English actor, director, and producer regarded as one of the foremost Shakespearean actors of the twentieth century and Academy Award winner for Hamlet.
Background
Born Laurence Kerr Olivier in Dorking, Surrey, England, the son of an Anglican clergyman, he trained at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art.
Career
He led the Old Vic theatre company through the 1930s, then served in the Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War before directing and starring in “Henry V,” “Hamlet,” and “Richard III.” He was the founding artistic director of the National Theatre and helped establish its first home at the Old Vic. He was created the first life peer for acting services in 1970.
Style
Olivier was known for a classical theatrical style, virtuosic vocal range, and an influential approach to Shakespearean acting on stage and screen.
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