Let me tell you a story about Laurence Olivier, one of the greatest actors of all time, and a letter he wrote to his wife, Vivien Leigh. In this heartfelt note, he pleads, “Please, please my angel, send me a word of what the doctor said, and if it is possible, ask him to send me a report.” Olivier, a man who wasn’t known for his vulnerability, adds something incredibly moving: “You’re the only person in the world who could make hideously selfish me love another more than I do myself.” This glimpse into their private lives reveals just how deeply Olivier cared for Vivien, even as she battled the devastating effects of tuberculosis and bipolar disorder.

A Life on the Screen, a Struggle Off It

Vivien Leigh wasn’t just any actress—she was a legend. Her portrayals of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire are iconic, blazing with intensity and passion. But behind the scenes, Vivien faced her own personal battles. She endured both physical and mental health challenges, including recurring bouts of tuberculosis and bipolar disorder. The men in her life, from her first husband Leigh Holman to her last partner, actor John “Jack” Merivale, admired her deeply but often felt powerless in the face of her struggles. Even Laurence Olivier, her greatest love, found himself at a loss when it came to helping her.

Olivier's Heartfelt Struggle

Kendra Bean, author of Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait, sheds light on Olivier’s internal conflict. She tells Closer Weekly, “Olivier likened the situation to reaching out to a drowning person from a life raft and being unable to rescue that person without being pulled under.” Despite this, he stayed by her side, doing everything he could until her passing at the age of 53 in 1967. It’s a testament to the depth of their bond that Olivier was willing to shoulder so much for the woman he loved.

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Childhood Roots of Vulnerability

Alan Strachan, author of Dark Star: A Biography of Vivien Leigh, offers insight into the origins of Vivien’s struggles. Born in British-controlled India, Vivien experienced early abandonment issues that may have contributed to her later mental health challenges. Strachan explains, “At the age of 6, she was uprooted from her blissfully happy childhood in India and dumped in a very chilly, cold convent in London and left.” This early disruption seems to have left an indelible mark on her psyche, shaping the woman she would become.

Vivien Leigh The Men Who Tried to Save Her Amid Mental Health Struggles — Everett/Shutterstock

First Love and Beyond

At 19, Vivien met Holman while studying acting at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. They married and had a daughter, Suzanne. However, their marriage faltered after she met Olivier. Strachan describes their connection as having “absolute, total absorption in each other—sexually, mentally.” Despite their intense passion, Holman remained a constant in Vivien’s life. “He was helpful to and supportive of Vivien for the rest of her life,” Strachan says. “He never stopped loving her and… she totally trusted him.”

The Fire That Consumed

Things were undeniably passionate with Olivier. Early on, he wrote to her, “O my darling little love I do long for you so.” This fire carried them into a 20-year marriage but eventually drove them apart. Strachan explains, “Her libido was exacerbated by her manic phase, and Olivier couldn’t cope.” Their breakup shocked the world, especially when Vivien had an affair with her Elephant Walk co-star Peter Finch. During filming, she suffered a breakdown and was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor. While hospitalized in England, Vivien underwent harsh treatments, including electroshock therapy and being “wrapped in wet sheets and put into barbiturate-induced comas,” Bean recounts.

Final Act with Jack Merivale

Vivien eventually found solace with actor Jack Merivale. “He was patient and had the capacity to take care of her,” Bean says, adding that Vivien was “much calmer in these later years.” Merivale, like her earlier lovers, remained devoted to her talent and beauty. Strachan reflects, “The fairy godmother gave her every single blessing—beauty, money, charm, talent—but she was bipolar. There was a flaw in the perfection that fascinated people. There was a crack in the mirror.”

— Lisa Chambers