peoplepill id: dorothy-mcguire
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The basics

Quick Facts

Intro
Actress
Gender
Female
Place of birth
Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, USA
Place of death
Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Age
85 years
Awards
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
 
Dorothy McGuire
The details (from wikipedia)

Biography

Dorothy Hackett McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was an American actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Gentleman's Agreement (1947) and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress for Friendly Persuasion (1956).

Life and career

Early years

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, McGuire was the only child of Thomas Johnson McGuire and Isabelle Flaherty McGuire. She made her stage debut at the age of 13 at the local community playhouse in Barrie's A Kiss for Cinderella. Her co-star was Henry Fonda, who was also born in Nebraska and was making a return visit to his home town after becoming a success on Broadway.

After her father's death, McGuire attended a convent school in Indianapolis, Indiana. She later attended Pine Manor Junior College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, serving as president of that school's drama club. She graduated from Pine Manor when she was 19.

Theatre

McGuire appeared in summer stock at Deertrees, Maine, in 1937 before going to New York.

She acted on radio, playing Sue in the serial Big Sister (1937) and took part in an experimental television broadcast, The Mysterious Mummy Case (1938). She was hired by producer Jed Harris to understudy the ingenue in a Broadway play, Stop Over (1938), which ran only 23 performances. McGuire was an understudy to Martha Scott in Our Town in 1938, eventually taking over Scott's role.

She toured in My Dear Children opposite John Barrymore, and in 1939, was in a revue with Benny Goodman, Swingin' the Dream. She had a role in the short-lived Medicine Show (1940), and a part in the longer-running revival of Kind Lady (1940).

McGuire gained attention on Broadway when cast in the title role of the domestic comedy Claudia.[2] It ran for 722 performances from 1941 to 1943. Brooks Atkinson wrote: "She gives a splendid performance of a part that would be irritating if it were played by a dull actress. She is personally genuine; the charm she radiates across the play is not merely theatrical mannerism."

Film

Brought to Hollywood by producer David O. Selznick (who called her "a born actress") on the strength of her stage performance, McGuire starred in her first film, Claudia (1943), a movie adaptation of her Broadway success, portraying a child bride who almost destroys her marriage through her selfishness. Selznick developed the project, then sold it to 20th Century Fox; under this deal, Selznick would share McGuire's contract with Fox.

McGuire's co-star in Claudia was Robert Young, and RKO reunited them in The Enchanted Cottage (1945), which was a box-office success.

At age 28, she played the mother in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1945), replacing Gene Tierney, who had become pregnant. Under the direction of Elia Kazan at 20th Century Fox, the film was a big success. So, too, was The Spiral Staircase (1946) in which McGuire played the lead role, a mute. It was originally prepared by Selznick, who envisioned Ingrid Bergman in the lead; Selznick sold the project to RKO along with the services for his producer Dore Schary.

McGuire and Young made a third film together, Claudia and David (1946), a sequel to Claudia, which was less well received. Schary and RKO put her in Till the End of Time (also 1946), a hit with audiences. She later said: "I fought the hardest for this role and it was my least successful. I went right back to playing nice girls and faithful wives. "

She was offered the lead in Anna and the King of Siam (1946), but turned it down to go travelling with her family.

McGuire was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Gentleman's Agreement (1947) directed by Kazan for Fox. The film was a surprise hit.

Following this film, McGuire, co-star Gregory Peck, and some other actors helped form the La Jolla Playhouse. She appeared in productions of The Importance of Being Earnest, I Am a Camera, The Winslow Boy, and Tonight at 8:30, then went to live in Italy for a year.

Selznick announced a variety of films to star McGuire that were not made, including Dark Medallion, A Doll's House Wings of the Dove and Sands of Time.

Radio

McGuire was a member of the cast of Big Sister (playing Sue Evans), and Joyce Jordan, M.D.. She also appeared in This Is My Best (Miracle in the Rain), Screen Directors Playhouse (The Spiral Staircase) and in Theatre Guild on the Air (Hamlet A Doll's House, Our Town).

Later films

McGuire spent some time away from screens before returning in two movies for Fox, Mother Didn't Tell Me (1950) and Mister 880 (1950). Neither was particularly popular.

She made her TV debut in Robert Montgomery Presents, an adaptation of Dark Victory, with McGuire playing the Bette Davis role. Schary had become head of production at MGM, where McGuire appeared in Callaway Went Thataway (1951), which lost money. She did I Want You (1951) for Sam Goldwyn, then returned to Broadway for Legend of Lovers (1951–52), but it only had a short run.

McGuire made Invitation (1952) at MGM, which flopped, and Make Haste to Live (1954) at Republic. She had a huge hit with Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) at Fox and appeared in episodes of The United States Steel Hour, Lux Video Theatre, The Best of Broadway(an adaptation of The Philadelphia Story, as Tracey Lord), and Climax!.

At MGM, she was in Trial (1955), playing Glenn Ford's love interest. The movie was a hit.

Mother roles

McGuire was cast as Gary Cooper's wife in Friendly Persuasion (1956), directed by William Wyler. The success of this performance led her to being cast in a series of "mother" roles, continuing with Old Yeller (1957) at Disney.

McGuire returned to Broadway in Winesburg, Ohio (1958), which had a short run, then she played a wife and mother in The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959) at Fox.

She played the matriarch in some melodramas: This Earth Is Mine (1959) with Jean Simmons at Universal; A Summer Place (1959) for Delmer Daves with Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue at Warner Bros., a big success; and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960).

She returned to Disney with Swiss Family Robinson (1960), one of the most popular films of the year. She made a second film with Daves and Donahue, Susan Slade (1961), playing a mother who passed off her daughter's illegitimate child as her own. She was a mother in Disney's Summer Magic (1963).

McGuire played the Virgin Mary in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). She was off screen for a number of years before returning in a British family film, Flight of the Doves (1971).

Television

McGuire appeared in some TV movies, She Waits (1972) and a PBS adaptation of Another Part of the Forest (1972). She provided voice work for Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973), and made one final appearance on Broadway in a revival of The Night of the Iguana (1976–77) alongside Richard Chamberlain.

Most of McGuire's later career work was for the small screen: The Runaways (1975), Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), the pilot for Little Women (1976), The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979), Ghost Dancing (1983), Amos (1985), Between the Darkness and the Dawn (1985), American Geisha (1986), Caroline? (1990), and The Last Best Year (1990).

She was also in episodes of Fantasy Island, Hotel, The Love Boat, Glitter, St Elsewhere, and Highway to Heaven. She provided the narration for Summer Heat (1987), and toured in 1987 in I Never Sang for My Father.

In 1982, she said, "I love my career, but I never felt much about it--about how to nurture it...It's been very erratic, after all ... To this day, I don't know what shapes a Hollywood career ... I was never a classic beauty. I had no image, so I found myself in a lot of things accidentally."

Personal life and death

Married to Life magazine photographer John Swope for more than 35 years, she had a son, photographer Mark Swope, and a daughter, actress Topo Swope.

McGuire died of cardiac arrest on September 13, 2001, following a brief illness, at the age of 85.

Recognition

For her contribution to the motion-picture industry, Dorothy McGuire has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1943ClaudiaClaudia Naughton
1944Reward UnlimitedPeggy AdamsShort film for the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps
1945The Enchanted CottageLaura Pennington
1945A Tree Grows in BrooklynKatie Nolan
1946The Spiral StaircaseHelen Capel
1946Claudia and DavidClaudia Naughton
1946Till the End of TimePat Ruscomb
1947Gentleman's AgreementKathy LacyNominated–Academy Award for Best Actress
Nominated–New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
1950Mother Didn't Tell MeJane Morgan
1950Mister 880Ann Winslow
1951Callaway Went ThatawayDeborah Patterson
1951I Want YouNancy Greer
1952InvitationEllen Bowker Pierce
1954Make Haste to LiveCrystal Benson
1954Three Coins in the FountainMiss Frances
1955TrialAbbe Nyle
1956Friendly PersuasionEliza BirdwellNational Board of Review Award for Best Actress
1957Old YellerKatie Coates
1959The Remarkable Mr. PennypackerMrs. Emily 'Ma' Pennypacker
1959This Earth Is MineMartha Fairon
1959A Summer PlaceSylvia Hunter
1960The Dark at the Top of the StairsCora Flood
1960Swiss Family RobinsonMother Robinson
1961Susan SladeLeah Slade
1963Summer MagicMargaret Carey
1965The Greatest Story Ever ToldThe Virgin Mary
1971Flight of the DovesGranny O'Flaherty
1972She WaitsSarah WilsonTV movie
1972Another Part of the ForestLavinia HubbardTV movie
1973Jonathan Livingston SeagullMotherVoice
1975The RunawaysAngela LakeyTV movie
1978Little WomenMarmee March7 episodes
1979The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg LaurelEffie WebbTV movie
1983Ghost DancingSarah BowmanTV movie
1985AmosHester FarrellTV movie
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
1985Between the Darkness and the DawnBeryl FosterTV movie
1986American GeishaAnn SuzukiTV movie
1987Summer HeatNarratorVoice
1990Caroline?Flora AtkinsHallmark Hall of Fame TV movie
1990The Last Best YearAnneTV movie (final film role)

Complete TV credits

YearTitleRoleEpisode
1951Robert Montgomery PresentsJudith Traherne"Dark Victory"
1954The United States Steel HourTina"A Garden in the Sea"
1954Lux Video TheatreJody Norris"To Each His Own"
1954The Best of BroadwayTracy Lord"The Philadelphia Story"
1954Climax!Janet Spence"The Gioconda Smile"
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Single Performance
1954What's My LineHerself (Celebrity Mystery Guest)
1956Climax!Miranda"Pale Horse, Pale Rider"
1964The Red Skelton HourGuest Vocalist"A Man and His Money Are Soon Parted"
1976Rich Man, Poor ManMary Jordache7 episodes
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1982The Love BoatHanna Hamilton"Thanksgiving Cruise: The Best of Friends/Too Many Dads/Love Will Find a Way"
1983Fantasy IslandJoan Mallory"Three's a Crowd/Second Time Around"
1984The Love BoatSarah Webster"Aerobic April/The Wager/Story of the Century"
1984The Young and the RestlessCora Miller
1985HotelMrs. Christopher"Skeletons"
1985GlitterThe Matriarch"The Matriarch"
1986St. ElsewhereAugusta Endicott3 episodes
1986Highway to HeavenJane Thompson"Keep Smiling"
1988Highway to HeavenJane Thompson"We Have Forever: Part 1"
"We Have Forever: Part 2"
1988American PlayhouseMargaret Garrison"I Never Sang for My Father"

Radio appearances

YearProgramEpisode/source
1945Lux Radio TheaterI'll Be Seeing You
1947Radio Reader's DigestSweet Rosie O'Grady
1953Lux Summer TheatreThe Fall of Maggie Phillips
The contents of this page are sourced from Wikipedia article. The contents are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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