 The third , and final , London season under the triumvirate was in 1946 – 47 . Olivier played King Lear , and Richardson took the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac . Olivier would have preferred the roles to be reversed , but Richardson did not wish to attempt Lear . Olivier 's Lear received good but not outstanding reviews . In his scenes of decline and madness towards the end of the play some critics found him less moving than his finest predecessors in the role . The influential critic James Agate suggested that Olivier used his dazzling stage technique to disguise a lack of feeling , a charge that the actor strongly rejected , but which was often made throughout his later career . During the run of Cyrano , Richardson was knighted , to Olivier 's undisguised envy . The younger man received the accolade six months later , by which time the days of the triumvirate were numbered . The high profile of the two star actors did not endear them to the new chairman of the Old Vic governors , Lord Esher . He had ambitions to be the first head of the National Theatre and had no intention of letting actors run it . He was encouraged by Guthrie , who , having instigated the appointment of Richardson and Olivier , had come to resent their knighthoods and international fame . 
 The third , and final , London season under the triumvirate was in 1946 – 47 . Olivier played King Lear , and Richardson took the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac . Olivier would <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>have</mark></a> preferred the roles to be reversed , but Richardson did not wish to attempt Lear . Olivier <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>Lear received good but not outstanding reviews . In his scenes of decline and madness towards the end of the play some critics found him less moving than his finest predecessors in the role . The influential critic James Agate suggested that Olivier used his dazzling stage technique to disguise a lack of feeling , a charge that the actor strongly rejected , but which was often made throughout his later career . During the run of Cyrano , Richardson was knighted , to Olivier <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>undisguised envy . The younger man received the accolade six months later , by which time the days of the triumvirate <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> numbered . The high profile of the two star actors did not endear them to the new chairman of the Old Vic governors , Lord Esher . He had ambitions to be the first head of the National Theatre and had no intention of letting actors run it . He was encouraged by Guthrie , <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a>, <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>having</mark></a> instigated the appointment of Richardson and Olivier , <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>had</mark></a> come to resent their knighthoods and international fame . 
Da third , and final , London season under the triumvirate was in 1946 – 47 . Olivier played King Lear , and Richardson took the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac . Olivier would done preferred tdaroles to b reversed , but Richardson did not wish to attempt Lear . Olivier  Lear received good but not outstanding reviews . In his scenes of decline and madness towards the end of the play sum critics found em less moving den his finest predecessors in the role . The influential critic James Agate suggested dat Olivier used his dazzling stage technique to disguise a lack of feeling , a charge that thdactor strongly rejected , but which was often made throughout his later career . During the run of Cyrano , Richardson was knighted , to Olivier  undisguised envy . The younger man received the accolade six months later , by which time the dayz of the triumvirate was numbered . The high profile of thedao star actors did not endear em to the new chairman of the da Vic governors , Lord Esher . He had ambitions to be the fdat head of the National Theatre and had no intention of letting actors run it . He was encouraged by Guthrie , , done instigated the apdantment of Richardson and Olivier , done cum to resent their knighthoods and international fame .