Los Angeles One of the last surviving stars of golden age of Hollywood, Maureen O' Hara, 95, died on Saturday. Dubbed as 'The Queen of Technicolour' the Irish actress died with family by her side at her Boise, Idaho home, reported Variety.
Often described as "fiery", she displayed her versatility in films like "How Green Was My Valley" and Carol Reed's "Our Man in Havana". She worked with directors ranging from Alfred Hitchcock to Chris Columbus, but is best remembered for her works with John Ford, particularly in her pairings with John Wayne.
O'Hara starred opposite Wayne in five films including, "Rio Grande", 'McLintock!', 'Big Jake','The Quiet Man' and
"The Wings of Eagles". Although she gave memorable performance in various Hollywood films like, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Miracle on 34th Street", "Our Man in Havana" and "The Parent Trap", the Dublin native never won an Academy Award.
However, in 2014, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented her with an Honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. Born Maureen FitzSimons, on August 17, 1920, in a suburb of Dublin, she received training in drama and dance and went on to perform in amateur theatre at the age of 10.
Her movie career began when Charles Laughton signed her to a seven-year contract with his company, Mayflower Films.
O' Hara's first major bigscreen appearance was in 1938 with Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn," starring Laughton. She received "The Queen of Technicolour" nickname from Dr Herbert Kalmus, who invented the process.
Her casting by the Irish-American director Ford in Fox Studio's "How Green Was My Valley" won her wide notice and
critical recognition. Apart from her powerful acting, O' Hara was also a decent singer and showcased her soprano voice on the albums Love Letters From Maureen O'Hara and Maureen O'Hara Sings Her Favorite Irish Songs. She was also the star of the 1960 Broadway musical Christine.
The actress got married three times. Her first marriage was with producer George Brown from 1939-41. She then went on to tie knot with director Will Price, who she said was an abusive alcoholic. They got divorced in 1953.
Her last marriage was with aviator Charles Blair, whom she wed in 1968. Blair died in plane crash in 1978 and she continued to take care of his commuter seaplane business. O'Hara's autobiography, "'Tis Herself," was published in
2004.
She is survived by a daughter and a grandson.
Comments
0 comment