Joan Plowright

Daughter of William (1892-1962) and Daisy (née Burton) Plowright (1891-1957).

Dame Joan Ann Plowright, the Baroness Olivier, is one of the most distinguished actors of her generation. She may be best remembered as the third wife and widow of Laurence Olivier, generally considered the greatest anglophone actor of the 20th Century, but she had a distinguished career of her own on stage and screen spanning six decades. Born in Brigg, Lincolnshire on October 28, 1929, she received her training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and made her professional stage debut at Croydon in 1948.

Her London debut came in 1954, and two years later, she joined George Devine's English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre, which would change her life just as the drama at the Royal Court revolutionized the English theater.

The Royal Court's 1956 production of John Osborne's _Look Back In Anger' was a watershed in English theatrical history, ushering in the 'Angry Young Man" era in British cultural life.

In 1957, Plowright first co-starred with her future husband Olivier in the Royal Court's production of Osborne's The Entertainer (1960) when she took over the role of Archie Rice's daughter Jean Rice when the play transferred to a commercial venue in the West End.

(She had first appeared on Broadway in a twin bill of Eugène Ionesco's "The Chairs" and "The Lesson" in January 1958, a month before she appeared with Olivier in "The Entertainer".

She recreated the role in Tony Richardson's 1960 film of the play.

For her performance as Josephine, which Rita Tushingham played in the movie version, she won a 1961 Tony Award as Best Actress in a Play.

) When his divorce from Leigh came through, they were married in March 1961 in New York with Richard Burton as Larry's best man.

From 1963 onward, she was a member of the National Theatre, which was headed by Olivier.

To escape the notoriety from Olivier's divorce from Vivien Leigh, Plowright and Olivier went to New York, where they appeared on Broadway, he in Becket (1964) and she in A Taste of Honey (1961).

She was awarded CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1970 Queen's New Year Honours List for her services to drama.

Plowright created a distinguished stage career and was acclaimed when she began appearing more frequently in movies and television starting in the the 1980s.

She was awarded the 1986 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actress for her performance in The House of Barnarda Alba.

Older sister of David Plowright, CBE, who was Chairman of Granada TV Ltd. until 1992 when he was ousted by Gerry Robinson, the current Chairman and former Chief Executive.

In Last Action Hero (1993), she played an English teacher who showed her students Hamlet (1948), which starred her late husband Laurence Olivier in the title role and was directed by him.

Grandmother of Wilfred Laurence Dutton (b. May 1997) via daughter Tamsin Olivier and her [now ex] husband, Simon Dutton.

Currently appearing in "Absolutely! {perhaps}" in London with Oliver Ford Davies. [July 2003]

She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire, the female equivalent of a knighthood, in the 2004 Queen's New Year Honours.

Announced her retirement from acting in 2014 due to loss of eyesight.