Maureen O’Hara (1920-2015) was an Irish actress who made her mark throughout her career in the exclusive world of Hollywood. Noted for her flamboyant beauty and immense talent as an actress, she had the opportunity to work under the direction of John Ford, notably playing opposite John Wayne in “The Quiet Man”. An immense talent, which is still the pride of the Irish people today!
Maureen was born into an Irish FitzSimons family in Dublin on August 17, 1920. Fascinated by film and singing from an early age, she took her first steps into the world of arts and culture at the age of 10, when she took part in a radio show.
At the age of 15, Maureen took acting lessons and joined Dublin’s famous Abbey Theatre, where she performed in a number of classical plays. Although already talented, her father forced her to take accounting and typing lessons alongside her acting activities.
However, her performances at the Abbey Theatre were soon noticed: she played a small role in a film: Kicking the Moon Around (1938), a musical by Walter Forde.
The famous actor Charles Laughton noticed her, and allowed her to sign a 7-year contract with his production company Mayflower Pictures Corporation. On his advice, Maureen Fitzsimons changed her name to O’Hara.
His career is off to a flying start! Under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock, she plays opposite Charles Laughton in “The Jamaica Inn”. The film was a success, even if it was criticized.
Maureen sets sail for Hollywood, to shoot Quasimodo for the RKO production company, again alongside Charles Laughton, where she plays Esmeralda, and he the Hunchback. Production is huge, and success imminent. Maureen O’Hara now has international star status!
The RKO production company then bought Maureen O’Hara’s contract from Charles Laughton, with a view to casting her in various musical films such as Dance, Girl, Dance and They Met in Argentina.
So successful was the actress that she attracted the attention of director John Ford. Seduced by this green-eyed redhead, he decided to cast her in his film “Qu’elle était verte ma vallée” instead of Katherine Hepburn.
For the next 20 years, she worked on a series of productions, often in exotic settings, telling the story of pirates, voyages…etc.
She then made one of her finest films with “The Miracle on 34th Street”, a sentimental comedy that tells the story of an old man (Edmund Gwenn) who pretends to be Santa Claus, with Capra19-like kindness and optimism.
From 1950 onwards, Maureen tried her hand at Westerns, then turned once again to John Ford, with whom she had an almost familial bond. He offered her the chance to star in several films that would propel Maureen to the pinnacle of her cinematic career:
From the ’60s to the ’90s, she played a number of roles that lacked the aura of her earlier films. An equally acclaimed actress, she was celebrated by the whole of Hollywood right up to the end of her career.
She died in 2015, after an incredible career.
Maureen O’Hara
1938: Kicking the Moon Around by Walter Forde
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