So striking in appearance that Technicolor inventor Herbert Kalmus was said to have used her red-haired and green-eyed image to promote his creation, Maureen O’Hara was an Irish-born actress whose versatility allowed her to move gracefully from dramas to comedies and even period adventures. She was a favorite of director John Ford, who cast her in five of his films, including “How Green Was My Valley” (1941), “Rio Grande” (1950) and “The Quiet Man” (1952). Her co-star in two Ford films was John Wayne, and their on-screen chemistry lead to several collaborations; she was also well-paired with
Joined the Abbey Theater in Dublin as an ingenue at age 14 before entering films (date approximate)
1936
Tested for the screen in London at age 16 (date approximate)
Met actor Charles Laughton, who changed her name to Maureen O'Hara; later appeared opposite him in "Jamaica Inn" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (both 1939)
