Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh was a British actress who achieved fame and acclaim for her performances in film and theatre. She was born Vivian Mary Hartley on November 5, 1913, in Darjeeling, India, where her father was a British broker and her mother was of Irish, Parsi Indian and Armenian ancestry. She was educated in England and Europe, and developed an early interest in acting. She married Herbert Leigh Holman, a barrister, in 1932, and had a daughter, Suzanne, the following year. She adopted the stage name Vivien Leigh and began appearing in small roles in films and on stage. In 1935, she met Laurence Olivier, a rising star of the British theatre, and they began a passionate affair that lasted for two decades. They divorced their respective spouses and married in 1940. They became one of the most celebrated couples in the history of theatre and cinema, starring together in several productions, such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, and Macbeth. They also appeared in three films together: Fire Over England (1937), 21 Days (1940), and That Hamilton Woman (1941). Leigh's breakthrough role was Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She beat over 1,400 other actresses who auditioned for the part, including some of the biggest names in Hollywood. She portrayed the spirited Southern belle with charm, wit, and determination, and became an international star overnight. She followed this success with another Oscar-winning performance as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role she had played on stage in London. She captured the fragility and desperation of the fading Southern belle with remarkable intensity and nuance. Leigh's career was often interrupted by periods of ill health and personal problems. She suffered from bipolar disorder, which caused mood swings, depression, insomnia, and paranoia. She also had recurrent bouts of tuberculosis, which was first diagnosed in the mid-1940s and eventually claimed her life. Her marriage to Olivier deteriorated as he became involved with other women and pursued his own career ambitions. They divorced in 1960, after 20 years of marriage. Leigh found solace in her friendship with actor John Merivale, who became her companion until her death. Leigh continued to work on stage and screen until the end of her life. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the musical Tovarich (1963), and received critical acclaim for her roles in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) and Ship of Fools (1965). She died on July 8, 1967, at the age of 53, from complications of tuberculosis. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered on the lake at her summer home in Sussex. Leigh is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses of all time. She is remembered for her beauty, talent, charisma, and courage. She has been ranked among the top female stars of classic Hollywood cinema by various polls and surveys. She has also been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a blue plaque at her London residence, and a statue at her birthplace in India.