Laurence Olivier on stage and screen

Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) was an English actor who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century.

[1] In 1926 he joined the Birmingham Repertory Company,[2] where he was given the chance to play a wide range of key roles.

In the 1940s, together with Richardson and John Burrell, Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic, building it into a highly respected company.

From 1963 to 1973 he was the founding director of Britain's National Theatre, running a resident company that fostered many future stars.

[7][8][a] He later received Oscar nominations for roles in Richard III (1955), The Entertainer (1960), Othello (1965), Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976) and The Boys from Brazil (1978).

[10] Throughout his career Olivier appeared in radio dramas and poetry readings, and made his television debut in 1956.