Memo to Marilyn Monroe from Sir Laurence Olivier

From the Personal Files of Marilyn Monroe:  A Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier received fan letter from 1958.

One page of business notepaper, dated Tuesday Jan 14, 1958, handwritten in black ballpoint ink to Laurence Olivier and later passed along to Marilyn Monroe by her co-star (as indicated by an attached sheet of paper reading “With the Compliments of Sir Laurence Olivier”).  The  fan letter expresses a Mr. C. Henry Crowther’s adoration of Marilyn Monroe in The Prince and the Showgirl; reading in part:

“I cannot express the joy and exhilarating uplifting when I see her, her radiant beauty, her wonderful hair… I gurgle, laugh, cry, clap, I am entranced she is so utterly lovely… I am overwhelmed, I’ve never seen anyone so lovely, she must be delightful to know, she looks so good… I could go on for hours… I would like to send her a present… to show my gratitude for the joy she has brought into my life…”

and continuing on in that fashion.

Olivier and Monroe clashed regularly while making this film, starting when Olivier, who also directed the movie, told Marilyn to “be sexy.”

Monroe and Olivier

The Actress and the Director

Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier shared a professional relationship defined by both mutual respect and significant creative tension, most notably during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957).

Their association began in 1956 when Olivier, one of the most respected actors and directors of his generation, invited Marilyn to co star with him in the film, which he also directed and produced through his company, Laurence Olivier Productions. At the time, Marilyn was at a turning point in her career. She had recently formed Marilyn Monroe Productions with photographer Milton Greene, seeking greater creative control and independence from the studio system. Casting Marilyn was both an artistic and commercial decision. Olivier recognized her enormous screen presence and global appeal.

During filming in London, however, their working styles frequently clashed. Olivier was classically trained, disciplined, and accustomed to strict rehearsal and technical precision. Marilyn, deeply committed to emotional authenticity, relied on her Method training from the Actors Studio and often required multiple takes to achieve the performance she felt was truthful. She also struggled with anxiety, insomnia, and self confidence, which sometimes contributed to delays on set. Olivier initially grew frustrated with what he perceived as her lack of discipline, while Marilyn felt intimidated and at times unsupported in an unfamiliar working environment.

Despite these difficulties, Olivier later acknowledged Marilyn’s extraordinary screen presence. He recognized that the qualities he found challenging off camera translated into a unique vulnerability and magnetism on screen that could not be taught. Marilyn, in turn, respected Olivier’s stature and experience, even as their personalities and artistic approaches differed.

The production was documented extensively by photographer Milton Greene and filmmaker Colin Clark, whose later memoir The Prince, the Showgirl and Me offered a firsthand account of the experience. While the filming process was difficult, the finished film stands as an important example of Marilyn’s work during the period when she was asserting independence as a producer and serious actress.

Their relationship ultimately remained professional. Though marked by creative friction, it reflected a meeting between two very different acting traditions: Olivier’s classical theatrical discipline and Marilyn’s emotionally driven modern screen acting.