Few actresses have captured Hollywood’s golden age as vividly as Vivien Leigh. Her portrayal of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind remains one of cinema’s most iconic performances, earning her the first of two Academy Awards at just 26. But behind the glittering career lay a private struggle with mental health that would shape her legacy as much as her art.
Born: November 5, 1913 · Died: July 8, 1967 · Notable Role: Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind · Academy Awards: 2 (Best Actress)
Quick snapshot
- Died of tuberculosis on July 8, 1967 (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
- Won two Academy Awards for Best Actress (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- Married Laurence Olivier in 1940 (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- One daughter, Suzanne Farrington (Biography.com)
- True depth of Laurence Olivier’s feelings after their divorce
- Precise diagnosis of her mental health condition (bipolar disorder suggested but not confirmed)
- Exact nature of her final months
- 1913: Born in Darjeeling, India
- 1939: Gone with the Wind release
- 1951: Second Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire
- 1967: Death from tuberculosis
- Ongoing interest in her life through biographies and documentaries
- Her legacy as an icon of classical Hollywood continues to be reassessed
- Mental health aspects of her story increasingly discussed in public
Vivien Leigh’s life, measured in achievements and tragedies, demands a clear accounting of the facts.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vivian Mary Olivier (née Leigh) |
| Born | November 5, 1913, Darjeeling, India |
| Died | July 8, 1967, London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouses | Herbert Leigh Holman (1932–1940), Laurence Olivier (1940–1960) |
| Children | Suzanne Farrington (daughter) |
| Academy Awards | 2 (Best Actress for Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire) |
What did Vivien Leigh pass away from?
Vivien Leigh’s death from tuberculosis at 53 cut short a career that had already produced two Oscar-winning performances. The same disease that killed her also ended a life lived in the shadow of mental illness.
Her battle with tuberculosis
- Tuberculosis was identified as the cause of death (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
- She had suffered from recurrent respiratory infections for years, which progressed to TB (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
Circumstances of her death
- Found dead in her London apartment on July 8, 1967 (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
- West End theaters dimmed their lights in tribute (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia))
- Her ashes were scattered on the lake at her summer home (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
The implication: Tuberculosis ended the life of an actress who had already endured decades of public and private turmoil. The disease was common in the era, but for Leigh it came after years of physical and emotional exhaustion.
Did Laurence Olivier still love Vivien Leigh?
The love story between Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier is one of Hollywood’s most romanticized—and most complicated. Their marriage ended in 1960, but the question of Olivier’s lingering feelings lingers.
Olivier’s departure for Joan Plowright
- Laurence Olivier left Vivien Leigh in 1960 for actress Joan Plowright (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- The divorce was finalized that same year due to irreconcilable differences (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
Post-divorce interactions
- Some reports suggest Olivier still had feelings for Leigh, but their relationship remained strained (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- Olivier did not attend her funeral and later expressed regret (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
The catch: Olivier’s departure may have been driven by the difficulty of living with Leigh’s mental health struggles, but he never fully disconnected emotionally. His absence at her funeral speaks to a relationship that remained unresolved.
What happened to Vivien Leigh’s daughter?
Suzanne Farrington’s career
- Vivien Leigh’s only child, Suzanne Farrington (born 1934), became a journalist (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- She married and had children of her own (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
Her family and later life
- Suzanne outlived her mother and maintained a low profile (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- She is not a public figure; details of her life are scant (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
The pattern: Suzanne Farrington chose a life far from the spotlight, in stark contrast to her mother’s fame. This divergence is a quiet testament to the burdens of being the child of a Hollywood legend.
How old was Vivien Leigh when she filmed Gone with the Wind?
Casting and production
- Leigh was cast as Scarlett O’Hara in 1938 at age 25 (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- The film premiered in 1939 when she was 26 (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
Leigh’s age during filming
- She began filming at 25 and completed it at 26 (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for this role (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
The implication: Leigh was remarkably young to carry a blockbuster of that scale. Her performance launched her into superstardom, but also set an expectation that would be difficult to match.
Who was the love of Vivien Leigh’s life?
Relationship with Laurence Olivier
- Laurence Olivier is widely considered the love of her life (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- They married in 1940 and remained together until 1960 (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
Later companionship with Jack Merivale
- After her divorce, she had a relationship with actor Jack Merivale until her death (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- Merivale was with her during her final years (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
The catch: While Olivier was the grand passion, Merivale provided the stability that Leigh needed in her final years. The two men represent the two sides of her life: dramatic intensity versus quiet care.
Why did Laurence Olivier leave Vivien Leigh?
Mental health struggles
- Vivien Leigh’s bipolar disorder allegedly strained their marriage (New York Post (news and lifestyle publication))
- Her mental health episodes became increasingly severe in the 1950s (New York Post (news and lifestyle publication))
The affair with Joan Plowright
- Olivier began a relationship with Joan Plowright during a production of The Entertainer (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- The divorce was finalized in 1960, citing irreconcilable differences (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
What this means: The breakdown of their marriage was a combination of Leigh’s mental illness and Olivier’s growing emotional distance. Plowright represented a new start for Olivier, but the guilt of leaving Leigh haunted him.
Timeline of Vivien Leigh’s life
- 1913 – Born in Darjeeling, India (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- 1932 – Marries Herbert Leigh Holman (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- 1934 – Birth of daughter Suzanne (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- 1939 – Stars as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- 1940 – Marries Laurence Olivier (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- 1951 – Wins second Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire (Biography.com (celebrity biography resource))
- 1960 – Divorces Olivier (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
- 1967 – Dies of tuberculosis (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
Clarity check: what we know and what remains uncertain
Confirmed facts
- Death from tuberculosis on July 8, 1967
- Two Academy Awards for Best Actress
- Marriages to Herbert Leigh Holman and Laurence Olivier
- One daughter, Suzanne Farrington
- Born in Darjeeling, India
- Tony Award for Tovarich in 1963
Rumors / unclear
- Whether Leigh had a definitive diagnosis of bipolar disorder
- True extent of Olivier’s love after divorce
- Exact details of her mental health episodes
- Whether her death was hastened by alcoholism
- Nature of her relationship with Jack Merivale
“I’m not a film star; I am an actress. Being a film star is such a false thing. I’m an actress first and foremost.”
— Vivien Leigh, as quoted by Biography.com (celebrity biography resource)
“She was the most beautiful woman I ever saw.”
— Laurence Olivier, as quoted by Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine)
“She had a quality of luminescence on screen that was rare. She could be vulnerable and fierce at the same time.”
— Biographer Alan Strachan, as quoted by Biography.com (celebrity biography resource)
For anyone trying to understand Vivien Leigh’s legacy, the choice is clear: accept the full picture—brilliant actress, troubled human being—or settle for the glossy surface. The tragic arc of her life gives her work an emotional weight that still resonates today.
tvguide.com, youtube.com, vivien-leigh.info, app.thestorygraph.com, walkoffame.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, canadapolitics.net
For a deeper look into her remarkable career and personal struggles, see Vivien Leighs life and legacy.
Frequently asked questions
Was Vivien Leigh a nice person?
Accounts vary. She was known to be charming and generous with friends, but also difficult due to her mental health struggles. Her biographers describe a woman of immense talent who could be both loving and erratic.
What awards did Vivien Leigh win?
She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress (for Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire) and a Tony Award for Tovarich in 1963. She was also nominated for several other honors.
How many children did Vivien Leigh have?
She had one child: a daughter named Suzanne Farrington (born 1934) from her first marriage to Herbert Leigh Holman.
Who was Vivien Leigh’s first husband?
Her first husband was Herbert Leigh Holman, a lawyer. They married in 1932 and divorced in 1940.
Where was Vivien Leigh born?
She was born in Darjeeling, India (then part of British India) on November 5, 1913.
When did Vivien Leigh die?
She died on July 8, 1967, at the age of 53, in London, England.
George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.