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SPOTO, DONALD Laurence Olivier: A Biography: First Edition
Harper Collins Publishers, 1992. First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Good. 1992 FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING HARDCOVER. 'First edition' stated on copyright page with full number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) and a $23.00 list price. Minor shelf wear to book, light dust jacket edge wear. "Knight of the realm, embodiment of England, great Shakespearean actor and movie star, Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was saddled with self-loathing, chronic guilt over failed relationships and sexual ambivalence. His 10-year affair with Danny Kaye drove Olivier to suicidal thoughts, reports Spoto, biographer of Hitchcock and Tennessee Williams. A magnificent, moving biography worthy of its protean subject, this resonant portrait defines an actor whose personal upheavals fueled his intense realism on stage and screen. Never close to his cold father, an Anglican priest, Olivier lost his mother at 12. This childhood, suggests Spoto, created an emotionally inaccessible man who channeled his passion into his art. Olivier envied the success of his first wife, actress Jill Esmond, a lesbian. The tragedy of his failed marriage to Vivien Leigh, victim of mental instability and electroshock, was totally avoidable, insists Spoto. In third wife Joan Plowright, a young, lively actress, Olivier found maternal endorsement and encouragement. Critical acumen matches psychological insight in this biography. Photos." -- Publishers Weekly.
Offered for US$ 4.50 by: Yesterday's Muse Books - Book number: 048311
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