'Tis Herself Maureen O'Hara

'Tis Herself by Maureen O'Hara

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 22, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0743269160

Born:  August 17, 1920

Birthplace: Ranelagh, Ireland

From Publishers Weekly
Film legend O'Hara (b. 1920) and her collaborator, Nicoletti, have assembled a delightful anecdotal autobiography. She calls it "the tale of the toughest Irish lass who ever took on Hollywood and became a major leading lady of the silver screen." Born in a Dublin suburb, Maureen FitzSimons was a child radio actress, joined the Abbey Theater at age 14 and was cast in two major films before she was 19. After Alfred Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn (1939) came The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), launching her career of 60 films. Many were top productions, yet O'Hara never received an Oscar nomination: "Hollywood would never allow my talent to triumph over my face." She recalls highlights and hurdles, including confrontations with stars and directors, commenting, "I have acted, punched, swashbuckled, and shot my way through an absurdly masculine profession during the most extraordinary of times." With her hazel-green eyes and red hair, O'Hara was dubbed "Queen of Technicolor," but yearned for more than "decorative roles." During her lengthy friendships with John Wayne and director John Ford, she saw "the darker side of John Ford, the mean and abusive side." In concluding chapters, she writes about her TV appearances as a vocalist, the mysteries surrounding the death of her husband, Brig. Gen. Charles F. Blair and her life in the Virgin Islands, where she ran an airline (Antilles Air Boats) and became publisher of Virgin Islander magazine. Hollywood's heyday returns to life in this revealing, insightful memoir. O'Hara treats readers like close friends, and her powerful personality is evident throughout.

What an enjoyable book this turned out to be!

It happened that one day on TCM they were showing one of my favorite movies, "the Quiet Man" and when the movie was over they talked about the Duke and Maureen O'Hara and mentioned that there was an autobiography out, so of course, I searched and found a softcover book and sent for it.

I guess part of me wanted to read what she had to say about The Quiet Man and McLintock, both of which she stared with the Duke, and both were very comical.

                  The Quiet Man

     McLintock

I am happy to say she talked about both movies but The Quiet Man is probably her absolute favorite piece of work that she did.  Anyone who hasn't seen that movie really should!  Not only is it my favorite O'Hara movie but one of my favorite John Wayne movies too.

Strange how I had forgotten many of the movies that I knew darn well she was in.  I am guessing it's because they are on TCM so seldom.  One movie was with the famous Charles Laughton.  A little movie called The Hunchback of Notre Dame! This was actually her second movie.. Charles Laughton wanted Maureen for the movie but was told she would have to do Jamaca Inn if she wanted the part in Hunchback of Notre Dame.

It was Laughton himself that wanted Maureen for the movie, and got her.

  The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I loved how this book read.  You felt like you were sitting with Maureen and she was casually talking about her life.  The movies were injected right where they should be but they weren't just movies listed one after the other with long talks about them.  Yes, she talked about her movies, but they weren't made out to be the only thing there was about Maureen O'Hara.

Anyone who is a fan of her's should read this book.  It wasn't like most autobiographies I've ever read, and it's well written and well told. 

In case you want a glimpse.. here's here movie list:

FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR

The Last Dance (29-Oct-2000)
Cab to Canada (29-Nov-1998)
The Christmas Box (17-Dec-1995)
Only the Lonely (24-May-1991)
Big Jake (26-May-1971)
The Rare Breed (2-Feb-1966)
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (26-May-1965)
Spencer's Mountain (16-May-1963)
McLintock! (23-Feb-1963)
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (15-Jun-1962)
The Parent Trap (12-Jun-1961)
The Deadly Companions (6-Jun-1961)
Our Man in Havana (27-Jan-1960)
The Wings of Eagles (22-Feb-1957)
Everything But the Truth (1-Dec-1956)
Lisbon (17-Aug-1956)
Lady Godiva (2-Nov-1955)
The Long Gray Line (9-Feb-1955)
Fire Over Africa (29-Jun-1954)
Against All Flags (24-Dec-1952)
The Quiet Man (21-Jul-1952)
At Sword's Point (1952)
Rio Grande (15-Nov-1950)
Father Was a Fullback (30-Sep-1949)
A Woman's Secret (5-Mar-1949)
Sitting Pretty (10-Mar-1948)
The Foxes of Harrow (24-Sep-1947)
Miracle on 34th Street (2-May-1947)

Miracle on 34th Street

Sinbad the Sailor (17-Jan-1947)
Sentimental Journey (6-Mar-1946)
The Spanish Main (10-Sep-1945)
Buffalo Bill (13-Apr-1944)
The Fallen Sparrow (19-Aug-1943)
This Land Is Mine (17-Mar-1943)
The Black Swan (23-Dec-1942)

   The Black Swan

Ten Gentlemen from West Point (4-Jun-1942)
To the Shores of Tripoli (11-Mar-1942)
How Green Was My Valley (28-Oct-1941)
Dance, Girl, Dance (30-Aug-1940)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1-Sep-1939)
Jamaica Inn (15-May-1939)