Website: The Vivien Leigh Pages
Vivien Leigh is, of course, most remembered for her role as the determined southern belle she portrayed in "Gone With the Wind". However, Vivien Leigh (born Vivian Hartley) was born in Darjeeling, India in November 1913, the only daughter of Ernest and Gertrude Hartley. She lived in India for six years before being enrolled in Sacred Heart Convent in England.
In 1932, Vivien Leigh enrolled in Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and soon after her schooling began, she met Leigh Holman, who was to become her husband before the year was through. She desperately wanted to become an actress, but that was put on hold when their first child Suzanne was born in October 1933. Suzanne's birth was more of an interruption for Leigh, who took no interesting in raising her first child. Instead she spent more time grasping for fame in acting.
A year after Suzanne's birth, Vivien finally got her first break - she spoke her first line in a film called "Things Are Looking Up". However, it took one more year of working hard and meeting people before she finally signed her first contract and officially changed her name to Vivien Leigh.
In 1936 Laurence Olivier entered her life, and they soon began having an affair - both onscreen and off. Her name was offered up for films and plays in England, and she played a small part opposite Olivier in "Fire Over England".
Leigh officially left her husband in 1937, while at the same time Olivier left his wife, and the two began their life together. Their time in England was shortlived, however, when in 1938 Olivier was offered the lead role in "Wuthering Heights" and went to America. Around this time, "Gone With the Wind" was being cast by David O. Selznick, who was conducting a worldwide search for the perfect 'Scarlett'. It was perfect timing, and in November 1938, Vivien followed Olivier to America to fight for the right to play this delightful southern belle.
She faced formidable American talent - ladies such as Kathryn Hepburn, Norma Shearer, Bette Davis and Paulette Goddard were all auditioned. However, Leigh snuck her way onto the set of GWTW while Selznick was filming the burning of Atlanta sequence, and he was very taken with her. Four short days after officially testing for the part, Leigh was told she would play Scarlett. "Gone With The Wind" was a major success and made Vivien Leigh a household name. She also earned her first Academy Award for her performance - beating out such notables as Greta Garbo.
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