Laurence Harvey

From Grokipedia

Laurence Harvey (born Zvi Mosheh Skikne, later known as Laruschka Mischa Skikne; 1 October 1928 – 25 November 1973) was a Lithuanian-born British actor and occasional director, renowned for his sophisticated and often brooding screen presence in mid-20th-century cinema. Born to Lithuanian Jewish parents fleeing antisemitism in Joniskis, Lithuania, he immigrated with his family to South Africa in 1934, where he grew up and later served in the South African Army's entertainment unit during World War II. After the war, Harvey moved to London in 1946 to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), making his film debut in House of Darkness (1948) and gradually building a reputation in British theater and cinema.

His breakthrough came with the role of ambitious working-class protagonist Joe Lampton in Room at the Top (1959), a gritty British New Wave drama that earned him Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Actor, propelling him to international stardom. Harvey followed this with high-profile Hollywood roles, including the ill-fated Raymond Shaw in John Frankenheimer's thriller The Manchurian Candidate (1962), the socialite Weston Liggett in Butterfield 8 (1960) opposite Elizabeth Taylor, and the historical figure William Barret Travis in The Alamo (1960). He also ventured into directing with The Ceremony (1963), which he produced and starred in, though it received mixed reviews. Later films like Darling (1965) and Life at the Top (1965), a sequel to Room at the Top, showcased his versatility in portraying complex, morally ambiguous characters, though his career waned in the late 1960s amid typecasting and personal struggles.

On a personal level, Harvey was married three times: first to actress Margaret Leighton from 1957 to 1961, then to Joan Perry (widow of Harry Cohn) from 1968 to 1972, and finally to model Paulene Stone from 1972 until his death, with whom he had a daughter, Domino. He died of stomach cancer at age 45 in London, leaving a legacy as a key figure in the transition from post-war British realism to global Hollywood productions.

In brief

Laurence Harvey (born Zvi Mosheh Skikne; 1 October 1928 – 25 November 1973) was a Lithuanian-born British actor and film director. He was born to Lithuanian Jewish parents and immigrated to South Africa at an early age, before later settling in the United Kingdom after World War II. In a career that spanned a quarter of a century, Harvey appeared in stage, film and television productions primarily in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Harvey was known for his clipped, refined accent and cool, debonair screen persona. His performance in Room at the Top (1959) resulted in an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. That success was followed by the roles of William Barret Travis in The Alamo and Weston Liggett in BUtterfield 8, both films released in the autumn of 1960.