Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh (born November 5, 1913, Darjeeling, India—died July 8, 1967, London, England) 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.
Filmography
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance
as Self (archive footage)
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
as Self (archive footage)
Gone with the Wind – Makeup and Wardrobe Tests
as Self (archive footage)
Gone with the Wind – Makeup and Wardrobe Tests
as Self (archive footage)
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
The Greats: Vivien Leigh
as Self (Archive footage)
The Greats: Vivien Leigh
as Self (Archive footage)
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
as Self (archive footage)
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
as Self (archive footage)
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
as Self (archive footage)
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
as Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
as Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
as Self (archive footage)
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
as Self (archive footage)
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
as Self (archive footage)
A Streetcar in Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
A Streetcar in Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
Desire and Censorship
as Self (archive footage)
Desire and Censorship
as Self (archive footage)
Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
as Herself (archive footage)
Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
as Herself (archive footage)
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
as Self (archive footage)
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
as Self (archive footage)
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
as Self (archive footage)
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
as Self (archive footage)
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
as Self (archive footage)
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
as Self (archive footage)
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
as Self (archive footage)
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance
as Self (archive footage)
Glorious Technicolor
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Glorious Technicolor
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
as Self (archive footage)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
as Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
as Self
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
as Self
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
as Self (archive footage)
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marilyn Monroe
as archive footage
Marilyn Monroe
as archive footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Laurence Olivier: A Life
as Self ( Archive footage )
Laurence Olivier: A Life
as Self ( Archive footage )
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
as Self (archive footage)
Ivanov
as Anna Petrovna
Ivanov
as Anna Petrovna
Ship of Fools
as Mary Treadwell
Ship of Fools
as Mary Treadwell
Antony and Cleopatra
as Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra
as Cleopatra
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
as Karen Stone
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
as Karen Stone
The Skin of Our Teeth
as Sabina
The Skin of Our Teeth
as Sabina
The Deep Blue Sea
as Hester Collyer
The Deep Blue Sea
as Hester Collyer
A Streetcar Named Desire
as Blanche DuBois
A Streetcar Named Desire
as Blanche DuBois
The Screen Director
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Screen Director
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rebecca
as Mrs. de winter
Rebecca
as Mrs. de winter
Anna Karenina
as Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina
as Anna Karenina
Caesar and Cleopatra
as Cleopatra
Caesar and Cleopatra
as Cleopatra
That Hamilton Woman
as Emma, Lady Hamilton
That Hamilton Woman
as Emma, Lady Hamilton
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
as Self
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
as Self
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
as Self
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
as Self
Waterloo Bridge
as Myra
Waterloo Bridge
as Myra
21 Days
as Wanda
21 Days
as Wanda
Gone with the Wind
as Scarlett O'Hara
Gone with the Wind
as Scarlett O'Hara
British Pathé Newsreels: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
British Pathé Newsreels: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
St. Martin's Lane
as Liberty
St. Martin's Lane
as Liberty
Dark Journey
as Madeleine Goddard
Dark Journey
as Madeleine Goddard
Fire Over England
as Cynthia
Fire Over England
as Cynthia
Storm in a Teacup
as Victoria Gow
Storm in a Teacup
as Victoria Gow
Gentlemen's Agreement
as Phil Stanley
Gentlemen's Agreement
as Phil Stanley
Look Up and Laugh
as Marjorie Belfer
Look Up and Laugh
as Marjorie Belfer
Things Are Looking Up
as Unnamed Schoolgirl
Things Are Looking Up
as Unnamed Schoolgirl
The Village Squire
as Rose Venables
The Village Squire
as Rose Venables