Acting
Laurence Olivier
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.
Filmography
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance
Film · 2028
The Bannfoot Ferry
Film · 2024
Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
Film · 2024
Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
Film · 2023
1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year
Series · 2023
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
Film · 2021
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
Film · 2021
Churchill and the Movie Mogul
Film · 2019
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Film · 2018
Nothing Like a Dame
Film · 2018
The Vivien Leigh Archive at the V&A
Film · 2016
The Greats: Vivien Leigh
Film · 2016
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
Film · 2015
Iconic Couples of Hollywood
Series · 2015
Talking Pictures
Series · 2013
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
Film · 2012
Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies
Film · 2012
Marilyn despite herself
Film · 2012
Discovering Hamlet
Film · 2011
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Film · 2010
Marilyn, dernières séances
Film · 2008
The Making of 'Rebecca'
Film · 2008
Revisiting Brideshead
Film · 2005
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Film · 2004
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
Film · 2004
The Body of Marilyn Monroe
Film · 2004
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Film · 2001
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
Film · 2000
The Filth and the Fury
Film · 2000
Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance
Film · 2000
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood
Film · 1999
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
Film · 1995
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
Film · 1993
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
Film · 1991
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
Film · 1990
War Requiem
Film · 1989
Gregory Peck: His Own Man
Film · 1988
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Film · 1988
Eve and Marilyn
Film · 1987
Directed by William Wyler
Film · 1986
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
Film · 1986
Marilyn Monroe
Film · 1986
Lost Empires
Series · 1986
Peter the Great
Series · 1986
To Be Hamlet
Film · 1985
Wild Geese II
Film · 1985
Night of 100 Stars II
Film · 1985
The Bounty
Film · 1984
A Voyage Round My Father
Film · 1984
The Ebony Tower
Film · 1984
The Last Days of Pompeii
Series · 1984
The Jigsaw Man
Film · 1983
King Lear
Film · 1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Film · 1983
A Talent for Murder
Film · 1983
Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson
Film · 1983
Wagner
Series · 1983
Laurence Olivier: A Life
Film · 1982
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
Film · 1982
Clash of the Titans
Film · 1981
Inchon
Film · 1981
At the Haunted End of the Day
Film · 1981
Brideshead Revisited
Series · 1981
The Jazz Singer
Film · 1980
A Little Romance
Film · 1979
Dracula
Film · 1979
The Boys from Brazil
Film · 1978
The Betsy
Film · 1978
Daphne Laureola
Film · 1978
Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Film · 1978
The South Bank Show
Series · 1978
A Bridge Too Far
Film · 1977
Come Back, Little Sheba
Film · 1977
Jesus of Nazareth
Series · 1977
Marathon Man
Film · 1976
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
Film · 1976
Love Among the Ruins
Film · 1976
The Gentleman Tramp
Film · 1976
The Collection
Film · 1976
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Film · 1976
The Magic of Hollywood... Is the Magic of People
Film · 1976
Laurence Olivier Presents
Series · 1976
Laurence Olivier Presents
Series · 1976
Laurence Olivier Presents
Series · 1976
Laurence Olivier Presents
Series · 1976
The Rehearsal
Film · 1974
The Merchant of Venice
Film · 1973
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Film · 1973
The World at War
Series · 1973
Sleuth
Film · 1972
Lady Caroline Lamb
Film · 1972
Nicholas and Alexandra
Film · 1971
Tree of Life
Film · 1971
Great Performances
Series · 1971
Great Performances
Series · 1971
Three Sisters
Film · 1970
Oh! What a Lovely War
Film · 1969
Battle of Britain
Film · 1969
The Dance of Death
Film · 1969
David Copperfield
Film · 1969
Male of the Species
Film · 1969
Male of the Species
Series · 1969
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Series · 1969
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Series · 1969
The Shoes of the Fisherman
Film · 1968
Romeo and Juliet
Film · 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Series · 1968
The Carol Burnett Show
Series · 1967
Omnibus
Series · 1967
Omnibus
Series · 1967
Khartoum
Film · 1966
Great Acting: Laurence Olivier
Film · 1966
The Legend of Marilyn Monroe
Film · 1966
ABC Stage 67
Series · 1966
ABC Stage 67
Series · 1966
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Film · 1965
Othello
Film · 1965
The Power and the Glory
Film · 1963
Uncle Vanya
Film · 1963
Term of Trial
Film · 1962
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Film · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
Spartacus
Film · 1960
The Entertainer
Film · 1960
The Devil's Disciple
Film · 1959
The Moon and Sixpence
Film · 1959
The Prince and the Showgirl
Film · 1957
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Richard III
Film · 1955
The Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
Film · 1953
The Beggar's Opera
Film · 1953
A Queen Is Crowned
Film · 1953
The Oscars
Series · 1953
Carrie
Film · 1952
The Magic Box
Film · 1952
Rebecca
Film · 1950
Hamlet
Film · 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Series · 1948
British Pathé: Vivien Leigh & Laurence Olivier
Film · 1946
Henry V
Film · 1944
This Happy Breed
Film · 1944
The Volunteer
Film · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
The Demi-Paradise
Film · 1943
Malta G.C.
Film · 1942
49th Parallel
Film · 1941
That Hamilton Woman
Film · 1941
Words for Battle
Film · 1941
Rebecca
Film · 1940
Pride and Prejudice
Film · 1940
21 Days
Film · 1940
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Film · 1940
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Film · 1940
Private Lives
Film · 1940
Wuthering Heights
Film · 1939
Q Planes
Film · 1939
The Divorce of Lady X
Film · 1938
Fire Over England
Film · 1937
As You Like It
Film · 1936
Moscow Nights
Film · 1934
Perfect Understanding
Film · 1933
No Funny Business
Film · 1933
Westward Passage
Film · 1932
The Yellow Ticket
Film · 1931
The Conquest of the Air
Film · 1931
Friends and Lovers
Film · 1931
Potiphar's Wife
Film · 1931
The Temporary Widow
Film · 1930
Too Many Crooks
Film · 1930