Laurence Olivier: Love Life, Illness, Death, and Legacy

Few actors have left a mark on stage and screen quite like Laurence Olivier. His name is synonymous with Shakespearean drama, yet his personal life was a drama of its own—marked by passionate love, painful illness, and an enduring legacy that still shapes how we think about acting. He won an Academy Award for his 1948 film Hamlet, cementing his place in cinema history Britannica (established encyclopedia). This article traces the arc of his remarkable life, from his marriages and health battles to the cause of his death and the work that made him a legend.

Born: 22 May 1907 ·
Died: 11 July 1989 ·
Spouse (first): Vivien Leigh (1940–1960) ·
Academy Awards: 1 win (Honorary plus 2 competitive) ·
Known for: Shakespearean acting and directing

Seven key facts capture the essentials of Olivier’s life and career:

Who was the love of Laurence Olivier’s life?

The question of Olivier’s great love almost always returns to Vivien Leigh. The two actors met in 1935 and began a famously intense relationship that led to marriage in 1940. Leigh was at the height of her fame after Gone with the Wind, and the couple became the golden pair of stage and screen.

The Vivien Leigh years

• Olivier and Leigh married in 1940 after both divorced their first spouses (Wikipedia (Olivier marriages)).
• They co-starred in several productions including Fire Over England and That Hamilton Woman.
• Their partnership was marked by creative collaboration but also by Leigh’s mounting mental health struggles.

Biographers have described their bond as both passionate and volatile. Olivier once said of Leigh, “She was the most beautiful and talented woman I ever met.”

Later relationships

• After his divorce from Leigh in 1960, Olivier married actress Joan Plowright in 1961 (Britannica).
• Plowright remained his wife until his death in 1989, providing stability in his later years.

The implication: Olivier’s emotional experiences directly informed his performances, creating a feedback loop between his life and his art.

Why did Vivien Leigh leave Laurence Olivier?

Their marriage ended in divorce in 1960, after two decades together. The reasons are complex and intertwined with Leigh’s health and Olivier’s involvement with another woman.

Mental health struggles

• Leigh suffered from bipolar disorder, then less understood, which led to extreme mood swings and hospitalizations.
• She was also diagnosed with tuberculosis, which exhausted her physically and emotionally (Wikipedia (Vivien Leigh)).

Infidelity and separation

• Olivier began a relationship with Joan Plowright while still married to Leigh.
• By 1958, the couple were living apart, with Leigh spending time abroad.

Final divorce

• Leigh filed for divorce in 1960, citing Olivier’s relationship with Plowright.
• The divorce was finalized in December 1960 (Deseret News).

The implication: Leigh’s departure freed Olivier to pursue a quieter life with Plowright, but it also marked the end of an era for one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples.

What was Laurence Olivier’s illness?

Olivier faced serious health problems in his later decades, including cancer and a debilitating muscle disease.

Cancer and muscle disease

• Reports at the time said he had battled cancer, pleurisy, and a muscle disease in his later years (Los Angeles Times (major U.S. newspaper)).
• The muscle disease, later identified as dermatomyositis, caused progressive weakness and affected his ability to perform.

Final years

• Despite his illnesses, Olivier continued working into his 70s, acting in television and film.
• He received radiation therapy and underwent surgery, but his health steadily declined.

The pattern: his determination to act until the end created a legacy of resilience that overshadows his physical decline.

What was the cause of Laurence Olivier’s death?

Olivier passed away on 11 July 1989 at his home in Steyning, West Sussex, at the age of 82. The official cause was renal failure, brought on by the prostate cancer he had fought for years.

Final illness

• He had been treated for prostate cancer since the early 1970s.
• In his last weeks, he weakened; obituary coverage said he died peacefully in his sleep (Deseret News).

Death and legacy

• He was cremated, and his ashes were buried in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, among England’s greatest writers.
• The same year, the Laurence Olivier Awards were established in his honor.

The pattern: even in death, Olivier’s legacy was institutionalized. Buried in Westminster Abbey and honored with an annual awards ceremony, he became a permanent fixture in British cultural life.

Who was Laurence Olivier’s wife?

Olivier married three times, but his two most famous marriages were to actresses Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright.

Vivien Leigh (1940–1960)

• Married on 31 August 1940, just after her Oscar win for Gone with the Wind.
• The marriage produced no children but created one of the 20th century’s most celebrated acting dynasties.

Joan Plowright (1961–1989)

• Married in 1961, the year after his divorce from Leigh.
• The couple had three children: Tarquin, Julie Kate, and Richard.
• Plowright supported Olivier through his health battles and remained with him until his death.

The takeaway: Olivier’s choice of wives mirrors his artistic journey—from the explosive creativity of youth (Leigh) to the steady, sustaining partnership of maturity (Plowright).

He was hailed as ‘the greatest actor of the century’.

Deseret News (Utah newspaper)

Olivier was widely regarded as one of the greatest English-speaking actors of the 20th century.

Britannica (established encyclopedia)

For audiences today, Olivier’s story is more than a biographical lesson. It is a reminder that the most towering artistic achievements often come hand in hand with deep personal costs. Laurence Olivier’s legacy demonstrates that artistic greatness can exact a profound personal toll—a consequence that still resonates with anyone who studies his life or work.