Today marks 4 years since vivandlarry.com was officially launched online! I say this every year, but it’s true, I’m pleasantly surprised that it’s lasted this long. What’s more, I can’t believe how much this little site has grown since 2007. Vivandlarry.com has had many faces over the years, and what started from humble beginnings (self-taught web design, yikes!) has grown into a large online network.
I never thought it would get this big or that it would touch so many. Maintaining a website that is always growing is genuinely hard work and time consuming, but I am constantly reminded why it’s all worth it. The site has certainly come a long way. I’ve met some amazing people through the site–both casual acquaintances and close personal friends–and nothing warms my heart more than knowing that there is a community of dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable fans out there who are as fascinated with the Oliviers, their films, their friends, and their lasting legacy as I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for all of your support of the site over these past 4 years. Whether you have donated money for site upkeep, shared videos and photos, commented on the blog posts, sent encouraging emails, or simply just continued to come back to the site to browse, I can’t thank you enough.
I’m still as fascinated with Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier as I was when I started this site, and even after years of research, I know there is still so much out there that has yet to be compiled. Big things are on the horizon! So, here’s to the next four years. I’ll be here, and I hope you stick around, too.
Cheers,
Kendra
As part of the celebration, I thought it would be fun to look at 5 aspects of the vivandlarry.com network that have been the most popular over the years.
01. The Photo Gallery
The Gallery is by far the most popular part of vivandlarry.com. Seeing as Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were totally gorgeous, it makes sense that people would want to gaze upon their astonishing visages. With over 24,000 photos, including screencaps, candids, studio portraits and theatre photos, it’s possible that one could literally gaze for days at a time. Remember: the entire gallery is public access, but visitors need to register and/or log in to see large versions of photos.
*Vivandlarry.com is not responsible for damage of computers or human brains due to overload of resplendent attractiveness. View photos at your own risk.
02. The Cinema Archive
The Cinema Archive houses rare video footage of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, such as documentaries, lost interviews, and rare television performances. Some of the rarities you’ll find here include Vivien Leigh’s one-night live television performance in The Skin of Our Teeth from 1959, Laurence Olivier launching Ulster Television, Laurence Olivier’s interview with Michael Parkinson, and Vivien Leigh’s appearance on Edward Murrow’s Small World from 1958. Check it out! Most of the videos in this collection have been graciously donated by fellow fans.
03. The Facebook Page
The Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier Facebook Page provides fans with a daily dose of Viv and Larry on their news feeds. If you’re on facebook and you’re a fan of either of these two people, Gone with the Wind, Wuthering Heights, fashion, photography, good discussion and random facts, you should definitely join in! My favorite part is all of the great commentary other people leave. Viv and Larry fans really know how to have a quality discussion!
04. Interviews and Guest Posts
I love talking to people who share my passion for film! I’ve been lucky enough to interview some amazing people who really know their stuff about movies and Vivien Leigh/Laurence Olivier. One of these people was TCM host Robert Osborne. He was really friendly, and we chatted about TCMs Summer Under the Stars and September 2010 star of the month, Vivien Leigh. This interview turned out to be one of the most-viewed posts here at vivandlarry.com, probably because Robert Osborne is more awesome than most people put together.
Another thing that is definitely encouraged and popular here is the guest post. Guest posts are written by vivandlarry.com visitors who touch on interesting and/or favorite aspects of the Oliviers lives. Past guest bloggers have included fans and experts alike, and cover a wide range of topics such as The Oliviers’ relationship with photographer Cecil Beaton, Larry and Vivien at the Gone with the Wind premier and tributes to recently deceased film stars, among others. Who can be a guest blogger? Anyone! If you’d like to write for vivandlarry.com, simply let me know via email!
05. Vlogs
Vlogs (video + blogs) are probably my favorite things to do here at vivandlarry.com. About a year ago, I started a video series called “Viv and Larry Q&A” where fans sent in questions about Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier to formspring, and they were then answered in a video post. Things definitely got a bit more fun(ny) when I teamed up with one of my favorite people, Vivien Leigh expert Mark Mayes. Hopefully there will be a revival of vlogs this summer, so stay tuned!
Wow!! happy birthday vivandlarry.com!! It’s a wonderful web and I love the fact that I was born just one day before it, although it happened some years before! xD
Congratulations and regards from Spain (forgive me for my english, please!)
Javi
Thanks Javi! And happy belated birthday!
Congrats on four wonderful years! I’m so glad to have found your site last year and am always amazed at the fabulous content and your true dedication to Viv, Larry, and classic film in general. Cheers!
Thanks, Brandie! I really like your blog, as well. You guys are a fountain of film knowledge. Keep up the good work!
Although I’m new to this wonderful site of yours, I’ve already become addicted to it. Congratulations, Kendra, on this anniversary of “VivandLarry”.
Thanks, and welcome! I’m glad you found it and that you enjoy it thus far!
Congratulations, Kendra! You’ve done great things in the past four years. Your site is endlessly fascinating, just like Vivien & Larry themselves. But what’s been equally fascinating to observe is YOU as you develop and stretch and reach your full potential in so many areas simultaneously. It’s not just your incredible knowledge of all things Vivien & Larry that impresses me, or your broad & detailed knowledge of classic film and world cinema … it’s your technical skills and your ability to pull all the different threads together so beautifully, combined with your passion for these subjects and your desire to share your knowledge about them with others that I think impresses me the most. So congratulations on an amazing four years, and best wishes as you go forward from here. Today Vivien & Larry fans celebrate YOU!
David, that’s awfully nice of you! Thanks so much! I really enjoy working on vivandlarry.com, and it’s true that Larry and Vivien are really what got me into classic cinema in general. I feel like I owe a lot to these two and their interesting careers, in many ways. I’m just glad that there are so many other people out there that share this same interest! This site would be nothing without the amazing fans! xx
I 100% agree with what you said! Kendra is awesome and it’s fun to see her journey.
And David, please post more comments! I’m in love with your writing and you have a way of capturing the perfect words. 🙂
Thank you, Bridget … that is very kind of you to say, and I appreciate it!
Congrats! Definitely one of the best sites I’ve ever been to both in style and content! 🙂
Oh wow, thanks!!
hip hip hurrah! I remember when this was all just a glimmer in your eye. Even from afar it is lovely to see how far the site (and you!) have come.
aww, thanks meredith! and HUZZAH to you, as well! you are destined for big things.
happy birthday to your elegant and passionate site, dear Kendra, I would use the same words to describe the Oliviers themselves. I agree with all David said about this site and about you, I would only add that when I discovered it, only months ago, i was overjoyed to learn there are so many people who are as fascinated as I’ve been all my life
Thank you! I’m glad you’ve discovered it and that you’ve found fellow fans!
Happy birthday to your site, Kendra. It really is a treasure trove. I greatly enjoyed revisiting Vivien’s “Small World” appearance here last year (I had first seen it in a theater as an “extra” to the reissue of Wuthering Heights back in 1989), and greatly appreciate your posting of Vivien’s interviews with Richard Mason and Elaine Dundy recently.
I wonder if you’ve ever contacted actor Patrick Stewart, whose first professional job, I believe, was as a member of the Old Vic company Vivien led on tour of Australia and Latin America? I know that he spoke informally about the experience to drama students at The Juilliard School once upon a time; I was working there as the capital campaign writer when he was awarded an honorary degree, and got my office mate to work a reference to “the legendary Vivien Leigh” into the citation read by Juilliard’s president. (I wrote the citation for Bill T. Jones at the same event: the choreographer broke into a dance of appreciation before Joseph Polisi finished reading it, and other recipients, including Stewart, followed suit as best they could – it was quite the most enjoyable commencement ceremony I’ve ever witnessed.) If you could get Patrick Stewart here for an interview, you might even top the Robert Osborne appearance, especially if the Trekkies began arriving en masse!
Keep up the great work!
Thanks, Peter. No, I haven’t thought of contacting Patrick Stewart. I didn’t know he was in any way affiliated with Vivien Leigh. I wonder if the Trekkies would crash my site, LOL.
This item appears in the TCM entry on Patrick Stewart, which came up when I googled his name with Vivien’s:
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“My father said to me, ‘I’ve heard about this Vivien Leigh. I’ve heard she’s a bit fast. You be careful’.” –Patrick Stewart to the Daily News, April 2, 2000. Stewart and Leigh toured Australia, New Zealand and South America together with the Old Vic Theatre Company in the early 1960s.
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So maybe Robert Osborne could be your “in” to Patrick! Not sure he could add much to the Vivien legacy, but I think his story involved being backstage with Vivien awaiting an entrance in one of the plays, and Vivien regularly quizzing him on how he had spent his day. And, of course, there was that “This Is Your Life” birthday celebration during the tour. I suspect Patrick would be an entertaining guest!
Congratulations Kenrda, on the fourth anniversary of your outstanding website.I appreciate all the hard work you do, as well as keeping up with your classes! Thank you for all you do to keep Larry and Vivien’s memories alive, it means so much to me!
thanks, sylvia! I’m so glad there are others out there who are as enthusiastic about these people as I am!
The house @ Tickerage at first glance seems smaller that it actually is…in fact its huge. Good pic of you kendra sitting on the bench with the hedge in the background…its another at first glance that i thought it was a pic of Vivien in her 20’s
I love Robert Osborn!
He is such a handsome man!!! What great looks! And what a great host and personality!