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Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen Paula O'Sullivan was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, on May 17, 1911. The future mother of Mia Farrow was a schooldays classmate of Vivien Leigh at the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton in London. Even as a schoolgirl, Maureen desired an acting career; she studied hard and read widely. When the opportunity to be an actress came along, it almost dropped in her lap. The director Frank Borzage was in Dublin filming “Song o’ My Heart” (1930) when Maureen, then 18, met him. Borzage suggested a screen test, which she took. The results were more than favorable, as she won the part of Eileen O’Brien. The part was a substantial one, so much so that Maureen went on to Hollywood to complete the filming. Once in sunny California, Maureen wasted no time landing roles in other films such as “Just Imagine” (1930), “Princess and the Plumber” (1930), and “So This Is London” (1930). Maureen was on a roll that her contemporaries could only have wished for when they were coming up through the ranks. In 1932, Maureen was teamed up with Olympic medal winner Johnny Weissmuller for the first time in “Tarzan the Ape Man” (1932). Five other Tarzan films followed, the last being “Tarzan’s New York Adventure” (1942). The Tarzan epics rank as one of the most memorable series ever made. Most people agree that those movies would not have been successful had it not been for the fine acting talents, not to mention beauty, of Maureen O’Sullivan. But she was more than Jane Parker in the Tarzan films; she had great roles and played beautifully in films such as “The Flame Within” (1935), “David Copperfield” (1935), and “Anna Karenina” (1935). She turned in yet another fine performance in “Pride and Prejudice” (1940). After the 1940s, Maureen made far fewer films, not because she lost popularity but by choice. It isn’t always easy to walk away from a lucrative career, but she did because she wanted to devote more time to her husband, John Farrow, an Australian writer, and their seven children. The couple were married from 1936 until his death in 1963. She did not, however, retire completely; Maureen still found time to make an occasional appearance in films or TV or on the stage. Later movie-goers remember her as Elizabeth Alvorg in the hit film “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986). Her final silver screen appearance was in “The River Pirates” (1988). Some TV movies followed, but only until 1996. She maintained homes in New Hampshire and Arizona, and it was in Scottsdale that Maureen died on June 23, 1998, of a heart attack. She was 87 years old.

Personal information

Birthday

1911-05-17

Birth Place

Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland

Movies and TV shows :

A Connecticut Yankee

A Connecticut Yankee

1931

6.0

Movie
A Day at the Races

A Day at the Races

1937

7.1

Movie
A Yank at Oxford

A Yank at Oxford

1938

6.7

Movie
All I Desire

All I Desire

1953

7.0

Movie
Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina

1935

6.6

Movie
poster

Ben Casey

1961

5.7

TV
Between Two Women

Between Two Women

1937

5.7

Movie
Bonzo Goes to College

Bonzo Goes to College

1952

5.0

Movie
Cardinal Richelieu

Cardinal Richelieu

1935

7.4

Movie
poster

Cavalcade of America

1952

3.5

TV
Checking Out: Grand Hotel

Checking Out: Grand Hotel

2004

7.0

Movie
poster

Climax!

1954

3.0

TV
Complicated Women

Complicated Women

2003

6.7

Movie
David Copperfield

David Copperfield

1935

6.6

Movie
Duffy of San Quentin

Duffy of San Quentin

1954

6.0

Movie
Ellis in Freedomland

Ellis in Freedomland

1952

0.0

Movie
Fast Companions

Fast Companions

1932

6.0

Movie
poster

Four Star Playhouse

1952

6.1

TV
Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood

Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood

1988

6.0

Movie
Hannah and Her Sisters

Hannah and Her Sisters

1986

7.5

Movie
Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is

Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is

1994

6.2

Movie
Hide-Out

Hide-Out

1934

7.1

Movie
Hold That Kiss

Hold That Kiss

1938

6.5

Movie
Hollywood - The Second Step

Hollywood - The Second Step

1936

8.0

Movie
Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

1940

5.5

Movie
Hollywood: The Dream Factory

Hollywood: The Dream Factory

1972

6.0

Movie
In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross

In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross

1998

0.0

Movie
It's Showtime

It's Showtime

1976

7.0

Movie
Just Imagine

Just Imagine

1930

5.5

Movie
poster

Leg Work

1987

5.0

TV
Let Us Live

Let Us Live

1939

6.6

Movie
poster

Lux Video Theatre

1950

6.0

TV
Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady

1941

6.8

Movie
Mandy's Grandmother

Mandy's Grandmother

1978

4.5

Movie
poster

Matinee Theater

1955

4.6

TV
Mission Over Korea

Mission Over Korea

1953

3.0

Movie
Morning's at Seven

Morning's at Seven

1982

0.0

Movie
My Dear Miss Aldrich

My Dear Miss Aldrich

1937

6.1

Movie
Never Too Late

Never Too Late

1965

5.0

Movie
No Resting Place

No Resting Place

1951

0.0

Movie
Okay, America!

Okay, America!

1932

5.0

Movie
Payment Deferred

Payment Deferred

1932

5.9

Movie
Peggy Sue Got Married

Peggy Sue Got Married

1986

6.1

Movie
Port of Seven Seas

Port of Seven Seas

1938

0.0

Movie
Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

1940

6.9

Movie
Robbers' Roost

Robbers' Roost

1932

5.5

Movie
poster

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951

7.0

TV
Screen Actors

Screen Actors

1950

6.0

Movie
Screen Snapshots No. 11

Screen Snapshots No. 11

1934

0.0

Movie
Skyline

Skyline

1931

0.0

Movie
Skyscraper Souls

Skyscraper Souls

1932

5.6

Movie
So This Is London

So This Is London

1930

7.0

Movie
Song o' My Heart

Song o' My Heart

1930

3.7

Movie
Sporting Blood

Sporting Blood

1940

4.3

Movie
Spring Madness

Spring Madness

1938

3.9

Movie
Stage Mother

Stage Mother

1933

5.0

Movie
poster

Star Life

1990

10.0

TV
Stranded

Stranded

1987

5.3

Movie
Strange Interlude

Strange Interlude

1932

5.7

Movie
Tarzan and His Mate

Tarzan and His Mate

1934

6.6

Movie
Tarzan Escapes

Tarzan Escapes

1936

6.3

Movie
Tarzan Finds a Son!

Tarzan Finds a Son!

1939

6.1

Movie
Tarzan Revisited

Tarzan Revisited

2017

6.5

Movie
Tarzan the Ape Man

Tarzan the Ape Man

1932

6.6

Movie
Tarzan's New York Adventure

Tarzan's New York Adventure

1942

6.4

Movie
Tarzan's Secret Treasure

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

1941

5.7

Movie
That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

6.8

Movie
The Barretts of Wimpole Street

The Barretts of Wimpole Street

1934

6.0

Movie
The Big Clock

The Big Clock

1948

7.3

Movie
The Big Shot

The Big Shot

1931

0.0

Movie
The Bishop Misbehaves

The Bishop Misbehaves

1935

4.0

Movie
The Blessed Midnight

The Blessed Midnight

1956

5.0

Movie
The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble

The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble

1933

0.0

Movie
The Crooked Hearts

The Crooked Hearts

1972

7.8

Movie
The Crowd Roars

The Crowd Roars

1938

6.5

Movie
The Devil-Doll

The Devil-Doll

1936

6.8

Movie
The Edge of Innocence

The Edge of Innocence

1957

0.0

Movie
The Emperor's Candlesticks

The Emperor's Candlesticks

1937

5.2

Movie
The Flame Within

The Flame Within

1935

5.2

Movie
The Great Houdinis

The Great Houdinis

1976

6.0

Movie
The Habitation of Dragons

The Habitation of Dragons

1992

0.0

Movie
The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

1955

2.0

Movie
poster

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

5.1

TV
The Phynx

The Phynx

1970

3.5

Movie
The Princess and the Plumber

The Princess and the Plumber

1930

0.0

Movie
The Romance of Celluloid

The Romance of Celluloid

1937

7.0

Movie
The Silver Lining

The Silver Lining

1932

0.0

Movie
The Steel Cage

The Steel Cage

1954

0.0

Movie
The Tall T

The Tall T

1957

6.9

Movie
The Thin Man

The Thin Man

1934

7.5

Movie
poster

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

7.4

TV
The Voice of Bugle Ann

The Voice of Bugle Ann

1936

5.8

Movie
poster

The Whistler

1954

0.0

TV
Too Scared to Scream

Too Scared to Scream

1984

5.4

Movie
Tugboat Annie

Tugboat Annie

1933

7.0

Movie
West Point of the Air

West Point of the Air

1935

6.0

Movie
poster

What's My Line?

1950

6.7

TV
Where Danger Lives

Where Danger Lives

1950

6.3

Movie
Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie

Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie

2007

0.0

Movie
Wild Heritage

Wild Heritage

1958

4.5

Movie
With Murder in Mind

With Murder in Mind

1992

4.7

Movie
Woman Wanted

Woman Wanted

1935

6.3

Movie