November 5, 1913 – July 8, 1967
Vivien Leigh, most famous for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, died on this day in 1967. Ms. Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley but changed her name when she began pursuing her acting career to “Vivien Leigh” (altering the spelling of her first name and making her husband’s first name her last name).
Ms. Leigh had a daughter with her first husband, Leigh Holman, but divorced him to ultimately marry Laurence Olivier, another famous film and stage actor, in 1940. Ms. Leigh and Mr. Olivier divorced in 1960. Ms. Leigh reportedly suffered from bouts with mental illness, which affected their relationship. In her early thirties, she apparently struggled with insomnia, bi-polar disorder and a respiratory ailment, which later was diagnosed as tuberculosis.1
Ms. Leigh eventually died from tuberculosis at the age of 53. She did however leave a lasting legacy as one of Hollywood’s most beautiful actresses. For some photos of Ms. Leigh, click here.
