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Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen O'Sullivan

Known For Acting
Birthday May 17, 1911
Died Jun 23, 1998 (87)
Birthplace Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Apr 19, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

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 wi ... dely. 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

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Filmography

Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is

Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is

1994

as Eleanor Biddlecomb

With Murder in Mind

With Murder in Mind

1992

as Aunt Mildred

The Habitation of Dragons

The Habitation of Dragons

1992

as Helen Taylor

Stranded

Stranded

1987

as Grace Clark

Hannah and Her Sisters

Hannah and Her Sisters

1986

as Norma

Peggy Sue Got Married

Peggy Sue Got Married

1986

as Elizabeth Alvorg

Too Scared to Scream

Too Scared to Scream

1984

as Marian Hardwick

Morning's at Seven

Morning's at Seven

1982

as Esther "Esty" Crampton

Mandy's Grandmother

Mandy's Grandmother

1978

as Grandmother

The Great Houdinis

The Great Houdinis

1976

as Lady Conan Doyle

That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

as (archive footage)

The Crooked Hearts

The Crooked Hearts

1972

as Lillian Stanton

The Phynx

The Phynx

1970

as Maureen O'Sullivan

Never Too Late

Never Too Late

1965

as Edith Lambert

Wild Heritage

Wild Heritage

1958

as Emma Breslin

The Tall T

The Tall T

1957

as Doretta Mims

The Edge of Innocence

The Edge of Innocence

1957

as Julia Williams

The Blessed Midnight

The Blessed Midnight

1956

as Sister Mary Benedict

The Steel Cage

The Steel Cage

1954

as Gladys Duffy

Duffy of San Quentin

Duffy of San Quentin

1954

as Gladys Duffy

Mission Over Korea

Mission Over Korea

1953

as Nancy Slocum

All I Desire

All I Desire

1953

as Sara Harper

Bonzo Goes to College

Bonzo Goes to College

1952

as Marion Gateson Drew

Ellis in Freedomland

Ellis in Freedomland

1952

as The Dishwasher (voice)

No Resting Place

No Resting Place

1951

as Nan Kyle

Where Danger Lives

Where Danger Lives

1950

as Julie Dorn

The Big Clock

The Big Clock

1948

as Georgette Stroud

Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady

1941

as Abby Rawlston

Sporting Blood

Sporting Blood

1940

as Linda Lockwood

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

1940

as Jane Bennet

Let Us Live

Let Us Live

1939

as Mary Roberts

Tarzan Finds a Son!

Tarzan Finds a Son!

1939

as Jane Parker

Spring Madness

Spring Madness

1938

as Alexandra Benson

Port of Seven Seas

Port of Seven Seas

1938

as Madelon

Hold That Kiss

Hold That Kiss

1938

as June Evans

A Yank at Oxford

A Yank at Oxford

1938

as Molly Beaumont

The Crowd Roars

The Crowd Roars

1938

as Sheila 'Shelia' Carson

Between Two Women

Between Two Women

1937

as Claire Donahue

My Dear Miss Aldrich

My Dear Miss Aldrich

1937

as Martha Aldrich

The Emperor's Candlesticks

The Emperor's Candlesticks

1937

as Maria Orlich

A Day at the Races

A Day at the Races

1937

as Judy Standish

The Devil-Doll

The Devil-Doll

1936

as Lorraine Lavond

The Voice of Bugle Ann

The Voice of Bugle Ann

1936

as Camden Terry

Tarzan Escapes

Tarzan Escapes

1936

as Jane

Woman Wanted

Woman Wanted

1935

as Ann

The Bishop Misbehaves

The Bishop Misbehaves

1935

as Hester Grantham

Cardinal Richelieu

Cardinal Richelieu

1935

as Lenore

The Flame Within

The Flame Within

1935

as Linda Belton

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina

1935

as Kitty

West Point of the Air

West Point of the Air

1935

as 'Skip' Carter

David Copperfield

David Copperfield

1935

as Dora Spenlow

Hide-Out

Hide-Out

1934

as Pauline Miller

Tarzan and His Mate

Tarzan and His Mate

1934

as Jane Parker

The Thin Man

The Thin Man

1934

as Dorothy Wynant

The Barretts of Wimpole Street

The Barretts of Wimpole Street

1934

as Henrietta Barrett

Stage Mother

Stage Mother

1933

as Shirley Lorraine

The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble

The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble

1933

as Molly Kelly

Tugboat Annie

Tugboat Annie

1933

as Patricia 'Pat' Severn

The Silver Lining

The Silver Lining

1932

as Joyce Moore

Skyscraper Souls

Skyscraper Souls

1932

as Lynn Harding

Okay, America!

Okay, America!

1932

as Sheila Barton

Robbers' Roost

Robbers' Roost

1932

as Helen Herrick

Payment Deferred

Payment Deferred

1932

as Winnie Marble

Fast Companions

Fast Companions

1932

as Sally

Tarzan the Ape Man

Tarzan the Ape Man

1932

as Jane Parker

Strange Interlude

Strange Interlude

1932

as Madeline Arnold

The Big Shot

The Big Shot

1931

as Doris Thompson

Skyline

Skyline

1931

as Katherine Kearny

A Connecticut Yankee

A Connecticut Yankee

1931

as Alisande / Woman in Mansion

The Princess and the Plumber

The Princess and the Plumber

1930

as Princess Louise

Just Imagine

Just Imagine

1930

as LN-18

Song o' My Heart

Song o' My Heart

1930

as Eileen

So This Is London

So This Is London

1930

as Elinor Worthing

No data available

No data available

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Lux Video Theatre

as Agnes Fisher

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Climax!

as Lady Dominey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Cavalcade of America

as Sister Mary Benedict

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

Lux Video Theatre

as Mary

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Stella

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Four Star Playhouse

as Minna Baxter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 25, 1952

Climax!

as Miriam

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Leg Work

as Dorothy Richardson

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1987

Lux Video Theatre

as Self - Intermission Guest

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1951

Matinee Theater

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 31, 1955

Ben Casey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1961

The Whistler

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 13, 1954

Lux Video Theatre

as Intermission Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 11, 1961

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 02, 1950

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 16 25 9
2024 7 14 25 7
2024 8 14 33 5
2024 9 9 19 4
2024 10 6 13 2
2024 11 4 9 1
2024 12 8 14 5
2025 1 7 12 4
2025 2 5 9 1
2025 3 3 4 2
2025 4 0 0 0
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 9 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 6 871 871

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