Laurence Olivier Biography (1907-1989)

Full name, Laurence Kerr Olivier; born May 22, 1907, in Dorking, England; died July 11, 1989, in Steyning, England; son of Gerard Kerr (a clergyman) and Agnes Louise (Crookenden) Olivier; married Jill Esmond (an actress), 1930 (divorced, 1940); married Vivien Leigh (an actress), August 30, 1940 (divorced, 1960); married Joan Plowright (an actress), March 17, 1961; children: Simon Tarquin (first marriage); Richard Kerr, Tamsin Agnes Margaret, and Julie Kate (third marriage).

Nationality
English
Gender
Male
Birth Details
May 22, 1907
Dorking, England
Death Details
July 11, 1989
Steyning, England

Famous Works

  • Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
  • STAGE DEBUT--Policeman, The Ghost Train, Brighton Hippodrome, Brighton, U.K.
  • BROADWAY DEBUT--Hugh Bromilow, Murder on the Second Floor, Eltinge Theatre, 1929.
  • Suliot officer, Byron, Century Theatre, London, 1924.
  • Thomas of Clarence and Snare, Henry IV, Part Two, Fellowship of Players,Regent Theatre, London, 1925.
  • Tony Lumpkin, She Stoops to Conquer and Minstrel, The Marvelous History of Saint Bernard, both Birmingham Repertory Company, Kingsway Theatre, Birmingham, U.K., 1926.
  • young man, The Adding Machine, Malcolm, Macbeth, Martellus, Back to Methuselah, title role, Harold, and Lord, The Taming of the Shrew, all BirminghamRepertory Company, Court Theatre, London, 1928.
  • Gerald Arnwood, Bird in Hand, Royalty Theatre, London, 1928.
  • Captain Stanhope, Journey's End, Stage Society, Apollo Theatre, London, 1928.
  • Michael "Beau" Geste, Beau Geste, His Majesty's Theatre, London, 1929.
  • Prince Po, The Circle of Chalk, New Theatre, London, 1929.
  • Richard Parish, Paris Bound, Lyric Theatre, London, 1929.
  • John Hardy, The Stranger Within, Garrick Theatre, London, 1929.
  • Jerry Warrender, The Last Enemy, Fortune Theatre, London, 1929.
  • Ralph, After All, Arts Theatre, London, 1930.
  • Victor Prynne, Private Lives, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1930, then Times Square Theatre, New York City, 1931.
  • Steven Beringer, The Rats of Norway, Playhouse Theatre, London, 1933.
  • Julian Dulcimer, The Green Bay Tree, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1933.
  • Richard Kurt, Biography, Globe Theatre, London, 1934.
  • Bothwell, Queen of Scots, New Theatre, 1934.
  • Anthony Cavendish, Theatre Royal, Lyric Theatre, 1934.
  • Peter Hammond, Ringmaster, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1935.
  • Richard Harben, Golden Arrow, Whitehall Theatre, London, 1935.
  • Romeo, then Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet, New Theatre, 1935.
  • Robert Patch, Bees on the Boatdeck, Lyric Theatre, 1936.
  • title role, Hamlet, Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, London, then Kronborg Castle, Elsinore, Denmark, both 1937.
  • Sir Toby Belch, Twelfth Night and title role, Henry V, both Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1937.
  • title role, Macbeth, Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, then New Theatre, both 1937.
  • Iago, Othello, Vivaldi, The King of Nowhere, and Caius Marcius, Coriolanus, all Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1938.
  • Gaylord Easterbrook, No Time for Comedy, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1939.
  • Romeo, Romeo and Juliet, 51st Street Theatre, New York City, 1940.
  • Button Moulder, Peer Gynt, Sergius Saranoff, Arms and the Man, and titlerole, Richard III, all Old Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1944, then Comedie-Francaise Theatre, Paris, France, 1945.
  • title role, Oedipus and Puff, The Critic (double-bill), Astrov, Uncle Vanya, Hotspur, Henry IV, Part One, and Justice Shallow, Henry IV, Part Two, allOld Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1945.
  • title role, Oedipus and Puff, The Critic (double-bill), Hotspur, Henry IV, Part One, Justice Shallow, Henry IV, Part Two, and Astrov, Uncle Vanya, allOld Vic Theatre Company, Century Theatre, New York City, 1946.
  • title role, King Lear, Old Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1946.
  • Sir Peter Teazle, The School for Scandal, title role, Richard III, and Chorus, Antigone, all Old Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1949.
  • Duke of Altair, Venus Observed, St. James' Theatre, London, 1950.
  • Caesar, Caesar and Cleopatra and Antony, Antony and Cleopatra, both St. James' Theatre, then Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City, both 1951.
  • Grand Duke, The Sleeping Prince, Phoenix Theatre, 1953.
  • title role, Macbeth, title role, Titus Andronicus, and Malvolio, TwelfthNight, all Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, U.K., 1955.
  • title role, Titus Andronicus, Stoll Theatre, London, 1957.
  • Archie Rice, The Entertainer, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre,then Palace Theatre, both London, 1957, later Royale Theatre, New York City,1958.
  • title role, Coriolanus, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, ShakespeareMemorial Theatre, 1959.
  • Berenger, Rhinoceros, Royal Court Theatre, then Strand Theatre, London, both 1960.
  • title role, Becket, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1960.
  • Henry II, Becket, Hudson Theatre, New York City, 1961.
  • Prologue and Bassanes, The Broken Heart and Astrov, Uncle Vanya, both Chichester Theatre Festival, Chichester, U.K., 1962.
  • Fred Midway, Semi-Detached, Saville Theatre, London, 1962.
  • Astrov, Uncle Vanya, Chichester Theatre Festival, 1963.
  • Astrov, Uncle Vanya and Captain Brazen, The Recruiting Officer, both National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1963.
  • title role, Othello, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, then Chichester Theatre Festival, both 1964.
  • Halvard Solness, The Master Builder, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1964.
  • Tattle, Love for Love, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1965.
  • Edgar, The Dance of Death, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, London, 1967.
  • Etienne, A Flea in Her Ear, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, 1967.
  • A.B. Raham, Home and Beauty, National Theatre Company, National Theatre,1969.
  • Chebutikin, The Three Sisters, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, then Brighton Royal Theatre, Brighton, U.K., both 1969.
  • Shylock, The Merchant of Venice, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, 1970.
  • James Tyrone, Long Day's Journey into Night, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, 1971.
  • Antonio, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and John Tagg, The Party, both NationalTheatre Company, National Theatre, 1973.
  • holographic image, Time, Dominion Theatre, London, 1986.
  • Also appeared in Henry VIII and The Cenci, both Empire Theatre, London, 1925.
  • Credits; STAGE WORK
  • Producer, Golden Arrow, Whitehall Theatre, London, 1935.
  • producer (with Ralph Richardson), Bees on the Boatdeck, Lyric Theatre, London, 1936.
  • producer and director (with Robert Ross), Romeo and Juliet, 51st Street Theatre, New York City, 1940.
  • producer, The Skin of Our Teeth, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1945.
  • director, King Lear, Old Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, London, 1946.
  • producer, Born Yesterday, Garrick Theatre, London, 1947.
  • producer, A Streetcar Named Desire, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1949.
  • director, Antigone and The Proposal (double-bill) and The School for Scandal, both Old Vic Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1949.
  • producer, Venus Observed and Captain Carvallo, both St. James's Theatre,London, 1950.
  • producer, Caesar and Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, and Othello, all St. James's Theatre, 1951.
  • producer (with Gilbert Miller), The Happy Time, St. James's Theatre, 1952.
  • director, Venus Observed, New Century Theatre, New York City, 1952.
  • producer, Anastasia, St. James's Theatre, 1953.
  • producer, Waiting for Gillian, St. James's Theatre, 1954.
  • producer, Meet a Body, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1954.
  • Producer, Double Image, Savoy Theatre, London, 1956.
  • producer, The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, New Theatre, 1957.
  • producer, The Shifting Heart, Duke of York's Theatre, 1959.
  • producer (with others), The Tumbler, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City,1960.
  • producer, A Lodging for a Bride, Westminster Theatre, London, 1960.
  • producer (with others), Over the Bridge, Prince's Theatre, London, 1960.
  • director, The Chances, The Broken Heart, and Uncle Vanya, all ChichesterTheatre Festival, Chichester, U.K., 1962.
  • director, Hamlet, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1963.
  • director, Uncle Vanya, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1963.
  • director, The Crucible, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, London, 1965.
  • director, Juno and the Paycock, National Theatre Company, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, U.K., then National Theatre, both 1966.
  • director, The Three Sisters, National Theatre, 1967.
  • director (with others), The Advertisement, Brighton Royal Theatre, Brighton, U.K., 1968.
  • director, Love's Labour's Lost, National Theatre Company, National Theatre, 1968.
  • director, The Three Sisters, National Theatre Company, Ahmanson Theatre,Los Angeles, 1970.
  • director, Amphitryon Thirty-Eight, National Theatre Company, New Theatre,Oxford, U.K., then National Theatre, both 1971.
  • director, Eden End, National Theatre Company, Richmond Theatre, London, then National Theatre, both 1974.
  • director, Filumena, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1980.
  • Credits; MAJOR TOURS
  • Richard Coaker, The Farmer's Wife, U.K. cities, 1926.
  • Mr. Antrobus, The Skin of Our Teeth, and in The School for Scandal and Richard III, Old Vic Theatre Company, Australian and New Zealand cities, 1948.
  • title role, Titus Andronicus, European cities, 1957.
  • Henry II, Becket, U.S. cities, 1961.
  • title role, Othello and Love for Love, both National Theatre Company, West German and Soviet Union cities, 1965.
  • Love for Love, The Dance of Death, and Plucheux, A Flea in Her Ear, Canadian cities, 1967.
  • Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
  • FILM DEBUT--Man, Too Many Crooks, Paramount, 1927.
  • Peter Bille, The Temporary Widow (also known as Murder for Sale), Wardour, 1930.
  • Lieutenant Nichols, Friends and Lovers, RKO, 1931.
  • Straker, Her Strange Desire (also known as Potiphar's Wife), Powers, 1931.
  • Julian Rolfe, The Yellow Ticket (also known as The Yellow Passport), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1931.
  • Nick Allen, Westward Passage, RKO, 1932.
  • Nicholas Randall, Perfect Understanding, United Artists, 1933.
  • Clive Dering, No Funny Business, United Artists/Principal, 1934.
  • Orlando, As You Like It, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1936.
  • Captain Ignatoff, I Stand Condemned (also known as Moscow Nights), UnitedArtists, 1936.
  • Michael Ingolby, Fire Over England, United Artists, 1937.
  • Logan, The Divorce of Lady X, United Artists, 1938.
  • Tony McVane, Clouds Over Europe (also known as Q Planes), Columbia, 1939.
  • Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights, United Artists, 1939.
  • Vincent Lunardi, Conquest of the Air, United Artists, 1940.
  • Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1940.
  • Maxim de Winter, Rebecca, United Artists, 1940.
  • Larry Durrant, Twenty-One Days Together (also known as Twenty One Days and The First and the Last), Columbia, 1940.
  • Johnnie, The Invaders (also known as Forty-Ninth Parallel), Columbia, 1941.
  • Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, That Hamilton Woman (also known as Lady Hamilton), United Artists, 1941.
  • narrator, This Happy Breed, Prestige/Universal, 1944.
  • Ivan Dimitrevitch Kouzenetsoff, Adventure for Two (also known as The Demi-Paradise), General Film Distributors, 1945.
  • title role, Henry V, United Artists, 1946.
  • title role, Hamlet, General Film Distributors, 1948.
  • George Hurstwood, Carrie, Paramount, 1952.
  • second Holborn policeman, The Magic Box, British Lion, 1952.
  • Captain MacHeath, The Beggar's Opera, Warner Brothers, 1953.
  • title role, Richard III, Lopert, 1956.
  • Charles, Prince Regent, The Prince and the Showgirl, Warner Brothers, 1957.
  • General "Gentleman Johnnie" Burgoyne, The Devil's Disciple, United Artists, 1959.
  • Archie Rice, The Entertainer, Bryanston/British Lion, 1960.
  • Marcus Licinius Crassus, Spartacus, Universal, 1960.
  • Graham Weir, Term of Trial, Warner Brothers, 1962.
  • Newhouse, Bunny Lake Is Missing, Columbia, 1965.
  • title role, Othello, Warner Brothers, 1965.
  • Mahdi, Khartoum, United Artists, 1966.
  • prologue and epilogue narrator, Romeo and Juliet, Paramount, 1968.
  • Piotr Ilyich Kamenev, The Shoes of the Fisherman, MGM, 1968.
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, The Battle of Britain, United Artists, 1969.
  • Field Marshal Sir John French, Oh! What a Lovely War, Paramount, 1969.
  • Mr. Creakle, David Copperfield, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970.
  • Count Witte, Nicholas and Alexandra, Columbia, 1971.
  • Edgar, The Dance of Death, Paramount, 1971.
  • Duke of Wellington, Lady Caroline Lamb, United Artists, 1972.
  • Andrew Wyke, Sleuth, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972.
  • Dr. Chebutikan, The Three Sisters, American Film Theatre, 1974.
  • Szell, Marathon Man, Paramount, 1976.
  • narrator, Gentleman Tramp (documentary), PWE/Fox/Rank, 1976.
  • Dr. Spaander, A Bridge Too Far, United Artists, 1977.
  • Professor Moriarty, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Universal, 1977.
  • Dr. Astrov, Uncle Vanya, Arthur Cantor, 1977.
  • Loren Hardeman, Sr., The Betsy, Allied Artists, 1978.
  • Ezra Lieberman, The Boys from Brazil, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1978.
  • Abraham Van Helsing, Dracula, Universal, 1979.
  • Julius Edmond Santorin, A Little Romance, Orion, 1979.
  • Cantor Rabinovitch, The Jazz Singer, Associated 1980.
  • Zeus, Clash of the Titans, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists (MGM/UA), 1981.
  • General Douglas MacArthur, Inchon, MGM/UA, 1981.
  • Pfeufer, Wagner, Alan Landsburg, 1983.
  • Admiral Sir Gerald Scaith, The Jigsaw Man, United Film Distribution, 1984.
  • Admiral Hood, The Bounty, Orion, 1984.
  • Rudolf Hess, Wild Geese II, Universal, 1985.
  • as himself, Directed By William Wyler (documentary), Tatge, 1986.
  • old soldier, War Requiem, Anglo International, 1989.
  • Also commentator, Words for Battle, 1942; narrator, Tree of Life, 1971.
  • Credits; FILM WORK
  • Producer (with Filippo Del Giudice) and director (with Reginald Beck), Henry V, United Artists, 1946.
  • producer and director, Hamlet, General Film Distributors, 1948.
  • producer (with Herbert Wilcox), The Beggar's Opera, Lopert, 1953.
  • director (with Anthony Bushell) and producer, Richard III, Warner Brothers, 1956.
  • producer and director, The Prince and the Showgirl, Warner Brothers, 1957.
  • director (with John Sichel), The Three Sisters, America Film Theatre, 1974.
  • Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
  • Narrator, World at War, syndicated, 1973.
  • MINI-SERIES Nicodemus, Jesus of Nazareth, NBC, 1977.
  • Lord Marchmain, Brideshead Revisited, Granada, 1980-81, then Great Performances, PBS, 1982.
  • Gaius, The Last Days of Pompeii, ABC, 1984.
  • King William III, Peter the Great, NBC, 1986.
  • Harry Burrard, "Lost Empires," Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1987.
  • Credits; EPISODIC
  • Host and narrator, "Male of the Species," On Stage, NBC, 1969.
  • Also ABC Stage '67, ABC.
  • Credits; MOVIES
  • Mr. Creakle, David Copperfield, NBC, 1970.
  • Sir Arthur Granville-Jones, Love Among the Ruins, ABC, 1975.
  • Big Daddy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, NBC, 1976.
  • Doc Delaney, Come Back, Little Sheba, NBC, 1977.
  • Mr. Joseph Halperin, Mr. Halperin and Mr. Johnson, HBO, 1984.
  • old soldier, War Requiem, BBC, 1988.
  • Credits; SPECIALS
  • TELEVISION DEBUT--Title role, John Gabriel Borkman, BBC, 1958.
  • Charles Strickland, The Moon and Sixpence, NBC, 1959.
  • Priest, The Power and the Glory, CBS, 1961.
  • Astrov, Uncle Vanya, BBC, 1963, then N.E.T. Playhouse, PBS, 1967.
  • James Tyrone, Long Day's Journey into Night, ABC, 1973.
  • Shylock, The Merchant of Venice, ABC, 1974.
  • barrister, A Voyage 'round My Father, 1982.
  • title role, King Lear, syndicated, 1983.
  • Henry Breasley, "The Ebony Tower," Great Performances, PBS, 1987.
  • Also The Collection, Daphne Laureola, and Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
  • Credits; TELEVISION WORK; MOVIES
  • Producer (with Derek Granger), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, NBC, 1976.
  • artistic and creative producer, Come Back, Little Sheba, NBC, 1977.
  • Also producer, The Best Play of the Year, 1976 and 1977; producer and director, Hindle Wakes, 1976; producer, Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
  • producer, The Collection.
  • Credits; RADIO APPEARANCES; SPECIALS
  • Title role, "Richard III," Columbia Workshop, CBS, 1946.
  • Writings;FILM
  • (Adaptor with Alan Dent) Henry V, United Artists, 1946.
  • (adaptor with Dent, Colley Cibber, and David Garrick) Richard III, WarnerBrothers, 1956.
  • Writings;OTHER
  • Confessions of an Actor, (autobiography), Simon & Schuster, 1982.
  • On Acting, Simon & Schuster, 1986.
  • Also (with Michel Saint-Denis) Five Seasons of the Old Vic Theatre Company, 1950.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

  • New York Times, July 12, 1989.
  • Theatre Week, July 24, 1989.
  • Variety, July 12-18, 1989.