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Olivier
Based on exclusive, unprecedented access, the definitive biography of Sir Laurence Olivier, the dashing, self-invented Englishman who became the greatest actor of the twentieth century
Sir Laurence Olivier met everyone, knew everyone, and played every role in existence. But Olivier was as elusive in life as he was on the stage, a bold and practiced pretender who changed names, altered his identity, and defied characterization.
In this mesmerizing book, acclaimed biographer Terry Coleman draws for the first time on the vast archive of Olivier's private papers and correspondence, and those of his family, finally uncovering the history and the private self that Olivier worked so masterfully all his life to obscure. Beginning with the death of his mother at age eleven, Olivier was defined throughout his life by a passionate devotion to the women closest to him. Acting and sex were for him inseparable: through famous romances with Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright and countless trysts with lesser-known mistresses, these relationships were constantly entangled with his stage work, each feeding the other and driving Olivier to greater heights. And the heights were great: at every step he was surrounded by the foremost celebrities of the time, on both sides of the Atlantic—Richard Burton, Greta Garbo, William Wyler, Katharine Hepburn. The list is as long as it is dazzling.
Here is the first comprehensive account of the man whose autobiography, written late in his life, told only a small part of the story. In Olivier, Coleman uncovers the origins of Olivier's genius and reveals the methods of the century's most fascinating performer.
Sir Laurence Olivier met everyone, knew everyone, and played every role in existence. But Olivier was as elusive in life as he was on the stage, a bold and practiced pretender who changed names, altered his identity, and defied characterization.
In this mesmerizing book, acclaimed biographer Terry Coleman draws for the first time on the vast archive of Olivier's private papers and correspondence, and those of his family, finally uncovering the history and the private self that Olivier worked so masterfully all his life to obscure. Beginning with the death of his mother at age eleven, Olivier was defined throughout his life by a passionate devotion to the women closest to him. Acting and sex were for him inseparable: through famous romances with Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright and countless trysts with lesser-known mistresses, these relationships were constantly entangled with his stage work, each feeding the other and driving Olivier to greater heights. And the heights were great: at every step he was surrounded by the foremost celebrities of the time, on both sides of the Atlantic—Richard Burton, Greta Garbo, William Wyler, Katharine Hepburn. The list is as long as it is dazzling.
Here is the first comprehensive account of the man whose autobiography, written late in his life, told only a small part of the story. In Olivier, Coleman uncovers the origins of Olivier's genius and reveals the methods of the century's most fascinating performer.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2005
15 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Terry Coleman
39 books3 followersTerry Coleman was born in Bournemouth, England, went to fourteen schools, and then studied English and law at the Universities of Exeter and London. As a foreign correspondent for The Guardian and the London Daily Mail, he has traveled to forty-six countries, three times circumnavigated the world, and interviewed everyone from the former Cassius Clay to the Dalai Lama.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 24, 2018
This book was fascinating. To my mind it's THE Olivier biography. The inclusion of Olivier's letters are such a treat to read and they provide such valuable insight into a complex, enigmatic man. Some of these letters (especially to and from Vivien Leigh) are incredibly personal and intimate, but they are always handled respectfully and offer invaluable insight into their lives and careers. Equally insightful is the epilogue, titled "The Androgynous Actor, " which addresses Olivier's rumored bisexuality, penchant for camp, and general giggly silliness. Coleman concludes that perhaps, all this was just another part Olivier played throughout his life, that ultimately, we may still never know exactly who Laurence Olivier was, and maybe, just maybe, that is his ultimate magic. Concludes Coleman, "Take Garbo." Maybe some things are better left a little mysterious.
June 10, 2012
This is a lengthy, fully-fleshed biography of an acting genius. It is also a story of his times and the theater in England, the USA, and around the world. Coleman makes the other biographers pale in comparison. There is so much detail and so many people are covered with such frankness that it is hard to believe that this was the family authorized biography.
There are many photographs. So many plays, actors, playwrights, directors, movies are discussed that it is almost a reference book of the period. I was amazed to find the other night that "The Dance of Death" is available on Netflix streaming. I'm sure there are more.
It was clear that this man loved to act, to mesmerize audiences, and he worked hard all his life.
There are many photographs. So many plays, actors, playwrights, directors, movies are discussed that it is almost a reference book of the period. I was amazed to find the other night that "The Dance of Death" is available on Netflix streaming. I'm sure there are more.
It was clear that this man loved to act, to mesmerize audiences, and he worked hard all his life.
December 31, 2011
How can one get a huge crush on a person over 20 years dead? Ask me.
September 7, 2013
There seem to be several other books about Olivier currently in print, including his autobiography: both hold claims to being the "definitive work". Meticulously researched, thoughtful and insightful, Coleman's is easily the best I have read. I would put the autobiographical CONFESSIONS OF AN ACTOR in second place and the reissued Holden biography (which, sadly, seems to have had the most press coverage) in third, as it seems to me redundant.
The genius of this book is that the reader really feels an insight into the personality of its subject: Coleman avoids almost completely the "Olivier did this; then he did that" style that, sadly, many biographers fall into.
Considered in its treatment of the controversial aspects of Olivier's personality such as his sexuality, and yet forthright about his character flaws, Coleman's is probably the best biography I have ever read.
The genius of this book is that the reader really feels an insight into the personality of its subject: Coleman avoids almost completely the "Olivier did this; then he did that" style that, sadly, many biographers fall into.
Considered in its treatment of the controversial aspects of Olivier's personality such as his sexuality, and yet forthright about his character flaws, Coleman's is probably the best biography I have ever read.
Want to read
April 7, 2012It's starting out a little drier than expected, but I just got into his first marriage. I'm going to stick with it. The stuff about his time breaking into acting is pretty inspiring. Guy had a lot of flops early on once he was finally getting cast. Can't wait to read about Vivian Leigh.
Pg. 116: " He wore a carnation in his underpants during performances and then sent the flower to her. She sent him a pair of her panties."
Pg. 128: " If you give a play a good enough set, and spend enough money on the show costumes, lighting etc (so that it is obvious that a lot has been spent) this bloody public will feel sufficiently reassured to swallow anything."
Pg. 116: " He wore a carnation in his underpants during performances and then sent the flower to her. She sent him a pair of her panties."
Pg. 128: " If you give a play a good enough set, and spend enough money on the show costumes, lighting etc (so that it is obvious that a lot has been spent) this bloody public will feel sufficiently reassured to swallow anything."
July 20, 2025
2,5 really, very plodding at times, there are better biographies out there , Zieglers for example
September 9, 2014
Among other things, Sir Laurence Olivier was the greatest Shakespearean actor of his generation, perhaps of all time. And, he is perhaps one of the few actors who successfully transitioned from London stage to Hollywood effortlessly, winning an Oscar for Hamlet, winning acclaim for Wuthering Heights and Rebecca and winning ridicule for directing Marilyn Monroe in The Prince and the Showgirl.
Nowadays, however, his legacy seems to have come down to a few things, yes, there is Rebecca, there is his tumultuous love affair with Vivien Leigh who was losing her mind at the time, his last great role with Michael Cain in Sleuth, and most importantly, whether he was a poof (British slang for gay or effeminate men).
The last one is a prickly issue. To begin with, he was married thrice and his widow Joan Plowright is a celebrated actor by her own right, and everybody he was close to says he was not homosexual or bisexual, like say Noel Coward. Yes, there are his mannerisms, his brooding look, the way he addressed everyone, darling … the contest is on.
In his exhaustive biography, culled from achieved material, Olivier’s own writings, and from interviews with people in the know, Terry Coleman addresses the issue in a short last chapter, calling him an androgynous actor, claiming that Olivier had both the male and female sides to his persona, being an actor.
Yet, Coleman would neither confirm nor refute the claims of Olivier’s homosexual dalliance. He says, perhaps Olivier experimented with it during his youth, but not later, as another biography of him, published in 1991, seems to claim. According to Coleman, that previous biography distorts facts to give readers a salacious view of Olivier’s life, even when there was no evident.
Coleman goes by evidence in his biography, and he does not find anything about Olivier’s queer sexuality.
Nevertheless, it is a very good, if a little exhaustive and academic biography of a man who was undoubtedly a great actor and a charismatic personality and a tortured individual to boot.
Nowadays, however, his legacy seems to have come down to a few things, yes, there is Rebecca, there is his tumultuous love affair with Vivien Leigh who was losing her mind at the time, his last great role with Michael Cain in Sleuth, and most importantly, whether he was a poof (British slang for gay or effeminate men).
The last one is a prickly issue. To begin with, he was married thrice and his widow Joan Plowright is a celebrated actor by her own right, and everybody he was close to says he was not homosexual or bisexual, like say Noel Coward. Yes, there are his mannerisms, his brooding look, the way he addressed everyone, darling … the contest is on.
In his exhaustive biography, culled from achieved material, Olivier’s own writings, and from interviews with people in the know, Terry Coleman addresses the issue in a short last chapter, calling him an androgynous actor, claiming that Olivier had both the male and female sides to his persona, being an actor.
Yet, Coleman would neither confirm nor refute the claims of Olivier’s homosexual dalliance. He says, perhaps Olivier experimented with it during his youth, but not later, as another biography of him, published in 1991, seems to claim. According to Coleman, that previous biography distorts facts to give readers a salacious view of Olivier’s life, even when there was no evident.
Coleman goes by evidence in his biography, and he does not find anything about Olivier’s queer sexuality.
Nevertheless, it is a very good, if a little exhaustive and academic biography of a man who was undoubtedly a great actor and a charismatic personality and a tortured individual to boot.
May 11, 2021
This author takes the wise, measured approach of telling the reader from the beginning that Olivier's version of the truth often changed over time and that his stories often stretched credulity. In this way he can tell a more rounded story of the greatest actor of the 20th century and avoid the illusion that he is telling you the Truth about this complicated man. There are many truths, held by many people and Terry Coleman succeeds in bringing them all out.
If a story is apocryphal, he says so. He gives anecdotes their provenance as far as is possible and warns the reader that an easily agreed upon version may be impossible. He quotes sources and debunks old myths, specifically about the affair between Olivier and Danny Kaye put forward by a previous biographer.
If I had a complaint it would be the squeamish response evoked by the letters between Olivier and Vivien Leigh that seem just too personal. Otherwise, I highly recommend this scholarly work.
If a story is apocryphal, he says so. He gives anecdotes their provenance as far as is possible and warns the reader that an easily agreed upon version may be impossible. He quotes sources and debunks old myths, specifically about the affair between Olivier and Danny Kaye put forward by a previous biographer.
If I had a complaint it would be the squeamish response evoked by the letters between Olivier and Vivien Leigh that seem just too personal. Otherwise, I highly recommend this scholarly work.
April 1, 2015
Overall a reasonably enjoyable book. It was somewhat hard going at times I have to say but it does give a very rounded insight into Olivier and his work.
Some of the chapters towards the end are - for lack of a better word a little bit boring and the most interesting parts of the book focus on Olivier's relationship with Vivien Leigh.
I didn't know much about Olivier prior to reading this book and feel that I do have more of an insight into his character and his work now. Unfortunately he just doesn't hold the same kind of interest for me as say Richard Burton. Burton could be an absolute beast but he had more charisma - Olivier I am sad to say seemed to be a beast simply for the sake of it... trying to play the upper class gent just because he could. As a person I am not sure I wholly like him.. but you have to admire his acting and his theatrical record.
Some of the chapters towards the end are - for lack of a better word a little bit boring and the most interesting parts of the book focus on Olivier's relationship with Vivien Leigh.
I didn't know much about Olivier prior to reading this book and feel that I do have more of an insight into his character and his work now. Unfortunately he just doesn't hold the same kind of interest for me as say Richard Burton. Burton could be an absolute beast but he had more charisma - Olivier I am sad to say seemed to be a beast simply for the sake of it... trying to play the upper class gent just because he could. As a person I am not sure I wholly like him.. but you have to admire his acting and his theatrical record.
July 26, 2007
The official biography as released by the estate more than 15 years after Sir Laurence Olivier's death. It's pretty insightful, as the author had access to the Olivier letter archive (and he wrote a LOT of letters). If people have read books by his sons or his widow, then there are parts that are redundant and will not be a surprise, but it's nice to see their words in the bigger context of this biography. A great deal of the book (and indeed, his life) has Vivien Leigh in it, so those who are fans of hers will be interested as well.
August 2, 2012
Famed and acclaimed British actor Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was an actor to his core, a self-identification which guided him confidently along the path of his life's work. But it also meant that his true personality, underneath his talent for professional deception, was known by only a few. Given unprecedented access to the remnants of Olivier's life (his effects, his letters, and his family) to cut through the miasmus of previous biographies, Terry Coleman has crafted a great and moving opus on the life of an equivocating genius.
December 10, 2012
This is an exhaustively-detailed biography of Sir Laurence Olivier, one of the greatest English actors of all time. A fascinating book though I personally would have preferred more of a concentration on his public life (stage roles, movies, etc.) rather than his private life (though I suspect I'm in the minority on that).
A keeper.
A keeper.
August 2, 2010
This is a great biography of a great man! Concisely written and endlessly fascinating, this is a great portrait of an obsessive, brilliantly talented man. If you like biographies and/or the arts this is definitely one you should check out.
January 12, 2008
Lots of stuff on The National Theatre and other 20th century Brit theatre icons. Gossipy, but good.
December 29, 2011
Not as good as some of the other bios on olivier
November 1, 2014
This is a well-researched & fascinating insight into one of the 20th century's greatest actor/directors. Not to mention a tribute to a bygone era of the English theatre. Highly recommended.
March 8, 2016
I wish I liked this book more. Olivier was a rather fascinating fellow and even this book can't diminish that, but oh, how it plods in so many places.
July 7, 2021
This was extremely revealing. It definitely showed the human side of the man. U was amazed by his talent and energy.
January 23, 2008
Awful account of a true talent actor. Not at all alive.
November 22, 2017
Great read!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews