Laurence Olivier is the main character of the book. He is a highly acclaimed actor. Throughout his life it was his close friends and family that made him the person that he was. His many experiences are what made him the great and passionate actor that he is still known as today.

 Jill Esmond was Larry’s first wife. The two were never really in love. They were married because Larry wanted a wife and it was convenient for Jill to be married to him. They had at least one child together. She was an actress.

 Vivien Leigh was Larry’s second wife. The two fell in love while they were both married. She was an actress. Due to the stress of the acting world Vivien had several nervous breakdowns and was diagnosed as having manic depression. They had no children together which was best for Vivien.

 Joan Plowright was Larry’s third and final wife. The two fell in love after he and Vivien separated. She was also an actress. They had three children together. Joan was probably the most significant woman in his life ever.

 Noel Coward was a close friend of Larry’s. He was a very talented man in many different areas of acting. His death, although not unexpected, was hard for Larry to take in.

 Gerald Dacres (Dickie) Olivier was Larry’s brother. He described him as his own hero. Since Larry’s father saw Larry more as a burden than anything else, Dickie was his male role model. Larry was very upset when Dickie died.

 Larry’s father was not a very nice man. Larry was scared of his father as a child and their relationship never really improved. He would occasionally send Larry money but only if Larry was in a desparate situation.

 Larry’s mother loved Larry more than her other children because of his father’s attitude towards him. Larry was devastated by his mother’s death. On her deathbed she begged Larry’s father to try to be kind to him and watch over her Baby.

 Peter Hall was the man who took over chair of the National Theater. He wanted to ensure the public’s trust and therefore allowed Larry and Joan to perform in the theater and direct.

 Cecil Tennant was Larry’s longtime manager. He was also one of the partners of the Chichester Theatre. He made important decisions for Larry.

 Winston Churchill was an influential figure in Larry’s life. He allowed Larry and Vivien to visit him on many occasions. He went to watch their performances and was so impressed he memorized their lines.

• For his father saving was a craving. He was a parson on the lowest income.
• His brother Dickie went to India and his father told him he going on the stage.
• Laurence was born on May 22, 1907.
• His mother died when he was twelve. On her deathbed she made his father promise to be as kind to Larry as he could.
• Larry was spanked several times for lying.
• At age five Larry began to perform, in front of a wooden chest, plays for his mother.
• Sybille watched over him and Dickie was his hero, but to his father Larry was just an extra burden.
• Larry was made a part of the All Saint’s Choir. After six years of wonderful performances he went to public school.
• Larry was not popular at his new school. He was forced to play Puck in the school play and because of his great performance was instantly popular.
• He received a scholarship from Miss Fogerty’s Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art.
• Larry got a job as a manager.
• Larry was to act on a professional stage with Ruby Miller. When he made his entrance he tripped.
• People mispronounced his name. (Oliver)
• Larry was employed by the Lena Ashwell Players. After a few unfortunate experiences he was dismissed.
• Larry enjoyed his job as a stage manager.
• The actors went on strike.
• Larry decided to make Melville Cooper laugh while performing. This backfired it was himself and the audience laughing instead.
• Noel Coward decided to knock the giggles out of Larry. As he got over the giggles he was given more significant parts.
• Larry wanted Jill Esmond Moore for a wife.
• He was cast for Journey’s End. He was asked by Al Woods to act on Broadway.
• His father remarried in 1924 to Isobel Buchanan..
• Larry appeared in his first movie.
• Noel gave him a part in "Private Lives." Now he could get married, go on a honeymoon and have a job to come back to.

• Larry and Jill were married on July 25, 1930.
• Jill’s mom was Eva Moore, an actress, and her departed father, H.V. Esmond, had been a playwright.
• Their honeymoon was in Lulworth Cove. They were not really in love it was more a marriage of convenience.
• "Private Lives" was a smashing success.
• The play went to New York and Jill was cast as Sybil.
• Jill had an appendicitis and had to recover in New York.
• The Depression was at its worst many plays were closed on the first day of rehearsal.
• Katherine Hepburn was hired which meant a cut in Jill’s salary.
• Due to a friendship Larry was offered the role of Mercutio which he alternated weekly with Romeo.
• He acted in "The Mason" with Vivien Leigh. The two became friends even though each was married.
• In 1937 they began to accept engagements together, having an affair almost in Jill’s sight. Therefore both of their marriages were severed.
• Their personal life did not affect the number of people in the audience.
• Larry played Iago but he believed Iago loved Othello and therefore must destroy him.
• Vivien wanted the part of Scarlet O’Hare, which she got.
• Larry acted under the direction of Kit Cornell and Guthrie McClintic.
• Larry was acting in "Rebecca" when the war broke out.
• Larry and Vivien decided to make some money by putting on "Romeo and Juliet."
• The two were married August 21, 1940.
• Larry became a pilot for Great Britain.
• While serving he was called to act in "Henry V." He was hit in the mouth and scarred for life.
• At first after quitting the Navy Larry had no luck in his career, but after an outstanding performance the cheer’s revitalized him.
• Larry had financial problems especially with his new burden of Vivien and the St. Regis. Therefore he recorded parts of "Henry V" for sale in New York.
• Larry played in and produced "King Lear."
• Larry filmed "Hamlet" and decided to make the final scene a dramatic one. This was an important work in his life and would do it no matter the possibilities.
• Larry and Ralph decided to manage the Old Vic.
• Larry and Vivien went on an Australian tour to build a good company for the Old Vic. While on tour a letter arrived saying he had been fired from his management position.
• Larry had surgery on his knee.
• They contracted Peter Finch. They wanted Larry to, upon retirement, manage Old Vic by himself. Larry wouldn’t hear of it.
• Knighthood was bestowed upon him.
• Vivien no longer loved him, but they stayed together and took a painting vacation in Opio.
• The 1950’s would be loaded down with work.
• Larry considered jumping over the side of the boat when he was extremely busy and his relationship with Vivien was not the best.
• They decided to put on "Caesar." It was such a success they went on tour for twelve months.
• Vivien became abnormally nervous about their social relationship and was inconsolable.
• The psychiatrist suggested she was a manic depressant.
• The great excitement of 1951 was meeting Winston Churchill.
• He could quote every line from Larry’s part and gave Vivien one of his paintings.
• Larry became a musician.
• Vivien won her second Oscar. Her condition was worsening it might lead to schizophrenia.
• Larry felt he was a flop in "The Beggar’s Opera."
• Larry was asked to come and try control Vivien. Her behavior made filming the movie virtually impossible.
• She had a nervous breakdown. Larry went to see her and she admitted she loved Peter Finch.
• They put her in Netherne Hospital. Her treatment made her a different person . Larry realized he no longer loved her.
• Vivien, healthy now, and Larry played in "The Sleeping Prince" for thirty-five weeks.
• They were asked to perform in the Shakespeare Memorial Theater.
• Larry was playing in "Titus" when another breakdown occurred.
• Larry was to produce and direct Marilyn Monroe in "The Sleeping Prince."
• Marilyn wouldn’t cooperate and it showed in the picture.

• Larry took Tarquin, his son by Jill, to Scotland with him. It was time to form a proper relationship with him.
• Larry and Vivien were in the first tour to tour behind the Iron Curtain. During this time their relationship improved, kind of.
• Larry admitted he was in love with another girl. He and Vivien got into a fight and separated.
• Larry and Joan Plowright fell in love.
• Dickie, his brother, died of leukemia and was buried at sea.
• Vivien fell in love with Jack Merivale.
• The Press went crazy with a rumor that Vivien would allow Larry a divorce.
• Larry was asked to speak at the gala of the Presidential Inaugurations.
• The divorce was final and the next day Larry and Joan went to get a marriage license.
• Larry, now in his mid-fifties, didn’t have the power he used to. He would start a theater,
• Joan was pregnant. They had a little boy. He was named Richard Kerr.
• Chichester Theater opened and the first play was a success.
• Larry was made head of the National Theater. The first season was successful.
• J.F.K. was killed and the theater gave a moment of silence for this.
• Larry was to play Othello.
• Joan was pregnant with their third child which could not be saved.
• Larry had trouble remembering his lines.
• They went on tour in Moscow. Moscow’s biggest critic thought Othello was great.
• Joan had a little girl that weighed four pounds. The birth was nearly fatal for Joan and little Julie-Kate.
• Peter made an agreement with Larry so he could no longer play the national anthem at the theater.
• Larry was treated for prostate cancer and when allowed out came down with pneumonia.
• While in the hospital we was told that Vivien had died.
• Larry had his appendix removed.
• Larry was asked to come and pick up a Tony on behalf of the National Theater.
• He convinced Ingmar Bergman to give an English production of "Hedda Gabler."
• They opened "The Merchant Of Venice" at the National with Jonathan Miller.
• This marked the end of Larry’s stage-fright.
• The Prime Minister wrote to Larry asking him to accept a peerage, which he at first refused but eventually accepted.
• Larry had to have a serious operation.
• Larry was introduced to the House of Lords as Baron Olivier of Brighton.
• Sir Max Rayne took over as chairman of the National.
• After "Guys and Dolls" was canceled for the second time, Larry decided he must stop.
• It was decided without Larry’s consent that Peter Hall would take his place as director of the National.
• They had a party for Noel and Larry knew it WA the last time he would see him.
• The family had two people break into their house.
• Peter asked Joan to act in and Larry to direct "Eden End" which was superb.
• Larry was diagnosed with derma-poly-myocitis and was hospitalized.
• At home letters arrived. One asked Larry if a locomotive could be named after him. Another saying the Order of Merit was bestowed upon him.
• The book ends with his gratitude for his friends and family