The Laurence Olivier Award for Society of London Theatre Special Award is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of the "world-class status of London theatre." The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier, himself a 1979 recipient of this award.

This award was introduced in 1976. In 2020, the award was expanded with additional Special Recognition Recipients, recognizing a larger number of people each year for their lifetime of contributions to commercial British theatre.

Award winners 1970s Year Recipient 1976 Save London's Theatres Campaign 1977 Harry Loman 1978 Brian Clark 1979 Laurence Olivier

1980s Year Recipient 1980 Ralph Richardson 1981 1982 Charles Wintour 1983 Joan Littlewood 1984 Arnold Goodman 1985 John Gielgud 1986 1987 1988 Alec Guinness

1990s Year Recipient 1991 Peggy Ashcroft 1992 Ninette de Valois 1993 Kenneth MacMillan 1994 Sam Wanamaker 1995 1996 Harold Pinter 1997 Margaret Harris 1998 David Mirvish Ed Mirvish 1999 Peter Hall

2000s Year Recipient 2001 2002 Rupert Rhymes 2003 Sam Mendes 2004 Judi Dench 2005 Alan Bennett 2006 Ian McKellen 2007 John Tomlinson 2008 Andrew Lloyd Webber 2009 Alan Ayckbourn

2010s Year Recipient 2010 Maggie Smith 2011 Stephen Sondheim 2012 Monica Mason Tim Rice 2013 Michael Frayn Gillian Lynne 2014 Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr Michael White 2015 Sylvie Guillem Kevin Spacey 2016 2017 Kenneth Branagh 2018 David Lan 2019 Matthew Bourne

2020s Year Category Recipient 2020Special Award Don BlackIan McKellenSpecial Recognition Jo HawesThelma HoltStephen Jameson and Sarah PreecePeter Roberts 2021 Not presented due to extended closing of theatre productions during COVID-19 pandemic 2022Special Award noneSpecial Recognition Lisa BurgerBob KingGloria LouisSusie SainsburySylvia Young 2023Special Award noneSpecial Recognition Derek JacobiArlene Phillips 2024Special Award noneSpecial RecognitionSylvia Addison Vereen Irving Robert Israel Richard Walton Susan Whiddington 2025Special Award Rufus NorrisSpecial Recognition Rupert Bielby Bryan Raven Sue Uings 2026Special Award Elaine PaigeSpecial Recognition Betty Laine Linda Tolhurst David Wood

See also Special Tony Award

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