About

Known credits:
91
Birthday:
1911-05-17
Place of birth:
Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland
Website:
N/A

Maureen O'Sullivan

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting

2017 Tarzan Revisited Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
2007 Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie Actor N/A
N/A
2004 Checking Out: Grand Hotel Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2003 Complicated Women Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1998 In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross Actor Herself N/A
N/A
1994 Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is Actor Eleanor Biddlecomb 59
Average
1992 The Habitation of Dragons Actor Helen Taylor N/A
N/A
1992 With Murder in Mind Actor Aunt Mildred 59
Average
1988 Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood Actor Aunt Sue 59
Average
1987 Platinum Bombshell Actor Self N/A
N/A
1987 Stranded Actor Grace Clark 59
Average
1987 Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood Actor Self 58
Average
1986 Peggy Sue Got Married Actor Elizabeth Alvorg 59
Average
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Actor Norma 69
Fair
1984 Too Scared to Scream Actor Marian Hardwick 58
Average
1982 Morning's at Seven Actor Esther "Esty" Crampton N/A
N/A
1978 Mandy's Grandmother Actor Grandmother 59
Average
1976 The Great Houdinis Actor Lady Conan Doyle 58
Average
1976 That's Entertainment, Part II Actor (archive footage) 59
Average
1976 It's Showtime Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1972 The Crooked Hearts Actor Lillian Stanton 59
Average
1972 Hollywood: The Dream Factory Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1970 The Phynx Actor Maureen O'Sullivan 58
Average
1965 Never Too Late Actor Edith Lambert 58
Average
1958 Wild Heritage Actor Emma Breslin 58
Average
1957 The Edge of Innocence Actor Julia Williams N/A
N/A
1957 The Tall T Actor Doretta Mims 61
Fair
1956 The Blessed Midnight Actor Sister Mary Benedict 59
Average
1955 The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story Actor Mother N/A
N/A
1954 The Steel Cage Actor Gladys Duffy N/A
N/A
1954 Duffy of San Quentin Actor Gladys Duffy 58
Average
1953 Mission Over Korea Actor Nancy Slocum 58
Average
1953 All I Desire Actor Sara Harper 59
Average
1952 Bonzo Goes to College Actor Marion Gateson Drew 58
Average
1952 Ellis in Freedomland Actor The Dishwasher (voice) N/A
N/A
1951 No Resting Place Actor Nan Kyle N/A
N/A
1950 Where Danger Lives Actor Julie Dorn 59
Average
1950 Screen Actors Actor Self (uncredited) 59
Average
1948 The Big Clock Actor Georgette Stroud 62
Fair
1942 Tarzan's New York Adventure Actor Jane 59
Average
1941 Tarzan's Secret Treasure Actor Jane 58
Average
1941 Maisie Was a Lady Actor Abby Rawlston 59
Average
1940 Pride and Prejudice Actor Jane Bennet 61
Fair
1940 Sporting Blood Actor Linda Lockwood 58
Average
1940 Hollywood: Style Center of the World Actor Self 59
Average
1939 Tarzan Finds a Son! Actor Jane Parker 59
Average
1939 Let Us Live Actor Mary Roberts 59
Average
1938 Spring Madness Actor Alexandra Benson 58
Average
1938 The Crowd Roars Actor Sheila 'Shelia' Carson 59
Average
1938 Port of Seven Seas Actor Madelon N/A
N/A
1938 Hold That Kiss Actor June Evans 58
Average
1938 A Yank at Oxford Actor Molly Beaumont 59
Average
1937 My Dear Miss Aldrich Actor Martha Aldrich 59
Average
1937 The Romance of Celluloid Actor Self 59
Average
1937 Between Two Women Actor Claire Donahue 59
Average
1937 The Emperor's Candlesticks Actor Maria Orlich 58
Average
1937 A Day at the Races Actor Judy Standish 62
Fair
1936 Tarzan Escapes Actor Jane 59
Average
1936 The Devil-Doll Actor Lorraine Lavond 60
Fair
1936 Hollywood - The Second Step Actor Herself 59
Average
1936 The Voice of Bugle Ann Actor Camden Terry 59
Average
1935 The Bishop Misbehaves Actor Hester Grantham 59
Average
1935 Anna Karenina Actor Kitty 59
Average
1935 Woman Wanted Actor Ann 59
Average
1935 The Flame Within Actor Linda Belton 58
Average
1935 Cardinal Richelieu Actor Lenore 59
Average
1935 West Point of the Air Actor 'Skip' Carter 59
Average
1935 David Copperfield Actor Dora Spenlow 59
Average
1934 The Barretts of Wimpole Street Actor Henrietta Barrett 58
Average
1934 Hide-Out Actor Pauline Miller 59
Average
1934 The Thin Man Actor Dorothy Wynant 66
Fair
1934 Tarzan and His Mate Actor Jane Parker 60
Fair
1934 Screen Snapshots No. 11 Actor Herself N/A
N/A
1933 Stage Mother Actor Shirley Lorraine 58
Average
1933 Tugboat Annie Actor Patricia 'Pat' Severn 58
Average
1933 The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble Actor Molly Kelly N/A
N/A
1932 Strange Interlude Actor Madeline Arnold 59
Average
1932 Robbers' Roost Actor Helen Herrick 58
Average
1932 Payment Deferred Actor Winnie Marble 59
Average
1932 Okay, America! Actor Sheila Barton 59
Average
1932 Skyscraper Souls Actor Lynn Harding 58
Average
1932 Fast Companions Actor Sally 59
Average
1932 The Silver Lining Actor Joyce Moore N/A
N/A
1932 Tarzan the Ape Man Actor Jane Parker 61
Fair
1931 The Big Shot Actor Doris Thompson N/A
N/A
1931 Skyline Actor Katherine Kearny N/A
N/A
1931 A Connecticut Yankee Actor Alisande / Woman in Mansion 58
Average
1930 The Princess and the Plumber Actor Princess Louise N/A
N/A
1930 Just Imagine Actor LN-18 58
Average
1930 So This Is London Actor Elinor Worthing N/A
N/A
1930 Song o' My Heart Actor Eileen 58
Average