Maureen O' Hara- General Discussion

[ethanedwards]

MAUREEN O'HARA



..

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Date of Birth
17 August 1920
Ranelagh, County Dublin, Ireland (now Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland)

Sometimes Credited As:
Maureen Fitzsimmons

Birth name
Maureen FitzSimons
Height
5' 8"

Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)

Spouse
General Charles F. Blair (11 March 1968 - 2 September 1978) (his death)
Will Price (29 December 1941 - 11 August 1953) (divorced) 1 child
George H. Brown (12 June 1939 - 15 September 1941) (annulled)

Trade Mark
Red Hair

Queen of Technicolor

Trivia
Siblings: Peggy (a Sisters of Charity Nun); TV/film producer Charles B. FitzSimons (now deceased), Florrie, actress (now deceased); Margot FitzSimons Edwards; and James FitzSimons, aka James Lilburn/James O'Hara/Jim O'Hara - actor (now deceased).

Crack typist who typed some of her own scripts/rewrites.

Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1993.

Measurements: 36 1/2C-25-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

Daughter: Bronwyn FitzSimons.

Did many of her own stunts in her films.

Brought to Hollywoood by actor Charles Laughton.

Starred with John Wayne in 5 movies: Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Wings of Eagles (1957), McLintock! (1963) and Big Jake (1971). The first three were directed by John Ford.

A favorite of director John Ford.

She was the first choice to play Anna in the film version of The King and I (1956) but Richard Rodgers did not want the role played by a "pirate queen".

She was having lunch with actress Lucille Ball the moment Lucy first saw Cuban musician Desi Arnaz whom she later married.

She is the only credited cast member of Miracle on 34th Street (1947) who is still alive.

She was born in Churchtown, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland.

She is portrayed by Liane Langland in Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter (1991) (TV).

She and John Wayne remained friends until his death. In her home on St. Croix, she had a wing she called the John Wayne Wing because he stayed there when visiting. It was badly damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, some ten years after Wayne's death.

In Italy, most of her films were dubbed by Lidia Simoneschi. She was occasionally dubbed by Dhia Cristiani, most notably in Sitting Pretty (1948); by Rosetta Calavetta and once by Paola Barbara in the multi Oscar-winning How Green Was My Valley (1941).

She made headlines in 1997 by claiming that Brian Keith's suicide, while suffering from lung cancer and emphysema and mourning the suicide of his daughter, was an accident.

She was made a Fellow of the British Film Institute in recognition of her outstanding contribution to film culture.

She became an American citizen on January 25, 1946 but has retained her Irish citizenship. It was the first time in history that the United States government recognized an Irish citizen as Irish. This led to a change in process for all Irish immigrants.

Sister of Charles B. Fitzsimons, Margot Fitzsimons, James O'Hara, Clare Hamilton and Peggy FitzSimons.

Was originally cast as Isabel Bradley in The Razor's Edge (1946) but was taken off by Darryl F. Zanuck she was replaced by Gene Tierney, Zanuck would soon cast her in the classic Miracle on 34th Street (1947).

Grandmother of 'C. Beau FitzSimons'.

Aunt of Charles F. FitzSimons.

(2003) Currently resides in St Croix, US Virigin Islands

(March 2004) On a promotion tour across the U.S. in connection with her 2004 autobiography, "'Tis Herself."

(March 2004) (16 March 2004) Appearing at Macy's department store, on 34th Street in New York City, to promote her new book. (Macy's was the main setting for her cinema gem, filmed 57 years earlier, "Miracle on 34th Street".)

Personal Quotes
Speaking as an actress, I wish all actors would be more like Duke [John Wayne]--and speaking as a person, it would be nice if all people could be honest and as genuine as he is. This is a real man.

To the people throughout the world, John Wayne is not just an actor, and a very fine actor - John Wayne is the United States of America.

Charles Laughton and his wife, Elsa Lanchester, were never blessed with children. Years after he died, Elsa wrote her autobiography and claimed they never had children because Laughton was homosexual. That's rubbish. Whether or nor Laughton was gay would never have stopped him from having children. He wanted them too badly. Laughton told me the reason they never had children was because Elsa couldn't conceive, the result of a botched abortion she'd had during her earlier days in burlesque. Laughton told me many times that not being a father was his greatest disappointment in life.

I was talking to a director I knew and Ford just turned around and punched me on the jaw. There was no reason or explanation, and I walked straight out of the house and vowed I'd never speak to him again. Of course, I did, but it took a while. He never apologised and I never found out why he hit me.

I think he was a bitterly disappointed man. More than anything he wanted to be in Ireland or be a military hero. So every so often his anger would spill out and whoever was closest got the brunt if his anger. - On John Ford

Salary
Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) $12,400

Mini-Biography

In America the early performing arts accomplishments of young Maureen FitzSimons (who we know as Maureen O'Hara) would definitely have put her in the child protégé category. However, for a child of Irish heritage surrounded by gifted parents and family, these were very natural traits. Maureen made her entrance into this caring haven on August 17, 1920, in Ranelagh (a suburb of Dublin), Ireland. Her mother, Marguerita Lilburn FitzSimons, was an accomplished contralto. Her father, Charles FitzSimons, managed a business in Dublin and also owned part of the renowned Irish soccer team "The Shamrock Rovers." Maureen was the second of six FitzSimons children - Peggy, Florrie, Charles, Margot and James completed this beautiful family.
Maureen has an enviable string of all-time classics to her credit that include the aforementioned "Hunchback of Notre Dame," How Green Was My Valley (1941), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Sitting Pretty (1948), The Quiet Man (1952), The Parent Trap (1961) and McLintock! (1963). Add to this the distinction of being voted one of the five most beautiful women in the world and you have a film star who was as gorgeous as she was talented.

Although at times early in her career Hollywood didn't seem to notice, there was much more to Maureen O'Hara than her dynamic beauty. She not only had a wonderful lyric soprano voice, but she could use her inherent athletic ability to perform physical feats that most actresses couldn't begin to attempt, from fencing to fisticuffs. She was a natural athlete.

In her career Maureen starred with some of Hollywood's most dashing leading men, including Tyrone Power, John Payne, Rex Harrison, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Brian Keith, Sir Alec Guinness and, of course, her famed pairings with "The Duke" himself, John Wayne. She starred in five films with Wayne, the most beloved being "The Quiet Man".

In addition to famed director John Ford, Maureen was also fortunate to have worked for some other great directors in the business: Alfred Hitchcock, William Dieterle, Henry Hathaway, Henry King, Jean Renoir, John M. Stahl, William A. Wellman, Frank Borzage, Walter Lang, George Seaton, George Sherman, Carol Reed, Delmer Daves, David Swift, Andrew V. McLaglen and Chris Columbus.

In 1968 Maureen found much deserved personal happiness when she married Charles Blair. Gen. Blair was a famous aviator whom she had known as a friend of her family for many years. A new career began for Maureen, that of a full-time wife. Her marriage to Blair, however, was again far from typical. Blair was the real-life version of what John Wayne had been on the screen. He had been a Brigadier General in the Air Force, a Senior Pilot with Pan American, and held many incredible record-breaking aeronautic achievements. Maureen happily retired from films in 1973 after making the TV movie The Red Pony (1973) (TV) (which won the prestigious Peabody Award for Excellence) with Henry Fonda. With Blair, Maureen managed a commuter sea plane service in the Caribbean, "Antilles Airboats." She not only made trips around the world with her pilot husband, but owned and published a magazine "The Virgin Islander" writing a monthly column "Maureen O'Hara Says.

Tragically, Charles Blair died in a plane crash in 1978. Though completely devastated, Maureen pulled herself together and with memories of ten of the happiest years of her life, continued on. She was elected CEO and President of Antilles Airboats, which brought her the distinction of being the first woman president of a scheduled airline in the United States.

Maureen now lives quite happily in semi-retirement. Though her home is in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, she also spends time throughout the year in New York, Los Angeles and Ireland. Fortunately she was coaxed out of retirement several times--once in 1991 to star with John Candy in Only the Lonely (1991) and again in 1995 in a made-for-TV movie, The Christmas Box (1995) (TV) on CBS. In the spring of 1998 Maureen accepted the second of what would be three projects for Polson Productions and CBS Cab to Canada (1998) (TV) - and in October, 2000, The Last Dance (2000) (TV).

Maureen O'Hara is still absolutely stunning, with that trademark red hair, dazzling smile and those huge, expressive eyes. She has fans from all over the world of all ages who are utterly devoted to her legacy of films and her persona as a strong, courageous and intelligent woman.
IMDb Mini Biography By: June Parker Beck/edited by Maureen O'Hara

Filmography

Actress
1. The Last Dance (2000) (TV) .... Helen Parker
2. Cab to Canada (1998) (TV) .... Katherine Eure
3. The Christmas Box (1995) (TV) .... Mary Parkin (Mrs. Parkin)
4. Only the Lonely (1991) .... Rose Muldoon
5. The Red Pony (1973) (TV) .... Ruth Tiflin
6. Big Jake (1971) .... Martha McCandles
7. How Do I Love Thee? (1970) .... Elsie Waltz
8. The Rare Breed (1966) .... Martha Evans
9. The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965) .... Moira
... aka Affair at the Villa Fiorita
10. Spencer's Mountain (1963) .... Olivia Spencer
11. McLintock! (1963) .... Katherine Gilhooley McLintock
12. Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962) .... Peggy Hobbs
13. The Parent Trap (1961) .... Margaret 'Maggie' McKendrick
14. The Deadly Companions (1961) .... Kit Tilden
... aka Trigger Happy (USA: reissue title)
15. Mrs. Miniver (1960) (TV) .... Mrs. Miniver
16. Our Man in Havana (1959) .... Beatrice Severn
17. The Wings of Eagles (1957) .... Min Wead
18. Everything But the Truth (1956) .... Joan Madison
19. Lisbon (1956) .... Sylvia Merrill
20. Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955) .... Lady Godiva
... aka Lady Godiva of Coventry (UK)
21. The Magnificent Matador (1955) .... Karen Harrison
... aka The Brave and the Beautiful (UK)
22. The Long Gray Line (1955) .... Mary O'Donnell
23. Malaga (1954) .... Joanna Dana
... aka Fire Over Africa (USA)
24. War Arrow (1953) .... Elaine Corwin
25. The Redhead From Wyoming (1953) .... Kate Maxwell
26. Against All Flags (1952) .... Spitfire Stevens
27. The Quiet Man (1952) .... Mary Kate Danaher
28. Kangaroo (1952) .... Dell McGuire
... aka The Australian Story (USA: subtitle)
29. At Sword's Point (1952) .... Claire
... aka Sons of the Musketeers (UK)
30. Flame of Araby (1951) .... Princess Tanya
... aka Flame of the Desert (USA)
31. Rio Grande (1950) .... Mrs. Kathleen Yorke
... aka John Ford and Merian C. Cooper's Rio Grande (USA: complete title)
32. Tripoli (1950) .... Countess D'Arneau
... aka The First Marines (USA: reissue title)
33. Comanche Territory (1950) .... Katie Howard
34. Bagdad (1949) .... Princess Marjan
35. Father Was a Fullback (1949) .... Elizabeth Cooper
36. Britannia Mews (1949) .... Adelaide Culver
... aka Affairs of Adelaide (USA)
... aka The Forbidden Street (USA)
37. A Woman's Secret (1949) .... Marian Washburn
38. Sitting Pretty (1948) .... Tacey King
39. The Foxes of Harrow (1947) .... Odalie d'Arceneaux
40. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) .... Doris Walker
... aka The Big Heart (UK)
41. The Homestretch (1947) .... Leslie Hale
42. Sinbad the Sailor (1947) .... Shireen
43. Do You Love Me (1946) .... Katherine 'Kitten' Hilliard
44. Sentimental Journey (1946) .... Julie Beck/Weatherly
45. The Spanish Main (1945) .... Contessa Francesca
46. Buffalo Bill (1944) .... Louisa Frederici Cody
47. The Fallen Sparrow (1943) .... Toni Donne
48. This Land Is Mine (1943) .... Louise Martin
49. Immortal Sergeant (1943) .... Valentine
50. The Black Swan (1942) .... Lady Margaret Denby
51. Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) .... Carolyn Bainbridge
52. To the Shores of Tripoli (1942) .... 2nd Lt. Mary Carter
53. How Green Was My Valley (1941) .... Angharad, later Mrs Iestyn Evans
54. They Met In Argentina (1941) .... Lolita O'Shea
55. Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) .... Judy
56. A Bill of Divorcement (1940) .... Sydney Fairfield
... aka Never to Love (USA: reissue title)
57. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) .... Esmeralda
58. Jamaica Inn (1939) .... Mary (Patience's niece)
59. Kicking the Moon Around (1938) .... Secretary
... aka Millionaire Merry-Go-Round
... aka The Playboy
60. My Irish Molly (1938) (as Maureen Fitzsimmons) .... Eileen O'Shea
... aka Little Miss Molly (USA)

Miscellaneous Crew
1. 9th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2003) (TV) (presenter)
2. The Parent Trap (1961) (singer) (uncredited)
3. The Deadly Companions (1961) (singer)
... aka Trigger Happy (USA: reissue title)

Herself
1. 2nd Irish Film and Television Awards (2004) (TV) .... Herself/Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
2. The Quiet Man: The Joy of Ireland (2002) (V) .... Herself
3. AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions (2002) (TV) .... Herself
4. Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood (2001) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself

5. Hayley Mills Seeing Double (1999) (TV) .... Herself
... aka A&E Biography: Hayley Mills Seeing Double (USA: series title)
6. Roddy McDowall: Hollywood's Best Friend (1998) (TV) .... Herself
... aka A&E Biography: Roddy McDowall - Hollywood's Best Friend (USA: series title)
7. John Ford: An American Vision (1998) (TV) .... Herself
... aka A&E Biography: John Ford - An American Vision (USA: series title)
8. Irish Christmas (1994) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Perry Como's Irish Christmas (USA: complete title)
9. 100 Years of the Hollywood Western (1994) (TV) .... Herself
10. A Century of Cinema (1994) .... Herself
11. John Ford (1990) (TV) .... Herself

12. An All-Star Tribute to John Wayne (1976) (TV) .... Herself
13. The American Film Institute Salute to John Ford (1973) (TV) .... Herself

Archive Footage

1. Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004) (TV) .... Herself
2. Remembering 'The Quiet Man' (2002) (V) .... Danaher, Mary Kate
3. The Making of 'The Quiet Man' (1992) (V)
4. That's Action (1977) .... Herself

Notable TV Guest Appearances

1. "Kelly" playing "Herself" 11 January 2005
2. "The Late Late Show" playing "Herself" 24 September 2004
3. "Richard & Judy" playing "Herself" 20 September 2004
4. "The Hollywood Greats" playing "Herself" in episode: "John Wayne" 22 March 2004
5. "Backstory" playing "Herself" in episode: "Miracle on 34th Street"
6. "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" playing "Herself" 17 May 1991
7. "The Jackie Gleason Show" playing "Herself" in episode: "The Honeymooners: Ralph Goes Hollywood" (episode # 4.2) 4 October 1969
8. "The Andy Williams Show" playing "Herself" 11 April 1966
9. "The Andy Williams Show" playing "Herself" 24 May 1965
10. "The Bell Telephone Hour" playing "Hostess" 22 December 1964
11. "The Andy Williams Show" playing "Herself" 17 March 1964
12. "Hallmark Hall of Fame" playing "Susanna Cibber" in episode: "A Cry of Angels" 15 December 1963
13. "The Andy Williams Show" playing "Herself" 14 March 1963
14. "The Bell Telephone Hour" playing "Herself" in episode: "Gala Performance" 30 March 1962
15. "Toast of the Town" playing "Singer" (episode # 15.26) 11 March 1962
16. "Toast of the Town" playing "Singer" (episode # 15.4) 8 October 1961
17. "The DuPont Show of the Month" playing "Lady Marguerite Blakeney" in episode: "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (episode # 4.4) 18 December 1960
18. "Startime" playing "Herself" in episode: "The Talent Scouts Program" (episode # 1.21) 23 February 1960
19. "What's My Line?" playing "Mystery Guest" 27 December 1959
20. "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" playing "Herself" 3 November 1957
21. "Toast of the Town" playing "Herself" (archive footage) (episode # 8.35) 8 May 1955
22. "Toast of the Town" playing "Herself" (episode # 8.22) 6 February 1955
23. "Toast of the Town" playing "Herself" (archive footage) (episode # 6.8) 2 November 1952

Watch Maureen O'Hara Full Movies, clips and trailers in:-

Maureen's Video Gallery

[B]Here is one:-

Jamaica Inn

For previous discussion:-

Speaking of Maureen O'Hara

[ethanedwards]

Without doubt, Maureen was Duke's greatest female co-star,
and it has always been widely believed, that there was more than screen
chemistry, between them!



Also click on link below

Maureen and Duke- Google Images

Maureen said,

There was a chemistry between us, that you don't get very often,
in the picture business.....
It was there with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn,
and with William Powell and Myrna Loy.
But I was tall and strong, and Duke was tall and strong.

Maureen made just 5 films with Duke,

Big Jake (1971) .... Martha McCandles
McLintock! (1963) .... Katherine Gilhooley McLintock
The Wings of Eagles (1957) .... Min Wead
The Quiet Man (1952) .... Mary Kate Danaher
Rio Grande (1950) .... Mrs. Kathleen Yorke

John Ford reportedly described her as

The best bl**** actress in Hollywood

She and Duke remained friends until his death.
In her home on St. Croix, she had a wing she called the John Wayne Wing
because he stayed there when visiting.
It was badly damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, some ten years after Wayne's death.

To the people throughout the world,
John Wayne is not just an actor, and a very fine actor -
John Wayne is the United States of America.

[JUSTLIKEMY2PA]

I agree 100% with you about the chemistry between these 2. She is the only costar male or female that didn't shrink into the background when in a scene with THE DUKE. She was without question the only female lead that ever even you were aware was in the shot when THE DUKE came into frame. She held her own and in the movies at times actually could put OLD DUSTY BEITCHES in his place and make him do that trademark hand on the hip eyebrow raised look of "WELL" I think that was the qoute form Mclintcok.
This board is great my favorite actor and hero John Wayne and my favorite actress and standard for the perfect woman Maureen O'Hara. is it Christmas or something?

[Tbone]

I'm glad to see her with her own space here. She deserves it.

[Hondo Duke Lane]

Wish she was still doing movies. I didn't know that she hasn't done a film in 6 years. I know she is 86 years old, but I still think of her as a grand lady. Hope she is doing well today.

Cheers B)

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

Now we have a dedicated forum for Maureen,
I have transferred these previous posts
from ' Pals in the Saddle'

chester7777*
post Jan 3 2006, 05:37 AM

(ethanedwards @ Jan 2 2006, 02:40 PM)
Without doubt, Maureen was Duke's greatest female co-star,
and it has always been widely believed, that there was more than screen
chemistry, between them!

Very true! Apparently, they were VERY good friends away from the set, and that friendship extended far beyond the 5 films they did together.

I know, from reading (I think in Pat Stacy's book), that the Duke visited Maureen and her husband Charles Blair at their Caribbean island home, and when asked what he wanted for dinner, he answered, "Steak, steak, steak!"

And of course we all know that Miss O'Hara was instrumental in getting the U.S. Congress to authorize the President of the United States to present on behalf of the Congress a specially struck gold medal to John Wayne, which he was able to receive before his death.

Chester

SXViper*
post Jan 3 2006, 07:10 AM

Truly a great actress and lady. Glad Duke and her were such great friends.

And is just so happens that the other day I was cruising the channels and found her in Sinbad the Sailor with douglas Fairbanks jr. Wow she was a looker in that movie

[lenrehn]

Hi ethanewards you have just showed for us, five off Maureen O’Hara’s very best movies.
Len

[Jay J. Foraker]

Great job, Keith. I'm glad you guys know how to correlate and unify some of these diverse topics.
Cheers - Jay :D

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

If anyone has any Requests, Suggestions, Updates,
for the new Maureen O' Hara Forum,
Please post them here.

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

The Movie Reviews, for Maureen,
will be for theatrical movie releases only.
As with Duke's Movie Reviews, TV movies,
will not be included, unless requested.

IMDb recently, started listing TV movies,
in the Filmography section, which only confuses things.

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

Maureen_O__Hara.jpgindex.php.jpg
Maureen's red hair, and green eyes, were perfect for Technicolor.
This process, was invented by Herbert T. Kalmus,
and was gaining favour in the late 1940's.
The impact of her striking red hair and beautiful eyes,
was such, that if any studio were considering
starring Maureen, he wouldn't hesitate, in offering
them the process!

Kalmus, actually used Maureen's image and colouring,
to literally market the process.

Films like The Red Head from Wyoming (1953)
may not be classics, but they sure showed off Maureen's Irish beauty.

After a string of flambboyant epics,
she became known as

THE QUEEN OF TECHNICOLOR

[Senta]

Hi Keith,
Thank you for great job which you are doing here. It's a pity for me that I haven't seen most of the reviewed films. I was lucky to see all her films with Duke and some otheres reviesw for them I'm waiting with great interest. It is one pirate movie with Errol Flynn Against all Flags. Maureen is absolutly brilliant there. And very strange movie Deadly Companions.
Regards,
Vera

[ethanedwards]

Hi Senta,

Thank you for your support.
I've seen quite a few of Maureen's films,
but unlike Duke's movies,
they are not, readily available.
As the Forum was set up for Maureen's fans too,
I was kinda hoping, that they, with their broader knowledge,
would add to the reviews, too!!!

I have already compiled the two films you mention,
and will post them , today and tomorrow,

Once again thanks!!

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

I have now completed, the reviews,
on all of Maureen's theatre releases.

Thanks to all our members
who have participated, with their comments.
All we need now is some more Maureen fans
to join in the discussions!!

[chester7777]

Originally posted by ethanedwards@Nov 3 2006, 04:15 AM
All we need now is some more Maureen fans to join in the discussions!!

[snapback]36622[/snapback]

Keith,

Thanks for all your hard work!

As for those Maureen fans, maybe one of our members, who is also a member at the Maureen O'Hara forum, could let those folks know about the movie review forum here, and extend an invitation to join in the conversation. The last time I checked, that forum was not open to new members, so I personally cannot extend that invitation. Also, people that go there to at least read the posts (even if they cannot post themselves) might see the invite and head on over here.

Chester