Olivier (19 page)

Olivier followed Hamlet with Toby Belch in “Twelfth Night”: a part, as he himself remarked “designed to demonstrate my staggering versatility”.

As Henry V. “He’s a scoutmaster,” Ralph Richardson said. “But he raised scoutmastership to godlike proportions.”

As Macbeth, conceived by Michel Saint-Denis. “Larry’s make-up comes on,” remarked Vivien Leigh, “then Banquo comes on, then Larry comes on.”

With Vivien Leigh in “Fire Over England”, the film that brought them together.

Sybil Thorndike as Volumnia to Olivier’s Coriolanus at the Old Vic in 1938. She refused to play the part unless Olivier promised to act in “a natural, straightforward way”.

In “Wuthering Heights”. “Thees actor es the ogliest actor in pictures,” Sam Goldwyn protested.

With Greer Garson in “Pride and Prejudice” –
“I thought darling Greer was as wrong as could be”, Olivier remarked.

Planning “Rebecca” with Hitchcock and Joan Fontaine. Olivier disliked Fontaine from the start, deeming her “skinny and unattractive”.

Making-up for “Lady Hamilton”. Olivier attached enormous importance to this operation and would spend hours in front of the mirror.

Olivier directed, produced and starred in “Henry V”. “He would play each part himself as he conceived it and expect the actors to copy it,” said Dallas Bower.

“This day is called the Feast of Crispian” – the speech with which Olivier is above all identified and a recording of which was played at his memorial service.

With Ralph Richardson in Hamburg on an E.N.S.A. tour shortly after the end of the war.

Vivien’s Leigh’s dressing room in Sydney, smothered in flowers. Though Olivier grumbled about their reception in Australia they were, in fact, fêted wherever they went.