Who was Laurence Olivier?
Laurence Olivier was a twentieth century dramatic
actor and director particularly in the plays of Shakespeare.
Date and Place of Birth:
22nd May 1907, Dorking, Surrey, England.
Family Background:
Son of Gerard Olivier, an Anglican Minister.
Education:
Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic
Art under Elsie Fogerty.
Chronology/Biography of Laurence Olivier:
1922: Acted at Stratford-upon-Avon
for the first time in a schoolboy production of "The Taming
of the Shrew", playing Katharine.
1925: Laurence Olivier
played Lennox in "Macbeth".
1926: Joined Barry
Jackson's Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company, which was the leading
company in the country at the time. Worked a summer season at Clacton.
1927: Played in
"Uncle Vanya" and "She Stoops to Conquer" at
Birmingham.
1928: Laurence Olivier
created the part of Stanhope in "Journey's End".
1929: Olivier took
the title role in "Beau Geste" at Her Majesty's Theatre,
London. Played in "Murder on the Second Floor" at the
Eltinge Theatre in New York.
1930: Played the
West End in Private Lives with Noel Coward al,though he found Coward
difficult.
1931: Appeared in
his first Hollywood film "Yellow Ticket".
1934: Played Bothwell
in "Queen of Scots" a play directed by John Gielgud.
1935: Swapped roles
with John Gielgud in "Romeo and Juliet" at the New Theatre,
London.
1937: Laurence Olivier
played Hamlet at Elsinore alongside Vivien Leigh.
1939: Appeared as
Heathcliffe in the Hollywood film version of "Wuthering Heights".
1941: Enlisted in
the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
1944: Appointed
co-director of the "Old Vic" theatre in London with Ralph
Richardson and John Burrell.
1945: Directed "The
Skin of Our Teeth" in which Vivien Leigh played a staring role
at the Phoenix Theatre, London.
1947: Olivier knighted.
Won "Outstanding Achievement Oscar for directing "Henry
the Fifth".
1948: Tour of Australia
and New Zealand with the Old Vic company. Won Best Film and Best
Actor Academy Awards (Oscars) for his film version of "Hamlet".
1950: Became Actor/Manager
at St. James Theatre, London.
1951: Laurence Olivier
took part in the Festival of Britain productions in association
with the Arts Council.
1957: Played Archie
Rice in "The Entertainer" by John Osborne at the Royal
Court Theatre, London.
1961: Appointed
DIrector of the Chichester Festival.
1963: Olivier became
the first director at the National Theatre Company which began life
at the Old Vic in London.
Statue to Olivier outside the National Theatre, London
(© Anthony Blagg)
1965: Directed "The
Crucible" for the National Theatre at the Old Vic.
1971: Became Baron
Olivier of Brighton, the first actor to be given a life Peerage.
He was upset that Peter Hall was chosen as his successor at the
National Theatre without his knowledge. Appeared in "Long Days
Journey into Night" at the New Theatre, London.
1973: Laurence Olivier
resigned as a director of the National Theatre.
1975: New National
Theatre building opened.
1976: Appeared in
a television production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
1979: Given a Special
Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences" for
"the full body of his work".
1981: Olivier given
the Order of Merit.
1982: Appeared in
the television production of "Brideshead Revisited".
1983: Won Cecil
B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes. Appeared in a television
production of "King Lear".
1986: Laurence Olivier
appeared in a television production of "Peter the Great".
Written Works:
- 1984: "Confessions
of an Actor" - Autobiography.
Marriage:
1. To Jill Esmond. (Divorced 1940). 1940: to
Vivien Leigh. (Divorced 1960). 3. 1961: To Joan Plowright.
Date and Place of Death:
11th July 1989.
Age at Death:
82.
Site of Grave:
Westminster Abbey, London.
Westminster Abbey, London
(© Anthony Blagg)
Places of Interest:
LONDON:
National Theatre, South Bank
The Old Vic
Various other London Theatres
WARWICKSHIRE:
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford -upon-Avon
