Laurence Kerr Olivier (Sir Laurence after 1947) has been variously lauded as the greatest Shakespearean interpreter of the 20th century. In his long and versatile career, he appeared in more than 120 stage roles, more than 60 movies and more than 15 television productions; he was nominated for Academy Awards (as either an actor, producer or director) twelve times, winning twice, while also being honored with two Academy Honorary Awards (for Henry V in 1947 and for Lifetime Contributions in 1979).
Born on 22nd May 1907 in Dorking, Laurence Olivier made his first public appearance at the age of 9, playing Brutus in an All Saint's Production of Julius Caesar. In 1923 Laurence enrolled at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, where one of his instructors was Claude Rains; that same year, he made his professional London debut in Byron. He made his film debut in the German-produced A Temporary Widow (1929), and the following year married actress Jill Esmond, moving with her to America when Private Lives (a work by Noel Coward) opened on Broadway.
Signed to a Hollywood contract by RKO in 1931, Laurence failed to make much of an impression on screen, disenchanted with the movies he vowed to remain on stage. He graduated to full-fledged stardom in 1935, when he was cast as Romeo in John Gielgud's London production of Romeo and Juliet. Laurence made his first Shakespearean film, playing Orlando in Paul Czinner's production of As You Like It (1936). Now a popular movie leading man, Laurence starred in such entertainment's as Fire Over England (1937), The Divorce of Lady X (1938), Q Planes (1939) and 21 Days (1940). He returned to Hollywood to star as Heathcliff in Sam Goldwyn's production of Wuthering Heights (1939), earning the first of eleven Academy Award nominations. He followed this with leading roles in Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940), Pride and Prejudice (1940) and Korda's That Hamilton Woman (1941), co-starring in the latter with his second wife, Vivien Leigh. His most conspicuous contribution to the war effort was his film production of Henry V (1944) which he produced, directed and starred in. The same year Laurence received a special Academy Award "for his outstanding achievement as actor, producer, and director in bringing Henry V to the screen".
In 1947, the year knighthood was bestowed upon him, Laurence served up another celluloid Shakespeare, producing, directing and starring in Hamlet(1948); for this movie he won Best Film and Best Actor awards from the Academy. The 1950s was a transitional decade for Laurence; while he had his share of successes - his movie singing debut in The Beggar's Opera (1953), his production of Richard III (1955) and his movie The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) - he also suffered a great many setbacks, both personal and professional. Laurence deliberately sought out such challenging, image-busting roles as the ruthless, bisexual Crassus in Spartacus (1960) and the fanatical Mahdi in Khartoum (1966). He also achieved a measure of stability in his private life in 1961 when he married actress Joan Plowright. During this period, he was far more comfortable before the cameras than in the theatre, suffering as he was from a mysterious bout of stage fright. In 1970, he became Lord Olivier and assumed his seat in the House of Lords the following year. Four years later, suffering from a life-threatening illness, he made his last stage appearance. From 1974 until his death, he seemingly took whatever film job was offered him, some like Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Sleuth (1972) and John Schlesinger's Marathon Man (1976) proved worthy of the ageing actor. Sir Laurence Olivier died on 11 July 1989; his ashes were buried in Westminster Abbey (Poet's Corner) in 1991.
In 1999, the American Film Institute named Laurence among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time, at fourteen on the list.
A statue of Laurence Olivier as Hamlet, created by the sculptor Angela Conner, was unveiled on September 23rd, 2007 as part of a series of events to celebrate the centenary of the legendary actor's birth. The statue is situated in the corner of Theatre Square and faces the auditorium in the National Theatre (London) that bears Olivier's name.