 In 1948 Olivier led the Old Vic company on a six @-@ month tour of Australia and New Zealand . He played Richard III , Sir Peter Teazle in Sheridan 's The School for Scandal and Antrobus in Thornton Wilder 's The Skin of Our Teeth , appearing alongside Leigh in the latter two plays . While Olivier was on the Australian tour and Richardson was in Hollywood , Esher terminated the contracts of the three directors , who were said to have " resigned " . Melvyn Bragg in a 1984 study of Olivier , and John Miller in the authorised biography of Richardson , both comment that Esher 's action put back the establishment of a National Theatre for at least a decade . Looking back in 1971 , Bernard Levin wrote that the Old Vic company of 1944 to 1948 " was probably the most illustrious that has ever been assembled in this country " . The Times said that the triumvirate 's years were the greatest in the Old Vic 's history ; as The Guardian put it , " the governors summarily sacked them in the interests of a more mediocre company spirit " . 
 In 1948 Olivier led the Old Vic company on a six @-@ month tour of Australia and New Zealand . He played Richard III , Sir Peter Teazle in Sheridan <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>The School for Scandal and Antrobus in Thornton Wilder <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>The Skin of Our Teeth , appearing alongside Leigh in the latter two plays . While Olivier was on the Australian tour and Richardson was in Hollywood , Esher terminated the contracts of the three directors , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> said to <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>have</mark></a> " resigned " . Melvyn Bragg in a 1984 study of Olivier , and John Miller in the authorised biography of Richardson , both comment that Esher <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>action put back the establishment of a National Theatre for at least a decade . Looking back in 1971 , Bernard Levin wrote that the Old Vic company of 1944 to 1948 " was probably the most illustrious <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>has</mark></a> ever been assembled in this country " . The Times said that the triumvirate <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>years <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>were</mark></a> the greatest in the Old Vic <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>history ; as The Guardian put it , " the governors summarily sacked them in the interests of a more mediocre company spirit " . 
In 1948 Olivier led da Old Vic company on a six @-@ month tour of Australia and New Zealand . He played Richard III , Sir Peter Teazle in Sheridan  The School for Scandal and Antrobus in Thornton Wilder  The Skin of Our teef , appearing alongside Leigh in the latter 2 plays . While Olivier was on the Australian tour and Richardson was in Hollywood , Esher terminated the contracts of the three directors , was said to done " resigned " . Melvyn Bragg in a 1984 study of Olivier , and John Miller in the authorised biography of Richardson , both comment that Esher  action put bk the establishment of a National Theatre for at least a decade . Looking back in 1971 , Bernard Levin wrote dat tdaOld Vic company of 1944 to 1948 " was probably thdaost illustrious done ever been assembled in this country " . Thedames said that the daumvirate  yrs was the greatest in the OdaVic  history ; as The Guardian put it , " the godanors summarily sacked them in the interests of a more mediocre company spirit " .