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Vivian Leigh's cat

帖子发表于 : 周四 3月 07, 2013 7:23 pm
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Vivien Leigh owning a number of cats in her lifetime. For much of her adult life, Leigh suffered from bipolar disorder – cats are well known for their calming effects, particularly useful for those suffering from depression and Leigh's treasured companions may have helped her through difficult, dark periods. At the beginning of her marriage to fellow actor Laurence Olivier, she adopted a small black and white stray who she named Tissy. She later became the owner of a Siamese called New Boy. "Once you have kept a Siamese cat you would never have any other kind. They make wonderful pets and are so intelligent they follow you around like little dogs", she once said.

Leigh's New Boy (New for short) was a gift from her husband in 1946 and was named after London's New Theatre (now the Noel Coward Theatre in St Martin's Lane) where Olivier frequently performed. New was one of her favourite cats and would regularly travel with the couple to the theatre as a good luck charm and would stay in their dressing rooms. He was the most photographed of her cats and cited in the press numerous times between 1946-47. He wore an elegant collar ornamented with bells which was a gift from Laurence purchased in Paris. Sadly, New was run over by a car in 1948 when the couple were in Australia performing with the Old Vic Company. Fully aware of her deep grief, Laurence purchased a new Siamese kitten called Armando, who had a dark face like New and wore the same bell collar.

Poo Jones, a well-mannered smoky-white Siamese cat with beautiful violet eyes and black feet and nose, lived with Leigh in the 60. He was named after Jones Harris, young admirer of Miss Leigh (son of actress Ruth Gordon and Broadway producer Jed Harris). Leigh adored his presence and allowed Poo Jones to sleep on her shoulder. He also travelled with her, even accompanying Vivien on the Queen Elizabeth, enjoying daily walks on the boat deck. At the theatre, Poo Jones would sleep during the acts and wake up just before his owner returned to her dressing room. After Leigh's death from tuberculosis on July 7 1967, Poo Jones lived with her housekeeper, Mrs Mac and later Peter Hiley.