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Laurence Olivier on stage and screen

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Laurence Olivier in a promotional still for Rebecca (1940).
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Laurence Olivier

Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) was an English actor who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson 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. From 1935 he performed in radio broadcasts and, from 1956, had considerable success in television roles.

After attending drama school, Olivier began his professional career with small touring companies before being taken on in 1925 by Sybil Thorndike and her husband, Lewis Casson, as a bit-part player, understudy and assistant stage manager for their London company.[1] In 1926 he joined the Birmingham Repertory Company,[2] where he was given the chance to play a wide range of key roles.[3] In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Coward's Private Lives, and in 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Peggy 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. 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 (1964) and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1970).[4]

In 1930, to gain money for his forthcoming marriage, Olivier began his film career with small roles in two films.[5] In 1939 he appeared as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights in a role that saw him nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. The following year he was again nominated for the same award for his portrayal of Maxim de Winter in Rebecca. In 1944 he produced, directed and appeared as Henry V of England in Henry V. There were Oscar nominations for the film, including Best Picture and Best Actor, but it won none and the film instead won a "Special Award".[6] He won the Best Actor award for the 1948 film Hamlet, which became the first non-American film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.[7][8][a] He later received Oscar nominations for roles in Richard III (1955), The Entertainer (1960), Othello (1965), Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976) and The Boys from Brazil (1978). In 1979 he was also presented with an Honorary Award, at the Academy Awards, to recognise his lifetime of contribution to the art of film. He was nominated for nine other acting Oscars and one each for production and direction.[10] Throughout his career Olivier appeared in radio dramas and poetry readings, and made his television debut in 1956.

After being ill for the last twenty-two years of his life, Olivier died of kidney failure on 11 July 1989.[4] Reflecting on Olivier's pioneering of Britain's National Theatre,[11] the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg wrote: "[N]o one doubts that the National is perhaps his most enduring monument".[12] Olivier's claim to theatrical greatness lay not only in his acting, but by being, in the words of the English theatre director Peter Hall, "the supreme man of the theatre of our time".[13]

Theatre

[edit]

As actor

[edit]
Katharine Cornell and Laurence Olivier in the Broadway production of No Time for Comedy, on the cover of Stage magazine (April 15, 1939)
middle aged man with young woman on stage
Olivier, with Joan Plowright in The Entertainer on Broadway in 1958

This table contains Olivier's known professional theatrical roles. It also contains the occasions when he both acted and directed. It does not contain those productions where he was a director but did not appear on stage. It also omits the amateur productions in which he performed at school, mostly Shakespeare, playing, among other roles, Brutus, Puck and also female roles, including Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew.

Stage credits of Olivier
Production[14][15][16] Date Role Theatre
(London, unless otherwise noted) 		Number of performances
Unfailing Instinct August 1925 Armand St Cyr Brighton Hippodrome and tour
The Ghost Train August 1925 Policeman Brighton Hippodrome and tour
The Tempest October 1925 Antonio Century Theatre and London area tour
Julius Caesar October 1925 Flavius Century Theatre and London area tour
Henry VIII 23 December 1925 – 20 March 1926 First Serving Man Empire Theatre 127
Oedipus Tyrannus 10 January 1926 Suppliant, Guard and Servant New Scala Theatre 1
The Cenci 8–19 March 1926 Servant to Orsino Empire Theatre 4
The Marvellous History of Saint Bernard 7 April – 12 June 1926 Minstrel Kingsway Theatre 76
The Merchant of Venice 23 April 1926 Gentleman Theatre Royal, Haymarket 1
The Song 3 May 1926 Lucio de Costanza Royal Court Theatre 1
The Barber and the Cow June 1926 Minor role Clacton
The Farmer's Wife July–November 1926 Richard Coaker Tour
The Farmer's Wife December 1926 Richard Coaker Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Something to Talk About 31 January 1927 Guy Sidney Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Well of the Saints 31 January 1927 Mat Simon Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Third Finger 12 February 1927 Tom Hardcastle Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Mannoch Family 26 February 1927 Peter Mannoch Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Comedian 19 March 1927 Walk on parts Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Uncle Vanya 2 April 1927 Vanya Birmingham Repertory Theatre
All's Well That Ends Well 16 April 1927 Parolles Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Pleasure Garden 30 April 1927 Young Man Birmingham Repertory Theatre
She Stoops to Conquer 14 May 1927 Tony Lumpkin Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Quality Street 4 June 1927 Ensign Blades Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Bird in Hand 3 September 1927 Gerald Arnwood Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Advertising April 24 September 1927 Mervyn Jones Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Adding Machine 2 October 1927 Young Man Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Silver Box 8 October 1927 Jack Barthwick Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Aren't Women Wonderful November 1927 Mr Milford Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Road to Ruin 5 November 1927 Mr Milford Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The Adding Machine 9 January – 4 February 1928 Young Man Royal Court Theatre 32
Macbeth 6–13 March 1928 Malcolm Royal Court Theatre 32
Back to Methuselah 19–31 March 1928 Martellus Royal Court Theatre 11
Harold 2–24 April 1928 Harold Royal Court Theatre 25
The Taming of the Shrew 30 April – 26 May 1928 Lord Royal Court Theatre 32
Bird in Hand 1 June 1928 Gerald Arnwood Royalty Theatre
Paul Among the Jews
(Paulus unter den Juden) 		8–9 July 1928 Chanan Prince of Wales Theatre 2
The Dark Path 4 November 1928 Graham Birley Royalty Theatre 1
Journey's End 9–10 December 1928 Captain Stanhope Apollo Theatre 2
Beau Geste 30 January – 4 March 1929 Beau Geste His Majesty's Theatre 39
Prize Giving at Woodside House School (sketch) 17 February 1929 McTavish VI Queen's Theatre 1
The Circle of Chalk 14 March – 20 April 1929 Prince Pao New Theatre 48
Paris Bound 22–27 April 1929 Richard Parish Golders Green Hippodrome 8
Paris Bound 30 April – 25 May 1929 Richard Parish Lyric Theatre 31
The Stranger Within June 1929 John Hardy Garrick Theatre 53
The Stranger Within 5–10 August 1929 John Hardy Golders Green Hippodrome 8
Murder on the Second Floor September 1929 Hugh Bromilow Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre, New York
The Last Enemy December 1929 Jerry Warrender Fortune Theatre 97
100 Not Out (sketch) 23 February 1930 Helen the nurse Queen's Theatre 1
After All 30 March – 6 April 1930 Ralph Arts Theatre 9
Private Lives 18 August – 20 September 1930 Victor Prynne On tour: Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and Southsea 32
Private Lives 24 September – 20 December 1930 Victor Prynne Phoenix Theatre 101
Some Other Private Lives (sketch) 8 December 1930 Alf Hippodrome 1
Private Lives 27 January 1931 Victor Prynne Times Square Theater, New York 150
The Rats of Norway 6 April – 8 July 1933 Steven Beringer Playhouse Theatre 107
The Green Bay Tree 20 October 1933 Julian Dulcimer Cort Theatre, New York 116
Biography 25 April – 2 June 1934 Richard Kurt Globe Theatre 45
Queen of Scots 8 June – 8 September 1934 Bothwell New Theatre 106
Theatre Royal 1–20 October 1934 Anthony Cavendish On tour: Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester 24
Theatre Royal 23 October – 23 December 1934 Anthony Cavendish Lyric Theatre
Journey's End 12 November 1934 Captain Stanhope Adelphi Theatre 1
A Kiss for Cinderella 22 November 1934 Policeman Prince His Majesty's Theatre 1
November Afternoon (sketch) 2 December 1934 Man Comedy Theatre 1
The Winning Post 17 December 1934 Philip Cavanagh Adelphi Theatre 1
Top Hat 1935 Italian Officer (uncredited)
Ringmaster 25 February – 22 March 1935 Peter Hammond Tour: Oxford and Birmingham 15
Ringmaster 1935 Peter Hammond Shaftesbury Theatre 8
November Afternoon (sketch) 15 March 1935 Man Hippodrome 1
Notices (sketch) 7 April 1935 Oswald Parkinsion Comedy Theatre 1
The Down and Outs Matinee 8 April 1935 Reader Gaiety Theatre 1
Golden Arrow 13–18 May 1935 Richard Harben
Also director 		New Theatre, Oxford 7
Golden Arrow 30 May – 15 June 1935 Richard Harben
Also director 		Whitehall Theatre 19
The Massed Chorus 10 June 1935 Footman Grosvenor House 1
Romeo and Juliet 16 October 1935 – 28 March 1936 Romeo and Mercutio New Theatre 186
Bees on the Boat Deck 5 May – 6 June 1936 Robert Patch[b] Lyric Theatre 37
Hamlet 5 January – 20 February 1937 Hamlet The Old Vic 42
Twelfth Night 23 February – 3 April 1937 Sir Toby Belch The Old Vic 42
Henry V 6 April – 22 May 1937 Henry V The Old Vic 50
Shakespeare Birthday Festival 1937 Romeo and Henry V The Old Vic 1
Midnight with the Stars 6 May 1937 Personal appearance Empire Theatre 1
Hamlet 2–6 June 1937 Hamlet Elsinore, Denmark 5
Macbeth 26 November 1937 – 15 January 1938 Macbeth The Old Vic then New Theatre 55
Othello 8 February – 12 March 1938 Iago The Old Vic 35
The King of Nowhere 15 March – 16 April 1938 Vivaldi The Old Vic 34
Coriolanus 19 April – 21 May 1938 Coriolanus The Old Vic 35
Here's to Our Enterprise 23 May 1938 Alfred Jingle Lyceum Theatre 1
No Time for Comedy 17 April 1939 Gaylord Easterbrook Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York 72
Romeo and Juliet 9 May – June 1940 Romeo
Also director 		51st Street Theatre, New York 36
All Star Concert in aid of the Russian Relief Fund

(scene from Romeo and Juliet)

7 December 1941 Romeo Empire Theatre, York 1
Esmond Knight Matinée

(scene from Henry V)

18 January 1942 Henry V London Palladium 1
Elsie Fogerty Jubilee Matinée 30 November 1942 Poetry reader New Theatre 1
Arms and the Man 7–12 August 1944 Sergius Saranoff Opera House, Manchester 9
Peer Gynt 31 August 1944 – 14 April 1945 The Button Moulder New Theatre 83
Arms and the Man 5 September 1944 – 13 April 1945 Sergius Saranoff New Theatre 67
Richard III 13 September 1944 –11 April 1945 Richard III New Theatre 83
Uncle Vanya 16 January – 12 April 1945 Dr Astrov New Theatre 25
Arms and the Man June 1945 Sergius Saranoff ENSA Garrison Theatre, Antwerp
Richard III June 1945 Richard III ENSA Garrison Theatre, Antwerp
Henry IV, Part 1 26 September 1945 – 13 April 1946 Hotspur New Theatre 69
Henry IV, Part 2 3 October 1945 – 13 April 1946 Justice Shallow New Theatre 59
Oedipus and
The Critic 		18 October 1945 – 27 April 1946 Oedipus and
Mr Puff 		New Theatre 76
Uncle Vanya 1 May – 14 June 1946 Dr Astrov New Century Theatre, New York 8
Henry IV, Part 1 6 May – 13 June 1946 Hotspur New Century Theatre, New York 18
Henry IV, Part 2 6 May – 13 June 1946 Justice Shallow New Century Theatre, New York 9
Oedipus and
The Critic 		20 May – 15 June 1946 Oedipus and
Mr Puff 		New Century Theatre, New York 15
King Lear 24 September 1946 – 4 January 1947 Lear New Theatre 42
King Lear 25 November – 1 December 1946 Lear Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris 7
The School for Scandal 20 – 30 March 1948 Sir Peter Teazle
Also director 		Capitol Theatre, Perth
Richard III 3 – 17 April 1948 Richard III Theatre Royal, Adelaide
The Skin of Our Teeth 12 – 17 April 1948 Mr Antrobus
Also director 		Theatre Royal, Adelaide
The School for Scandal
Richard III
The Skin of Our Teeth 		19 April – 12 June 1948 Sir Peter Teazle
Richard III
Mr Antrobus 		Princess Theatre Melbourne
The School for Scandal 15 – 19 June 1948 Sir Peter Teazle Theatre Royal, Hobart
The School for Scandal
Richard III
The Skin of Our Teeth 		29 June – August 1948 Sir Peter Teazle
Richard III
Mr Antrobus 		New Tivoli Theatre, Sydney
The School for Scandal August – September 1948 Sir Peter Teazle His Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane
The School for Scandal September 1948 Sir Peter Teazle St. James Theatre, Auckland
The School for Scandal September 1948 Sir Peter Teazle St. James Theatre, Christchurch
The School for Scandal September 1948 Sir Peter Teazle His Majesty's Theatre, Dunedin
The School for Scandal October 1948 Sir Peter Teazle St. James Theatre, Wellington
The School for Scandal 20 January – 4 June 1949 Sir Peter Teazle
Also director 		New Theatre 74
Richard III 26 January – 2 June 1949 Richard III New Theatre 35
Antigone 2 February – 1 June 1949 Chorus New Theatre 39
RADA Cabaret 30 March 1949 Personal appearance Lyceum Theatre 1
Venus Observed 18 January – 5 August 1950 The Duke of Altair
Also director 		St James's Theatre 229
Caesar and Cleopatra 24 – 28 April 1951 Julius Caesar Opera House, Manchester 7
Antony and Cleopatra 1 – 6 May 1951 Mark Antony Opera House, Manchester 7
Caesar and Cleopatra 10 May – 21 September 1951 Julius Caesar St James's Theatre 77
Antony and Cleopatra 11 May – 22 September 1951 Mark Antony St James's Theatre 76
The Sid Field Tribute 25 June 1951 Appearance London Palladium 1
Caesar and Cleopatra 13 November–17 November 1951 Julius Caesar Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool 7
Antony and Cleopatra 20–24 November 1951 Mark Antony Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool 7
Caesar and Cleopatra 19 December 1951 – 11 April 1952 Julius Caesar Ziegfeld Theatre, New York 67
Antony and Cleopatra 20 December 1951 – 12 April 1952 Mark Antony Ziegfeld Theatre, New York 66
The Sleeping Prince 28 September – 24 October 1953 Grand Duke of Carpathia
Also director 		Tour: Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle 32
The Sleeping Prince 5 November 1953 – 3 July 1954 Grand Duke of Carpathia
Also director 		Phoenix Theatre 274
Midnight Cavalcade 18 March 1954 Appeared with Jack Buchanan London Palladium 1
All Star RADA Jubilee Matinée: Henry VIII 31 March 1954 Reader, Epilogue only Her Majesty's Theatre 1
Night of a Hundred Stars 24 June 1954 Appeared with Jack Buchanan London Palladium 1
Twelfth Night 12 April – 26 November 1955 Malvolio Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 81
Macbeth 7 June – 23 November 1955 Macbeth Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 56
Titus Andronicus 16 August – 25 November 1955 Titus Andronicus Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 29
Green Room Cavalcade 5 March 1956 Sir Peter Teazle London Coliseum 1
Night of 100 Stars 28 June 1956 Evening host and

Performer in White Tie and Tails

London Palladium 1
Central School Jubilee 25 November 1956 Edwardian soirée guest Saville Theatre 1
Evening for Hungary Relief 18 December 1956 Speaker Royal Festival Hall 1
The Entertainer 10 April – 11 May 1957 Archie Rice Royal Court Theatre 36
Titus Andronicus 15 May 1957 – 21 June 1957 Titus Andronicus Tour: Paris, Venice, Belgrade, Zagreb, Vienna and Warsaw 26
Titus Andronicus 1 July – 3 August 1957 Titus Andronicus Stoll Theatre 35
Son et Lumière 6 August 1957 Duke of Gloucester Greenwich Royal Naval College 1
The Entertainer 10 September 1957 – 18 January 1958 Archie Rice Palace Theatre 116
The Entertainer 11 – 30 November 1957 Archie Rice Tour: Edinburgh, Oxford and Brighton 24
The Entertainer 12 February – 10 May 1958 Archie Rice Royale Theatre, New York 97
Night of 100 Stars 24 July 1958 – London Palladium 1
Coriolanus 7 July – 27 November 1959 Coriolanus Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 48
Night of 100 Stars 23 July 1959 Archie Rice London Palladium 1
Gala for Fréjus disaster victims 15 December 1959 Speaker Lyric Theatre 1
Rhinoceros 28 April – 4 June 1960 Rhinoceros Royal Court Theatre
Rhinoceros 8 June – 30 July 1960 Rhinoceros Strand Theatre 105[c]
Night of 100 Stars 21 July 1960 Grace Hubbard London Palladium 1
Becket 5 October 1960 – 25 March 1961 Thomas Becket St. James Theatre, New York 193
Becket 29 March 1961 – Henry II Tour: Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia and New York 193
The Broken Heart 9 July – 8 September 1962 Bassanes
Also director 		Chichester Festival Theatre 28
Uncle Vanya 16 July – 8 September 1962 Dr Astrov Chichester Festival Theatre 28
Semi-Detached 19 November – 1 December 1962 Fred Midway Tour: Edinburgh and Oxford 16
Semi-Detached 5 December 1962 – 30 March 1963 Fred Midway Saville Theatre 137
Uncle Vanya July – 31 August 1963 Dr Astrov
Also director 		Chichester Festival Theatre 28
Night of 100 Stars 18 July 1963 Host London Palladium 1
Uncle Vanya 19 November 1963 – 1 August 1964 Dr Astrov
Also director 		The Old Vic 61
The Recruiting Officer 10 December 1963 – 12 December 1964 Captain Brazen The Old Vic 69
Uncle Vanya 23 – 30 March 1964 Dr Astrov
Also director 		Tour: Newcastle and Edinburgh
Othello 6 – 8 April 1964 Othello Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 3
Othello 23 April – 2 June 1964 Othello The Old Vic
Othello 21 July – 29 August 1964 Othello Chichester Festival Theatre
Night of 100 Stars 23 July 1964 Presenter and speaker London Palladium 1
The Master Builder 23 – 12 November 1964 Halvard Solness Tour: Manchester, Leeds and Oxford 12
The Master Builder 17 November 1964 – 9 July 1965 Halvard Solness The Old Vic 73
The Carnival of the Animals 13 February 1965 Narrator Royal Albert Hall 73
The Master Builder 12 – 20 March 1965 Halvard Solness Tour: Glasgow and Coventry 6
Othello 7 September – 30 November 1965 Othello Tour: Moscow, Berlin, Edinburgh and Newcastle
Love for Love 9 September – 27 November 1965 Tattle Tour: Moscow, Berlin, Edinburgh and Newcastle
Love for Love 20 October 1965 – 9 June 1967 Tattle The Old Vic 97
Performance in aid of George Devine Award 1965 Archie Rice The Old Vic 1
Othello 12 September – 3 October 1965 Othello Queen's Theatre
Love for Love 9 September – 27 November 1965 Tattle Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Italy, My Italy January 1967 Speaker Theatre Royal, Haymarket 1
The Dance of Death 21 February 1967 – 25 July 1969 Edgar The Old Vic 108
The Dance of Death 17 April 1967 – 9 March 1968 Edgar Tour: Brighton, Liverpool, Montreal, Toronto, Edinburgh and Oxford
A Flea in Her Ear 6 September 1967 – 24 July 1969 Etienne Plucheux The Old Vic 30+
Home and Beauty 7 – 22 March 1969 A.B. Raham Tour: Norwich, Bradford and Nottingham
Home and Beauty 8 April – 6 July 1970 A B Raham The Old Vic 89
Three Sisters 10 April 1970 Chebutikin
Also director 		The Old Vic
The Merchant of Venice 28 April 1970 – 8 January 1971 Shylock The Old Vic 138
The Merchant of Venice 8 June 1970 – 1 August 1971 Shylock Cambridge Theatre
Three Sisters 29 September – 1 October 1970 Chebutikin
Also director 		Theatre Royal, Brighton
The Merchant of Venice 3 – 8 May 1971 Shylock King's Theatre, Edinburgh
A celebration in memory of Michel Saint-Denis 27 September 1971 Reader St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden 1
Long Day's Journey into Night 14 December 1971 – 8 September 1972 James Tyrone New Theatre and The Old Vic (from 23 August 1972) 122
Sybil 29 October 1972 Reader Theatre Royal, Haymarket 1
Fanfare 3 January 1973 Reader Royal Opera House
Twelfth Night 6 January 1973 Speaker and prologue The Old Vic
Gala performance 4 March 1973 Appearance Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guilford 1
Saturday, Sunday, Monday 25 October 1973 – 16 February 1974 Antonio The Old Vic 42
The Party 18 December 1973 – 21 March 1974 John Tagg The Old Vic 36
Tribute to the Lady 6 May 1974 Narrator The Old Vic 1
Royal opening by the Queen 25 October 1976 Speech of Welcome Royal National Theatre 1
Tribute Gala for the South Atlantic Fund 18 July 1982 Speaker and salutes, Falklands Task Force London Coliseum 1
Blondel (Gala Performance) 8 November 1983 Spoke prologue The Old Vic 1
Night of 100 Stars 17 February 1985 Personal appearance Radio City Music Hall, New York 1
57th Academy Awards 25 March 1985 Presents award Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles 1
Bob Hope birthday gala 14 May 1985 Akash Lyric Theatre
Time 9 April 1986 Akash (as a projection) Dominion Theatre

As director

[edit]

This table contains Olivier's stage work as a director. It does not include the 15 productions in which he also appeared, which are shown in the table above.

Olivier's director credits
Production[18][19][20] Opening night Theatre
(London, unless otherwise noted) 		Notes
The Skin of Our Teeth 16 May 1945 Phoenix Theatre Soon after opening, the play went on a four-week tour of the UK, then a six-week tour of Europe
Born Yesterday 1 February 1947 Garrick Theatre
The Proposal 2 February 1949 New Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire 1 October 1949 Aldwych Theatre
The Damascus Blade 13 March 1950 Theatre Royal Newcastle, and tour
Captain Carvallo 12 June 1950 Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Captain Carvallo 9 August 1950 Garrick Theatre
Venus Observed 13 February 1952 New Century Theatre, New York
The Tumbler 1 February 1960 Shubert Theatre, Boston; Helen Hayes Theatre, New York At the Helen Hayes Theatre from 24 February 1960
The Chances 3 July 1962 Chichester Festival Theatre
Hamlet 22 October 1963 The Old Vic First National Theatre Company production; ran for 27 performances until 4 December 1963
The Crucible 19 January 1965 The Old Vic
Juno and the Paycock 26 April 1966 The Old Vic
Three Sisters 4 July 1967 The Old Vic
The Advertisement 16 September 1968 Tour: Montreal & Toronto Co-director with Donald MacKechnie
Love's Labour's Lost 19 December 1968 The Old Vic
Amphitryon 25 June 1971 New Theatre
Eden End 4 April 1974 The Old Vic
Filumena 10 February 1980 St. James Theatre, New York City

Filmography

[edit]
studio still of young man and woman in outdoor setting
Olivier, with Merle Oberon in the 1939 film Wuthering Heights
young woman clinging as if for protection to slightly older man
Olivier with Joan Fontaine in the 1940 film Rebecca
Filmography of Laurence Olivier
Film[21] Year Role Notes Ref.
Too Many Crooks 1930 The Man [22]
The Temporary Widow 1930 Peter Bille [23]
Friends and Lovers 1931 Lieutenant Nichols [24]
The Yellow Ticket 1931 Julian Rolfe Released in the UK as The Yellow Passport [25]
Potiphar's Wife 1931 Straker [26]
Westward Passage 1932 Nick Allen [27]
Perfect Understanding 1933 Nicholas Randall [28]
No Funny Business 1933 Clive Dering [29]
Moscow Nights 1935 Captain Ivan Ignatoff [30]
As You Like It 1936 Orlando [31]
Conquest of the Air 1936 Vincent Lunardi [32]
Fire Over England 1937 Michael Ingolby His first pairing with Vivien Leigh [33]
The Divorce of Lady X 1938 Logan His first Technicolor film [34]
Q Planes 1939 Tony McVane [35]
Wuthering Heights 1939 Heathcliff [36]
21 Days 1940 Larry Durrant [37]
Rebecca 1940 Maxim de Winter [38]
Pride and Prejudice 1940 Fitzwilliam Darcy [39]
That Hamilton Woman 1941 Horatio Nelson [40]
49th Parallel 1941 Johnnie, the Trapper [41]
Words for Battle 1941 Narrator Co-production between the Ministry of Information and the Crown Film Unit [42]
The Volunteer 1943 Himself Made in conjunction with the Ministry of Information [43]
Malta G.C. 1943 Narrator Co-production between the Ministry of Information and the Crown Film Unit [44]
The Demi-Paradise 1943 Ivan Kouznetsoff [45]
This Happy Breed 1944 Narrator Uncredited [46]
Henry V 1944 King Henry V Also director and producer [47]
Hamlet 1948 Hamlet Also director and producer [48]
Father's Little Dividend 1950 Film Industry Visitor [49]
The Magic Box 1951 Police Constable 94-B [50]
Carrie 1952 George Hurstwood [51]
The Beggar's Opera 1953 Captain MacHeath Co-producer, with Herbert Wilcox [52]
Richard III 1955 Richard III Also director and producer [53]
The Prince and the Showgirl 1957 Charles, the Prince Regent Also director and producer [54]
The Devil's Disciple 1959 General John Burgoyne [55]
The Entertainer 1960 Archie Rice [56]
Spartacus 1960 Marcus Licinius Crassus [57]
Term of Trial 1962 Graham Weir [58]
Uncle Vanya 1963 Dr Astrov Film version of National Theatre Company production [59]
Bunny Lake Is Missing 1965 Supt. Newhouse [60]
Othello 1965 Othello Film version of National Theatre Company production [61]
Khartoum 1966 Mahdi [62]
Romeo and Juliet 1968 Narrator [63]
The Shoes of the Fisherman 1968 Piotr Ilyich Kamenev [64]
Oh! What a Lovely War 1969 Field Marshal Sir John French [65]
Dance of Death 1969 Edgar Film version of National Theatre Company production [66]
Battle of Britain 1969 Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding [67]
Three Sisters 1970 Dr Ivan Chebutikin Also director; film version of National Theatre Company production [68]
Nicholas and Alexandra 1971 Count Witte [68]
Lady Caroline Lamb 1972 The Duke of Wellington [69]
Sleuth 1972 Andrew Wyke [70]
The Rehearsal 1974 Cast member [71]
Marathon Man 1976 Dr Christian Szell aka "The White Angel" [72]
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution 1976 Professor Moriarty [73]
A Bridge Too Far 1977 Dr Jan Spaander [74]
The Betsy 1978 Loren Hardeman [75]
The Boys from Brazil 1978 Ezra Lieberman [76]
A Little Romance 1979 Julius Edmond Santorin [77]
Dracula 1979 Abraham Van Helsing [78]
The Jazz Singer 1980 Cantor Rabinovitch [79]
Inchon 1981 General Douglas MacArthur [80]
Clash of the Titans 1981 Zeus [81]
The Jigsaw Man 1983 Admiral Sir Gerald Scaith [82]
The Bounty 1984 Admiral Hood [83]
Wild Geese II 1985 Rudolf Hess [84]
War Requiem 1989 Old Soldier [85]
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 2004 Dr Totenkopf Archive footage [86]

Selected radio broadcasts

[edit]
Olivier in 1972

All the productions shown were for BBC radio.[87]

Selected radio broadcasts of Olivier
Programme[87] Date
The Winter's Tale January 1935
For Us, The Living April 1941
Henry V April 1942
Poetry Reading July 1942
Christopher Columbus October 1942
Maud October 1942
Trafalgar Day October 1942
Poems by John Pudney November 1942
The School for Scandal December 1942
Poetry Reading December 1943
The Ancient Mariner February 1944
Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2 April 1945
Men of Good Will December 1947
"A Man I Would Like to Meet" (interview) May 1952
"40 Years of Rep" (interview) February 1953
The Beggar's Opera (film excerpts) June 1953
Henry VIII June 1954
Charter in the Saucer September 1955
People Today December 1963
Voice of the North (interview) November 1964
"Interview on the National Theatre" July 1965
"Portrait of George Devine" April 1966
The Time of My Life: "Dame Sybil Thorndike" August 1966
"Sir Laurence Olivier Conversation" October 1969
We'll Hear a Play January 1971
"Remembering Michel Saint-Denis" October 1971
"Dame Gladys Cooper: A Family Portrait" April 1972
Bound to Let On November 1972
The Bob Hope Story August 1973
Rattigan's Theatre February 1976
"Portrait of Sir William Walton" January 1977

Television

[edit]
Television appearances of Olivier
Programme[21][88][89][90] Year Role Notes Ref.
Sir Alexander Korda (1893–1956) 14 April 1956 Participant [91]
John Gabriel Borkman 20 November 1958 John Gabriel Borkman [92][93]
The Moon and Sixpence 30 October 1959 Charles Strickland First shown on US television [94]
The Power and the Glory 29 October 1961 Priest Originally produced for American television [95][96]
Great Acting: "Laurence Olivier" 26 February 1966 Contributor [97]
Male of the Species 3 January 1969 Narrator First shown on US television [98]
David Copperfield 15 March 1969 Mr Creakle First shown on US television [99]
Parkinson 1970 Guest [100]
Long Day's Journey into Night 9 March 1973 James Tyrone Sr. First shown on US television [101][102]
The Merchant of Venice 16 March 1973 Shylock First shown on US television [103][104]
The World at War 31 October 1973 – 8 May 1974 Narrator 26 episodes [105]
The Morecambe & Wise Show, Christmas Special 25 December 1973 Guest [106]
The Dick Cavett Show 1974 Guest [107]
Love Among the Ruins 6 March 1975 Sir Arthur Glanville-Jones First shown on US television [108]
Arena: "Theatre" 1 October 1975 Interviewee [109]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "The Collection" 5 December 1976 Harry [110]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" 12 December 1976 Big Daddy [111]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "Hindle Wakes" 19 December 1976  – Co-director only [112]
Jesus of Nazareth 10 April 1977 Nicodemus [113]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" 1 January 1978 Antonio [114]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "Come Back, Little Sheba" 7 January 1978 Doc Delaney [115]
Laurence Olivier Presents: "Daphne Laureola" 14 January 1978 Sir Joseph [116]
Brideshead Revisited: "Home and Abroad" 20 October 1981 Lord Marchmain [117]
Brideshead Revisited: "Brideshead Revisited" 22 December 1981 Lord Marchmain [118]
A Voyage Round My Father 2 March 1982 Clifford Mortimer [119]
Laurence Olivier: A Life 24 October 1982 Interviewee [120]
King Lear 3 April 1983 King Lear [121]
Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson 28 August 1983 Joseph Halpern [122]
A Talent for Murder 19 December 1983 Dr Anthony Wainwright [123]
Wagner 16 June 1984 Sigmund von Pfeufer [124]
The Ebony Tower 8 December 1984 Henry Breasley [125]
The Last Days of Pompeii 4 May 1984 Gaius First shown on US television [126]
Peter the Great 9 August 1986 William of Orange Third episode of four [127]
Lost Empires 24 October 1986 Harry Burrard [128]

See also

[edit]

Notes and references

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The film also won Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design, and was nominated for awards for Best Actress (Jean Simmons as Ophelia), Best Score and Olivier as Best Director.[9]
  2. ^ Also co-director with Ralph Richardson[17]
  3. ^ 105 includes the Royal Court performances

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Beckett 2005, pp. 18–19.
  2. ^ Jackson 2013, p. 67.
  3. ^ Holden 1988, p. 455.
  4. ^ a b Billington 2004.
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Sources

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