faqpage

Frequently Asked Questions
and Special Requests

Those of you who are seeking biographical information please visit my website at http://www.users.qwest.net/~aknot/filmbio.htm know basic information on Maureen.

Information that I do not explore or perpetuate is what I consider "personal," or just plain gossip. I have been very fortunate to be able to consult with Maureen on various occasions about her career and films. After 9 years of research and reading literally volumes of material, I have learned that one of Henry Fonda's lines in "Spencer's Mountain's is quite true..."Just cuz it's writ down..don't make it so." At least half of the information I gathered was simply totally untrue or statements taken out of context or misinterpreted. So with that thought in mind, I will continue with questions that have been presented to me frequently. This is just the beginning. I'll try to add a few new questions and answers every week.

Trivia of the week: Ever wonder how "Mary Kate" Danaher's character in "The Quiet Man" got her name? It was actually fairly logical. The "Mary" is for John Ford's wife, and the "Kate" is the name that Maureen's father wanted to name Maureen when she was born - Not "Katherine" but just plain "Kate." In real life it turned out to be Maureen, but on the big screen Maureen's father finally saw his "Kate" even if it was a middle name.

Question                          Answer

Does Maureen Smoke?
No - She has never smoked cigarettes. The studios tried to keep their stars in the public eye as much as possible, so many of these endorsements were arranged by the PR people. Remember that smoking for both genders was the norm back then and little was known or explored about the impact it would have on our health.

Did Maureen do all of her own stunts? Maureen did most of her own stunts because she was extremely athletic. The only stunts she did not do were those that would greatly endanger her safety. It would not have been logical for the studio to allow their star to risk physical harm - she wouldn't be able to complete the film.   However, it is safe to say that Maureen did many more of her own stunts that most actresses of any era.

Did Maureen do her own stunt riding? Maureen did ride horses, which is obvious in her movies. However, it is her sister Margot who was the horsewoman of the family. In movies like "Flame of Araby" & "Tripoli" riding horses was an integrel part of the story. The westerns, of course, were in a setting and era where horses were the mode of transportation. Lucille House, Maureen's horseback riding double, has been a close friend for many years.

Does Maureen play piano? No - not unlike myself, Maureen can indeed read music and finger the right hand treble notes on the piano but she cannot play the piano in a manner that would be considered proficient in this skill, nor did she play piano in any film. Her gift in music was her marvelous soprano singing voice. Her mother, Marguerite was a renown contralto in Ireland and her older sister Peggy was a soprano who even in her teens was awarded a scholarship to LaScala.Peggy chose instead the religious life of a Sister of Charity nun. Maureen was surrounded by music from her very beginning.

How many brothers and sisters and children does Maureen have? Maureen has one daughter, Bronwyn who was born in 1944. She has a grandson, Connor (Beau). Maureen is one of 6 children. Her older sister, Peggy is a Sister of Charity nun in Los Angeles, and a sister Margot, lives in the east. Unfortunately James, Charles, and Florrie are now deceased.

Where was Maureen born? See Detailed Information below

A question often posed to Maureen.
"What was it like to kiss John Wayne?"
Maureen explained that a kiss in front of a movie camera is a carefully choreographed maneuver and there was more concern about head angles and effective posturing. Also the fact that the actors are surrounded by camera crew, director, and a sundry of other staff, hardly makes a movie kiss a thing of passion. But the key word here is "acting." That's what they are trained and paid to do. If Duke and Maureen convinced their audience that there was great passion in that embrace then all the more credit to their acting ability and statures that ignited that special chemistry they projected. Also credit the supporting players - the photographer and other film staff members who worked together to make the scene effective and where Duke and Maureen were concerned in "The Quiet Man" - one of the most sensual love scenes in film history.

Where can I purchase a Maureen O'Hara Collection "Annie Moore Doll?"

On March 24, 1994, Maureen was on H.S.N. cable TV to market a line of products called "Maureen O'Hara Irish Collection." One of the most popular items was a gorgeous doll, patterned after a real life historial figure, Annie Moore, documented to be the first woman Irish immigrant to be processed through Ellis Island. Unfortunately the supply was limited and quickly sold out.
Another popular item was her perfume which she called "Whisper." I was able to order a bottle while the supply lasted. It's lovely. The name is inspired by the lines John Ford gave to Maureen to 'whisper' in John Wayne's ear. A pact was made between Duke, Maureen and Ford that those words would remain forever a secret. Although some people claim to know what those words were, Maureen assures me that they just "think" they know. In fact Ford and Duke probably had great fun making up lines to feed to people who had the desire to know. It offer a great chance for some very graphic one-liners.

How can I get an autographed photo of Maureen O'Hara? If this were the 1940's, '50's or 60's you would simply write to Fox or Universal Studios and a photo would magically appear in your mail box, however, those days are gone forever. Maureen is essentially retired from movies and on August 17, 2001, celebrated her 81st birthday. Because she is still so absolutely beautiful and then seeing her in her old movies, we get the idea that she is still 30. If she were 30 and still under contract of a studio, she'd have a secretary to coordinate her affairs. That is not the case anymore. Unfortunately it is utterly impossible for her to respond to her still heavy volume of mail. So if you have sent her numerous letters and never received a response; don't take it personally. She absolutely delights in reading the postings and e-mails I send her and sincerely regrets she cannot answer them all. She has shared her talent in a body of work that many generations can enjoy for years to come - and even if an autographed picture of Maureen does not yet grace your wall, she has personally given you quite a legacy.

Who was Maureen's favorite leading man?
Duke Wayne, of course was more than a leading man, but a close personal friend.

Brian Keith was another favorite

along with
Jimmy Stewart
But Maureen also enjoyed working with Errol Flynn Anthony Quinn, Henry Fonda, and Tyrone Power, et. al.
Maureen had some incredible leading men and took great pride in the fact that she got along well with them. Many "requested" her specifically as their leading lady in subsequent films. That is indeed quite a compliment.

I

Maureen FitzSimons was NOT born in "Millwall" Ireland as is frequently reported. She was actually born in Ranelagh, a suburb of Dublin, on August 17, 1920.

Note: She was baptized "Maureen FitzSimons" - she has no middle name. Maureen's father wanted just plain "Kate" and Mrs. FitzSimons said she might consider "Katherine" - but not "Kate". The plot began to thicken and a battle royal began when Maureen's Godmother "Alice Maude" got in on it. Apparently even though Alice Maude felt it was indeed proper to name the baby after her, she concluded that she wouldn't curse any child with that name (she considered "Alice Maude" horrible). The dilemma over what to name the new baby girl continued. Next they sought the opinion of a local priest, Father Keane. The good father suggested that since the baby was was born on the 17th of August, it would be appropriate to name her "Mary" for the Virgin Mary. Mrs. FitzSimons, said "absolutely not! She was definitely not agreeable to the name "Mary."   Father Keane then suggested "Maraay" (which is one of the Gaelic words for Mary) and she said, "Awe I'd never get my tongue around that." Father Keane finally suggested "Maureen." Hearing that name Mrs. FitzSimons said, "Fine take her! Christen her!" So Maureen was taken across the street to the church and baptized "Maureen." Maureen said her mother didn't know for many, many years that she had in actuality named her "Mary." "Maureen" is "small Mary."

For highlights from our online chat with Maureen on May 22, 1999
please visit our "Chatlighlights" page
Updated: 11-2-09

Question	Answer
Does Maureen Smoke?	No - She has never smoked cigarettes. The studios tried to keep their stars in the public eye as much as possible, so many of these endorsements were arranged by the PR people. Remember that smoking for both genders was the norm back then and little was known or explored about the impact it would have on our health.
Did Maureen do all of her own stunts?	Maureen did most of her own stunts because she was extremely athletic. The only stunts she did not do were those that would greatly endanger her safety. It would not have been logical for the studio to allow their star to risk physical harm - she wouldn't be able to complete the film. However, it is safe to say that Maureen did many more of her own stunts that most actresses of any era.
Did Maureen do her own stunt riding?	Maureen did ride horses, which is obvious in her movies. However, it is her sister Margot who was the horsewoman of the family. In movies like "Flame of Araby" & "Tripoli" riding horses was an integrel part of the story. The westerns, of course, were in a setting and era where horses were the mode of transportation. Lucille House, Maureen's horseback riding double, has been a close friend for many years.
Does Maureen play piano?	No - not unlike myself, Maureen can indeed read music and finger the right hand treble notes on the piano but she cannot play the piano in a manner that would be considered proficient in this skill, nor did she play piano in any film. Her gift in music was her marvelous soprano singing voice. Her mother, Marguerite was a renown contralto in Ireland and her older sister Peggy was a soprano who even in her teens was awarded a scholarship to LaScala.Peggy chose instead the religious life of a Sister of Charity nun. Maureen was surrounded by music from her very beginning.
How many brothers and sisters and children does Maureen have?	Maureen has one daughter, Bronwyn who was born in 1944. She has a grandson, Connor (Beau). Maureen is one of 6 children. Her older sister, Peggy is a Sister of Charity nun in Los Angeles, and a sister Margot, lives in the east. Unfortunately James, Charles, and Florrie are now deceased.

Where was Maureen born?	See Detailed Information below
A question often posed to Maureen. "What was it like to kiss John Wayne?"	Maureen explained that a kiss in front of a movie camera is a carefully choreographed maneuver and there was more concern about head angles and effective posturing. Also the fact that the actors are surrounded by camera crew, director, and a sundry of other staff, hardly makes a movie kiss a thing of passion. But the key word here is "acting." That's what they are trained and paid to do. If Duke and Maureen convinced their audience that there was great passion in that embrace then all the more credit to their acting ability and statures that ignited that special chemistry they projected. Also credit the supporting players - the photographer and other film staff members who worked together to make the scene effective and where Duke and Maureen were concerned in "The Quiet Man" - one of the most sensual love scenes in film history.
Where can I purchase a Maureen O'Hara Collection "Annie Moore Doll?"	On March 24, 1994, Maureen was on H.S.N. cable TV to market a line of products called "Maureen O'Hara Irish Collection." One of the most popular items was a gorgeous doll, patterned after a real life historial figure, Annie Moore, documented to be the first woman Irish immigrant to be processed through Ellis Island. Unfortunately the supply was limited and quickly sold out. Another popular item was her perfume which she called "Whisper." I was able to order a bottle while the supply lasted. It's lovely. The name is inspired by the lines John Ford gave to Maureen to 'whisper' in John Wayne's ear. A pact was made between Duke, Maureen and Ford that those words would remain forever a secret. Although some people claim to know what those words were, Maureen assures me that they just "think" they know. In fact Ford and Duke probably had great fun making up lines to feed to people who had the desire to know. It offer a great chance for some very graphic one-liners.
How can I get an autographed photo of Maureen O'Hara?	If this were the 1940's, '50's or 60's you would simply write to Fox or Universal Studios and a photo would magically appear in your mail box, however, those days are gone forever. Maureen is essentially retired from movies and on August 17, 2001, celebrated her 81st birthday. Because she is still so absolutely beautiful and then seeing her in her old movies, we get the idea that she is still 30. If she were 30 and still under contract of a studio, she'd have a secretary to coordinate her affairs. That is not the case anymore. Unfortunately it is utterly impossible for her to respond to her still heavy volume of mail. So if you have sent her numerous letters and never received a response; don't take it personally. She absolutely delights in reading the postings and e-mails I send her and sincerely regrets she cannot answer them all. She has shared her talent in a body of work that many generations can enjoy for years to come - and even if an autographed picture of Maureen does not yet grace your wall, she has personally given you quite a legacy.
Who was Maureen's favorite leading man? Duke Wayne, of course was more than a leading man, but a close personal friend.	Brian Keith was another favorite along with Jimmy Stewart But Maureen also enjoyed working with Errol Flynn Anthony Quinn, Henry Fonda, and Tyrone Power, et. al. Maureen had some incredible leading men and took great pride in the fact that she got along well with them. Many "requested" her specifically as their leading lady in subsequent films. That is indeed quite a compliment.
I