Laurence Olivier
Acting
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
Acting156
movieDame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
2024
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Bannfoot Ferry
2024
Self (archive footage)
movieMad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
2023
Self (archive footage)
movieHannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
2021
Self (archive footage)
movieVivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
2021
Self (archive footage)
movieChurchill and the Movie Mogul
2019
Self (archive footage)
movieScotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
2018
Self (archive footage)
movieNothing Like a Dame
2018
Self (archive footage)
movieJornal Português (1938-1951)
2015
Self (archive footage)
tvIconic Couples of Hollywood
2015
Self (archive footage)
tvTalking Pictures
2013
Self (archive footage)
movieFascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
Self (archive footage)
movieDiscovering Hamlet
2011
Hamlet (archive footage)
movieCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Making of 'Rebecca'
2008
Self (archive footage)
movieMarilyn, dernières séances
2008
Self(archive footage)
movieRevisiting Brideshead
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieSky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
2004
Dr. Totenkopf (archive footage)
movieLarry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
2001
Self (archive footage)
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
2001
Self (archive footage)
movieSir John Mills' Moving Memories
2000
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Filth and the Fury
2000
Richard III (archive footage)
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood
1999
Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
Self (archive footage)
moviePreminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
Superintendent Newhouse (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieVivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
1990
Self (archive footage)
movieWar Requiem
1989
The Old Soldier
movieThe Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
Self (archive footage)
movieGregory Peck: His Own Man
1988
Self (archive footage)
tvLost Empires
1986
Harry Burrard
movieMarilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
1986
archive footage
tvPeter the Great
1986
King William III of Orange
movieMarilyn Monroe
1986
archive footage
movieWild Geese II
1985
Rudolf Hess
movieThe Bounty
1984
Admiral Hood
movieA Voyage Round My Father
1984
Clifford Mortimer
movieThe Ebony Tower
1984
Henry Breasley
movieA Talent for Murder
1983
Dr. Anthony Wainwright
movieThe Jigsaw Man
1983
Adm. Sir Gerald Scaith
tvWagner
1983
Pfeuffer
movieKing Lear
1983
King Lear
movieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvBrideshead Revisited
1981
Alexander Flyte
movieInchon
1981
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
movieThe Jazz Singer
1980
Cantor Rabinovitch
movieDracula
1979
Prof. Abraham Van Helsing
movieThe Boys from Brazil
1978
Ezra Lieberman
movieThe Betsy
1978
Loren Hardeman
movieDaphne Laureola
1978
Sir Joseph
movieCome Back, Little Sheba
1977
Doc Delaney
movieA Bridge Too Far
1977
Dr. Jan Spaander
tvJesus of Nazareth
1977
Nicodemus
movieCat on a Hot Tin Roof
1976
Big Daddy
tvLaurence Olivier Presents
1976
Big Daddy / Antonio / Doc Delaney / Sir Joseph
movieThe Seven-Per-Cent Solution
1976
Professor James Moriarty
movieThe Gentleman Tramp
1976
Narrator
movieMarathon Man
1976
Dr. Christian Szell
movieLove Among the Ruins
1976
Sir Arthur Glanville-Jones
tvThe World at War
1973
Narrator
movieLong Day's Journey Into Night
1973
James Tyrone Sr.
movieSleuth
1972
Andrew Wyke
movieLady Caroline Lamb
1972
Duke of Wellington
movieNicholas and Alexandra
1971
Count Witte
tvGreat Performances
1971
Harry / Self
movieThree Sisters
1970
Dr. Ivan Chebutikin
movieDavid Copperfield
1969
Mr. Creakle
movieBattle of Britain
1969
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
movieOh! What a Lovely War
1969
Field Marshal Sir John French
tvMale of the Species
1969
Self - Presenter
tvITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
Narrator / James Tyrone Sr.
movieMale of the Species
1969
Presenter
movieThe Shoes of the Fisherman
1968
Piotr Ilyich Kamenev
tvThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
Self - Guest
movieRomeo and Juliet
1968
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
tvOmnibus
1967
Self (archive footage)
tvThe Carol Burnett Show
1967
Self - Audience Member
Great Acting: Laurence Olivier
1966
Self - Interviewee
tvABC Stage 67
1966
Self / Self (archive footage)
movieKhartoum
1966
Mahdi
movieOthello
1965
Othello
movieBunny Lake Is Missing
1965
Newhouse
movieUncle Vanya
1963
Dr. Astrov
movieTerm of Trial
1962
Graham Weir
movieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
Self - Maxim de Winter (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieSpartacus
1960
Marcus Licinius Crassus
movieThe Entertainer
1960
Archie Rice
movieThe Moon and Sixpence
1959
Charles Strickland
movieThe Devil's Disciple
1959
Gen. Burgoyne
movieThe Prince and the Showgirl
1957
The Regent
tvTony Awards
1956
Self - Recipient / Self
movieRichard III
1955
Richard III
movieThe Beggar's Opera
1953
MacHeath
movieA Queen Is Crowned
1953
Narrator
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
movieCarrie
1952
George Hurstwood
movieThe Magic Box
1952
Police Constable 94-B
movieRebecca
1950
Maxim de winter
movieHamlet
1948
Hamlet - Prince of Denmark / Voice of Ghost
movieHenry V
1944
King Henry
movieThis Happy Breed
1944
Narrator (voice)
tvGolden Globe Awards
1944
Self - Nominee / Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient
movieThe Demi-Paradise
1943
Ivan Kouznetsoff
movieMalta G.C.
1942
Narrator
movie49th Parallel
1941
Johnnie, the Trapper
movieThat Hamilton Woman
1941
Lord Horatio Nelson
movieWords for Battle
1941
Narrator (voice)
moviePrivate Lives
1940
Elyot Chase
moviePride and Prejudice
1940
Mr. Darcy
movieRebecca
1940
Maxim de Winter
movie21 Days
1940
Larry Durrant
movieWuthering Heights
1939
Heathcliff
movieQ Planes
1939
Tony McVane
movieThe Divorce of Lady X
1938
Everard Logan
movieFire Over England
1937
Michael Ingolby
movieAs You Like It
1936
Orlando
movieMoscow Nights
1934
Captain Ivan Ignatoff
movieNo Funny Business
1933
Clive Dering
moviePerfect Understanding
1933
Nicholas Randall
movieWestward Passage
1932
Nicholas 'Nick' Allen
movieThe Conquest of the Air
1931
Vincent Lunardi
movieThe Yellow Ticket
1931
Julian Rolfe
movieFriends and Lovers
1931
Lieutenant Ned Nichols
moviePotiphar's Wife
1931
Straker
movieToo Many Crooks
1930
The Boy
movieThe Temporary Widow
1930
Peter Bille
Production10
movieDaphne Laureola
1978
Executive Producer
movieHindle Wakes
1976
Producer
movieCat on a Hot Tin Roof
1976
Producer
movieThe Collection
1976
Producer
movieRichard III
1955
Producer
movieThe Beggar's Opera
1953
Producer
movieHamlet
1948
Producer
movieHenry V
1944
Producer
Directing7
movieHindle Wakes
1976
Director
movieThree Sisters
1970
Director
movieUncle Vanya
1963
Director
movieRichard III
1955
Director
movieHamlet
1948
Director
movieHenry V
1944
Director
Writing4
movieCome Back, Little Sheba
1977
Creative Producer
movieRichard III
1955
Screenplay
movieHamlet
1948
Screenplay
movieHenry V
1944
Writer