Laurence Olivier biography
Laurence Olivier was an English actor and director, born on 22 May 1907 in Dorking, who died on 11 July 1989.
Laurence Olivier's screen career began in 1930 with Too Many Crooks, playing The Man.
Laurence Olivier appeared in 74 films and 32 television or streaming titles between 1930 and 2015.
Laurence Olivier is remembered for Marathon Man, Wuthering Heights, Hamlet, Richard III.
Honours include BAFTA Fellowship, Academy Award for Best Actor and Albert Medal.
- Also known as
- The Lord Olivier, Sir Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier of Brighton
- Born
- 22 May 1907
- Died
- 11 July 1989 (aged 82)
- Birthplace
- Dorking
- Work
- Film actor, Theatre director, Film director, Politician, Film producer
- Film industries
- Hollywood and beyond
- Years active
- 1925 to 1989
- Known for
- Marathon Man, Wuthering Heights, Hamlet, Richard III, Rebecca, Henry V
- Awards
- BAFTA Fellowship
- Academy Award for Best Actor
- Albert Medal
- Academy Honorary Award
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Feltrinelli Prize
Laurence Olivier filmography
74 films and 32 television or streaming titles, newest first.
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Trumbo | English | ||
| 2004 | Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow | Dr Totenkopf | Archive footage; Posthumous release | |
| 2000 | The Filth and the Fury | English | ||
| 1989 | War Requiem | Old Soldier | Final film role | |
| 1988 | The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind | English | ||
| 1985 | Wild Geese II | Rudolf Hess | ||
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | English | ||
| 1984 | The Bounty | Admiral Hood | ||
| 1983 | The Jigsaw Man | Admiral Sir Gerald Scaith | ||
| 1981 | Inchon | General Douglas MacArthur | ||
| 1981 | Clash of the Titans | Zeus | ||
| 1980 | The Jazz Singer | Cantor Rabinovitch | ||
| 1979 | Dracula | Abraham Van Helsing | ||
| 1979 | A Little Romance | Julius Edmond Santorin | ||
| 1978 | The Betsy | Loren Hardeman | ||
| 1978 | The Boys from Brazil | Ezra Lieberman | ||
| 1978 | Come Back, Little Sheba | |||
| 1977 | A Bridge Too Far | Dr Jan Spaander | ||
| 1976 | The Seven-Per-Cent Solution | Professor Moriarty | ||
| 1976 | The Collection | English | ||
| 1976 | Marathon Man | Dr Christian Szell aka "The White Angel" | ||
| 1974 | The Rehearsal | Cast member | ||
| 1972 | Sleuth | Andrew Wyke | ||
| 1972 | Lady Caroline Lamb | The Duke of Wellington | ||
| 1971 | Nicholas and Alexandra | Count Witte |
Show all 74 films
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Three Sisters | Dr Ivan Chebutikin | ||
| 1969 | Oh! What a Lovely War | Field Marshal Sir John French | ||
| 1969 | Dance of Death | Edgar | Film version of National Theatre Company production | |
| 1969 | Battle of Britain | Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding | ||
| 1968 | The Shoes of the Fisherman | Piotr Ilyich Kamenev | ||
| 1968 | Romeo and Juliet | Narrator | ||
| 1966 | Khartoum | Mahdi | ||
| 1965 | Bunny Lake Is Missing | Supt. Newhouse | ||
| 1965 | Othello | Othello | Film version of National Theatre Company production | |
| 1963 | Uncle Vanya | Dr Astrov | Film version of National Theatre Company production | |
| 1962 | Term of Trial | Graham Weir | ||
| 1960 | Spartacus | Marcus Licinius Crassus | ||
| 1960 | The Entertainer | Archie Rice | ||
| 1959 | The Devil's Disciple | General John Burgoyne | ||
| 1957 | The Prince and the Showgirl | Charles, the Prince Regent | Also director and producer | |
| 1955 | Richard III | Richard III | Also director and producer | |
| 1953 | The Beggar's Opera | Captain MacHeath | Co-producer, with Herbert Wilcox | |
| 1953 | A Queen Is Crowned | English | ||
| 1952 | Carrie | George Hurstwood | ||
| 1951 | The Magic Box | Police Constable 94-B | ||
| 1950 | Father's Little Dividend | Film Industry Visitor | ||
| 1948 | Hamlet | Prince Hamlet | Also director and producer | |
| 1944 | This Happy Breed | Narrator | Uncredited | |
| 1944 | The Volunteer | English | ||
| 1944 | Henry V | King Henry V | Also director and producer | |
| 1943 | The Demi-Paradise | Ivan Kouznetsoff | ||
| 1943 | Malta G.C | Narrator | ||
| 1941 | That Hamilton Woman | Horatio Nelson | ||
| 1941 | 49th Parallel | Johnnie, the Trapper | ||
| 1941 | Words for Battle | Narrator | ||
| 1940 | Rebecca | Maxim de Winter | ||
| 1940 | Pride and Prejudice | Fitzwilliam Darcy | ||
| 1940 | 21 Days | Larry Durrant | ||
| 1939 | Wuthering Heights | Heathcliff | ||
| 1939 | Q Planes | Tony McVane | ||
| 1938 | The Divorce of Lady X | Logan | His first Technicolor film | |
| 1937 | Fire Over England | Michael Ingolby | His first pairing with Vivien Leigh | |
| 1936 | Conquest of the Air | Vincent Lunardi | ||
| 1936 | As You Like It | Orlando | ||
| 1935 | Moscow Nights | Captain Ivan Ignatoff | ||
| 1933 | Perfect Understanding | Nicholas Randall | ||
| 1933 | No Funny Business | Clive Dering | ||
| 1932 | Westward Passage | Nick Allen | ||
| 1931 | The Yellow Ticket | Julian Rolfe | Released in the UK as The Yellow Passport | |
| 1931 | Friends and Lovers | Lieutenant Nichols | ||
| 1931 | Potiphar's Wife | Straker | ||
| 1930 | Too Many Crooks | The Man | ||
| 1930 | The Temporary Widow | Peter Bille | ||
| 1930 | Hokuspokus | German |
Television and streaming
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Lost Empires | Harry Burrard | ||
| 1986 | Peter the Great | William of Orange | Third episode of four | |
| 1984 | The Last Days of Pompeii | Gaius | First shown on US television | |
| 1984 | The Ebony Tower | Henry Breasley | ||
| 1984 | Wagner | Sigmund von Pfeufer | ||
| 1983 | A Talent for Murder | Dr Anthony Wainwright | ||
| 1983 | Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson | Joseph Halpern | ||
| 1983 | King Lear | King Lear | ||
| 1982 | Laurence Olivier: A Life | Interviewee | ||
| 1982 | A Voyage Round My Father | Clifford Mortimer | ||
| 1981 | Brideshead Revisited | English | ||
| 1981 | Brideshead Revisited: "Home and Abroad" | Lord Marchmain | ||
| 1981 | Brideshead Revisited: "Brideshead Revisited" | Lord Marchmain | ||
| 1978 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" | Antonio | ||
| 1978 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "Daphne Laureola" | Sir Joseph | ||
| 1978 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "Come Back, Little Sheba" | Doc Delaney | ||
| 1977 | Jesus of Nazareth | Nicodemus | ||
| 1976 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "The Collection" | Harry | ||
| 1976 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "Hindle Wakes" | Co-director only | ||
| 1976 | Laurence Olivier Presents: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" | Big Daddy | ||
| 1975 | Love Among the Ruins | Sir Arthur Glanville-Jones | First shown on US television | |
| 1975 | Arena: "Theatre" | Interviewee | ||
| 1974 | The Merchant of Venice | Shylock | First shown on US television | |
| 1973 | Long Day's Journey into Night | James Tyrone Sr. | First shown on US television | |
| 1973 | The World at War | Narrator | 26 episodes |
Show all 32 titles
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | David Copperfield | Mr Creakle | First shown on US television | |
| 1969 | Male of the Species | Narrator | First shown on US television | |
| 1966 | Great Acting: "Laurence Olivier" | Contributor | ||
| 1961 | The Power and the Glory | Priest | Originally produced for American television | |
| 1959 | The Moon and Sixpence | Charles Strickland | First shown on US television | |
| 1958 | John Gabriel Borkman | John Gabriel Borkman | ||
| 1956 | Sir Alexander Korda (1893 to 1956) | Participant |