Final years and death[edit]
In Ship of Fools (1965), her final screen performance. The film was reportedly difficult to make due to Leigh's mental instability.
Merivale proved to be a stabilising influence for Leigh, but despite her apparent contentment, she was quoted by Radie Harris as confiding that she "would rather have lived a short life with Larry [Olivier] than face a long one without him".[103] Her first husband, Leigh Holman, also spent considerable time with her. Merivale joined her for a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Latin America that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962, and Leigh enjoyed positive reviews without sharing the spotlight with Olivier.[104] Though she was still beset by bouts of depression, she continued to work in the theatre and, in 1963, won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Tovarich. She also appeared in the films The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) and Ship of Fools (1965).[105]
Leigh's last screen appearance in Ship of Fools was both a triumph and emblematic of her illnesses taking root. Producer and director Stanley Kramer who ended up with the film, planned to star Leigh but was initially unaware of the fragile mental and physical health of his star.[Note 5] In later recounting her work, Kramer remembered her courage in taking on the difficult role, "She was ill, and the courage to go ahead, the courage to make the film – was almost unbelievable."[107] Leigh's performance was tinged by paranoia and resulted in outbursts that marred her relationship with other actors, although both Simone Signoret and Lee Marvin were sympathetic and understanding.[108] In one unusual instance during the attempted
**** scene, Leigh became distraught and hit Marvin so hard with a spiked shoe, that it marked his face.[109] Leigh won the L'Étoile de Cristal for her performance in a leading role in Ship of Fools.[110][Note 6]
In May 1967 Leigh was rehearsing to appear with Michael Redgrave in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance when her tuberculosis recurred.[111] Following several weeks of rest, she seemed to recover. On the night of 7 July 1967, Merivale left her as usual at their Eaton Square flat, to perform in a play, and returned home just before midnight to find her asleep. About 30 minutes later, he returned to the bedroom and discovered her body on the floor. She had been attempting to walk to the bathroom and, as her lungs filled with liquid, they collapsed and she suffocated.[112] Merivale first contacted her family and the next day was able to reach Olivier, who was receiving treatment for prostate cancer in a nearby hospital.[113] In his autobiography, Olivier described his "grievous anguish" as he immediately travelled to Leigh's residence, to find that Merivale had moved her body onto the bed. Olivier paid his respects, and "stood and prayed for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up between us",[114] before helping Merivale make funeral arrangements; Olivier stayed until her body was removed from the flat.[113][Note 7]
On the public announcement of her death on 8 July, the lights of every theatre in central London were extinguished for an hour.[116] A Catholic service for Leigh was held at St. Mary's Church, Cadogan Street, London. Her funeral was attended by the luminaries of British stage and screen.[117] According to the provisions of her will, Leigh was cremated at the Golders Green Crematorium and her ashes were scattered on the lake at her summer home, Tickerage Mill, near Blackboys, East Sussex, England.[118] A memorial service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with a final tribute read by John Gielgud.[119] In 1968 Leigh became the first actress honoured in the United States, by "The Friends of the Libraries at the University of Southern California".[120] The ceremony was conducted as a memorial service, with selections from her films shown and tributes provided by such associates as George Cukor, who screened the tests that Leigh had made for Gone With the Wind, the first time the screen tests had been seen in 30 years.[121]