Hey! Who threw the tomato at the tomato? I'm late. I'm late for a very important date. No time to say hello, goodbye. I'm late. I'm late. I'm late. Sorry to be so tardy but the computers been beating me up for the last couple of days. I did take time to check Raggedy's list and saw a favorite of mine listed.
Born 8-17-20 - Ranelagh, Ireland
Biography of Maureen O'Hara
Composed by June Parker-Beck - with personal consult of Maureen O'Hara
In America, the childhood accomplishments of actress Maureen O'Hara would definitely have put her in the "child protogé" category. However, for a child of Irish heritage surrounded by gifted parents and family, it was perfectly natural way of life. The infant, Maureen FitzSimons, came into this talented and caring haven in Ranelagh (a suburb of Dublin) Ireland on August 17, 1920. Maureen's mother, Marguerita Lilburn FitzSimons was an accomplished contralto. Her father, Charles FitzSimons owned and managed a business in Dublin, and also owned part of the renowned Irish soccer team, "The Shamrock Rovers." Maureen was second of what would be six FitzSimons children. Older sister, Peggy, was a soprano and while still a school girl was invited to sing at state and diplomatic affairs. Although Peggy chose a religious calling as a Sister of Chariety nun, she had earlier been offered a scholarship to LaScala. The equally gifted younger siblings, Florrie, Charles, Margot and James rounded out this beautiful family. (Florrie, Charles and James are now deceased).
Maureen's early childhood friends remember her most for her tomboy/athletic abilities. Even then she was a force to be reckoned with - especially while playing the very rough Irish field hockey game called "Camogie." Maureen took her sports very seriously and pleaded with her father to form a soccer team for women so she could play. Maureen was equally as serious above her love of singing and performing. She had great fun organizing backyard stage shows for their neighbors, using her brothers and sisters as supporting players. Recognizing the fact that Maureen remained intent on acting, her mother sent her to elocution school. Maureen was subsequently accepted to the famed Abbey Theater at the tender age of 14 with a dream of becoming a stage actress or opera singer.
As a teenager, Maureen remained busy with her education and theatrical training, winning about every acting Feis award for drama and theatrical performing her country offered. Despite her theatrical success, Maureen's mother and father were extremely practical and insisted that Maureen enroll in secretarial and bookkeeping classes (just in case her stage career didn't materialize). So, Maureen was not only a promising, beautiful young actress, but became a trained stenographer and bookkeeper as well. These secretarial skills came in quite handy much later in her film career when taking dictation for the script of "The Quiet Man" from Director John Ford.
During her theatrical training at Abbey in Dublin Maureen received a request to travel to London to do a screen test at Elstree Studios. She remembers how they dressed her up in a "gold lamé dress with flapping sleeves like wings." She was definitely not comfortable in this gawdy costume or the heavy makeup. She was instructed to walk to a ringing telephone and repeatedly pick up the receiver and then slam it down. Maureen felt that if this is what movies were all about, she wanted no part of it. She was eager to get it all over with and get back to the Abbey quickly where she had been assigned her first leading stage role. While still in London Maureen's agent told her that there was someone he wanted her to meet. It was then Maureen was presented to actor Charles Laughton. Laughton, together with his partner, Eric Pommer owned a film company called "Mayflower Pictures" and were looking for a young girl for a leading role in their new picture, "Jamaica Inn" directed by Alfred Hitchcock. When Laughton asked the extremely confident young actress to read from a script she politely declined. Maureen stated that she could not read from a script she knew nothing about. Mr. Laughton then inquired if there was any film footage of her available. She then told him about the test made earlier in the day.
After their meeting, Laughton saw the screen test Maureen had made. His reaction was not unlike Maureen's feelings when she made the test - he also found the costuming garish and saw no reason to pursue the matter. However, on his way home he couldn't forget Maureen's hauntingly beautiful eyes. By the time he arrived in London City Laughton realized that beneath all that glitz in the screen test was a fine actress.. In fact, still envisioning those spell-binding eyes, he called his partner, Eric Pommer, insisting that he see Maureen's test that same night. Pommer experienced the same delayed reaction Maureen's image. Her eyes were so haunting that by the time Pommer arrived in London he agreed that they should sign this young woman immediately.
When Maureen returned to Dublin she found an offer of a 7-year contract waiting for her from Mayflower Productions . Since Maureen was only 17, the contract was signed not only by Maureen, but also by her parents, and witnessed by the local Parish Priest. This contract began Maureen's official movie career, co-starring with Laughton in "Jamaica Inn" - filmed in London. Before filming "Jamaica Inn," Pommer and Laughton decided Maureen's last name "FitzSimons" was a bit too long for the marquee and changed it to "O'Hara."
The "Jamaica Inn" movie was a great success and Charles Laughton then offered Maureen the female lead of Esmeralda in "Huchback of Notre Dame. Maureen, accompanied by her mother, Margurita to FitzSimons journied to America, and Hollywood where the film was to be made at RKO Studios. The epic picture was an extraordinary success and Maureen's contract was eventually bought by RKO. By the young age of 19, Maureen had already starred in two major motion pictures with Charles Laughton. Maureen began at the top as a leady lady and remained there throughout her career, with a string of all-time classics to her credit.
With that red hair, and peaches and cream Irish complexion, she fairly exploded with color and energy on the screen. No wonder Herbert T. Kalmus, inventor of the Technicolor process, would never hesitate to render a color commitment to a studio if he knew Maureen would be starring in the film. Her beauty so enhanced his color process that she became known as the "The Queen of Technicolor." In fact, Kalmus used Maureen's ideal image and coloring to literally sell his invention. All of her Technicolor movies brought her great acclaim, and top box office recognition.
There was, however, much more to Maureen O'Hara than her dynamic beauty. She not only had a wonderful lyric soprano voice, but demonstrated an athletic ability that allowed her to perform physical feats that most actresses couldn't begin to attempt - from fencing to fisticuffs. She had the unique abililty to perform these daring deeds and still remain totally feminine and elegant. More importantly, she created an equality to her male costars that is unsurpassed in film history. Maureen brought intelligence, dignity and womanly pride to every role she played. Throughout her career she displayed great courage and determination to do things that she felt were best for her. This strength of character certainly made her a feminist in her own time.
Maureen's career was also brightened considerably by John Ford. In 1941 Director John Ford, who was at 20th Century Fox, cast Maureen as the lovely Anghared in "How Green Was My Valley." It was the beginning of a life-long friendship between Ford and O'Hara. Ford did not hesitate to share the fact that Maureen was his favorite actress. She was Irish, gorgeous and multi-talented. He referred to her as "A Man's kind of woman." She was all of that and more. Maureen made five films for Ford - "How Green Was My Valley," "Rio Grande," "The Quiet Man," "Wings of Eagles" and "The Long Gray Line." Ford described Maureen as "The best bloody actress in Hollywood."
John Ford wasn't the only "pairing" that enhanced Maureen's career. Ford brought Maureen to the screen with the actor he helped into stardom, John Wayne. The tall, dynamic stature of the "Duke" met his perfect match in the equally powerful Maureen O'Hara. Maureen was 5 ft. 8 inches tall, with a steely determination that easily challenged the 6 feet 4 stature of Wayne. Add to this her sensual, yet fiery appeal, and John Wayne acquired a new sexuality. No more the shy, boyish demeanor with the ladies. With just the exchange of an intense gaze at one another, Wayne and O'Hara could create a sensuality that kindled the imagination of their audience. So successful was their teaming on the screen that actresses who co-starred with Wayne in subsequent films could not equal the luster and "naturalness" of the Irish Lady O'Hara in his arms -( see
http://www.users.uswest.net/~aknot/dukemo.htm).
During the early 40's Maureen met and married Will Price, and in June, 1944, her daughter Bronwyn was born. Unfortunately Price had an alcohol problem and the marriage ended in divorce in 1952.
Despite her busy film career Maureen managed to schedule numerous television appearances in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Maureen found great joy in them because it afforded her the opportunity to pursue her love of singing. She brightened many variety shows with multiple appearances on the variety TV shows of Perry Como, Andy Williams, Ernie Ford, George Gobel, Bob Hope, Garry Moore. She also did several dramas on television theaters, and was acclaimed for her performance in TV's "Mrs. Miniver." Another highlight in her career was starring in a Broadway musical, Christine," a story written by Pearl Buck. Though the show experienced production problems and had to close after 12 weeks, Maureen's received wonderful reviews and the Columbia records album is now a collector's item.
With her lovely daughter to raise, Maureen worked hard at her craft and remained the consummate professional, respected by those who worked with her, and adored by directors. They knew with Maureen O'Hara in a lead role was a guarantee that no production time would be lost. She came to the set prepared, with lines learned and ready to deliver her best performance - demanding no prima dona treatment.. Leading men like Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Brian Keith, Duke Wayne, et. al, looked forward to working with her. She made five pictures with Duke Wayne, three with Brian Keith, two with Jimmy Stewart, six with Anthony Quinn, two with Tyrone Power, three with Charles Laughton, two with Cornel Wilde, four with John Payne and five for Director John Ford. Some of Maureen's other leading men included: Alec Guinnes, John Forsythe, Errol Flynn, George Sanders, Walter Pigeon, Robert Young, McDonald Carey, Jeff Chandler, Rex Harrison, Rosano Brazzi, Melvin Douglas, Paul Henreid and Joel McCrea. You would never hear any of these fine masculine leading men state, "Oh God, not that woman again!"
In addition to famed director Ford, Maureen was also fortunate to have worked for some of the other great directors in the business: Alfred Hitchcock, William Dieterle, John Ford, Henry Hathaway, Henry King, Jean Renoir, John M. Stahl, William Wellman, Frank Borzage, Walter Lang, George Seaton, George Sherman, Carol Reed, Delmer Daves, David Swift, Andrew McLaglen, and Chris Columbus.
In 1968 Maureen found much deserved personal happiness when she married Charles Blair. General Blair was a famous aviator whom she had known as a friend of her family for many years. However, the time was finally right for both of them, and they fell in love and were married. A new career began for Maureen - that of a full-time wife. Her marriage to Blair, however, was again, not "typical." He was the real-life version of what John Wayne was on the screen. Blair had been a Brigadier General in the Air Force, a Senior Pilot with Pan American, along with incredible record breaking aeronautic achievements. Maureen happily retired from films in 1973 after making the TV movie "The Red Pony" with Henry Fonda. With Blair, Maureen owned and managed a commuter sea plane service in the Caribbean, "Antilles Airboats." During those wonderful years with Charles Blair, Maureen also published the magazine of the Virgin Islands "The Virgin Islander"writing a monthly column "Maureen O'Hara Says...." As wife of Charles Blair, Maureen said, "I got to live the adventures I'd only acted out on the Fox and Universal lots." Blair was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1978. Though completely devastated, Maureen picked up the pieces and with memories of ten of the happiest years of her life, continued on. Maureen was elected CEO and President Antilles Airboats with the distinction of being the first woman President of a scheduled airline in the USA. Later Maureen sold the airline with the permission of the shareholders.
Maureen now lives quite happily in retirement. Though her home is in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, she also spends time throughout the year in New York, and Los Angeles and Ireland. Fortunately she was coaxed out of retirement several times; once in 1991 to appear with John Candy in "Only The Lonely," and again in 1995 to do a made for TV movie "The Christmas Box" on CBS. "Christmas Box" was #1 in it's time slot, and has now become a traditional seasonal offering by CBS. In spring of 1998 Maureen accepted another TV movie entitled "Cab to Canada." which aired in November of that year. O'Hara fans were elated when their heroine was there again for them "Last Dance" which aired on CBS - October, 2001.
Maureen is still absolutely stunning, with that trademark red hair, dazzling smile and huge, expressive eyes. Time has not diminished the elegance and regal beauty of Maureen O'Hara. Maureen O'Hara fans are global and utterly devoted to her talent and her image. Still immensely popular today, Maureen has also become quite a hit in cyberspace. The first comprehensive site on Ms. O'Hara ever presented on the World-Wide-Web. became so popular (over 135,000 visitors) that an extension site was composed by the same author at
http://www.moharamagazine.com. Today the combined tally of visitors of these sites is over 250,000 visitors.
The year 2004 was a busy one for Maureen. She completed her memoirs "Tis Herself" which was published by Simon and Schuster and officially released in March. She began a promotional tour in Los Angeles appearing on TV, radio and book signings, and then moved on to New York City for another round of the same. She made another historic appearance at Macy's, signing copies of her books in an elaborate setting of an exterior of a movie theater complete with marquee displaying the words "Miracle on 34th Street" - designed by Macy's. In June, 2004, Maureen journied to Glengarriff, Cork, Ireland to her summer home there and in August and September began another book promotional tour for the European release of "Tis Herself." She was honored in Galway at the Glaway Film Festival, made numerous appearances on TV and radio, and on Sept. 26th was honored by the Irish Film Institute with their prestigious "Lifetime Achievement" award.
The career path of Maureen O'Hara has produced a legacy of fine classic films that have made an indelible mark in screen history. The affection demonstrated for this wonderful actress has endured and remains as strong and constant as Maureen's persona. From that first day Maureen came to America in 1939, to her success in the high tech age of Cyberspace, Maureen has remained an elegant lady of talent and beauty. The "Irish America" magazine said it best...."It's been a road well traveled."
Essay copyright 1998, June Parker Beck
Edited 11-26-00 ©
http://www.users.qwest.net/~aknot/filmbio.htm
I tried to find it on the web for all of you, and came across several Miss Letty's, some not so proper.