Olivia de Havilland - it is my very sad news that today (July 26th, 2020) we lost one of our last remaining stars of the "Golden Age" of cinema. Olivia was 104 years old and just celebrated her birthday on J.uly1st. This leading lady was the last remaining actor whom appeared in the Oscar Winning picture; "Gone With The Wind" in 1939. 1939 being the year of the greatest motion pictures to be released.
Olivia was a celebrated actress garnering a total of two Academy Awards, one for her role as Miss. Josephine 'Jody' Norris in the classic film; To Each His Own and as Catherine Sloper in "The Heiress" winning them in 1947 and 1950. Olivia was also nominated for 3 others Academy Awards for her stirring work in; "Gone With The Wind," "Hold Back The Dawn," & "The Snake Pit." Additionally, winning a Golden Globe for her role in "The Heiress" and nominated two more times. Along with this being nominated for an Emmy, and her stay on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Other noteworthy motion pictures that this dazzling actress brought to us spans from the mid 1930s to the last 1980s. We are all blessed to have her work forever saved on film to watch her 6 decades of work. To mention just a few of the other classics Olivia starred in were; "A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Captain Blood," "Anthony Adverse," "The Charge of the Light Brigade," "It's Love I'm After," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Dodge City," "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex," "Santa Fe Trail," "Hold Back The Dawn," "They Died With Their Boots On," "In This Our Life," "Princess O'Rourke," "Government Girl," "The Dark Mirror," "My Cousin Rachel," "Light In The Piazza," "Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte" and countless others.
I believe that she was the oldest of the major female leads at 104, and indeed the oldest actor in the history of Hollywood. I don't know of any other famous person who reached 104, except Rose Kennedy. Her classic beauty decorated the screen in many films, and on top of being a beauty she had talent. What modern "star" can compare with her today?
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