Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier

Collections Cataloguing: Box 3

By Kendra + January 6, 2019

Hello, 2019! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

The new year has brought a new look to this site. I like to freshen things up every few years and just felt like returning to a basic blog layout to make things more user-friendly. Instead of a static page of blog posts you should now be able to easily visit old posts by using the “older posts” link at the bottom of each page. The photo gallery still has the old layout but it should be changed over soon. I’ve also highlighted in the sidebar two things I’m currently hard at work on: Insatgram and the Viv and Larry Patreon. Please do take a minute to familiarise yourself with the new layout and let me know if you find any broken links or things that just aren’t working.

lists

Year-end Wrap-up 2018

By Kendra + December 27, 2018

2018. What a year. On a personal note, it’s been the best of times. It’s been the worst of times. It’s been all the times in between. But at vivandlarry.com it’s been great, so here’s a run-down of some of the exciting things that happened in this little corner of the Internet, and in my Viv and Larry life.

collecta-belle

Collection Cataloguing: Box 2

By Kendra + December 4, 2018

Progress report! The Richard Mangan Laurence Olivier Archive cataloguing project is going smoothly. I’m currently finishing up with box 3 and trying to keep ahead of the game so I can share regular progress reports with all of you. As mentioned in the post about Box 1, each item is catalogued in a spreadsheet, scanned (playbills and photos only at this point), placed in an archival-grade acid free sleeve, and then stored in a special archival box. I’m not sure why archival materials are so expensive, but they are, and I wouldn’t be able to undertake this project without the help of the lovely Viv and Larry Patrons. Thank you so much for your support!

books reviews vivien leigh

Book Corner – Vivien Leigh: Dark Star

By Kendra + November 22, 2018

Since her centenary in 2013 Vivien Leigh has been enjoying an extended moment in the spotlight and I am sure I’m not alone when I say it’s pretty great. She has been recognised through exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery, V&A, and Topsham Museum. Several one-woman plays have been staged. Actress Natalie Dormer is adapting my own book into a TV series. Vivien’s family made millions from a Sotheby’s sale of belongings from her estate. And Manchester University Press published a compilation of essays examining various facets of her life and career. It’s wonderful that, despite having died half a century ago, interest in Vivien is still going strong.

collecta-belle laurence olivier

Collection cataloguing: Box 1

By Kendra + November 18, 2018

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d recently purchased a major Laurence Olivier ephemera collection, which I’m currently in the process of repackaging and cataloguing — similar to what I did with the Vivien Leigh private photo albums. I always enjoy seeing other people’s collections, unboxing videos, reveals, etc. so I thought I would share some goodies from each portion of this project as I go along.