Laurence Olivier

Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) was an English actor and director celebrated for Shakespearean stage performances and acclaimed film roles. His work ranged from classical theater to major British and Hollywood productions.

Hamlet (1948 film): Laurence Olivier’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, which he directed and starred in. His screen Hamlet brought his stage command of Shakespeare to an Academy Award-winning film.
Vivien Leigh: An English actor known for playing Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind and Blanche DuBois on stage and screen. Leigh was Olivier’s wife and frequent stage collaborator from 1940 to 1960.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art: A London drama school founded in 1904 to train actors for professional performance. Olivier studied there before beginning his professional acting career.
National Theatre: The United Kingdom’s publicly funded theater institution, based in London and founded in 1963. As its first artistic director, Olivier established the company’s early identity and repertoire.
Method acting: An approach to acting that draws on psychological and emotional preparation associated with Stanislavski and his interpreters. Olivier’s outwardly transformative technique is often contrasted with the Method’s emphasis on inner psychological continuity.
Henry V (1944 film): Laurence Olivier’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s history play, made during the Second World War. Olivier directed and starred in this patriotic Shakespeare film, his first as director.
John Gielgud: An English actor and director renowned for classical theater and Shakespearean roles. Gielgud was Olivier’s contemporary and fellow leading figure in modern British theater.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre: An English theater company founded by Barry Jackson in 1913 and based in Birmingham. Olivier gained early professional experience with the company in the 1920s.
Royal National Theatre building: The National Theatre’s South Bank complex in London, designed by architect Denys Lasdun. Olivier’s company moved into this permanent home after his tenure as director.
Stanislavski system: A system of actor training developed by Russian theater practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski. Olivier’s approach to character and physical transformation differed from interpretations centered on Stanislavski’s system.

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