 Merivale proved to be a stabilising influence for Leigh , but despite her apparent contentment , she was quoted by <unk> Harris as confiding that she " would rather have lived a short life with Larry [ Olivier ] than face a long one without him " . Her first husband , Leigh Holman , also spent considerable time with her . Merivale joined her for a tour of Australia , New Zealand and Latin America that lasted from July 1961 until May 1962 , and Leigh enjoyed positive reviews without sharing the spotlight with Olivier . Though she was still beset by bouts of depression , she continued to work in the theatre and , in 1963 , won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in <unk> . She also appeared in the films The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone ( 1961 ) and Ship of Fools ( 1965 ) . 
