Maureen O'Sullivan
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
Credits
- 2017 · Tarzan Revisited as Self (archive footage)
- 2007 · Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie as
- 2004 · Checking Out: Grand Hotel as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 · Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
- 1998 · In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross as Herself
- 1994 · Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is as Eleanor Biddlecomb
- 1992 · The Habitation of Dragons as Helen Taylor
- 1992 · With Murder in Mind as Aunt Mildred
- 1990 · Star Life as Self (archive footage)
- 1988 · Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood as Aunt Sue
- 1987 · Stranded as Grace Clark
- 1987 · Leg Work as Dorothy Richardson
- 1986 · Peggy Sue Got Married as Elizabeth Alvorg
- 1986 · Hannah and Her Sisters as Norma
- 1984 · Too Scared to Scream as Marian Hardwick
- 1982 · Morning's at Seven as Esther "Esty" Crampton
- 1978 · Mandy's Grandmother as Grandmother
- 1976 · The Great Houdinis as Lady Conan Doyle
- 1976 · That's Entertainment, Part II as (archive footage)
- 1976 · It's Showtime as Self (archive footage)
- 1972 · The Crooked Hearts as Lillian Stanton
- 1972 · Hollywood: The Dream Factory as Self (archive footage)
- 1970 · The Phynx as Maureen O'Sullivan
- 1965 · Never Too Late as Edith Lambert
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1961 · Ben Casey as
- 1958 · Wild Heritage as Emma Breslin
- 1957 · The Edge of Innocence as Julia Williams
- 1957 · The Tall T as Doretta Mims
- 1956 · The Blessed Midnight as Sister Mary Benedict
- 1955 · Matinee Theater as
- 1955 · The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story as Mother
- 1954 · The Steel Cage as Gladys Duffy
- 1954 · Climax! as Lady Dominey
- 1954 · Climax! as Miriam
- 1954 · The Whistler as
- 1954 · Duffy of San Quentin as Gladys Duffy
- 1953 · Mission Over Korea as Nancy Slocum
- 1953 · All I Desire as Sara Harper
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as Sister Mary Benedict
- 1952 · Four Star Playhouse as Minna Baxter
- 1952 · Bonzo Goes to College as Marion Gateson Drew
- 1952 · Ellis in Freedomland as The Dishwasher (voice)
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as
- 1951 · No Resting Place as Nan Kyle
- 1950 · Where Danger Lives as Julie Dorn
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Agnes Fisher
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Self - Intermission Guest
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Intermission Guest
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Mary
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Stella
- 1950 · Screen Actors as Self (uncredited)
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- 1948 · The Big Clock as Georgette Stroud
- 1942 · Tarzan's New York Adventure as Jane
- 1941 · Tarzan's Secret Treasure as Jane
- 1941 · Maisie Was a Lady as Abby Rawlston
- 1940 · Pride and Prejudice as Jane Bennet
- 1940 · Sporting Blood as Linda Lockwood
- 1940 · Hollywood: Style Center of the World as Self
- 1939 · Tarzan Finds a Son! as Jane Parker
- 1939 · Let Us Live as Mary Roberts
- 1938 · Spring Madness as Alexandra Benson
- 1938 · The Crowd Roars as Sheila 'Shelia' Carson
- 1938 · Port of Seven Seas as Madelon
- 1938 · Hold That Kiss as June Evans
- 1938 · A Yank at Oxford as Molly Beaumont
- 1937 · My Dear Miss Aldrich as Martha Aldrich
- 1937 · The Romance of Celluloid as Self
- 1937 · Between Two Women as Claire Donahue
- 1937 · The Emperor's Candlesticks as Maria Orlich
- 1937 · A Day at the Races as Judy Standish
- 1936 · Tarzan Escapes as Jane
- 1936 · The Devil-Doll as Lorraine Lavond
- 1936 · Hollywood - The Second Step as Herself
- 1936 · The Voice of Bugle Ann as Camden Terry
- 1935 · The Bishop Misbehaves as Hester Grantham
- 1935 · Anna Karenina as Kitty
- 1935 · Woman Wanted as Ann
- 1935 · The Flame Within as Linda Belton
- 1935 · Cardinal Richelieu as Lenore
- 1935 · West Point of the Air as 'Skip' Carter
- 1935 · David Copperfield as Dora Spenlow
- 1934 · The Barretts of Wimpole Street as Henrietta Barrett
- 1934 · Hide-Out as Pauline Miller
- 1934 · The Thin Man as Dorothy Wynant
- 1934 · Tarzan and His Mate as Jane Parker
- 1934 · Screen Snapshots No. 11 as Herself
- 1933 · Stage Mother as Shirley Lorraine
- 1933 · Tugboat Annie as Patricia 'Pat' Severn
- 1933 · The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble as Molly Kelly
- 1932 · Strange Interlude as Madeline Arnold
- 1932 · Robbers' Roost as Helen Herrick
- 1932 · Payment Deferred as Winnie Marble
- 1932 · Okay, America! as Sheila Barton
- 1932 · Skyscraper Souls as Lynn Harding
- 1932 · Fast Companions as Sally
- 1932 · The Silver Lining as Joyce Moore
- 1932 · Tarzan the Ape Man as Jane Parker
- 1931 · The Big Shot as Doris Thompson
- 1931 · Skyline as Katherine Kearny
- 1931 · A Connecticut Yankee as Alisande / Woman in Mansion
- 1930 · The Princess and the Plumber as Princess Louise
- 1930 · Just Imagine as LN-18
- 1930 · So This Is London as Elinor Worthing
- 1930 · Song o' My Heart as Eileen