Legends: Vivien Leigh, documentary from 2000, Commentary by Hugo Vickers, Alexander Walker, Tarquin Olivier, Trader Faulkner, Colin Clark and others. vivling.com/Vivien Leigh polish fan site
The ending remarks about Vivien feeling she needed to get off the stage were dead wrong. Leigh had already signed to do a new film and a play, the play beginning in just 3 weeks in early August 1967, from the day she died. At age 53, Vivien had absolutely no intention of retiring from performing on camera or on the stage.
I agree. Also, because the guy felt or surmised that Jack Merivale was "bored" with keeping an eye on Ms. Leigh certainly doesn't make it true. Merivale cared a great deal for Vivien. Not real nice or fair, putting out that kind of speculation when he didn't know or "sensed" or "surmised" that it was that way. The guy was a big Olivier friend. I think he was a stage manager at one time for Olivier's plays.
What Tarquin Olivier said about people with mental illness, "hating the person you love the most", is absolutely true because my mother had Alzheimer's and eventually succumbed to it, my father was her primary caretaker, and she treated him horribly physically abusing him, i felt sorry for him, but, he put up with it because he loved her.
I always loved vivien leigh, interestingly it was stated that she was highly intelligent but it was extremely sad that treatment for manic depression was not available it destroyed her relationship with olivier never liked him I thought he was very arrogant but they loved each other truly I think so sad.
If you wish to know more about Vivien Leigh read Scotty Bowers book Full Service. It's quite obvious Vivien and Larry had an open marriage. Great book anyway.
Diane Chavez I always pass this book along to. It makes you look at actors in a different light. Another tell all book is Double Cross about Sam Giancana and JFK, and Marilyn Monroe.
THE ACTRESS WHO WAS BORN IN INDIA IN 1913 AND WON THE OSCAR FOR HER PORTRAYAL OF THE SPOILT AND EYE ROVING SCARLETT O HARA IN "GONE WITH THE WIND" NEVER ACTUALLY RECOVERED FROM HER DIVORCE FROM LAURENCE OLIVIER IN 1960. HE WAS HER TOWER OF STRENGTH AND THEY GREW FOUND OF EACH OTHER IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THEIR TWENTY YEAR MARRIAGE. BUT VIVIEN LIEGH WAS MENTALLY UNSTABLE AND HAD THIS OBSESSION ABOUT OLIVIER. SHE WOULD ASK ABOUT OLIVIER THIS AND THAT AND HIS WHERE ABOUTS AND WHAT WAS HE DOING.EVEN THE ACTOR DAVID NIVEN A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF THE OLIVIERS HAD TO INTERVENE. SIR LAURENCE OLIVIER BY 1957 HAD ALREADY GIVEN UP ON THEIR MARRIAGE AND THEY HAD SEPARATE VACATIONS.BY THIS TIME OLIVIER HAD BEEN ROMANTICALLY LINKED WITH AN ASPIRING YOUNG ACTRESS JOAN PLOWRIGHT WHOM HE MARRIED IN 1961. VIVIEN,OF COURSE WAS DEVASTATED AND SHATTERED.SHE NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE DIVORCE. SOON AFTER HER DEATH HER ROMANTIC LETTERS TO OLIVIER WAS DISCOVERED.SHE MUST HAVE RE READ THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN BEFORE HER DEATH IN 1967.OLIVIER WAS THE LOVE OF HER LIFE AND THAT WAS WHY SHE NEVER REMARRUED.
Thank you for your compliment. I feel very strongly about this. The queen has no right to tell people whatever they can do. I just hope that Harry and Meghan continue holding hands. It's the little things that make a marriage
Linda Mccallion It is indeed, @Linda, the little gentlemanly things Harry keeps continuing to do, breaking silly “tradition” and wearing his wedding ring, holding hands, all these things make such a difference. I pray they continue to hold hands and resist evil tongues that wish them harm.
Harry and Meghan are nothing more than a poke in the Queens eye. The Duchess is the reincarnation (!@%$#) of Wallis Warfield Simpson...just a lucky gold digger who decided to go after a poor inbred Royal who could increase her standing. I have zero respect for the little what because That's EXACTLY what she is; a twat. And leave my words alone..I mean every one of them.
I think Lord Olivier and Lady Leigh loved each other but it was much more brother-sister than anything else. His first wife was a lesbian and Plowright would later admit that Olivier carried out affairs with men. I think he was truly gay but such an adamant, passionate performer and so transfixed by "what ought to be" in order to sustain it that he required a placeholder wife.
Saswati Ghosh yes. Olivier was not gay. He and Joan had a very happy homelife, its quite well known by all those who really knew the couple. SINCE I WROTE THIS, I have read differently. I wonder now. 😉
in one biography,I read she had a heart to heart w/ Lyn fontanne & they agreed they'd rather have their husbands have affairs w/men than another woman as she'll be a threat. this was the period when rumours were rife Olivier was having an affair w/Danny Kaye
M22 Ah, ok, I understand a bit more now. I believe you analyzed it very well. Makes sense. An aside, whenever I have seen Tarquin interviewed, he makes every effort to be respectful of his late father and Vivien. You know it must have been a real zoo growing around those two. A very interesting zoo but a crazy thing for a child nonetheless.
She should have laid this in the hands of Jesus Christ. I think also the long beeing from her parents..here mother makes life very difficult for a person..and can make disorder in later life...
