Laurence Olivier Author:Donald Spoto Laurence Olivier was the most famous actor of the twentieth century, perhaps the greatest of all time. — Publishers Weekly — Knight of the realm, embodiment of England, great Shakespearean actor and movie star, Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was saddled with self-loathing, chronic guilt over failed relationships and sexual ambivalence. His 10-year a... more »ffair with Danny Kaye drove Olivier to suicidal thoughts, reports Spoto, biographer of Hitchcock and Tennessee Williams. A magnificent, moving biography worthy of its protean subject, this resonant portrait defines an actor whose personal upheavals fueled his intense realism on stage and screen. Never close to his cold father, an Anglican priest, Olivier lost his mother at 12. This childhood, suggests Spoto, created an emotionally inaccessible man who channeled his passion into his art. Olivier envied the success of his first wife, actress Jill Esmond, a lesbian. The tragedy of his failed marriage to Vivien Leigh, victim of mental instability and electroshock, was totally avoidable, insists Spoto. In third wife Joan Plowright, a young, lively actress, Olivier found maternal endorsement and encouragement. Critical acumen matches psychological insight in this biography.« less