Vivien Leigh
Known for Acting · 53 credits
- Born
- 1913-11-05
- Died
- 1967-07-07
- Place of birth
- Darjeeling, Bengal Presidency, British India [now West Bengal, India]
- Also known as
- Вів'єн Мері Гартлі · Vivian Mary Hartley · Vivian Leigh · ویوین لی · Вивиан Мэри Хартли · леди Оливье
Biography
Vivien Leigh (born November 5, 1913, Darjeeling, India—died July 8, 1967, London, England) was an English actress renowned for her roles in Hollywood and British theater. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, portraying Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), both performances that solidified her place among the greatest actresses of classic cinema.
Leigh was the only child of Ernest Hartley, a British broker, and Gertrude Yackjee, who had Anglo-Indian and Armenian ancestry. She spent her childhood between England and Europe, attending convent schools before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London in 1932, setting the stage for her acting career.
Her film debut came in Things Are Looking Up (1934), followed by roles in British films such as Fire Over England (1937), where she starred alongside Laurence Olivier. Their professional collaboration soon became a high-profile romance, capturing public fascination.
Leigh’s breakthrough role was Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), a part for which she beat hundreds of actresses in a legendary casting search. The film became one of the most celebrated in cinematic history, and her performance earned international acclaim, securing her first Academy Award.
Leigh continued to star in films such as Waterloo Bridge (1940) and That Hamilton Woman (1941), frequently working with Olivier, whom she married in 1940. Their union lasted 20 years, during which they became one of the most revered couples in theater and film, starring together in Shakespearean productions and three films.
Known For
TV Shows (3)
Movies (50)
Gone with the Wind
1939
as Scarlett O'Hara
A Streetcar Named Desire
1951
as Blanche DuBois
Waterloo Bridge
1940
as Myra
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Anna Karenina
1948
as Anna Karenina
Caesar and Cleopatra
1945
as Cleopatra
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
Ship of Fools
1965
as Mary Treadwell
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Dancing!
1985
as Self (archive footage)
That Hamilton Woman
1941
as Emma, Lady Hamilton
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
as Self (archive footage)
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
1961
as Karen Stone
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
St. Martin's Lane
1938
as Liberty
Fire Over England
1937
as Cynthia
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940
as Self
The Deep Blue Sea
1955
as Hester Collyer
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
1940
as Self
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
Storm in a Teacup
1937
as Victoria Gow
Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond
1990
as Self (archive footage)
The Screen Director
1951
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Extraordinary Seaman
1969
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
21 Days
1940
as Wanda
Dark Journey
1937
as Madeleine Goddard
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
2000
as Self (archive footage)
A Yank at Oxford
1938
as Elsa Craddock
Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland
2004
as Herself (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe
1986
as archive footage
Things Are Looking Up
1935
as Unnamed Schoolgirl
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
1993
as Self
Laurence Olivier: a life
1982
as Self ( Archive footage )
Look Up and Laugh
1935
as Marjorie Belfer
Gentlemen's Agreement
1935
as Phil Stanley
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
2001
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
1988
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Skin of Our Teeth
1959
as Sabina
Vivien Leigh, autant en emporte le vent
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Glorious Technicolor
1998
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ivanov
1966
as Anna Petrovna
Rebecca
1950
as Mrs. de winter
The Village Squire
1935
as Rose Venables
Private lives
1940
as Amanda Prynne
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
2004
Small world: Vivien Leigh
1958
as Self- film actress
Flashing Images of Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando
2023
as Blanche Du Bois/Self
About Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh (born November 5, 1913, Darjeeling, India—died July 8, 1967, London, England) was an English actress renowned for her roles in Hollywood and British theater. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, portraying Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), both performances that solidified her place among the greatest actresses of classic cinema. Leigh was the only child of Ernest Hartley, a British broker, and Gertrude Yackjee, who had Anglo-Indian and Armenian ancestry. Sh… With 53 credits spanning from 1935 to 2023, Vivien Leigh has appeared in 50 films and 3 TV shows.
Fans searching for Vivien Leigh movies, Vivien Leigh filmography, or the latest projects starring Vivien Leigh can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Vivien Leigh Movies
- Gone with the Wind (1939) — as Scarlett O'Hara
- A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) — as Blanche DuBois
- Waterloo Bridge (1940) — as Myra
- Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (2018) — as Self (archive footage)
- Anna Karenina (1948) — as Anna Karenina
Where to Watch Vivien Leigh Films
Most Vivien Leigh movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Vivien Leigh, check our movies catalogue and browse page.