1979 Laurence Olivier Awards

1979 Society of West End Theatre Awards
1979 Society of West End Theatre Awards
Location	Café Royal

The 1979 Society of West End Theatre Awards were held in 1979 in London at the Café Royal, celebrating excellence in West End theatre by the Society of West End Theatre. The awards would not become the Laurence Olivier Awards, as they are known today, until the 1984 ceremony.

Winners and nominees[edit]

Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.^[1]

Play of the Year	Musical of the Year
Betrayal by Harold Pinter – National Theatre Night and Day by Tom Stoppard – Phoenix The Crucifer of Blood by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Paul Giovanni – Theatre Royal Haymarket Undiscovered Country by Arthur Schnitzler, adapted by Tom Stoppard – National Theatre	Songbook – Globe Ain't Misbehavin' – Her Majesty's Bar Mitzvah Boy – Adelphi Chicago – Cambridge
Comedy of the Year
Middle-Age Spread by Roger Hall – Lyric Clouds by Michael Frayn – Duke of York's Outside Edge by Richard Harris – Queen's Theatre
Actor of the Year in a New Play	Actress of the Year in a New Play
*Ian McKellen as Max in Bent* – Royal Court / Criterion** Michael Gambon as Jerry in Betrayal – National Theatre Dinsdale Landen as Mervyn in Bodies – Ambassadors John Standing as Benedict in Close of Play – National Theatre	*Jane Lapotaire as Édith Piaf in Piaf* – RSC at the Warehouse** Constance Cummings as Emily Stilson in Wings – National Theatre Gemma Jones as Helen Stott in And a Nightingale Sang – Queen's Theatre Jessica Tandy as Fonsia Dorsey in The Gin Game – Lyric
Actor of the Year in a Revival	Actress of the Year in a Revival
*Warren Mitchell as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman* – National Theatre** Michael Bryant as David Roberts in Strife – National Theatre Jonathan Pryce as Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew – RSC at the Aldwych Patrick Stewart as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice – RSC at the Warehouse	*Zoë Wanamaker as May Daniels in Once in a Lifetime* – RSC at the Aldwych** Paola Dionisotti as Kate Minola in The Taming of the Shrew – RSC at the Aldwych Glenda Jackson as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra – RSC at the Aldwych Billie Whitelaw as Winnie in Happy Days – Royal Court
Actor of the Year in a Musical	Actress of the Year in a Musical
*Anton Rodgers as Various in Songbook* – Globe** Tony Britton as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady – Adelphi Michael Crawford as Charlie Gordon in Charlie and Algernon – Queen's Theatre Ben Cross as Billy Flynn in Chicago – Cambridge	*Virginia McKenna as Anna Leonowens in The King and I* – London Palladium** Carol Channing as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly – Theatre Royal Drury Lane Antonia Ellis as Velma Kelly in Chicago – Cambridge Liz Robertson as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady – Adelphi
Comedy Performance of the Year
*Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage in A Night with Dame Edna* – Piccadilly** Richard Griffiths as George Lewis in Once in a Lifetime – RSC at the Aldwych Oscar James as Meadowlark Warner in Gloo Joo – Criterion Maureen Lipman as Maggie in Outside Edge – Queen's
Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role	Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role
*Patrick Stewart as Mark Antony in Antony and Cleopatra* – RSC at the Aldwych** Michael Bryant as Dr. von Aigner in Undiscovered Country – National Theatre Stephen Greif as Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman – National Theatre David Suchet as Herman Glogauer in Once in a Lifetime – RSC at the Aldwych	*Doreen Mantle as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman* – National Theatre** Carmen du Sautoy as Miss Leighton in Once in a Lifetime – RSC at the Aldwych Alison Fiske as Evie Ardsley in For Services Rendered – National Theatre Patricia Routledge as Peggy Stott in And a Nightingale Sang – Queen's
Director of the Year
*Michael Bogdanov for The Taming of the Shrew* – RSC at the Aldwych** Michael Elliott for The Family Reunion – Vaudeville Trevor Nunn for Once in a Lifetime – RSC at the Aldwych Michael Rudman for Death of a Salesman – National Theatre
Designer of the Year
*William Dudley for Undiscovered Country* – National Theatre** John Bury for Strife – National Theatre John Napier for Once in a Lifetime – RSC at the Aldwych Carl Toms for For Services Rendered – National Theatre
Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet	Outstanding Achievement in Opera
*Peter Schaufuss for La Sylphide, London Festival Ballet – Royal Festival Hall* Kenneth MacMillan for Playground, The Royal Ballet – Sadler's Wells The Tempest, Ballet Rambert – Sadler's Wells	The Rake's Progress, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Die Zauberflöte, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Manon, English National Opera – London Coliseum The Adventures of Mr Brouček, English National Opera – London Coliseum
Society Special Award
Laurence Olivier

Productions with multiple nominations and awards[edit]

The following 13 productions received multiple nominations:

6: Once in a Lifetime
4: Death of a Salesman
3: Chicago, The Taming of the Shrew and Undiscovered Country
2: And a Nightingale Sang, Antony and Cleopatra, Betrayal, For Services Rendered, My Fair Lady, Outside Edge, Songbook and Strife

The following two productions received multiple awards:

2: Death of a Salesman and Songbook

References[edit]

^ "Olivier Winners 1979". officiallondontheatre.com. Society of London Theatre. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2022.

External links[edit]

Previous Olivier Winners – 1979

[1] "Olivier Winners 1979". officiallondontheatre.com. Society of London Theatre. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2022.

[1]

v t e Laurence Olivier Awards
Drama	New Play Entertainment or Comedy Play Revival Actor Actress Actor in a Supporting Role Actress in a Supporting Role
Musical	New Musical Musical Revival Actor in a Musical Actress in a Musical Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical Musical Contribution
Production/Creatives	Director Theatre Choreographer Set Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design
Dance/Opera	New Dance Production New Opera Production Achievement in Dance Achievement in Opera
Special/Other	Special Award Family Show Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Retired	Actor of the Year in a New Play Actress of the Year in a New Play Actor of the Year in a Revival Actress of the Year in a Revival Comedy Performance Performance in a Musical Supporting Artist of the Year Performance in a Supporting Role Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Newcomer in a Play Most Promising Performer Company Performance Director of a Play Director of a Musical Most Promising Playwright Achievement in a Musical Audience Award
Ceremonies	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 ~~1989 (see 1989/90)~~ 1989/90 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 ~~2021 (COVID-19)~~ 2022 2023 2024

1979 Laurence Olivier Awards

Winners and nominees[edit]

Productions with multiple nominations and awards[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Premium Membership

€4.95

Create a Premium Account quick and easy

Save your Favourite Pages

Listen to any page in Audio

Colour Night Mode