Acting · Dorking, Surrey, England, UK · Born May 22, 1907
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM (22 May 1907 – 11 July 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 throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles. Late in his career, he had considerable success in television roles. His family had no theatrical connections, but Olivier's father, a clergyman, decided that his son should become an actor. After attending a drama school in London, Olivier learned his craft in a succession of acting jobs during the late 1920s. In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Coward's Private Lives, and he appeared in his first film. In 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Ashcroft, and by the end of the decade he was an established star. In the 1940s, together with Richardson and John Burrell, Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic, building it into a highly respected company. There his most celebrated roles included Shakespeare's Richard III and Sophocles's Oedipus. In the 1950s Olivier was an independent actor-manager, but his stage career was in the doldrums until he joined the avant garde English Stage Company in 1957 to play the title role in The Entertainer, a part he later played on film. From 1963 to 1973 he was the founding director of Britain's National Theatre, running a resident company that fostered many future stars. His own parts there included the title role in Othello (1965) and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1970). Among Olivier's films are Wuthering Heights (1939), Rebecca (1940), and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director: Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1955). His later films included The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). His television appearances included an adaptation of The Moon and Sixpence (1960), Long Day's Journey into Night (1973), Love Among the Ruins (1975), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1976), Brideshead Revisited (1981) and King Lear (1983). Olivier's honours included a knighthood (1947), a life peerage (1970) and the Order of Merit (1981). For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. The National Theatre's largest auditorium is named in his honour, and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards, given annually by the Society of London Theatre. He was married three times, to the actresses Jill Esmond from 1930 to 1940, Vivien Leigh from 1940 to 1960, and Joan Plowright from 1961 until his death.
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance
2028
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
2024
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Bannfoot Ferry
2024
as Self (archive footage)
MovieMad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
2023
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
2021
as Self (archive footage)
MovieVivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
2021
as Self (archive footage)
MovieChurchill and the Movie Mogul
2019
as Self (archive footage)
MovieScotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNothing Like a Dame
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJornal Português (1938-1951)
2015
as Self (archive footage)
TVIconic Couples of Hollywood
2015
as Self (archive footage)
TVTalking Pictures
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies
2012
MovieMarilyn despite herself
2012
MovieFascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDiscovering Hamlet
2011
as Hamlet (archive footage)
MovieCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Making of 'Rebecca'
2008
as Self (archive footage)
MovieMarilyn, dernières séances
2008
as Self(archive footage)
MovieRevisiting Brideshead
2005
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
2004
as Dr. Totenkopf (archive footage)
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
2004
as Self (archive footage)
The Body of Marilyn Monroe
2004
as archive footage
MovieLarry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
2001
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSir John Mills' Moving Memories
2000
as Self (archive footage)
Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance
2000
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Filth and the Fury
2000
as Richard III (archive footage)
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood
1999
as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
as Self (archive footage)
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
1993
as Self
MoviePreminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
as Superintendent Newhouse (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieVivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
1990
as Self (archive footage)
MovieWar Requiem
1989
as The Old Soldier
MovieThe Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
MovieGregory Peck: His Own Man
1988
as Self (archive footage)
TVLost Empires
1986
as Harry Burrard
MovieDirected by William Wyler
1986
as Self
MovieMarilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
1986
as archive footage
TVPeter the Great
1986
as King William III of Orange
MovieMarilyn Monroe
1986
as archive footage
MovieWild Geese II
1985
as Rudolf Hess
MovieNight of 100 Stars II
1985
as Self
MovieTo Be Hamlet
1985
as Self
TVThe Last Days of Pompeii
1984
as Gaius
MovieThe Bounty
1984
as Admiral Hood
MovieA Voyage Round My Father
1984
as Clifford Mortimer
MovieThe Ebony Tower
1984
as Henry Breasley
MovieA Talent for Murder
1983
as Dr. Anthony Wainwright
MovieThe Jigsaw Man
1983
as Adm. Sir Gerald Scaith
TVWagner
1983
as Pfeuffer
Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson
1983
as Joe Halpern
MovieKing Lear
1983
as King Lear
MovieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieLaurence Olivier: a life
1982
as Self
MovieNatalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1982
TVBrideshead Revisited
1981
as Alexander Flyte
MovieClash of the Titans
1981
as Zeus
MovieInchon
1981
as Gen. Douglas MacArthur
MovieAt the Haunted End of the Day
1981
as Self
MovieThe Jazz Singer
1980
as Cantor Rabinovitch
MovieDracula
1979
as Prof. Abraham Van Helsing
MovieA Little Romance
1979
as Julius
MovieThe Boys from Brazil
1978
as Ezra Lieberman
MovieThe Betsy
1978
as Loren Hardeman
MovieDaphne Laureola
1978
as Sir Joseph
MovieSaturday, Sunday, Monday
1978
as Antonio
MovieCome Back, Little Sheba
1977
as Doc Delaney
MovieA Bridge Too Far
1977
as Dr. Jan Spaander
TVJesus of Nazareth
1977
as Nicodemus
MovieCat on a Hot Tin Roof
1976
as Big Daddy
TVLaurence Olivier Presents
1976
as Big Daddy
MovieThe Seven-Per-Cent Solution
1976
as Professor James Moriarty
MovieThe Gentleman Tramp
1976
as Narrator
MovieMarathon Man
1976
as Dr. Christian Szell
MovieThe Magic of Hollywood... Is the Magic of People
1976
as Self
MovieLove Among the Ruins
1976
as Sir Arthur Glanville-Jones
MovieThe Collection
1976
as Harry
MovieThe Rehearsal
1974
as Self
TVThe World at War
1973
as Narrator
MovieThe Merchant of Venice
1973
as Shylock
MovieLong Day's Journey Into Night
1973
as James Tyrone Sr.
MovieSleuth
1972
as Andrew Wyke
MovieLady Caroline Lamb
1972
as Duke of Wellington
MovieNicholas and Alexandra
1971
as Count Witte
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Harry
Tree of Life
1971
as Narrator
MovieThree Sisters
1970
as Dr. Ivan Chebutikin
MovieDavid Copperfield
1969
as Mr. Creakle
MovieBattle of Britain
1969
as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
MovieThe Dance of Death
1969
as Edgar
MovieOh! What a Lovely War
1969
as Field Marshal Sir John French
TVMale of the Species
1969
as Self - Presenter
TVITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
as Narrator
MovieMale of the Species
1969
as Presenter
MovieThe Shoes of the Fisherman
1968
as Piotr Ilyich Kamenev
TVThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
MovieRomeo and Juliet
1968
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
TVOmnibus
1967
as Self (archive footage)
TVThe Carol Burnett Show
1967
as Self - Audience Member
Great Acting: Laurence Olivier
1966
as Self - Interviewee
MovieThe Legend of Marilyn Monroe
1966
TVABC Stage 67
1966
as Self
MovieKhartoum
1966
as Mahdi
MovieOthello
1965
as Othello
MovieBunny Lake Is Missing
1965
as Newhouse
Olivier Talks About Othello
1965
as Self - Host
MovieUncle Vanya
1963
as Dr. Astrov
MovieThe Power and the Glory
1963
as Priest
MovieTerm of Trial
1962
as Graham Weir
MovieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
as Self - Maxim de Winter (archive footage) (uncredited)
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieSpartacus
1960
as Marcus Licinius Crassus
MovieThe Entertainer
1960
as Archie Rice
MovieThe Moon and Sixpence
1959
as Charles Strickland
MovieThe Devil's Disciple
1959
as Gen. Burgoyne
MovieThe Prince and the Showgirl
1957
as The Regent
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Recipient
MovieRichard III
1955
as Richard III
MovieThe Beggar's Opera
1953
as MacHeath
MovieA Queen Is Crowned
1953
as Narrator
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
The Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
1953
as Narrator
MovieCarrie
1952
as George Hurstwood
MovieThe Magic Box
1952
as Police Constable 94-B
MovieRebecca
1950
as Maxim de winter
MovieHamlet
1948
as Hamlet - Prince of Denmark / Voice of Ghost
TVThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
MovieHenry V
1944
as King Henry
MovieThis Happy Breed
1944
as Narrator (voice)
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
MovieThe Volunteer
1944
as Self
MovieThe Demi-Paradise
1943
as Ivan Kouznetsoff
MovieMalta G.C.
1942
as Narrator
Movie49th Parallel
1941
as Johnnie, the Trapper
MovieThat Hamilton Woman
1941
as Lord Horatio Nelson
MovieWords for Battle
1941
as Narrator (voice)
MoviePrivate Lives
1940
as Elyot Chase
MovieCavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940
as Self
MoviePride and Prejudice
1940
as Mr. Darcy
MovieHollywood: Style Center of the World
1940
as Self
MovieRebecca
1940
as Maxim de Winter
Movie21 Days
1940
as Larry Durrant
MovieWuthering Heights
1939
as Heathcliff
MovieQ Planes
1939
as Tony McVane
MovieThe Divorce of Lady X
1938
as Everard Logan
MovieFire Over England
1937
as Michael Ingolby
MovieAs You Like It
1936
as Orlando
MovieMoscow Nights
1934
as Captain Ivan Ignatoff
MovieNo Funny Business
1933
as Clive Dering
MoviePerfect Understanding
1933
as Nicholas Randall
MovieWestward Passage
1932
as Nicholas 'Nick' Allen
MovieThe Conquest of the Air
1931
as Vincent Lunardi
MovieThe Yellow Ticket
1931
as Julian Rolfe
MovieFriends and Lovers
1931
as Lieutenant Ned Nichols
MoviePotiphar's Wife
1931
as Straker
MovieToo Many Crooks
1930
as The Boy
MovieThe Temporary Widow
1930
as Peter Bille
