Vivien Leigh
Biografia
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.
Filmografia
Filmy i seriale od najnowszych
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance
Film • 2028
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Faye
Film • 2024
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1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year
Serial • 2023
Black Star
Film • 2022
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Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
Film • 2021
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Gone with the Wind – Makeup and Wardrobe Tests
Film • 2020
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Churchill and the Movie Mogul
Film • 2019
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Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Film • 2018
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The Vivien Leigh Archive at the V&A
Film • 2016
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The Greats: Vivien Leigh
Film • 2016
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Jornal Português (1938-1951)
Film • 2015
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Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
Film • 2015
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Couples mythiques du cinéma
Serial • 2015
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The Selznick Studios Retrospective Backlot Tour
Film • 2014
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Before She Was Scarlet O'Hara: An Interview with Anne Edwards
Film • 2013
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1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Film • 2009
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Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Film • 2006
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A Streetcar in Hollywood
Film • 2006
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Desire and Censorship
Film • 2006
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An Actor Named Brando
Film • 2006
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North and the Music of the South
Film • 2006
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A Streetcar on Broadway
Film • 2006
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Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
Film • 2004
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Restoring a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Film • 2004
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The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
Film • 2004
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Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Film • 2001
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Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
Film • 2001
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Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
Film • 2000
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Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance
Film • 2000
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Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood
Film • 1999
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Glorious Technicolor
Film • 1998
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The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
Film • 1996
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Elia Kazan: A Director's Journey
Film • 1995
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The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Film • 1995
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Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
Film • 1995
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That's Entertainment! III
Film • 1994
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Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
Film • 1993
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Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
Film • 1990
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The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Film • 1988
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Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
Film • 1988
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All-Time Movie Greats
Film • 1988
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Marilyn Monroe
Film • 1986
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That's Dancing!
Film • 1985
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Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Film • 1983
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Laurence Olivier: A Life
Film • 1982
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That's Entertainment, Part II
Film • 1976
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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Film • 1975
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Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Film • 1972
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The Extraordinary Seaman
Film • 1969
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Ivanov
Film • 1966
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Ship of Fools
Film • 1965
jako Mary Treadwell
Tovarich
Film • 1963
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Antony and Cleopatra
Film • 1962
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Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Film • 1961
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The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Film • 1961
jako Karen Stone
The Skin of Our Teeth
Film • 1959
jako Sabina
Small World: Vivien Leigh
Film • 1958
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Small World
Serial • 1958
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The Deep Blue Sea
Film • 1955
jako Hester Collyer
Tramwaj zwany pożądaniem
Film • 1951
jako Blanche DuBois
The Screen Director
Film • 1951
jako Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rebecca
Film • 1950
jako Mrs. de winter
The Ed Sullivan Show
Serial • 1948
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Anna Karenina
Film • 1948
jako Anna Karenina
British Pathé: Vivien Leigh & Laurence Olivier
Film • 1946
jako Self
Cezar i Kleopatra
Film • 1945
jako Cleopatra
Lady Hamilton
Film • 1941
jako Emma, Lady Hamilton
Private Lives
Film • 1940
jako Amanda Prynne
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Film • 1940
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Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Film • 1940
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Pożegnalny walc
Film • 1940
jako Myra
21 Days
Film • 1940
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Przeminęło z wiatrem
Film • 1939
jako Scarlett O'Hara
British Pathé Newsreels: Gone with the Wind
Film • 1939
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St. Martin's Lane
Film • 1938
jako Liberty
A Yank at Oxford
Film • 1938
jako Elsa Craddock
Dark Journey
Film • 1937
jako Madeleine Goddard
Fire Over England
Film • 1937
jako Cynthia
Storm in a Teacup
Film • 1937
jako Victoria Gow
Gentlemen's Agreement
Film • 1935
jako Phil Stanley
Look Up and Laugh
Film • 1935
jako Marjorie Belfer
Things Are Looking Up
Film • 1935
jako Unnamed Schoolgirl
The Village Squire
Film • 1935
jako Rose Venables