• Name: Laurence Olivier
• Date of Birth: May 22, 1907
• Place of Birth: Dorking, Surrey, United Kingdom

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Biography: Laurence Kerr Olivier (22 May 1907–11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. He is regarded by many as the greatest Engl...( read more )ish speaking actor of the 20th century.

Olivier's career stretched over several decades, prolific both on stage and in film. In both media, he played a wide variety of roles, from Shakespeare's Othello to a Nazi dentist in Marathon Man and Sir Toby Belch. A High Church clergyman's son who found fame on the West End stage, Olivier became determined to master Shakespeare, and in turn he became one of the foremost interpreters of the bard in the 20th century. In later years, Olivier became torn by guilt over having left his second wife Vivien Leigh, and so he immersed himself in his work. Olivier played over 120 stage roles, including: Macbeth, Romeo, Hamlet, Othello, Uncle Vanya, and Archie Rice. He appeared in nearly sixty films, including William Wyler's Wuthering Heights, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus, Otto Preminger's Bunny Lake is Missing, Richard Attenborough's Oh! What a Lovely War, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Sleuth, John Schlesinger's Marathon Man and his own Hamlet.

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  kitteh1882

  I just watched the Wuthering Heights version with him in it and he was amazing. And I never realized until now how gorgeous he really was as a young man. The only other movie I've seen him in right now is Sleuth and he wasn't exactly a spring chicken then.

  posted 55 days ago
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  tmoney007nc

  Who, may I ask, of today's film stars could POSSIBLY perform Hamlet even half as well as Olivier? The answer is no one.
  
  Olivier was not just a film, TV, and theater guru. He was a linguist, a scholar, and a damn good speaker. Shakespeare would be proud of his work.

  posted 175 days ago
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  jsmith181

  Actor Charles Shaughnessy stars as Laurence Olivier in "Orson's Shadow" at Pasadena Playhouse!
  
  Orson's Shadow is an ingenious tale of three Hollywood giants - Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles, and Vivien Leigh . The production also stars Sharon Lawrence, Bruce McGill, Scott Lowell, Libby West and Nick Cernoch. Orson's Shadow runs January 11-February 17, 2008
  
  Get 2-for-1 tickets through February 2 - use code M02.
  Restrictions apply, call (626) 737-PLAY for details, or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
  

  posted 197 days ago
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  silverclaudia

  He could read the phone book and I'd give it rave reviews! I loved him in Sleuth. The whole movie was perfection!

  posted 396 days ago
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  djsavvy21

  he's so good in pride and prejudice!!! i love the scene where he's like, "and this is your opinion of me?" perfect!

  posted 510 days ago
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  smegheadthegnome

  erm...isn't pride and prejudice missed off the films list? or are my eyes decieving me?

  posted 548 days ago
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  Lemmingrocker1311

  WOW I've been a fan of Olivier's for years and never knew that he was born down the road from me.

  posted 560 days ago
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  ratherrandom

  One of the best actors ever

  posted 563 days ago
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  jadseanderson

  Last night I finished watching Criterion's Richard III with commentary and it really enforced by belief that it is his best film.

  posted 614 days ago

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• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (PG, 2004)
• Jesus of Nazareth (Unrated, 1999)
• War Requiem (Unrated, 1990)
• The Bounty (PG, 1984)
• King Lear (Unrated, 1984)
• Clash of the Titans (PG, 1981)
• Inchon (PG, 1981)
• The Jazz Singer (PG, 1980)
• Dracula (R, 1979)
• A Little Romance (PG, 1979)

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  Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Vivien Leigh on stage at Pasadena Playhouse

  Posted by jsmith181 197 days ago.

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  Sir Lawrence in Brown

  by kimbermcleod

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  Larry gets slightly lost in his words...

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  Getting served and being humiliated: A study in dominance.