Olivia de Havilland Trivias

In 1991, her son, Benjamin Briggs Goodrich, a statistical analyst, died of complications from Hodgkin's disease at his mother's home in Paris, France.

Is the 15th cousin twice removed of Errol Flynn her co-star in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

She and Joan Fontaine are the first sisters to win Oscars and the first ones to be Oscar-nominated in the same year.

Is portrayed by Lee Purcell in My Wicked, Wicked Ways... The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985) (TV)

She and Errol Flynn acted together in 9 movies: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Dodge City (1939), Four's a Crowd (1938), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) and They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

Confessed in later years that she had an intense crush on Errol Flynn during the years of their filming. She confessed it was hard to resist his charms...but she did.

Her mother named her Olivia after Shakespeare's romantic heroine in "Twelfth Night."

Turned down the role of Blanche DuBois in the screen version of 'A Streetcar Named Desire', allegedly stating that 'A lady just doesn't say or do those things on the screen'.

Is descended from the Haverlands of Normandy, one of whom (the Lord of Haverland) accompanied William the Conquerer in his historical invasion of England in 1066.

Her father Walter Augustus de Havilland (1872-1968) was a patent attorney in Japan and also author of the 1910 book 'The ABC of go', which provides a detailed and comprehensive description of the Japanese board game.

She had two children (one from each of her marriages): Benjamin (1949-1991) who became a mathematician and Gisele (b. 1956) who followed in her father's footsteps by becoming a journalist.

It was reported in October 2001 that Miss de Havilland was among 40 prominent French residents who were victims of hoax anthrax attacks. (The attacks were proven to be hoaxes after a woman was arrested in Paris for sending out envelopes containing a powdery substance.)

Ms. de Havilland lives a peaceful retirement at her home on Rue Benouville, in Paris. She spends her time teaching Sunday School to children at a local church.

She made a special appearance at the 75th Annual Academy Awards, and received a well deserved standing ovation.

She holds the record for the most number of people thanked in an Oscar acceptance speech (27 people), when she accepted the award for Best Actress for To Each His Own (1946).

After her divorce from second husband Pierre Galante in 1979 they remained close friends and after Galante became ill with cancer, De Havilland nursed him until his death in 1998.

Only surviving star (who received star-billing) of Gone with the Wind (1939). Other surviving minor stars are Ann Rutherford and Evelyn Keyes.

Justly famous for her court victory against Warner Brothers in the mid 1940s (which many others had failed) which stopped Warners from adding suspension periods to actor's contracts and therefore meant more freedom for actors in Hollywood. It became known as the 'De Havilland decision'.

Has made Paris her home since the mid 1950s.

Showed flair as a writer when 'Every Fenchman Has One', a lighthearted autobiographical account of her attempts at adapting to French life, was published in 1962.

At the age of 82 was awarded an honorary degree of letters from the University of Hertfordshire, England.

Lost her son Benjamin to Hodgkins disease in 1991, shortly before Benjamin's father, writer Marcus Goodrich, passed away.

In 1965 she became the first female president of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

Olivia's cousin was Sir Geoffrey de Havilland (1882-1965) the British aviation pioneer and designer of aircraft such as the wartime Mosquito fighter.

Older sister of actress Joan Fontaine

Daughter of film and stage actress Lillian Fontaine.

Relations between de Havilland and younger sister Joan Fontaine were never all that strong and worsened in 1941, when both were nominated for 'Best Actress' Oscar awards. Their mutual dislike and jealousy escalated into an all-out feud after Fontaine won for Suspicion (1941). Despite the fact de Havilland went on to win two Academy Awards of her own, they remained permanently estranged.