Laurence Olivier performed alongside a bear.
Laurence Kerr Olivier , Baron Olivier , ( [ ˈlɒrəns_kɜr_ɒˈlɪvieɪ ] 22 May 1907 -- 11 July 1989 ) , was an English actor who , along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud , dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century . In 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft , and by the end of the decade he was an established star .