Postage stamps issued by the Royal Mail, 1985, featuring an image of Vivien Leigh (1913-1967). Designed by Keith Bassford (b.1949) from a photograph by Angus McBean (1904-1990).
Postage Stamps
| Artist/Maker |
This stamp was produced by the Royal Mail in 1985 to celebrate British Film Year. Leigh was the only woman featured in the series, along with Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Sellers and David Niven.
The photograph taken by the Welsh photographer Angus McBean (1904-1990) features Leigh in the costume she wore in the title role of Serena Blandish at the Gate Theatre in 1938. Based on the novel A Lady of Quality by Enid Bagnold, the play was adapted by S. N. Behrman. Laurence Olivier who was originally due to direct was replaced by Esme Percy. The photograph was sent by her agent John Gliddon to David O. Selznick in Hollywood, in an attempt to acquire a screen-test for Scarlett O'Hara.
The stamps were designed by Keith Bassford, the British graphic designer born in 1949 who started work designing stamps for the Royal Mail in 1976 and for the Danish Post Office in 1984.
The photograph taken by the Welsh photographer Angus McBean (1904-1990) features Leigh in the costume she wore in the title role of Serena Blandish at the Gate Theatre in 1938. Based on the novel A Lady of Quality by Enid Bagnold, the play was adapted by S. N. Behrman. Laurence Olivier who was originally due to direct was replaced by Esme Percy. The photograph was sent by her agent John Gliddon to David O. Selznick in Hollywood, in an attempt to acquire a screen-test for Scarlett O'Hara.
The stamps were designed by Keith Bassford, the British graphic designer born in 1949 who started work designing stamps for the Royal Mail in 1976 and for the Danish Post Office in 1984.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Postage stamps issued by the Royal Mail, 1985, featuring an image of Vivien Leigh (1913-1967). Designed by Keith Bassford (b.1949) from a photograph by Angus McBean (1904-1990). (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed paper, the reverse coated with adhesive |
| Brief description | Sheet of twelve postage stamps featuring an image of Vivien Leigh (1913-1967). Designed by Keith Bassford (b.1949) from a photograph by Angus McBean (1904-1990). Issued by the Royal Mail in 1985 as one of their stamps celebrating British Film Year |
| Physical description | Sheet of twelve postage stamps featuring an image of Vivien Leigh as Serena Blandish from a photograph by Angus McBean,1938. Issued by the Royal Mail in 1985 as one in their series of stamps celebrating British Film Year |
| Credit line | Given by Keith Lodwick |
| Summary | This stamp was produced by the Royal Mail in 1985 to celebrate British Film Year. Leigh was the only woman featured in the series, along with Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Sellers and David Niven. The photograph taken by the Welsh photographer Angus McBean (1904-1990) features Leigh in the costume she wore in the title role of Serena Blandish at the Gate Theatre in 1938. Based on the novel A Lady of Quality by Enid Bagnold, the play was adapted by S. N. Behrman. Laurence Olivier who was originally due to direct was replaced by Esme Percy. The photograph was sent by her agent John Gliddon to David O. Selznick in Hollywood, in an attempt to acquire a screen-test for Scarlett O'Hara. The stamps were designed by Keith Bassford, the British graphic designer born in 1949 who started work designing stamps for the Royal Mail in 1976 and for the Danish Post Office in 1984. |
| Associated object | PROV.2390-2020 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.192-2020 |
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| Record created | December 4, 2020 |
| Record URL |
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