Maureen O'Hara (born Maureen FitzSimons; August â€" October ) was
an Irish actress and singer. She was a famous redhead who was known
for playing passionate, but sensible heroines, often in westerns and
adventure films. On numerous occasions, she worked with director John
Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. O'Hara was one of the
longest-lived stars from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood.O'Hara grew up
in Dublin in a Catholic family and aspired to become an actress from a
very young age. She trained with the Rathmines Theatre Company from
the age of and at the Abbey Theatre from the age of . 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 . She moved to Hollywood the same year to
appear with him in the production of 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".She appeared in films such as How Green Was My
Valley () (her first collaboration with John Ford), The Black Swan
with Tyrone Power (), The Spanish Main (), Sinbad the Sailor (), the
Christmas classic Miracle on th Street () with John Payne and Natalie
Wood, and Comanche Territory (). O'Hara made her first film with John
Wayne, the actor with whom she is most closely associated, in Rio
Grande (). This was followed by The Quiet Man (), The Wings of Eagles
(), McLintock! () and Big Jake (). Such was her strong chemistry with
Wayne that many assumed they were married or in a relationship. In the
s O'Hara increasingly turned to more motherly roles as she aged,
appearing in films such as The Deadly Companions (), The Parent Trap
() and The Rare Breed (). She retired from the industry in but
returned years later to appear with John Candy in Only the Lonely ().
an Irish actress and singer. She was a famous redhead who was known
for playing passionate, but sensible heroines, often in westerns and
adventure films. On numerous occasions, she worked with director John
Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. O'Hara was one of the
longest-lived stars from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood.O'Hara grew up
in Dublin in a Catholic family and aspired to become an actress from a
very young age. She trained with the Rathmines Theatre Company from
the age of and at the Abbey Theatre from the age of . 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 . She moved to Hollywood the same year to
appear with him in the production of 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".She appeared in films such as How Green Was My
Valley () (her first collaboration with John Ford), The Black Swan
with Tyrone Power (), The Spanish Main (), Sinbad the Sailor (), the
Christmas classic Miracle on th Street () with John Payne and Natalie
Wood, and Comanche Territory (). O'Hara made her first film with John
Wayne, the actor with whom she is most closely associated, in Rio
Grande (). This was followed by The Quiet Man (), The Wings of Eagles
(), McLintock! () and Big Jake (). Such was her strong chemistry with
Wayne that many assumed they were married or in a relationship. In the
s O'Hara increasingly turned to more motherly roles as she aged,
appearing in films such as The Deadly Companions (), The Parent Trap
() and The Rare Breed (). She retired from the industry in but
returned years later to appear with John Candy in Only the Lonely ().
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