|
ABC Western Australia
| Story Index |
Story
Maureen O'Hara Hollywood Legend
Wednesday, 2 June 2004
Presenter: Liam Bartlett
Liam Bartlett spoke to the flaming red-headed Hollywood film siren Maureen O'Hara. She played along leading men such as Tyrone Power, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, Alec Guiness and Erroyl Flynn.
In 1939, Miss O’Hara was starring in a movie by Alfred Hitchcock when Charles Laughton discovered her. He then brought her to Hollywood and cast her in the film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Because her name was too long for the marquee, it was agreed that her last name would be changed from FitzSimons to O’Hara.
While her roles starring opposite actor John Wayne are most formidable in our minds, she was cast as the mother in the original film "Miracle on 34th Street" which also starred child actress Natalie Wood who played her daughter. In 1961, she was cast in Disney’s movie "Parent Trap" with Hayley Mills and Brian Keith.
Miss O'Hara acted in over fifty-five movies in her sixty-year acting career. Her screen presence has always been one of a very strong woman and her roles have never wavered from this identity.
In 1968, Maureen O'Hara married General Blair, a famous aviator who had been a friend of her family for many years. She remained married to him until his death in 1978 when he died in a plane crash.
Maureen O'Hara was selected to be Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade 1999. She was also honoured at the Sixteenth Annual Helen Hayes Gala in New York City on November 23, 1998.
She remembers her time in Australia making "the not very good film" Kangaroo. Maureen says of her leading men (and there were some big names), she was only ever "friends". She said she was never tempted to fall romantically for any of them.
Audio for this story is not available
As heard on Statewide Mornings.
Last Updated: 23/06/2004 7:38:35 AM AWST
Search ABC Western Australia
 print friendly version of this page |
 Email this page
|
