On November 5, 1913, Vivien Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley in British India in Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British broker, and his wife, Gertrude Mary Frances.
Raised in England, Leigh developed a passion for acting at an early age. Her career took off after she landed the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939). The film would bring her instant attention and fame. Her performance won her an Academy Award and immortalized her in Hollywood history. Leigh brought strength, charm, and complexity to Scarlett, captivating audiences with her fiery spirit and flawless Southern accent—an extraordinary achievement for a British actress.
Beyond Gone with the Wind, Leigh proved her versatility with a range of powerful roles on stage and screen, including her Oscar-winning portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), which is one of my favorites.
Her long and turbulent marriage to actor Laurence Olivier also drew public interest, as the two were often hailed as Britain’s greatest theatrical couple. The two met at the Savory Grill in 1935 after she had seen him perform in Romeo and Juliet. Leigh and Olivier began an affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England in 1937. At the time, Olivier was married to his first wife, Jill Esmond, and Leigh was married to Herbert Leigh Holman. After divorcing their spouses, Olivier and Leigh married on August 31, 1940. They would remain married for twenty years.
Despite her immense talent, Leigh struggled with fragile health and mental illness, which affected her later career. In May of 1967, her tuberculosis resurfaced while rehearsing Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance. After several weeks of rest, she appeared to have recovered. Then, on July 8, her body was discovered on her bedroom floor by her partner, John Merivale. She had tried to walk to the bathroom when her lungs filled with liquid. She collapsed and suffocated to death.
A public memorial was held for her at the Church of St. Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square in London. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at Tickerage Mill, in her country home.
Forgettable performances, Leigh was a symbol of beauty and notable talent. She left the world a legacy of extraordinary artistry, emotional depth, and an unmatched ability to bring iconic characters to life.
No Responses