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On January 13, 1939, Vivien Leigh signed her contract to play Scarlett O'Hara, in "Gone With the Wind." For your reading enjoyment, here's a newspaper announcement, from that day, about Vivien signing the contract to play Scarlett. The article says she'd only made three, previous movies. No Bing or Google back then! "Vivien Leigh, English actress, was signed tonight by Selznick International Pictures to play Scarlett O’Hara opposite Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler in the long postponed 'Gone With the Wind.' Miss Leigh is 25 years old, has green eyes, brown hair and is 5 feet 3 inches tall. Miss Leigh has been under contract to Alexander Korda, who turned his pact with her over to Selznick, retaining the right to use her in one picture a year. She has appeared in only three pictures to date for Korda. She played supporting roles in 'Fire Over England' and 'Storm In a Teacup' and was more recently seen in MGM’s 'A Yank at Oxford' as Elsa Craddock, wife of a bookseller. She previously was seen on the London stage. In private life, she is Mrs. Leigh Holman, wife of a barrister in London. She has a five year old daughter. The Selznick announcement culminates the most extended and intensive publicity campaign Hollywood has ever seen, beginning in July of 1936 when Selznick purchased the screen rights to Margaret Mitchell’s novel and began a search for a leading lady. Last June, it was announced that Norma Shearer would play the Scarlett role, with Gable as Rhett Butler and that MGM would release the picture instead of United Artists, Selznick’s regular releasing outfit. A month later, Miss Shearer withdrew, giving adverse fan mail as her reason. Almost every ranking actress in Hollywood has been rumoured for the role, chief contenders being Paulette Goddard, Katherine Hepburn and more recently, Carole Lombard, Jean Arthur and Joan Bennett. 'Gone With the Wind' will go before the cameras in two weeks, according to Selznick, with George Cukor directing. Besides Gable and Miss Leigh, the cast includes Olivia de Havilland as Melanie, Leslie Howard as Ashley, and Oscar Polk and Hattie McDaniel as the O’Haras’ family slaves. The picture will be filmed in color, at approximately $2,000,000. The story originally cost Selznick $50,000 and about $750,000 has been spent in preparing for production. It’s been adapted to the screen by Sidney Howard and Oliver H.P. Garrett." #vivienleigh #gonewiththewind #gwtw