Vivien Leigh, who was born November 5, 1913, may not have lived to see her 54th birthday, but she is one of the rare performers whose fame has long outlasted her death. This is at least partly due, of course, to her Oscar-winning film performances as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (itself turning 75 this year), and as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Leigh's distinctive blend of delicacy and power as an actress, coupled with her great beauty, have helped to enshrine her.
In her final years, VIvien Leigh also acted in two major films, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and Ship of Fools. When she succumbed to tuberculosis on July 7, 1967, she was rehearsing for the London production of A Delicate Balance.
Notable biographies of Vivien Leigh were written by Anne Edwards in 1977; Alexander Walker in 1987; and Hugo Vickers, in 1988. Other books of interest include Jesse L. Lasky's Love Scene: The Story of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh and Sam Staggs' When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of "A Streetcar Named Desire." Some archival material, including production materials and correspondence with the actress in several collections, can be found by searching NYPL's archival portal, which other items are listed under her name and various production titles in the Theatre Division card catalog. Other Vivien Leigh films on DVD in New York Public Library circulating collections include St. Martin's Lane and Anna Karenina (the 1948 version, in which she delivers a heart-rending portrait), and, of course, A Streetcar Named Desire and Gone with the Wind.
Speaking of GWTW, among the Theatre Division's archival holdings on the film are an early draft (from 1937) of the screenplay and a souvenir program from its initial run (call number MFL+ n.c. 461, from Theatre Division card catalog):
Notice the billing—Leigh is listed fourth in the cast, although she's granted special treatment ("and presenting Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara"). She was getting the build-up as a fresh new presence. Seventy-five years later, the bloom is still on the rose.