VIVIEN LEIGH - LETTERS - 1950s

March 29th, 1954

Dear Mrs. Ball,
          I was most touched by your charming letter. I am delighted to know that you have enjoyed my work and thoughts you express about it.

I am happy to say that I am feeling very well and my arm is now out of plaster and with a little massage should soon be quite all right again.

Thank you so much for your kindness in writing. My very best wishes to you.

                              Yours sincerely,
                              Vivien Leigh

May 17th, 1955 (from Vivien Leigh to Joe)

Dear Joe,
          All best wishes for every possible
success at the Fresno Community Theatre.
                              Vivien Leigh

27th January, 1956 (from Vivien to Iris Stanley)

Dear Iris Stanley,
                              I hope you will forgive me
for not thanking you before now for your most kind thought of me at Christmas, but I have just returned from a holiday abroad to find your very charming and useful Journal Diary; I am delighted with it; thank you again, so very much.
                              Every good wish to you.
                              Yours sincerely,
                              Vivien Leigh.

31st July 1957 (from Vivien Leigh to Joyce)

My dear Joyce,

                              Thank you so much for the lovely flowers you gave me on your last visit to "Titus"; I do hope you are having a wonderful holiday. I am looking forward to one too.

I wish you'd been here when the Motion in the House of Lords was passed. It was a most exciting evening, and Sir Laurence announced the news from the stage at the end of the play, so there's still hope.

                              With ...
                              Vivien Leigh

After Suzanne's wedding to Robin Farrington (6 December, 1957), Vivien wrote to Suzanne:

I am thinking of you so much & cannot go to sleep without telling you how much I love you & how I hope with all my heart that today will be the beginning of a most wonderful & happy life. You have rare & radiant nature & I know you will help to carve a full & close future together with Robin. Take care of yourself & him my darling & if you ever need me I shall feel it a joy & blessing to be of any comfort I can.

28th December, 1957 ( (from Vivien to Iris Stanley)

Dear Iris Stanley,
                              Thank you very much indeed
for the lovely powder puff. I am simply
delighted to have it and it was sweet of
you to send it to me.
                              Every good wish for 1958.
                              Yours sincerely,
                              Vivien Leigh

November 1958, Vivien Leigh wrote to Olivier, finally agreeing to divorce him

You must forgive the fact that I make quick decisions. I believe they are the only true and instinctively correct way for people such as I am to express their feelings. Because I have had a day almost entirely on my own – in bed – and able to think without interruption of our whole situation I have come to the conclusion — (a fearfully painful one) that a clean and absolute break is the only path to follow. So I intend to divorce you on the grounds of desertion–mental and physical – as soon as our present chores in the theatre and television are over – we are in any case separated. I did not want to do this until you had finished your work here but our telephone conversation tonight led me to think I was talking to a compete stranger – which is what you have chosen to become... Our lives will lie in quite different directions. I feel confident I should make my own life – and you have always made yours.

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