Laurence Olivier: A Biography

donald spoto

Widely regarded as the greatest actor of the twentieth century, Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was as troubled as he was talented. A man desperate for affection and approval, plagued with self-doubt and self-loathing, Olivier escaped his personal conflicts on the stage, where he perfected his skills to a remarkable degree. His interpretations of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Coward and countless other playwrights on stage made theater history, and his performances in the films Wuthering Heights, Henry V, Richard III, and Spartacus are equally legendary.

Spoto's biography of the actor recalls his astounding dramatic achievements and the painful experiences that shaped his character even as his talents were developing. Spoto examines Olivier's three tumultuous marriages, his rivalries with fellow actors John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, and his ten-year love affair with Danny Kaye.

Genres biographynonfictionfilmaudiobooktheatre

528 pages, Paperback

First published October 3,1991

This edition

Format: 528 pages, Paperback
Published: April 26, 2001 by Cooper Square Press
ISBN: 9780815411468
ASIN: 0815411464
Language: English

Characters More characters

Laurence Olivier

Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM (1907 - 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson, Peggy Ashcroft and John Gielgud, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films througho...
Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh, (5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967) born Vivian Mary Hartley and styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British stage and film actress. She is best known for her role as Scarlett OHara in "Gone With the Wind" and as Blanche in "A Streetc...

About the author

donald spoto

A prolific and respected biographer and theologian, Donald Spoto is the author of twenty published books, among them bestselling biographies of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Alfred Hitchcock, Tennessee Williams, and Ingrid Bergman. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. Donald Spoto earned his Ph.D. in theology at Fordham University. After years as a theology professor, he turned to fulltime writing. The Hidden Jesus: A New Life, published in 1999, was hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "offering a mature faith fit for the new millennium." His successful biography of Saint Francis was published in 2002.