Why did Charles Laughton hate Laurence Olivier so much?

larry wouldn't let Charles rim him...

Olivier had less talent but more beauty than Laughton. So jealousy, for starters. Just a guess.

Olivier was an awful person.

Maybe Olivier refused to give Laughton a poop sandwich.

He wouldn’t share his snails.

Here is a long interview with Ustinov where he discusses some of the Spartacus filming, the Laughton story starts about 8:00 minutes in, followed by a funny tourist story with Laughton.

I love Ustinov's storytelling. He's just so engaging, and the anecdotes here are hilarious!

I can’t say I know much about the Laughton-Olivier relationship, but I gather Peter Sellers hated Olivier’s style of acting.

Homophobic, ageist attacks maybe.

Homofobic frim whom, R9? Both were quite gay/bi.

Laughton is the perfect example of the classic eldergay. Spartacus is such a great camp fest - to see him surrounded by a bevy of beautiful men while flaming it up to high heaven in a caftan... I mean, toga.

Ustinov's impression of Laughton is hilarious, and so spot on.

R7 Ustinov is one of those people I will always watch when I come across an interview, Orson Welles is another, although I understand that Welles often liked to embellish stories and some are outright fabrications, but still it is fun to listen to them.

I must say, Olivier was unbelievably sexy in Spartacus. Probably the rawest sexual energy he's ever exuded (and quite intentionally gay too). Purebred patrician, merciless and easy in his power which he wears as naturally as his own skin.

Olivier got more cock and didn’t have to pay for it maybe?

Well, as someone said above, if you have eyes, you'll know why....two (literal) drama queens, and one was gorgeous and one looked like a toad.

I'd still rather watch Laughton any day.

I wonder which of them got the hot black gladiator,

I always loved Laugton & Elsa Lanchester for the fact they chose to live their lives in the US. Neither of them seemed the type of Brit who would enjoy life here, especially living smack dab in Hollywood. They had a funky house, half Spanish hacienda, half English castle.

Their previous house was on the market back in 2016 for close to $20 million.

I watched the delightful interview with Peter Ustinov, and learned that underneath his toga, Charles Laughton kept a thermos of beef bullion mixed with vodka.

Laughton was the superior actor, by far. Olivier wasn't a particularly capable actor, but he had Screen Presence - which covered a multitude of acting sins. Between that, and being very good-looking, Olivier had his pick of the lead roles. Laughton, with all the talent but none of the looks, had to work for every part. It would have been more of a surprise if they had been friends.

I remember reading an article about Lancaster where she would find Laughton in bed with strange men he brought home.- on a regular basis.

The insufferable pretty boy gay and the more talented but not pretty gay not getting along?

Do tell.

What R23 ? Laughton lived with Burt Lancaster?

Peter Ustinov can't do a very good American accent at r6.

sorry, Elsa Lanchester

Laughton was an odd actor. He was extremely ugly even when he was young, and he naturally had a thick Yorkshire accent that made many English people think he was excessively common and backwards. He worked against these handicaps his entire life, but he was always depressed.

As the late great Charles Ludlam said: When queens collide....

Olivier was a cunt

There's a lot of ignorance on display here. But if you read the sensible accounts you'll find out that the rivalry was caused by—

1. The completely normal competitiveness of two actors wanting the best roles.

2. They were both stars at the OLD Vic in the 30s but Laughton abandoned his people and slummed it out in sunny La-La Land for two decades. They tried to have a rapprochement at a season at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in 1959 but (as everyone knows) Laughton was notoriously precious and Olivier wouldn't accommodate his Laughton's neuroses.