Sir Laurence Olivier, widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, has been commemorated with an English Heritage blue plaque at his childhood home in Pimlico.
The plaque at 22 Lupus Street was unveiled by Sir Ian McKellen and marks the London address where Olivier first began acting as a child—and where the foundations of his extraordinary theatrical and film career were laid.
“In his lifetime Laurence Olivier’s achievements, on stage and on screen, were unique and legendary,” said McKellen. “He was a Hollywood star, the first Director of the National Theatre of Great Britain, producer, director, as well as actor. He lives on in the work of those actors who admired him and in the memory of audiences who were lucky enough to see him in person.”
Olivier lived at the house between the ages of six and 11, while his father served as curate at nearby St. Saviour’s Church, where the young Olivier was a choir boy. Family recollections describe how “Larry” transformed a wooden box and a set of blue curtains into a makeshift stage, performing songs, dances, and dramatic sketches for hours at a time.
During these years he attended All Saints School on Margaret Street, where his talent was recognized by the legendary actress Ellen Terry—herself a blue plaque recipient—who reportedly declared that the ten-year-old was “already a great actor.”
“Laurence Olivier transformed British theatre and film through the brilliance, range and intensity of his performances,” said Howard Spencer, Senior Historian at English Heritage. “What makes Lupus Street so special is that it is where it all began for Olivier, as an imaginative London child first discovering a love of performance. The plaque celebrates the formative home where one of Britain’s greatest cultural figures first found his voice as an actor.”
Born in Surrey in 1907, Olivier trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama before rising to prominence through acclaimed Shakespearean performances in productions including Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard III, and Henry V. His film career brought international fame through roles in Rebecca, Wuthering Heights, Marathon Man, and Sleuth, while his 1944 film Henry V established him as a major director as well as actor.
Olivier’s influence extended far beyond performance. As founding director of the National Theatre, he helped shape the future of British theater and championed a new generation of actors and playwrights. Honored with a knighthood, a life peerage, and the Order of Merit, he remains one of the defining figures of modern British culture, with the Olivier Awards named in his honor.
The plaque at 22 Lupus Street is located in Pimlico, a short walk from Victoria Station.
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