If you walk down Hollywood Boulevard and stop at 7004, you will find, among the many stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame™, the name of an Irish actor whose career path began at Dublin’s famed Abbey Theater. This is her story.
Early Life
Maureen FitzSimons was born in Ranelagh, a Dublin suburb, on August 17, 1920. Her mother was an accomplished contralto, and her father a successful businessman who was part owner of the famed “Shamrock Rovers” football team. As a young girl, Maureen was something of a tomboy who excelled in sports (even the rougher ones like camogie, the women’s version of hurling). She also enjoyed organizing backyard stage shows for the neighborhood, conscripting her siblings as supporting players when necessary. Recognizing their daughter’s love of performing, her parents sent her to elocution school. The Abbey Theater accepted her at the tender age of 14.
The Big Screen Beckons
Maureen’s agent later introduced her to Charles Laughton, who was looking for a young actor to play the female lead in his new film, “Jamaica Inn”. Her screen test for the role was somewhat forgettable, but Laughton and his partners could not get her “hauntingly beautiful eyes” out of their minds. She got the part, and was directed in her first feature film by Alfred Hitchcock. The success of that picture turned into an offer to play Esmerelda in the classic, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. She journeyed to California to do the shoot at RKO Pictures, which eventually bought her contract. By age 19, she had starred in two feature films with Charles Laughton, and her career was off the launch pad.
She would go on to star in 60 feature films and numerous television programs. She was also cast in “How Green Was My Valley”, where her 5 ft 8 in stature, glorious red hair and beautiful face combined to establish her as one of the most beautiful women ever filmed. Her talents graced films as diverse as The Black Swan, Buffalo Bill, The Spanish Main, Sinbad the Sailor, and Miracle on 34th Street.
She played opposite most of the leading men of that Hollywood era, but her pairings with John Wayne are the most memorable. This iconic duo starred in pictures such as The Quiet Man, McLintock!, Big Jake, The Wings of Eagles and Rio Grande.
Later Life
Her list of awards and accomplishments is as long as the list of charities to which she has been a benefactor.
Unfortunately, tragedy has been no stranger to Ms. O’Hara’s life. Her third husband, aviation pioneer Brigadier General Charles Blair, was killed in 1978 when an engine exploded on the airplane he was flying. She was subsequently selected as President of Antilles Airboats, distinguishing her as the first female president of a scheduled airline in the USA.
Maureen is still with us, now an international cultural treasure after filling her life with accomplishment, charitable service, and great adventure. She divides her time between homes in Arizona, Ireland, and the Virgin Islands.
A Star on the Walk
So, when you stroll down Hollywood Boulevard and look at the stars in the Walk of Fame, don’t bother looking for Maureen FitzSimons; you won’t find her name on any stars. However, you will find the stage name of an Irish actress who walked large upon the American and international stages: Maureen O’Hara.
(“Hollywood Walk of Fame” is a trademark of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.)
Sources:
- Imdb.com
- Fancast.com
- Tvguide.com
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