Laurence Harvey was a South African actor born in Lithuania who was most known for his work in the film ‘Room at the Top,’ for which he received an Academy Award nomination. He was a successful theater and film actor who also appeared on television in the 1950s and 1960s. He was born in Lithuania and came to South Africa with his family as a youngster. He joined the South African Army’s entertainment corps as a youngster during World War II, having shown an early interest in acting. He subsequently proceeded to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship (RADA). His enthusiasm in the school waned quickly, and he departed after only three months to pursue a career as an actor. He was able to get jobs in lower-budget films due to his talent and attractive looks, which enabled him to stabilize his acting career. He had been a big spender since he was a kid, and he had a lot of money problems. His role in ‘Women of Twilight’ offered him a much-needed boost in his career. He went to Broadway after establishing himself as a film performer. By the 1960s, he had become a globally recognized actor, but he was also known for being a difficult guy to deal with. He was a frequent drinker and smoker who developed cancer while still in his forties and died at the height of his career.
Childhood and Adolescence
On October 1, 1928, in Jonikis, Lithuania, he was born Laruschka Mischa Skikne, the youngest of three sons of Jewish parents Ella and Ber Skikne. When he was a child, his family traveled to South Africa. From an early age, he had a passion for performing. During World War II, he served with the South African Army’s entertainment section and played in Egypt and Italy as a youngster.
He moved to London after his discharge because he had been awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He did not remain long, though, and left after only three months to pursue a career as an actor.
Career of Laurence Harvey
He won his first film job in the British thriller ‘House of Darkness,’ despite his good looks and talent (1948). He went under the stage name Laurence Harvey when he began his acting career. ‘Cairo Road’ (1950), ‘Women of Twilight’ (1952), ‘Knights of the Round Table’ (1953), and ‘King Richard and the Crusaders’ were among the low-budget films he acted in in the early 1950s (1954).
By the mid-1950s, he had established himself as a rising star, and he was cast as writer Christopher Isherwood in Julie Harris’ film ‘I Am A Camera’ (1955). He made his Broadway debut in the play “Island of Goats” the following year.
He was hired as Joe Lampton in the film ‘Room at the Top’ in 1959, which catapulted him to international renown. He was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for his performance, which gained critical acclaim.
In 1960, he starred in the epic American historical western film ‘The Alamo.’ Col. William Barrett Travis, who shares command of the Alamo garrison with Col. Bowie, was played by him. In the same year, he starred alongside Elizabeth Taylor in the film ‘Butterfield 8.’
The actor had a fantastic year in 1962. In the Cold War thriller ‘The Manchurian Candidate,’ he played Raymond Shaw, and in ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’ he co-starred alongside Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Fonda, and Capucine.
Laurence Harvey reprised his role as Joe Lampton in the 1965 film ‘Life at the Top,’ which was a sequel to the 1959 film ‘Room at the Top.’ In the same year, he had a small part in the drama picture ‘Darling,’ which received five Academy Award nominations.
In the late 1960s, his once-promising career began to deteriorate. While he continued to feature in films, none of them were as successful as his prior efforts. He appeared on television multiple times during his acting career, most notably in the mid-1960s on ‘The Eamonn Andrews Show’ and in 1971 on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.’
Major Projects of Laurence Harvey
One of his most notable roles is that of Joe Lampton in the film ‘Room at the Top,’ in which he plays a young guy who falls in love with an older married woman. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his powerful performance.
Achievements & Awards
In 1956, he received the Theatre World Award. Laurence Harvey earned the best actor award at the Munich Film Festival in 1962 for his performance in ‘The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.’
Personal History and Legacy
He had three wives. He began an affair with married actress Margaret Leighton in the early 1950s. Harvey married her in 1957 after her divorce. This marriage was short-lived, ending in 1961. Joan Perry, a woman 17 years his senior, was his second wife. In 1972, this marriage, too, ended in divorce.
He married Paulene Stone, a British fashion model and the mother of his daughter Domino, for the third time.
Harvey was reported to be gay, and his marriages were rumored to be cover-ups to mask his actual nature. Harvey had a long-term connection with his manager James Woolf, according to British actor John Fraser. He smoked a lot and drank a lot. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away on November 25, 1973, at the age of 45.
Estimated Net Worth
Laurence is one of the wealthiest and most well-known actors in Hollywood. Laurence Harvey’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.