Maureen O'Hara

MAUREEN O'HARA d2015. Irish-born American actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara was known for her beauty and playing fiercely passionate but sensible heroines, often in westerns and adventure films. She worked on numerous occasions with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. She grew up in Dublin as part of an "eccentric" devout Catholic family and aspired to become an actress from a very young age. She trained with the Rathmines Theatre Company from the age of 10 and at the Abbey Theatre from the age of 14. She was given a screen test which was deemed unsatisfactory, but Charles Laughton saw potential and arranged for her to co-star with him in Alfred Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn" in 1939. She moved to Hollywood the same year to appear with him in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and was given a contract by RKO Pictures. From there, she went on to enjoy a long and highly successful career and acquired the nickname "The Queen of Technicolor", something which she detested ; believing that people saw her only for her beauty rather than talent. She gained a reputation in Hollywood for bossiness & prudishness and avoiding the partying lifestyle. She appeared in films including ; How Green Was My Valley (1941) / The Black Swan (1942) / The Spanish Main (1945) / Sinbad The Sailor (1947) and Miracle on 34th Street (1947). She then made her first film with John Wayne in Rio Grande (1950), followed by The Quiet Man (1952) and then Wings of Eagles (1957). During the 1960s she increasingly turned to more motherly roles as she aged including ; The Deadly Companions (1961) / The Parent Trap (1961) and The Rare Breed (1966). She retired from the industry in 1971 after starring with Wayne one final time in Big Jake. She returned 20 years later to appear with John Candy in Only The Lonely (1991). She was married three times and had one daughter (Bronwyn) born in 1944 to her second husband. Her autobiography "Tis Herself" was published in 2004 and became a New York Times bestseller. In November 2014, she was presented with an Honorary Academy Award with the inscription ; "To Maureen O'Hara, one of Hollywood's brightest stars, whose inspiring performances glowed with passion, warmth and strength". She was one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood before she died in her sleep aged 95 on 24th October 2015.