Laurence Olivier

British actor, director and producer, considered by many to be the greatest actor of the twentieth century. He has received the greatest attention and honors of his field for his work in 121 stage roles and in 58 films, receiving no less than 11 Oscar nominations. The Founder of Londons Royal National Theatre and the Festival Theatre in Chichester, he successfully adapted Shakespeares plays to the medium of film, a landmark achievement that made the Bard available for mass distribution worldwide. Olivier was the youngest actor ever knighted, at 39 in 1946 by King George VI for his "invaluable service to the realm," and became Lord Olivier at 63, the first peerage ever given an actor. The first actor ever to be elevated to the British peerage, he was titled Sir Laurence Olivier, Baron of Brighton by Queen Elizabeth. Olivier wrote "Confessions of an Actor" in 1982. The youngest of three children born to Parson Gerard Olivier and homemaker mother Agnes Crookenden, Oliviers early interest in acting began by imitating his fathers melodramatic sermons in order to get his attention. Insightful Agnes recognized her delicate sons acting ability and encouraged him to recite monologues from plays, coaching him herself. While Olivier never did gain much of his taciturn fathers attention, he became the center of his mothers world. She urged him to appear in plays at the boarding school he attended where, in his own words, he was a "muddled kind of boy, a weakling." Agnes was not alone in her praise of her sons talent. After watching young "Larry" appear as Brutus at age 12 in a school production of "Julius Caesar," actress Ellen Terry wrote in her diary "the boy who played Brutus is already a great actor." The definitive blow of his life occurred the next year when his beloved mother died of a brain tumor. Behind the myriad masks of makeup that the master thespian wore over the following decades was the face of the 13 year old disconsolate adolescent who never successfully coped with her death. Years later he remarked that it may not be too bad a thing for an actor to have his heart broken in youth. "You cant say that your mothers death paid off, but you know what I mean." Facing an unknown future without Agnes to guide him, Olivier silently thought he would be expected by his father to follow his brother Dickie in a civil service position in India. When the subject presented itself his father replied, "Dont be a fool, you must go on the stage." Thus granted permission from his austere father to follow his bliss, Olivier attended as many theatrical productions as possible. After watching a performance of "King Lear," his fate was sealed. "Listening to the compliments flying, I came to a decision. I was determined to be the greatest actor of all time." After attending the Central School of Speech and Drama in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and a brief stint in the Birmingham Repertory Company, Oliviers big break came from playwright Noel Coward, who cast him in the West End hit "Private Lives." A steady flow of acting jobs followed, and it was as an established actor that he made his first marriage, to actress Jill Esmond in 1930. He was starring in the British film "Fire Over England," released 1937, with unknown married co-star Vivien Leigh; their love affair began when shooting ended. During 16 unforgettable months between 1936 and spring 1938, Olivier played six Shakespearean roles to sensational critical and popular Read less