Laurence Olivier

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

147

Gender

Male

Birthday

1907-05-22

Day of death

1989-07-11 (82 years old)

Place of Birth

Dorking, Surrey, England, UK

Laurence Olivier

Biography

Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM (22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson, Peggy Ashcroft and John Gielgud, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles. Late in his career, he had considerable success in television roles. His family had no theatrical connections, but Olivier's father, a clergyman, decided that his son should become an actor. After attending a drama school in London, Olivier learned his craft in a succession of acting jobs during the late 1920s. In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Coward's Private Lives, and he appeared in his first film. In 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Ashcroft, and by the end of the decade he was an established star. In the 1940s, together with Richardson and John Burrell, Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic, building it into a highly respected company. There his most celebrated roles included Shakespeare's Richard III and Sophocles's Oedipus. In the 1950s Olivier was an independent actor-manager, but his stage career was in the doldrums until he joined the avant garde English Stage Company in 1957 to play the title role in The Entertainer, a part he later played on film. From 1963 to 1973 he was the founding director of Britain's National Theatre, running a resident company that fostered many future stars. His own parts there included the title role in Othello (1965) and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1970). Among Olivier's films are Wuthering Heights (1939), Rebecca (1940), and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director: Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1955). His later films included The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). His television appearances included an adaptation of The Moon and Sixpence (1960), Long Day's Journey into Night (1973), Love Among the Ruins (1975), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1976), Brideshead Revisited (1981) and King Lear (1983). Olivier's honours included a knighthood (1947), a life peerage (1970) and the Order of Merit (1981). For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. The National Theatre's largest auditorium is named in his honour, and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards, given annually by the Society of London Theatre. He was married three times, to the actresses Jill Esmond from 1930 to 1940, Vivien Leigh from 1940 to 1960, and Joan Plowright from 1961 until his death.

Known For

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Great Performances

    Great Performances

  • Great Performances

    Great Performances

  • The Dick Cavett Show

    The Dick Cavett Show

  • The Carol Burnett Show

    The Carol Burnett Show

  • The Oscars

    The Oscars

  • Omnibus

    Omnibus

  • The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

  • Jesus of Nazareth

    Jesus of Nazareth

  • Revisiting Brideshead

    Revisiting Brideshead

  • Othello

    Othello

  • Spartacus

    Spartacus

  • King Lear

    King Lear

  • Khartoum

    Khartoum

  • The Volunteer

    The Volunteer

  • Wuthering Heights

    Wuthering Heights

  • Wild Geese II

    Wild Geese II

  • A Bridge Too Far

    A Bridge Too Far

  • Lady Caroline Lamb

    Lady Caroline Lamb

  • Carrie

    Carrie

  • This Happy Breed

    This Happy Breed

  • Friends and Lovers

    Friends and Lovers

  • Daphne Laureola

    Daphne Laureola

  • A Little Romance

    A Little Romance

  • The Merchant of Venice

    The Merchant of Venice

  • That Hamilton Woman

    That Hamilton Woman

  • Moscow Nights

    Moscow Nights

  • Inchon

    Inchon

  • Hamlet

    Hamlet

  • David Copperfield

    David Copperfield

  • Brideshead Revisited

    Brideshead Revisited

  • The Ebony Tower

    The Ebony Tower

  • Clash of the Titans

    Clash of the Titans

  • ABC Stage 67

    ABC Stage 67

  • ABC Stage 67

    ABC Stage 67

  • The Devil's Disciple

    The Devil's Disciple

  • Romeo and Juliet

    Romeo and Juliet

  • The World at War

    The World at War

  • Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond

    Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond

  • Rebecca

    Rebecca

  • Potiphar's Wife

    Potiphar's Wife

  • The Conquest of the Air

    The Conquest of the Air

  • No Funny Business

    No Funny Business

  • Directed by William Wyler

    Directed by William Wyler

  • Talking Pictures

    Talking Pictures

  • Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

    Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

  • Oh! What a Lovely War

    Oh! What a Lovely War

  • The Bounty

    The Bounty

  • Nothing Like a Dame

    Nothing Like a Dame

  • Peter the Great

    Peter the Great

  • The Collection

    The Collection

  • Q Planes

    Q Planes

  • Wagner

    Wagner

  • Westward Passage

    Westward Passage

  • Male of the Species

    Male of the Species

  • Battle of Britain

    Battle of Britain

  • Laurence Olivier Presents

    Laurence Olivier Presents

  • Laurence Olivier Presents

    Laurence Olivier Presents

  • Laurence Olivier Presents

    Laurence Olivier Presents

  • Laurence Olivier Presents

    Laurence Olivier Presents

  • The Boys from Brazil

    The Boys from Brazil

  • To Be Hamlet

    To Be Hamlet

  • Marathon Man

    Marathon Man

  • Sleuth

    Sleuth

  • Henry V

    Henry V

  • Private lives

    Private lives

  • Dracula

    Dracula

  • Lost Empires

    Lost Empires

  • Nicholas and Alexandra

    Nicholas and Alexandra

  • Pride and Prejudice

    Pride and Prejudice

  • The Prince and the Showgirl

    The Prince and the Showgirl

  • 49th Parallel

    49th Parallel

  • Night of 100 Stars II

    Night of 100 Stars II

  • Uncle Vanya

    Uncle Vanya

  • The Last Days of Pompeii

    The Last Days of Pompeii

  • The Jazz Singer

    The Jazz Singer

  • Richard III

    Richard III

  • Iconic Couples of Hollywood

    Iconic Couples of Hollywood

  • Saturday, Sunday, Monday

    Saturday, Sunday, Monday

  • Bunny Lake Is Missing

    Bunny Lake Is Missing

  • The Shoes of the Fisherman

    The Shoes of the Fisherman

  • The Magic Box

    The Magic Box

  • Rebecca

    Rebecca

  • Laurence Olivier: a life

    Laurence Olivier: a life

  • The Filth and the Fury

    The Filth and the Fury

  • The Betsy

    The Betsy

  • Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

    Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

  • Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

    Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

  • Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson

    Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson

  • Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff

    Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff

  • The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

    The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

  • The Entertainer

    The Entertainer

  • The Power and the Glory

    The Power and the Glory

  • Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

    Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

  • The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

    The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

  • Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe

    Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe

  • The Jigsaw Man

    The Jigsaw Man

  • Words for Battle

    Words for Battle

  • Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

    Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

  • Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

    Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

  • War Requiem

    War Requiem

  • As You Like It

    As You Like It

  • A Queen Is Crowned

    A Queen Is Crowned

  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

    Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

  • Hollywood: Style Center of the World

    Hollywood: Style Center of the World

  • 21 Days Together

    21 Days Together

  • Love Among the Ruins

    Love Among the Ruins

  • Fire Over England

    Fire Over England

  • Three Sisters

    Three Sisters

  • The Rehearsal

    The Rehearsal

  • The Divorce of Lady X

    The Divorce of Lady X

  • Come Back, Little Sheba

    Come Back, Little Sheba

  • Too Many Crooks

    Too Many Crooks

  • The Gentleman Tramp

    The Gentleman Tramp

  • Discovering Hamlet

    Discovering Hamlet

  • Sir John Mills' Moving Memories

    Sir John Mills' Moving Memories

  • Term of Trial

    Term of Trial

  • A Talent for Murder

    A Talent for Murder

  • Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

    Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

  • The Demi-Paradise

    The Demi-Paradise

  • The Moon and Sixpence

    The Moon and Sixpence

  • The Bannfoot Ferry

    The Bannfoot Ferry

  • Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration

    Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration

  • Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

    Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

  • Male of the Species

    Male of the Species

  • Olivier Talks About Othello

    Olivier Talks About Othello

  • The Legend of Marilyn Monroe

    The Legend of Marilyn Monroe

  • Gregory Peck: His Own Man

    Gregory Peck: His Own Man

  • Perfect Understanding

    Perfect Understanding

  • The Yellow Ticket

    The Yellow Ticket

  • Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood

    Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood

  • The Dance of Death

    The Dance of Death

  • Great Acting: Laurence Olivier

    Great Acting: Laurence Olivier

  • The Beggar's Opera

    The Beggar's Opera

  • A Voyage Round My Father

    A Voyage Round My Father

  • Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One

    Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One

  • Long Day's Journey Into Night

    Long Day's Journey Into Night

  • The Magic of Hollywood... Is the Magic of People

    The Magic of Hollywood... Is the Magic of People

  • Tree of Life

    Tree of Life

  • The Temporary Widow

    The Temporary Widow

  • The Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci

    The Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci

  • Jornal Português (1938-1951)

    Jornal Português (1938-1951)

  • Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent

    Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent

  • At the Haunted End of the Day

    At the Haunted End of the Day

  • Malta G.C.

    Malta G.C.