Olivia de Havilland, 100th birthday today
Olivia de Havilland actresd will be celebrating her 100th birthday today.
The five-time Oscar nominee was born in Japan of English parents, naturalized and raised in Los Angeles, de Havilland has been an internationally recognized film star for over eight decades.
Since her 1935 debut in Midsummer Night’s Dream and eight on-screen romances with Errol Flynn, she’s best known for her role as the sweet Melanie Wilkes in Gone With The Wind.
De Havilland, who has lived for over 60 years, in little white house of Paris townhouse, packed with memories, is still the site of an occasional champagne garden party and has become a landmark and pilgrimage for many.
In her exceptionally frank back and forth, Hollywood’s most elegant legend discusses many aspects of her personal and professional life, her friends, fabled romances (they’re not whom you expect) and touched on a number of her film roles – including two surprising classics she turned down: It’s A Wonderful Life and A Streetcar Named Desire.
During her career she attend on 1953 Cannes Film Festival where, 12 years later, she was the first woman to be named President of the festival.
After she challenged Warner Bros over the terms of her contract, the 1944 de Havilland Decision, “made it clear that California law limits to seven years the time an employer can enforce a contract with an employee.”
“It’s wonderful knowing that the Decision continues to be useful to artists and other professionals these many years later.”
