Laurence Olivier

Born Laurence Kerr Olivier in Surrey England on May 22, 1907, Olivier is an actor who specialized in Shakespearean acting. He played Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet on Stage with John Gielgud. One of his film hits was Wuthering Heights in 1939. He played with his love Vivien Leigh in Fire Over England (1937), 21 Days Together in 1940 and That Hamilton Woman in 1941.
Olivier is known as the consummate Shakespearean actor and is a very handsome man with a deep speaking voice. He often plays fiercely proud leaders and directed himself in many films. In 1947 Olivier was knighted and made a life peer in 1970. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1981 and was allowed to be called Sir Laurence Olivier.
He was nominated as Best Actor in The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth (1944) and won the Oscar for his performance in Hamlet (1948). He directed himself. He is often considered to be the greatest English speaking actor of the twentieth century and was voted the 20th greatest movie star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Before playing a part he visualized the physical appearance of a character and tried to emulate that appearance.
Olivier played in Marathon Man in 1976 and in The Prince and the Showgirl in 1957 with Marilyn Monroe. His portrayal as Richard III in Richard III (1955) is still ranked as #39 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.
In 1989 Olivier underwent a hip replacement and four months later his remaining kidney was highly unhealthy. He was give six weeks to live. He died on July 11, 1989. His illnesses spanned the last 22 years of his life. Olivier was married to Jill Esmond from July 1930 until January 1940. They had one child. In 1940 he married Vivien Leigh and they divorced on January 6, 1961. He then married Joan Plowright and they remained married until his death. Olivier and Plowright had three children.