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Olivia de Havilland

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Olivia de Havilland's first acting role was as Hermia in Max Reinhardt's stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She was signed to a studio contract when he recast her in the same role for Warner Bros. She gained notoriety appearing opposite Errol Flynn in eight swashbucklers, starting with Captain Blood in 1935.

After Gone With the Wind, Selznick wanted her to star in Rebecca, but her home studio would not agree to another loan out, so the part went to her sister, Joan Fontaine. Tired of routine assignments, she went to court to keep the studio from adding extra years to her contract. The landmark decision in her favor shook the studio system to its roots. Subsequently, she won two Oscars, for To Each His Own and The Heiress, and scored a major hit with The Snake Pit. Although she has limited her appearances in recent years, she won a Golden Globe for her supporting performance in the television mini-series Anastasia: The True Story.


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Olivia de Havilland Facts

OccupationActress
BirthdayJuly 1, 1916 (92)
SignCancer
BirthplaceTokyo, Japan
Awards1987 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Film (for Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna)
1950 Academy Awards: Best Actress (for The Heiress)
1950 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama (for The Heiress)
1947 Academy Awards: Best Actress (for To Each His Own)

Selected Filmography

The Adventures of Robin Hood
Gone with the Wind
The Heiress
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Airport Terminal Pack
Captain Blood
Roots
Agatha Christie Classic Mystery Collection
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