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Olivia de Havilland

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
98

Gender
Female

Birthday
July 1, 1916 (110 years old)

Place of Birth
Tokyo, Japan

Olivia de Havilland

Biography

Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland DBE (July 1, 1916 - July 25, 2020) was a British-American actress, whose career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films, and was one of the leading movie stars during the golden age of Classical Hollywood. She is best known for her early screen performances in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) and Gone with the Wind (1939), and her later award-winning performances in To Each His Own (1946), The Snake Pit (1948), and The Heiress (1949).

Born in Tokyo to British parents, de Havilland and her younger sister, actress Joan Fontaine, moved with their mother to California in 1919. They were brought up by their mother Lilian, a former stage actress who taught them drama, music, and elocution.

Olivia de Havilland made her screen debut in Reinhardt's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1935. During her career, she often played demure ingénues opposite popular leading men, including Errol Flynn, with whom she made nine films. They became one of Hollywood's most popular romantic on-screen pairings.

She achieved her initial popularity in romantic comedy films, such as The Great Garrick (1937), and in Westerns, such as Dodge City (1939). Her natural beauty and refined acting style made her particularly effective in historical period dramas, such as Anthony Adverse (1936), and romantic dramas, such as Hold Back the Dawn (1941).

In her later career, she was most successful in dramas, such as Light in the Piazza (1962), and unglamorous roles in psychological dramas including Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964). In addition to her film career, de Havilland continued her work in the theatre, appearing three times on Broadway. She also worked in television, appearing in the successful miniseries, Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and television feature films, such as Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna, for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

During her film career, de Havilland won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress, and the Venice Film Festival Volpi Cup. For her contributions to the motion picture industry, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For her lifetime contribution to the arts, she received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush, and was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

De Havilland and Joan Fontaine are the only siblings to have won Academy Awards in a lead acting category. A lifelong rivalry between the two actresses resulted in an estrangement that lasted over three decades. De Havilland lived in Paris since 1956, and celebrated her 100th birthday on July 1, 2016.

In June 2017, two weeks before her 101st birthday, de Havilland was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama. She was the oldest woman ever to receive the honour. In a statement, she called it "the most gratifying of birthday presents".

Known For

Acting

2021Jacques Tati, tombé de la luneas
2021The Rebellious Olivia de Havillandas Self - Actress
2017The Fabulous Allan Carras Self (archive)
2015Destins secrets d’étoiles - Grace, Jackie, Liz, Marilyn…as
2015Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damnas Self (archive footage)
20091939: Hollywood's Greatest Yearas Self (archive footage)
2006Stardust: The Bette Davis Storyas Self (archive footage)
2005The Adventures of Errol Flynnas Self - Actress (also archive footage)
2004Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havillandas Herself
1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Moviesas Self
1988The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Windas Self - Cast Member in 'Gone with the Wind' (archive footage)
1988The Woman He Lovedas Aunt Bessie Merryman
1986Anastasia - The Mystery of Annaas Dowager Empress Maria
1985North and Southas Mrs. Neal
1985Night of 100 Stars IIas Self
1983Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcanoas Self
1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footageas Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983Errol Flynn: Portrait of a Swashbuckleras Self
1982The Royal Romance of Charles and Dianaas Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
1982Murder Is Easyas Honoria Waynflete
1979The Fifth Musketeeras Anne d'Autriche
1979Roots: The Next Generationsas Mrs. Warner
1978The Swarmas Maureen Schuester
1978Inside 'the Swarm'as Self
1977The Love Boatas Aunt Hilly
1977Airport '77as Emily Livingston
1975People's Choice Awardsas Self
1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...as Self
1972Pope Joanas Mother Superior
1972The Screaming Womanas Laura Wynant
1971Film '72as Self
1970The Adventurersas Deborah Hadley
1969The Extraordinary Seamanas Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1966Noon Wineas Ellie Thompson
1966ABC Stage 67as Ellie Thompson
1964Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotteas Miriam Deering
1964Lady in a Cageas Mrs. Cornelia Hilyard
1964The Hollywood Palaceas Self
1962The Merv Griffin Showas Self
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonas Self
1962Light in the Piazzaas Meg Johnson
1961The Mike Douglas Showas Self
1959Libelas Lady Margaret Anne Loddon
1958The Proud Rebelas Linnett Moore
1956The Ambassador's Daughteras Joan Fisk
1955Not as a Strangeras Kristina Hedvigson / Kristina Marsh
1955That Ladyas Ana de Mendoza
1954Reflets de Cannesas Self
1953The Oscarsas Self
1952My Cousin Rachelas Rachel Sangalletti Ashley
1950What's My Line?as Self
1949The Heiressas Catherine Sloper
1948The Snake Pitas Virginia Cunningham
1948The Ed Sullivan Showas Self
1946The Dark Mirroras Terry Collins / Ruth Collins
1946The Well Groomed Brideas Margie Dawson
1946Devotionas Charlotte Brontë
1946To Each His Ownas Miss Josephine 'Jody' Norris
1944Breakdowns of 1944as Self
1944Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Nominee / Presenter
1944Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Presenter
1943Government Girlas Elizabeth 'Smokey' Allard
1943Princess O'Rourkeas Princess Maria
1943Thank Your Lucky Starsas Self
1943Show-Business at Waras Self
1943Stars on Horsebackas
1942Breakdowns of 1942as Self
1942In This Our Lifeas Roy Timberlake
1942The Male Animalas Ellen Turner
1941They Died with Their Boots Onas Elizabeth Bacon
1941Hold Back the Dawnas Emmy Brown
1941The Strawberry Blondeas Amy Lind
1940Santa Fe Trailas Kit Carson Holliday
1940Cavalcade of the Academy Awardsas Self
1940My Love Came Backas Amelia Cornell
1939Gone with the Windas Melanie Hamilton
1939Rafflesas Gwen
1939The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essexas Lady Penelope Gray
1939Dodge Cityas Abbie Irving
1939Wings of the Navyas Irene Dale
1938Hard to Getas Margaret "Maggie" Richards
1938Four's a Crowdas Lorri Dillingwell
1938Out Where the Stars Beginas Serena Ferris (archive footage)
1938The Adventures of Robin Hoodas Maid Marian
1938Gold Is Where You Find Itas Serena Ferris
1937The Great Garrickas Germaine de la Corbe
1937It's Love I'm Afteras Marcia West
1937A Day at Santa Anitaas Olivia de Havilland (uncredited)
1937Call It a Dayas Catherine 'Cath' Hilton
1936The Charge of the Light Brigadeas Elsa Campbell
1936Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)as Self
1936Anthony Adverseas Angela Guiseppe
1936The Making of a Great Motion Pictureas
1935A Dream Comes Trueas Herself (uncredited)
1935Captain Bloodas Arabella Bishop
1935A Midsummer Night's Dreamas Hermia
1935The Irish in Usas Lucille Jackson
1935Alibi Ikeas Dolly Stevens

Production