Laurence Olivier: A BiographyLaurence Olivier was the most famous actor of this century, perhaps the greatest of all time. From his stage roles as Hamlet and Archie Rice to his screen roles as Heathcliff and Henry V, his range was unparalleled. Here for the first time is a book that brings to life the private man behind the public persona. Olivier initially aroused Hollywood's interest only because of a calculated resemblance to Ronald Colman. His looks turned him into a matinee idol, his talent into the first lord of the theater, world renowned as actor, director and producer. But beneath the glamorous image, Olivier was often lonely, confused and plagued by self-doubts. Donald Spoto tells for the first time the truth about Olivier's three marriages--to the diffident lesbian actress Jill Esmond, to the haunted and doomed Vivien Leigh, and to the young Joan Plowright. Spoto also reveals Olivier's relationships with Noel Coward and Danny Kaye, who loved him. Laurence Olivier's life encompassed the history of the theater in our time. Based on formidable international research, access to many previously unpublished documents and more than 160 interviews with those who knew and worked with Olivier, this is a rich, definitive biography.--Adapted from dust jacket. |
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