Woman’s World
Octago Times, July 9, 1948
Lovelier when seen face to face even than on the screen. Lady Olivier will find her way into the hearts of all New Zealand people who are fortunate enough to meet her during her brief visit to this Dominion. At her hotel last night the young actress revealed a sincere charm of manner which, allied to her extraordinary beauty, makes her a personality of rare distinction.
Lady Olivier–perhaps better known as Vivien Leigh–wears her black hair parted in the middle and drawn softly back to the nape of her neck, making a charming frame for her face with its perfect white skin and blue eyes. As she talked with quiet animation last night her expressive face brought many reminders of tha vivid characterization of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind for which she won the Academy Award.
Having concluded a lengthy tour of Australia, Lady Olivier had many pleasant impressions of the commonwealth. The food, for instance, was so abundant that it was actually difficult to eat, so used had she become to British fare, while the shops were so full of tempting goods that she had become “very extravagant.” She mentioned the value of the food parcels received in Britain and said that on receipt of one many a British housewife would take the opportunity of asking fiends in for a meal–a form of hospitality which was not possible as a rule without a gift parcel.
The home of Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier is in Buckinghamshire, where they have a farmlet. A keen and active gardener, Lady Olivier took note in the short drive from Whenaupai to the city yesterday of the flora and fauna seen on the way and commented last night on the varieties of trees she had seen and also on the fact that she had observed camellias growing in gardens.
Lady Olivier confesses to a normal feminine interest in clothes…said most of her own clothes were made by British designers, who she considered had developed remarkably of recent years. Her purchases in Australia had included “woolies” both for herself and t take home as presents.
An equal liking for film and stage work was expressed by Lady Olivier, who said she hoped to make a film with her husband at some future date, possibly after they had had a holiday next June following a season at the Old Vic in London on their return to Britain from their present tour. When asked who was her favorite film star, Lady Olivier looked instantly toward her husband, but when persuaded to exclude him from the list she gave Greta Garbo as her favorite. Lady Olivier said she was not superstitious, and although some actors and actresses were she felt it was a dangerous weakness and had never attached herself to any superstition in her stage or film work.