1 | [[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MaureenOHara9_2798.jpg]] |
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3 | Maureen O'Hara, born Maureen [=FitzSimons=] (17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015), was an Irish actress and probably the most famous FieryRedhead leading lady in film history. She was (more or less) "discovered" by Creator/CharlesLaughton, who gave her an important part in ''Jamaica Inn'' and her first starring role as Esmeralda in 1939's ''[[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1939 The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]''. |
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5 | With her flaming red hair and deep green eyes, O'Hara -- called at one time "The Queen of Technicolor" -- is considered one of the greatest beauties of UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. She was so popular that many around the world began to link [[SignificantGreenEyedRedhead red hair and green eyes]] with Irish people. She was also one of Hollywood's earliest {{Action Girl}}s, donning PirateGirl garb and seizing a sword, or sporting the flimsiest of veils in Hollywood's best ArabianNightsDays style, to appear as the strong-willed heroine of quite a few {{Swashbuckler}}s. |
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7 | O'Hara was a long time friend and collaborator with the legendary Creator/JohnWayne. The two appeared in five movies together: ''Film/RioGrande'', ''Film/TheQuietMan'', ''The Wings of Eagles'', ''Film/McLintock'' and ''Big Jake''. Like Wayne, she worked extensively with iconic director Creator/JohnFord, although they later grew to loathe each other. |
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9 | In 2014, she was slated to win a Lifetime Achievement UsefulNotes/AcademyAward at the Governor's Awards Show function. (She was and still is considered one of the more notable Golden Age actresses never to have even been nominated for a competitive Oscar.) Maureen passed away on October 24, 2015 at the age of 95. |
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12 | !!Some notable films Maureen O'Hara appeared in include: |
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14 | * ''Kicking the Moon Around'', as the Secretary (1938) |
15 | * ''Little Miss Molly'', as Eileen O'Shea (1938) |
16 | * ''Film/JamaicaInn'', as Mary, niece of [[EvilUncle pirate gangleader]] Joss Merlyn and object of interest for [[DastardlyWhiplash Bad Baronet]] Sir Humphrey Pengallen (1938) |
17 | * ''[[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1939 The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'', as Esmeralda (1939) |
18 | * ''A Bill of Divorcement'', as Sydney Fairfield (1940) -- A remake of Creator/KatharineHepburn's 1932 premiere movie. |
19 | * ''Film/DanceGirlDance'', as Judy O'Brien (1940) |
20 | * ''Film/HowGreenWasMyValley'', as Angarad Morgan (1941) -- Her first film directed by Creator/JohnFord |
21 | * ''To the Shores of Tripoli'', as Mary Carter (1942) |
22 | * ''Ten Gentlemen from West Point'', Carolyn Bainbridge (1942) |
23 | * Creator/RafaelSabatini's ''Film/{{The Black Swan|1942}}'', as Lady Margaret Denby (1942) -- She appears opposite Creator/TyronePower in her first {{Swashbuckler}}, in which she transforms at the end into a PirateGirl |
24 | * ''Immortal Sergeant'', as Valentine Lee (1943) -- With Creator/HenryFonda |
25 | * ''Film/ThisLandIsMine'', as Louise Martin (1943) -- A moving drama of Occupied France, in which Creator/CharlesLaughton is a reluctant saboteur. |
26 | * ''Buffalo Bill'', as Louisa Frederici Cody (1944) -- Opposite Creator/JoelMcCrea as the titular William Frederick Cody. Her first [[TheWestern Western]]. |
27 | * ''The Spanish Main'', as Contessa Francesca (1945) -- Another {{Swashbuckler}} film, very similar to ''The Black Swan'', but with Paul Henried as the raffish (though in this case rather elderly) {{Pirate}}. Walter Slezak steals the show. |
28 | * ''Film/SinbadTheSailor'', as Shireen (1947) -- Her first ArabianNightsDays {{Swashbuckler}}, opposite Creator/DouglasFairbanksJr, as Sinbad. Walter Slezak doesn't ''quite'' steal the show. |
29 | * ''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet'', as Doris Walker (1947) |
30 | * ''Sitting Pretty'', as Tracey King (1948) -- The film that introduced Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere. |
31 | * ''Bagdad'', as Princess Marjan (1949) -- Another ArabianNightsDays {{Swashbuckler}}, with Paul Christian as Prince Hassan and Creator/VincentPrice as the [[EvilChancellor Evil Vizier]] lusting after the princess. |
32 | * ''Comanche Territory'', as Katie Howard (1950) -- Another {{Western}}, opposite Creator/MacdonaldCarey of SoapOpera fame. |
33 | * ''Tripoli'', as the Comtesse D'Arneau (1950) -- A War Movie, {{Pirate}} movie, and ArabianNightsDays movie, featuring the U.S. Marines fighting Barbary Pirates and Maureen in the inevitable yashmak. |
34 | * ''Film/RioGrande'', as Kathleen Yorke (1950) -- Maureen's first picture with Creator/JohnWayne and the last of Ford's great "Cavalry Trilogy". |
35 | * ''Flame of Araby'', as Princess Tanya (1951) -- ArabianNightsDays again, this time opposite Jeff Chandler. |
36 | * ''At Sword's Point'', as Claire, the Daughter of Athos (1952) -- Another {{Swashbuckler}}, in which the children of Literature/TheThreeMusketeers unite to oppose the [[AristocratsAreEvil evil Duc de Lavalle]]. Maureen is a full-blown sword-swinging ActionGirl in this one, opposite Cornell Wilde as the Son of D'Artagnan. |
37 | * ''Film/TheQuietMan'', as Mary Kate Danaher (1952) -- Her second with Ford and Wayne, Maureen is cast [[SarcasmMode entirely against type]] as a FieryRedhead from {{Oireland}}. |
38 | * ''Film/AgainstAllFlags'', as Prudence "Spitfire" Stephens (1952) -- Her last, and possibly best, {{Pirate}} {{Swashbuckler}}, fittingly opposite Creator/ErrolFlynn. |
39 | * ''The Long Gray Line'', as Mary O'Donnell (1955) -- Her third with John Ford, this time opposite Tyrone Power. |
40 | * ''Lady Godiva of Coventry'', as Lady Godiva (1955) -- Maureen does indeed play the first nude tax-protestor, though her GodivaHair ensures that she does not shock the sensibilities even of the nun who leads her horse. |
41 | * ''Lisbon'', as Sylvia Merrill (1956) -- Chiefly interesting for having been directed by her co-star, Ray Milland. |
42 | * ''The Wings of Eagles'', as Min Wead (1957) -- Her third with John Wayne and fourth with John Ford. A military RomanticComedy. |
43 | * ''The Deadly Companions'', as Kit Tilden (1961)--Another film she did with Brian Keith and a western. |
44 | * ''Film/{{The Parent Trap|1961}}'', as Maggie [=McKendrick=] (1961) -- The Creator/{{Disney}} comedy, with Maureen as the mother of Hayley Mills -- and Hayley Mills -- and estranged wife of Mitch Evers. |
45 | * ''Film/MrHobbsTakesAVacation'', as Peggy Hobbs (1962) -- Opposite Creator/JimmyStewart. |
46 | * ''Spencer's Mountain'', as Olivia Spencer (1963) -- Opposite Henry Fonda. The film that inspired ''Series/TheWaltons''. |
47 | * ''Film/McLintock'', as Katherine Gilhooley [=McLintock=] (1963) -- Her fourth with John Wayne, but no John Ford this time around. |
48 | * ''The Rare Breed'', as Martha Price (1966) -- A {{Western}} opposite Jimmy Stewart. |
49 | * ''Film/BigJake'', as Martha [=McCandles=] (1971) -- Her fifth and last film with John Wayne. [[note]]Eight years later, O'Hara initiated the petition to have Wayne awarded a Congressional Gold Medal inscribed "John Wayne -- American", which was awarded to him on May 26, 1979 -- 17 days before his death from cancer.[[/note]] |
50 | * ''Literature/TheRedPony'', as Ruth Tiflin (1973) -- Opposite Henry Fonda. |
51 | * ''Film/OnlyTheLonely'', as Rose Muldoon (1991) -- As John Candy's domineering mother. Her last cinematic film. |
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