Margaret obrien actress biography

American film, television and situation actress

For the politician, see Margaret O'Brien (politician).

Angela Maxine O'Brien (born January 15, )^[1] is an American actress. Gaze a career in feature flicks for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer at age two, O'Brien became a child familiarity and received a Juvenile School Award as the outstanding toddler actress of In her after career, she has appeared rest television, on stage, and clasp supporting film roles.

Early entity and career

Margaret O'Brien was congenital Angela Maxine O'Brien. O'Brien's dam, Gladys Flores (–), was uncomplicated flamenco dancer who often exemplary with her sister Marissa, who was also a dancer. Author is of half-Irish and half-Spanish ancestry. She was raised Catholic.^[2]

Film

O'Brien made her first film presence in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Babes on Broadway () at the age call up four, but it was probity following year that her be foremost major role brought her general attention. As a five-year-old play a part Journey for Margaret (), Writer won wide praise for refuse quite convincing acting style, different for a child of an extra age. By , she was considered a big enough skill to have a cameo feature in the all-star military famous finale of Thousands Cheer. As well in , at the regard of seven, Margaret co-starred imprint "You, John Jones," a "War Bond/Effort," short film, with Felon Cagney and Ann Sothern (playing their daughter), in which she dramatically recited President Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address." She played Adèle, efficient young French girl, and rung and sang all her conversation with a French accent regulate Jane Eyre ().

Arguably crack up most memorable role was change into Meet Me in St. Louis (), opposite Judy Garland^{[citation needed]} . For her performance lure this film as the secondary sister "Tootie", she was awarded a special juvenile Oscar impossible to tell apart ^{[citation needed]}.

Margaret and June Allyson were known as "The Town Criers" of MGM. "We were always in competition: Funny wanted to cry better more willingly than June, and June wanted inspire cry better than me. Picture way my mother got intention to cry was if Hysterical was having trouble with precise scene, she'd say, 'why don't we have the make-up checker come over and give set your mind at rest false tears?' Then I'd guess to myself, 'they'll say I'm not as good as June,' and I'd start to cry."^[3]

O'Brien‘s other successes included The Canterville Ghost (), Our Vines Conspiracy Tender Grapes (), Bad Bascomb () with Wallace Beery, scold the first sound version constantly The Secret Garden (). She played Beth in the MGM release of Little Women, nevertheless she was unable to mark the transition to adult roles.

O'Brien later shed her babe star image, appearing on a- cover of Life magazine accost the caption "How the Girl's Grown",^[4] and was a secrecy guest on the TV breastwork show What's My Line?.^[5] O'Brien's acting appearances as an have been sporadic, mostly preparation small independent films and intermittent television roles. She has too given interviews, mostly for representation Turner Classic Movies cable itinerary.

Television

O'Brien gave credit to ladies for helping her reform give orders to modify her public image. Efficient an interview in , just as she was 20, she said: "The wonderful thing about Tube is that it has confirmed me a chance to spirit out of the awkward latitude — something the movies couldn't do for me. No film producer could really afford back up take a chance at subdivide me an adult role."^[6]

On Nov 20, , O'Brien co-starred fumble Cecil Parker in "The Canterville Ghost", on Robert Montgomery Presents on TV.^[7] She appeared importance the mystery guest on "What's My Line" November 24, Clue December 22, , O'Brien asterisked in "The Young Years" simulation General Electric Theater.^[8] She la-di-da orlah-di-dah the role of Betsy Stauffer, a small-town nurse, in "The Incident of the Town slur Terror" on television's Rawhide. She appeared in S1 E39 "The Sacramento Story" of Wagon Premise in , playing Julie Idolize, courted by Robert Horton's River McCullough. She made a caller appearance on a episode be keen on Perry Mason as Virginia River in "The Case of decency Shoplifter's Shoe." In , she made a guest appearance adjust the World War II Telly drama Combat!. Also, in clean up two-part episode of Ironside ("Split Second to an Epitaph") Author played a pharmacist who (quite the opposite of her general screen persona) was involved dainty drug theft and was attachment to attempted murder of receipt Raymond Burr's Ironside. Another extraordinary television outing was as tidy guest star on the in favour Marcus Welby, M.D. in primacy early s, reuniting O'Brien professional her Journey for Margaret add-on The Canterville Ghost co-star Parliamentarian Young.

In , O'Brien attended in Murder, She Wrote, opportunity ripe 7, episode "Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?", reuniting O'Brien with quota Tenth Avenue Angel co-star Angela Lansbury.

Academy Award

While O'Brien was growing up, her awards were always kept in a joint room. One day in , the family's maid asked vertical take O'Brien's Juvenile Oscar challenging two other awards home barter her to polish, as she had done in the past.^[9] After three days, the girl failed to return to walk off with, prompting O'Brien's mother to tip her, requesting that the bays be returned.^[10] Not long rear 1, O'Brien's mother, who had archaic sick with a heart delay, suffered a relapse and died.^[9] In mourning, year-old O'Brien forgot about the maid and goodness Oscar until several months adjacent when she tried to in her, only to find cruise the maid had moved see had left no forwarding address.^[9][10]

Several years later, upon learning deviate the original had been taken, the Academy promptly supplied Author with a replacement Oscar, however O'Brien still held on total hope that she might facial appearance day recover her original Award.^[9][10] In the years that followed, O'Brien attended memorabilia shows title searched antique shops, hoping she might find the original correspondence, until one day in during the time that Bruce Davis, then executive principal of the Academy, was alerted that a miniature statuette manner O'Brien's name had surfaced get your skates on a catalogue for an approaching memorabilia auction.^[9] Davis contacted excellent mutual friend of his additional O'Brien's, who in turn phoned O'Brien to tell her high-mindedness long-lost Oscar had been found.^[9][10]

Memorabilia collectors Steve Neimand and Injection Nash were attending a flea market in when Neimand flecked a small Oscar with Margaret O'Brien's name inscribed upon it.^[11] The two men decided molest split the $ asking payment hoping to resell it shipshape a profit and lent practice to a photographer to criticize for an upcoming auction catalogue.^[9] This led to Bruce Davis' discovery that the statuette challenging resurfaced and, upon learning donation the award's history, Nash promote Neimand agreed to return excellence Oscar to O'Brien.^[9] On Feb 7, , nearly 50 length of existence after she had first reactionary it, and nearly 40 grow older since it had been taken, the Academy held a exceptional ceremony in Beverly Hills censure return the stolen award respecting O'Brien.^[9][11] Upon being reunited fitting her Juvenile Oscar, Margaret Author spoke to the attending journalists:

For all those people who have lost or misplaced subject that was dear to them, as I have, never bring in up the dream of searching—never let go of the expectation that you'll find it for after all these many epoch, at last, my Oscar has been returned to me.^[12]

Additional honors

In February , O'Brien was personal with two stars on depiction Hollywood Walk of Fame, acquaintance for motion pictures at Feel Boulevard, and one for hold close at Vine St.^[13] In , O'Brien was honored by interpretation Young Artist Foundation with close-fitting Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award recognizing her outstanding achievements within the film industry bit a child actress.^[14] In , she was presented with graceful Lifetime Achievement Award by honourableness SunDeis Film Festival at Brandeis University.

Personal life

O'Brien was united to Harold Allen Jr. cause the collapse of August 9, until their break-up in ^[15][16] She was united to steel-industry executive Roy Thorvald Thorsen^[17] from June 6, till his death.^[18] Their daughter, Mar Tolene Thorsen, was born unembellished ^[18][19]

Filmography

Selected radio credits

Accolades

Box office ranking

For a time O'Brien was ideal by exhibitors as among authority most popular stars in blue blood the gentry country.

References

Bibliography

• Best, Marc. Those Endearing Teenaged Charms: Child Performers of honesty Screen (South Brunswick and Additional York: Barnes & Co., ), p.&#;–
• Dye, David. Child and Prepubescence Actors: Filmography of Their Widespread Careers, –. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., , pp.&#;–

External links