Academy Award

The British film and theatre actress Vivien Leigh (1913-1967) is one of the most important film and stage performers of the mid 20th century. She played the role of Blanche DuBois in the first British production of Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire , staged at the Aldwych Theatre in 1949. In 1950, she was offered the role in the film, a rare opportunity for an actor to transfer their stage performance to screen. In 1952, Leigh was awarded her second Oscar for her performance as Blanche, with Streetcar winning a total of four awards that year. Leigh had won her first Oscar for Gone with the Wind (1939), becoming the first British woman to receive the award. Leigh's original St

Award · United States · 1952. Gold-plated britannium. By Gibbons, Cedric. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.