Maureen O'Hara

Maureen FitzSimons, born 17 August 1920, died on the 24th of October, 2015), was an Irish actress. She became a star in Hollywood in the 1940s and into the 1960s. Her naturally redhead appearance has made her a favorite choice for playing strong but intelligent characters in Westerns and adventure films. Her star potential was first noticed by actor Charles Laughton, who brought her to Hollywood and at numerous times she collaborated alongside director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. O'Hara was born in Dublin, Ireland by a Catholic family. She was determined to become an actress from the age of 10. As a young girl, she began her training at the Rathmines Theatre Company and the Abbey Theatre. After having passed a screen test she was turned down. But Charles Laughton recognized her potential and offered to have her as a star in Alfred Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn in 1939. She relocated to Hollywood the same year to appear with him in the production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and was offered a contract by RKO Pictures. From then, she proceeded to enjoy a lengthy and very successful career and earned the name "the Queen of Technicolor". She appeared in films such as How Green Was My Valley (1941) (her first collaboration with John Ford), The Black Swan with Tyrone Power (1942), The Spanish Main (1945), Sinbad the Sailor (1947) as well as the classic Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street (1947) with John Payne and Natalie Wood as well as Comanche Territory (1950). O'Hara made her debut film together with John Wayne, the actor who is closely connected, in Rio Grande (1950). The following films followed: The Quiet Man (1952), The Wings of Eagles (1957), McLintock! (1963), Big Jake (1971). It was evident how well she bonded with Wayne that many believed they were married or in a relationship. O'Hara became more motherly as she grew older, appearing in films such as The Deadly Companions (1961) and The Parent Trap(61) and The Rare Breed (1966). O'Hara resigned from the film industry in 1971. She returned to the business twenty years later, appearing in John Candy (1991).