Ben Walker - The Life & Death of Vivien Leigh

Published by Motiva Books at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Ben Walker

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To all the women in the world striving for greatness.

Vivien Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley in Darjeeling, West Bengal, British India to Ernest Richard Hartley, a British cavalry officer and broker and Gertrude Robinson Yackje, a homemaker. She was an only child who possessed remarkable beauty. Her parents, who were devout Catholics, grew very fond of their daughter and gave her all the support she needed.

Life in India was good for the Hartleys and especially for young Leigh who would later in life refer to her days in Darjeeling as her happiest. Gertrude played an important role in her daughter's decision to become an actress. She enrolled Leigh at the Loreto Convent school in Darjeeling. At home, she taught Leigh about literature, reading to her and with her, works of different western authors as well as stories from indian folklore. She also had an amateur theatre group. It was in this group that Leigh gained her first experience as an actress when she featured as the shepherdess in 'Little Bo Peep'. She was just three years old.

In time, Leigh's parents desired to return to England but because of the outbreak of World War I, the family's plan were temporally suspended. Leigh would be six years old, when the family returned home. She was immediately enrolled at the Convent of the Sacred Heart (now called Woldingham School) in Roehampton, London. While there, she met and befriended Maureen O'Sullivan even though O'Sullivan was two years her senior. The two shared a common desire to become actresses. Leigh took part in many school plays and learnt how to play several instruments.

The Hartleys would move again, this time traveling across Europe. Consequently, Leigh was withdrawn from Sacred Heart and completed her schooling all over Europe. During this time, Leigh mastered both french and italian and spoke them fluently throughout her life.

In 1931, the Hartleys returned to England once again. O'Sullivan had already began her acting career and upon her return, Leigh went to see one of her plays in London. Perhaps motivated by O'Sullivan, Leigh officially informed her parents that she wanted to become an actress. Shortly after, her supportive father enrolled her at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art "RADA" in London, where she began classes in May 1932. Her first two roles were from Shakespeare's "As You Like It" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

In 1935, at the age of 22, Leigh made her first film debut starring as Rose Venables in "The Village Squire." Also in the same year, she starred in the film "Things Are Looking Up". At this point, she hired John Gliddon as her agent. Gliddon suggested to Leigh that her name was not a suitable name for an actress and it needed change. She considered a couple of names including 'April Morn' before eventually settling on 'Vivian Leigh.' With the new name, Gliddon got to work. He recommended Leigh to the veteran producer and director, Alexander Korda. Korda immediately rejected her citing a lack of potential.

Later that year, Leigh would get her first acting breakthrough in London's West End, when she played 'Henriette Duquesnoy' in the stage play "The Mask of Virtue". It was her performance in this play that brought her to the notice of the world and may other entities. Korda, who had earlier complained of her lack of potential but who attended her opening-night performance, immediately signed her to a film contract stating only that she substituted the 'a' in Vivian for an 'e'. Leigh agreed and henceforth became Vivien Leigh. It was also this performance that brought her to the attention of Laurence Olivier, whose life and hers would be intertwined throughout their lives. "The Mask of Virtue" was the turning point in the life of Vivien Leigh.

In February 1932, not too long after the Hartleys returned from Europe, Leigh was with friends at the South Devon Hunt Ball where she was introduced to Herbert Leigh Holman, a handsome, reserved, sophisticated and wealthy Barrister. Leigh pursued Holman relentlessly. Despite some concerns from both families about the relationship between the two, on December 20, 1932, Leigh and Holman were married in the Roman Catholic Church of St. James, Spanish Place. Leigh was just 19. Holman was thirteen years older at 31. Leigh had now become Mrs Vivian Holman. As described earlier, Leigh was asked to change her name from Vivian Holman. When she made the change, her new surname was from her husband's middle name "Leigh". On 12 October 1933, she gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne. Perhaps finding married life, motherhood and her husband's demeanor too restrictive and boring and as a hinderance to her life goal, Leigh divorced Holman in 1940 and thereafter married Laurence Olivier.

Besides Korda, a young and fast rising actor/producer/director, Laurence Olivier had also been enamored by Leigh's performance in "The Mask of Virtue". Leigh and Olivier were introduced for the first time at the Savoy Grill and he profusely congratulated her on her performance. That introduction set the ball rolling for a relationship that would last Leigh her lifetime for better or for worse. The two would shortly thereafter become lovers despite still being married to other people.

In 1937, Leigh and Olivier appeared in their first film together in Korda's "Fire Over England" wherein they played lovers. This was the first of their many productions together throughout their relationship. In November 1938, Olivier went off to the United States to star in the film "Wuthering Heights". A month later, Leigh also made the trip to visit with her lover. Leigh had been reading a copy of Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" and was convinced that she could play the role of Scarlett O'Hara if a film adaptation was ever made.

While on her romantic trip, Myron Selznick, who happened to be Olivier's American agent, met Leigh and agreed to introduce her to his brother David Selznick, who had been looking for the perfect fit for the role of O'Hara for his film adaptation of Gone With The Wind. He had auditioned popular actresses like Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, Joan Bennett, Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis but was still looking for "the Scarlett dark horse."

When Myron arrived with Olivier and Leigh for a visit with Selznick, he turned to his brother and said, David, meet your Scarlett OHara. David Selznick would later say of that first meeting, I took one look and knew that she was right at least right as far as her appearance went. If you have a picture of someone in mind and then suddenly you see that person, no more evidence is necessary. Ill never recover from that first look. Leigh was signed up for the role.

In 1939, for her role as Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With The Wind," Leigh won the Academy Award for Best Actress. To win the award, she beat out Bette Davis (Dark Victory), Irene Dunne (Love Affair), Greta Garbo (Ninotchka) and Greer Garson (Goodbye, Mr. Chips).