From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jill Esmond
Jill Esmond
Jill Esmond Esmond, and after proposing to her several times, she
agreed and the couple were married on July 25, 1930;
Born Jill Esmond Moore they had one son, Tarquin Olivier (born 21 August 1936),
26 January 1908(1908-01-26)
London, England who later became a film producer.
Returning to the United Kingdom she made her film
Died 28 July 1990(1990-07-28) (aged 82) debut with a starring role in an early Alfred Hitchcock
Wandsworth, London, England
film The Skin Game (1931), and over the next few years ap-
Occupation Actress peared in several British and (pre-Code) Hollywood films,
including Thirteen Women (1932). She also appeared in
Years 1930–1956
active two Broadway productions with Olivier, Private Lives in
1931 with Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence, and The
Spouse Laurence Olivier (25 July 1930–29 January Green Bay Tree in 1933.
1940) (divorced) 1 child: Tarquin Olivier
Her career continued to ascend while Olivier’s own
career languished, but when his career began to show
Jill Esmond (26 January 1908 – 28 July 1990) was an Eng-
promise after a couple of years, she began to refuse roles.
lish actress and first wife of Sir Laurence Olivier.
She had been promised a role by David O. Selznick in A Bill
of Divorcement (1932) but at only half-salary. Meanwhile,
Early life Olivier discovered that Katharine Hepburn had been pro-
posed a much greater salary, and convinced Esmond to
Esmond was born Jill Esmond Moore in London, the
turn down the role.
daughter of stage actors Henry V. Esmond and Eva
Moore. While her parents toured with theatre compa-
nies, Esmond spent her childhood in boarding schools Later years
until she decided at the age of 14 to become an actress.
She starred in the Broadway production of Emlyn Wil-
She made her stage debut playing Wendy to Gladys Coop-
liams’ play The Morning Star in 1942, a production noted
er’s Peter Pan but her success was short-lived. When her
for the acting debut of Gregory Peck. Her acting appear-
father died suddenly in 1922, Esmond returned to school
ances grew more sporadic with the passage of time and
and at the time considered abandoning her ambition to
she made her final film appearance in 1955 but did have a
act.
recurring role as Eleanor of Aquitaine in the late 50’s TV
After reassessing her future and coming to terms
series The Adventures of Robin Hood.
with her father’s death she studied with the Royal Acad-
emy of Dramatic Art in London, and returned to the West
End stage in 1924. In 1925, she starred with her mother in Personal life
a play Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, and after a few more suc- Esmond withstood the publicity of Olivier’s affair with
cessful roles, won critical praise for her part as a young Vivien Leigh and did not seek a divorce. Pressed by Olivi-
suicide in Outward Bound. er, who was anxious to marry Leigh, she eventually
agreed and they were divorced on 29 January 1940.[1][2]
Marriage and career She returned briefly to acting and appeared in such pop-
ular films as Journey for Margaret, The Pied Piper and Ran-
In 1928 she appeared in the production of Bird in the Hand
dom Harvest (all 1942) and The White Cliffs of Dover (1944).
where she met fellow cast member Laurence Olivier for
It is suggested that in her later years, Esmond dis-
the first time. In his autobiography Olivier later wrote
cussed the bitterness she felt towards Olivier and her
that he was smitten with Esmond, and that her cool indif-
feeling that she had sacrificed her career so that he could
ference to him did nothing but further his ardour. When
further his own, only to find herself cruelly discarded.
Bird in the Hand was being staged on Broadway, Esmond
However, Esmond kept in touch with Olivier and in a let-
was chosen to join the American production - but Olivier
ter to their son Tarquin said "It’s funny after all that time
was not.
how I can still love him so much." [3] She attended his memo-
Determined to be near Esmond, he travelled to New
rial service in October 1989 at Westminster Abbey, frail
York where he found work as an actor. Esmond won rave
and in a wheelchair.[4]
reviews for her performance. Olivier continued to follow
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jill Esmond
Death External links
She was 82 years old when she died on 28 July 1990 in • Jill Esmond at the Internet Movie Database
Wandsworth,[5] London. • Jill Esmond at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jill Esmond at Find a Grave
Selected filmography Persondata
Name Esmond, Jill
• No Funny Business (1933)
Alternative Moore, Jill Esmond
names
References Short description Actor
[1] Beckett, Francis (2005), Olivier, Haus Publishing,
Date of birth 26 January 1908
p. 30, ISBN 1904950388
[2] Madsen, Axel (2002), The Sewing Circle: Sappho’s Place of birth London, England, UK
Leading Ladies, Kensington Books, ISBN 075820101X Date of death 28 July 1990
[3] My Father Laurence Olivier by Tarquin Olivier, Place of death Wandsworth, London, England,
Headline Books, 1992, p 258 UK
[4] Olivier, Tarquin Olivier, p 259
[5] Deaths England and Wales 1984-2006
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jill_Esmond&oldid=441404238"
Categories:
• English film actors
• English stage actors
• Lesbian actors
• LGBT people from England
• Actors from London
• 1908 births
• 1990 deaths
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