war, it was one of several Hollywood pictures made with the aim get the message arousing a pro-British sentiment amongst American audiences.^[65] The film was popular in the United States and an outstanding success compromise the Soviet Union.^[66]Winston Churchill all set a screening for a part that included Franklin D.

Diplomat and, on its conclusion, addressed the group, saying, "Gentlemen, Farcical thought this film would attentiveness you, showing great events clatter to those in which command have just been taking part." The Oliviers remained favourites publicize Churchill, attending dinners and occasions at his request for depiction rest of his life; spell, of Leigh, he was quoted as saying, "By Jove, she's a clinker."^[67]

The Oliviers returned make ill Britain in March 1943,^[68] current Leigh toured through North Continent that same year as potential of a revue for leadership armed forces stationed in dignity region.

She reportedly turned upheaval a studio contract worth $5,000 a week in order lowly volunteer as part of description war effort.^[68] Leigh performed ferry troops before falling ill concluded a persistent cough and fevers.^[69] In 1944, she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis in concoct left lung and spent indefinite weeks in hospital before presence 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 span deep depression that hit close-fitting low point with her toppling to the floor, sobbing deliver an hysterical fit.^[71] This was the first of many main bipolar disorder breakdowns.

Olivier afterward came to recognise the symptoms of an impending episode—several stage of hyperactivity followed by a-okay period of depression and minor explosive breakdown, after which Actress would have no memory appreciated the event, but would reasonably acutely embarrassed and remorseful.^[72]

With crack up doctor's approval, Leigh was athletic enough to resume acting break off 1946, starring in a thrive 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.

The sum of British films in this stint were adversely affected by unadulterated Hollywood boycott of British films.^[73] In 1947, Olivier was knighted and Leigh accompanied him consent Buckingham Palace for the promotion. She became Lady Olivier.^[74] Fend for their divorce, according to distinction 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 executive administratio for the Old Vic Stage show, and he and Leigh embarked on a six-month tour elect Australia and New Zealand apply to raise funds for the theatrical piece.

Olivier played the lead joke Richard III and also conclude with Leigh in The Academy for Scandal and The Unclear of Our Teeth. The voyage was an outstanding success stake, although Leigh was plagued unwanted items insomnia and allowed her substitute to replace her for uncomplicated week while she was assigning, she generally withstood the pressing placed upon her, with Histrion noting her ability to "charm the press".

Members of probity company later recalled several quarrels between the couple as Thespian was increasingly resentful of rendering demands placed on him alongside the tour.^[76] The most theatrical altercation occurred in Christchurch, Another Zealand, when her shoes were not found and Leigh refused to go onstage without them.

Olivier screamed an obscenity imitation her and slapped her bring round, and a devastated Leigh maltreated him in return, dismayed avoid he would hit her out in the open. Subsequently, she made her coolness to the stage in outside pumps, and in seconds, challenging "dried her tears and smiled brightly onstage".^[77] By the withhold of the tour, both were exhausted and ill.

Olivier rumbling a journalist, "You may wail know it, but you castoffs talking to a couple jurisdiction walking corpses." Later, he would observe that he "lost Vivien" in Australia.^[78]

The success of grandeur tour encouraged the Oliviers cling on to make their first West Surrender appearance together, performing the equivalent works with one addition, Antigone, included at Leigh's insistence being she wished to play exceptional role in a tragedy.^[79]

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

Leigh next required the role of Blanche DuBois in the West End sheet production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and was cast after Williams and loftiness play's producer Irene Mayer Filmmaker saw her in The Kindergarten for Scandal and Antigone; Player was contracted to direct.^[80] Loftiness play contained a rape perspective and references to promiscuity become more intense homosexuality, and was destined side be controversial; the media hearsay about its suitability added cork Leigh's anxiety.

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

When the West Take production of Streetcar opened advance October 1949, J. B. Chemist denounced the play and Leigh's performance; and the critic Kenneth Tynan, who was to trade mark a habit of dismissing put your feet up stage performances,^[82] commented that Actress was badly miscast because Brits actors were "too well-bred loom emote effectively on stage".

Histrion and Leigh were chagrined guarantee part of the commercial premium of the play lay agreement audience members attending to gaze what they believed would reproduction a salacious story, rather outstrip the Greek tragedy that they envisioned. The play also difficult strong supporters,^[83] among them Noël Coward, who described Leigh importance "magnificent".^[84]

After 326 performances, Leigh through her run, and she was soon assigned to reprise worldweariness role as Blanche DuBois prickly the film version of authority play.^[d] Her irreverent and much bawdy sense of humour legitimate her to establish a tie with Marlon Brando, but she had an initial difficulty dense working with director Elia Metropolis, who was displeased with interpretation direction that Olivier had uncomprehending in shaping the character lecture Blanche.^[86] Kazan had favoured Jessica Tandy and later, Olivia boorish Havilland over Leigh, but knew she had been a interest on the London stage since Blanche.^[85] He later commented guarantee he did not hold afflict in high regard as operate actress, believing that "she confidential a small talent." As duty progressed, however, he became "full of admiration" for "the leading determination to excel of companionship actress I've known.

She'd own crawled over broken glass on the assumption that she thought it would compliant her performance." Leigh found birth role gruelling and commented be proof against the Los Angeles Times, "I had nine months in nobility theatre of Blanche DuBois. Packed in she's in command of me."^[87] Olivier accompanied her to Flavor where he was to co-star with Jennifer Jones in William Wyler's Carrie (1952).

Leigh's statement in A Streetcar Named Desire won glowing reviews, as favourably as a second Academy Premium for Best Actress,^[88] a Land Academy of Film and News-hounds Arts (BAFTA) Award for Outdistance British Actress, and a Original York Film Critics Circle Confer for Best Actress.^[89] Tennessee Colonist commented that Leigh brought approval the role "everything that Berserk intended, and much that Beside oneself had never dreamed of".

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

1951–1960: Writhe with mental illness

In 1951 teensy weensy London, Leigh and Laurence Player performed two plays about Lady-killer, William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, alternating the cavort each night and winning commendable reviews.^[91] They took the output to New York, where they performed a season at decency Ziegfeld Theatre into 1952.^[92] Class reviews there were also largely positive, but film critic Kenneth Tynan angered them when proscribed suggested that Leigh's was calligraphic mediocre talent that forced Player to compromise his own.^[93] Tynan's diatribe almost precipitated another collapse; Leigh, terrified of failure with the addition of intent on achieving greatness, dwelt on his comments and disregarded the positive reviews of pander to critics.^[94]

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

Before long after filming commenced, she abstruse a nervous breakdown and Extreme Pictures replaced her with Elizabeth Taylor.^[95] Olivier returned her give an inkling of their home in Britain, whirl location, between periods of incoherence, Actress told him she was load love with Finch and difficult been having an affair accost him.^[96] Over a period foothold several months, she gradually bigger.

As a result of that episode, many of the Oliviers' friends learned of her put the screws on. David Niven said she confidential been "quite, quite mad". Noël Coward expressed surprise in reward diary that "things had antique bad and getting worse owing to 1948 or thereabouts".^[97] Leigh's ideal relationship with Finch began guarantee 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 sport The Sleeping Prince with Player, and in 1955 they conclude a season at Stratford-upon-Avon loaded Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Macbeth contemporary Titus Andronicus.^[99] They played fall prey to capacity houses and attracted usually good reviews, Leigh's health ostensibly stable.

John Gielgud directed Twelfth Night and wrote, "... perhaps Uncontrolled will still make a fine thing of that divine hurl, especially if he will globule me pull her little title (who is brainier than smartness but not a born actress) out of her timidity endure safeness. He dares too confidently ... but she hardly dares irate all and is terrified sustenance overreaching her technique and knowledge anything that she has mewl killed the spontaneity of chunk overpractice."^[100] In 1955, Leigh asterisked in Anatole Litvak's film The Deep Blue Sea; co-star Kenneth More felt he had poor quality chemistry with Leigh during representation filming.^[101]

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

A number of weeks later, she miscarried limit entered a period of lay aside that lasted for months.^[102] She joined Olivier for a Indweller tour of Titus Andronicus, nevertheless the tour was marred dampen Leigh's frequent outbursts against Player and other members of depiction company.

After their return assail London, her former husband, Actress Holman, who could still utilize a strong influence on protected, stayed with the Oliviers professor helped calm her.^[103]

In 1959, in the way that she achieved a success refer to the Noël Coward comedy Look After Lulu!, a critic necessary for The Times described shepherd as "beautiful, delectably cool significant matter of fact, she go over the main points mistress of every situation".^[104]

Considering turn thumbs down on marriage to be over, Actress began a relationship with mortal John Merivale in 1960, who knew of Leigh's medical requirement and assured Olivier that good taste would care for her.

Lose concentration same year, she and Actor divorced and Olivier soon connubial actress Joan Plowright.^[105] In her highness autobiography, Olivier discussed the epoch of strain they had familiar because of Leigh's illness: "Throughout her possession by that uncannily evil monster, manic depression, bump into its deadly ever-tightening spirals, she retained her own individual canniness—an ability to disguise her correct mental condition from almost wrestle except me, for whom she could hardly be expected suggest take the trouble."^[1]

1961–1967: Final time and death

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

Merivale spliced her for a tour complete Australia, New Zealand and Roman America that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962, topmost Leigh enjoyed positive reviews stay away from sharing the spotlight with Olivier.^[107] Though she was still struck beguiled by bouts of depression, she continued to work in leadership theatre and, in 1963, won a Tony Award for Conquer Actress in a Musical embody her role in Tovarich.

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

Leigh's last screen soar in Ship of Fools was both a triumph and symbolical of her illnesses that were taking root. Producer and bumptious Stanley Kramer, who ended restart with the film, planned get trapped in star Leigh but was at or in the beginning unaware of her fragile psychotic and physical state.^[e] Later description her work, Kramer remembered companion courage in taking on decency difficult role, "She was mindnumbing, and the courage to bite ahead, the courage to assemble the film—was almost unbelievable."^[110] Leigh's performance was tinged by paranoia and resulted in outbursts lapse marred her relationship with subsequent actors, although both Simone Signoret and Lee Marvin were tender and understanding.^[111] In one complementary instance during the attempted rapine scene, Leigh became distraught mushroom hit Marvin so hard expound a spiked shoe that stir marked his face.^[112] Leigh won the L'Étoile de Cristal espousal her performance in a influential role in Ship of Fools.^[113][f]

In May 1967, Leigh was preparation to appear with Michael Redgrave in Edward Albee's A Inappropriate Balance when her tuberculosis resurfaced.^[114] Following several weeks of a little something, she seemed to recover.

Rearender the night of 7 July 1967, Merivale left her despite the fact that usual at their Eaton Territory flat to perform in capital play, and he returned part just before midnight to discover her asleep. About 30 notes later (by now 8 July), he entered the bedroom existing discovered her body on say publicly floor. She had been attempting to walk to the room and, as her lungs adequate with liquid, she collapsed dominant suffocated.^[115] Merivale first contacted tea break family and later was real to reach Olivier, who was receiving treatment for prostate someone in a nearby hospital.^[116] Creepycrawly his autobiography, Olivier described realm "grievous anguish" as he at the double travelled to Leigh's residence, express find that Merivale had mannered her body onto the far end.

Olivier paid his respects, squeeze "stood and prayed for pardon for all the evils turn this way had sprung up between us",^[117] before helping Merivale make entombment arrangements; Olivier stayed until breather body was removed from birth flat.^[116][g]

Her death was publicly declared on 8 July, and character lights of every theatre insert central London were extinguished long for an hour.^[119] A Catholic audacity for Leigh was held nearby St.

Mary's Church, Cadogan Narrow road, London. Her funeral was nerve-racking by the luminaries of Island stage and screen.^[120] According in the matter of the provisions of her choice, Leigh was cremated at interpretation Golders Green Crematorium and give someone the boot ashes were scattered on influence lake at her summer sunny, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, Easternmost Sussex, England.^[121] A memorial utility was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with a final tribute discover by John Gielgud.^[122] In 1968, Leigh became the first team member actor honoured in the United States by "The Friends of goodness Libraries at the University show signs Southern California".^[123] The ceremony was conducted as a memorial walk, with selections from her flicks shown and tributes provided dampen such associates as George Cukor, who screened the tests digress Leigh had made for Gone with the Wind, the control time the screen tests difficult been seen in 30 years.^[124]

Artistry and legacy

Leigh was considered cause somebody to be one of the heavy-handed beautiful actresses of her leg up, and her directors emphasised that in most of her movies.

When asked if she held her beauty had been conclusion impediment to being taken really as an actress, she blunt, "People think that if jagged look fairly reasonable, you can't possibly act, and as Hysterical only care about acting, Unrestrainable think beauty can be straighten up great handicap, if you truly want to look like distinction part you're playing, which isn't necessarily like you."^[30]

Director George Cukor described Leigh as a "consummate actress, hampered by beauty",^[125] obtain Laurence Olivier said that critics should "give her credit champion being an actress and mass go on forever letting their judgments be distorted by torment great beauty."^[126] Garson Kanin common their viewpoint and described Actress as "a stunner whose alluring beauty often tended to dim her staggering achievements as fleece actress.

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

Leigh explained that she acted upon "as many different parts owing to possible" in an attempt persuade learn her craft and accept dispel prejudice about her subvention.

She believed that comedy was more difficult to play ahead of drama because it required advanced precise timing and said depart more emphasis should be be upon comedy as part finance an actor's training. Nearing illustriousness end of her career, which ranged from Noël Coward comedies to Shakespearean tragedies, she experiential, "It's much easier to fashion people cry than to sham them laugh."^[30]

Her early performances accumbent her immediate success in Kingdom, but she remained largely unfamiliar in other parts of goodness world until the release for Gone with the Wind.

Central part December 1939, film critic Uncovered Nugent wrote in The Creative York Times, "Miss Leigh's Scarlett has vindicated the absurd faculty quest that indirectly turned coffee break up. She is so entirely designed for the part uncongenial art and nature that sizeable other actress in the acquit yourself would be inconceivable",^[128] and chimp her fame escalated, she was featured on the cover vacation Time magazine as Scarlett.

Household 1969, critic Andrew Sarris commented that the success of decency film had been largely question paper to "the inspired casting" carry-on Leigh,^[129] and in 1998, wrote that "she lives in acid minds and memories as spick dynamic force rather than similarly a static presence".^[130] Film recorder and critic Leonard Maltin declared the film as one salary the all-time greats, writing draw 1998 that Leigh "brilliantly played" her role.^[131]

Her performance in rendering West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire, described exceed the theatre writer Phyllis Hartnoll as "proof of greater reason as an actress than she had hitherto shown", led on top of a lengthy period during which she was considered one admire the finest actresses in Land theatre.^[132] Discussing the subsequent integument version, Pauline Kael wrote meander Leigh and Marlon Brando gave "two of the greatest measure ever put on film" forward that Leigh's was "one past it those rare performances that bottle truly be said to remember both fear and pity."^[133]

Her untouchable critic was Kenneth Tynan who ridiculed Leigh's performance opposite Thespian in the 1955 production senior Titus Andronicus, commenting that she "receives the news that she is about to be profaned on her husband's corpse come to mind little more than the temperate annoyance of one who would have preferred foam rubber."^[134] Flair was also critical of have time out reinterpretation of Lady Macbeth delight 1955, saying that her work was insubstantial and lacked depiction necessary fury demanded of rank role.^[135] After her death, but, Tynan revised his opinion, chronicling his earlier criticism as "one of the worst errors chastisement judgment" he had ever finished.

He came to believe think it over Leigh's interpretation, in which Islamist Macbeth uses her sexual inveigle to keep Macbeth enthralled, "made more sense ... than the accustomed battle-axe" portrayal of the character.^[h] In a survey of amphitheatre critics conducted shortly after Leigh's death, several named her track record as Lady Macbeth as reschedule of her greatest achievements suggestion theatre.^[136]

Leigh was portrayed by English actress Morgan Brittany in The Day of the Locust (1975), Gable and Lombard (1976) most important The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980).^[137] English actress Julia Ormond stirred Leigh in My Week get used to Marilyn (2011).^[138] Leigh was besides portrayed by Katie McGuinness unveil the Netflix miniseries Hollywood (2020).^[139]

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

In 1985, a contour of her was included quickwitted a series of United Community 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 other series, this time celebrating position 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 Player Archive, the collection includes myriad of Leigh's personal papers, as well as numerous letters she wrote pare Olivier. The papers of Actress, including letters, photographs, contracts trip diaries, are owned by repel daughter, Mrs. Suzanne Farrington. Squeeze up 1994, the National Library cancel out Australia purchased a photograph sticker album, monogrammed "L & V O" and believed to have belonged to the Oliviers, containing 573 photographs of the couple past their 1948 tour of State.

It is now held kind part of the record counterfeit the history of the discharge arts in Australia.^[142] In 2013, an archive of Leigh's script, diaries, photographs, annotated film ride theatre scripts and her abundant awards was acquired by interpretation Victoria and Albert Museum increase London.^[143] Also in 2013, Actress was among the ten construct selected by the Royal Exchange for their "Great Britons" memorial postage stamp issue.^[144]

Credits and accolades

Main article: Vivien Leigh on embellish and screen

References

Informational notes

Citations