Vivien Leigh Stays In England -1943

Will Remain In Britain For The Duration
Vivien Leigh, who won swift fame as Scarlett of “Gone With The Wind,” plans to return to the American movies, but not until the war is over. Miss Leigh, pictured here in London, and her husband, Laurence Olivier,returned to Britain in January, 1941, during the height of the air blitz. He joined the fleet air arm and she signed for the leading feminine role in “The Doctor’s Dilemma,” by George Bernard Shaw. “Both my husband and I felt that we should return to England,” she said “and we both feel that we should remain here until the war is over.” photo Wide World 3/23/1943

Eight years earlier in May 1935 Leigh debuted in the play The Mask of Virtue at London’s West End. The 21-year-old beauty became famous virtually overnight. Six film companies, three British, three American offered her a film contract. Leigh signed with Alexander Korda for ten pictures in five years for £50,000.

Leigh made only 18 films during her brief film career. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role twice. The Oscars were for 1940 Gone With The Wind and 1952 A Streetcar Named Desire. The Oscar statue for Streetcar was stolen by burglars from her London home along with silverware and clothing on March 30, 1953 and has never been recovered.

Leigh died of tuberculosis on July 7, 1967 at the age of 53 in Belgravia, London, England.