Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh (born Vivian Mary Hartley on November 5, 1913, in Darjeeling, British India) was an English actress renowned for her roles in Hollywood and British theater. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, portraying Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), both performances that solidified her place among the greatest actresses of classic cinema. Leigh was the only child of Ernest Hartley, a British broker, and Gertrude Yackjee, who had Anglo-Indian and Armenian ancestry. She spent her childhood between England and Europe, attending convent schools before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London in 1932, setting the stage for her acting career. Her film debut came in Things Are Looking Up (1934), followed by roles in British films such as Fire Over England (1937), where she starred alongside Laurence Olivier. Their professional collaboration soon became a high-profile romance, capturing public fascination. Leigh’s breakthrough role was Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), a part for which she beat hundreds of actresses in a legendary casting search. The film became one of the most celebrated in cinematic history, and her performance earned international acclaim, securing her first Academy Award. Leigh continued to star in films such as Waterloo Bridge (1940) and That Hamilton Woman (1941), frequently working with Olivier, whom she married in 1940. Their union lasted 20 years, during which they became one of the most revered couples in theater and film, starring together in Shakespearean productions and three films. In 1951, she won her second Academy Award for A Streetcar Named Desire, where her portrayal of Blanche DuBois was deeply personal, reflecting her own struggles with mental health. Leigh suffered from bipolar disorder, which profoundly affected her career and personal relationships. She also battled chronic tuberculosis, first diagnosed in the mid-1940s, which ultimately led to her death on July 8, 1967, at the age of 53. After divorcing Olivier in 1960, she found companionship with actor John Merivale, who remained by her side until her passing. Despite periods of career instability, Leigh remains one of the most celebrated actresses of her time. In 1999, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked her as the 16th greatest female movie star of classic Hollywood cinema. She also won a Tony Award for Tovarich (1963), proving her talent extended beyond film. Her beauty, talent, and dedication made her an enduring icon, and her performances continue to be studied and celebrated worldwide.
    Known for
    Acting
    Place of birth
    Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency, British India [now West Bengal, India]
    Birthday
    November 1913
A Streetcar Named Desire
A Streetcar Named Desire
7.6
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
7.9
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
0
Ship of Fools
Ship of Fools
6.5
Fire Over England
Fire Over England
6
Caesar and Cleopatra
Caesar and Cleopatra
6.1
Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina
6.1
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
6.7
That Hamilton Woman
That Hamilton Woman
7.084
Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge
7.5
21 Days Together
21 Days Together
6.1
Dark Journey
Dark Journey
6.4
Storm in a Teacup
Storm in a Teacup
7.5
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
6
St. Martin's Lane
St. Martin's Lane
7.1
A Yank at Oxford
A Yank at Oxford
6.7
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
6
The Village Squire
6
Things Are Looking Up
Things Are Looking Up
6
The Deep Blue Sea
The Deep Blue Sea
5
Look Up and Laugh
Look Up and Laugh
4.5
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
6.5
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
0
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
3.3
The Screen Director
6
That's Entertainment! III
That's Entertainment! III
7
Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
7.2
Gentlemen's Agreement
Gentlemen's Agreement
7.3
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
6.5
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
5.7
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
5.5
That's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II
6.9
Glorious Technicolor
Glorious Technicolor
6.7
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
8
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
0
The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
10
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
7.5
The Skin of Our Teeth
The Skin of Our Teeth
0
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
10
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
7.5
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
0
The Extraordinary Seaman
The Extraordinary Seaman
2.6