Virginia Mayo

3/5

Biography

Photographer

  • Primary profession
  • Actress·soundtrack
  • Country
  • United States
  • Nationality
  • American
  • Gender
  • Female
  • Birth date
  • 30 November 1920
  • Place of birth
  • St. Louis
  • Death date
  • 2005-01-17
  • Death age
  • 85
  • Place of death
  • Thousand Oaks· California
  • Cause of death
  • Natural causes
  • Spouses
  • Michael O'Shea
  • Member of
  • Republican Party

Movies

Books

Trivia

Her vocals were always dubbed: by Louanne Hogan in The Princess and the Pirate , by Betty Russell in The Kid from Brooklyn , by Jeri Sullavan in A Song Is Born and by Bonnie Lou Williams in her six singing roles at WB from 1949-57.

Was slightly cross-eyed and had to be carefully photographed.

Early on, using her real name of Virginia Jones, she played a straight woman in vaudeville for four years to a performing horse act. The "horse" was comprised of two men known as the Mayo Brothers; hence her stage name.

One daughter with Michael OShea - Catherine Mary (b. 1953)

In Italy, most of her films were dubbed by Dhia Cristiani although at the beginning of her career Rosetta Calavetta , Lydia Simoneschi and Rina Morelli also occasionally lent their voice to her.

Was Paul Newman s first on-screen leading lady, in the Biblical Epic The Silver Chalice .

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 360-361. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.

Was a lifelong staunch supporter of the Republican party.

In 1963 and 1964 she joined fellow actresses Joan Caulfield , Ruth Hussey , Yvonne De Carlo , Marie Windsor , Laraine Day , and Maidie Norman , in making appearances on behalf of U.S. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater , the Republican nominee for President in the campaign against U.S. President Lyndon Johnson.

Mayo was once termed "the most beautiful blonde in the world" and her beauty so impressed the Sultan of Morocco than seeing her was "tangible proof of the existence of God.".

Auditioned for the part of "Lisa Douglas" in "Green Acres" but lost out to Eva Gabor.

Stepmother of Edward & Barbara OShea.

Mayos favorite of her own movies was Shes Working Her Way Through College (1952) . Although her vocals were always dubbed, she enjoyed doing musical pictures because she got to dance.

Quotes

Making films outdoors is far more difficult than making them inside. You,always have to worry about the weather and something interfering with,the sound.

He loved to tell jokes, and his riding was like watching a symphony. He,rode so beautifully.

I did a movie in early 1990. It was a horror film,[Evil Spirits (1990) ] - and it probably will be horrible.

I always wanted to be in show business, even as a little girl. It was,something that was ingrained in me. My aunt had a dramatic school and I,started training when I was about seven. She taught me many things,including dancing. I danced with the St. Louis Opera when I was in my,teens.

Comments