![]() ![]() In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Mayo was one of the most popular female stars at Warner Bros., appearing in musicals, melodramas and westerns. In 1949, Virginia appeared in films, including, "Flaxy Martin", "Colorado Territory", "The Girl from Jones Beach", in which she co-starred with future United States President Ronald Reagan, "Always Leave Them Laughing", "White Heat" and "Red Light". She was disturbingly convincing as Dana Andrews' faithless wife in the film "The Best Years of Our Lives", 1946 and as James Cagney's sluttish gun moll in "White Heat", 1949. ![]() Also Mayo starred with dancer-actor Danny Kaye in such films as "Wonder Man", 1945, "The Kid from Brooklyn", 1946 and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", 1947. Her first starring role came in 1944 opposite comedian Bob Hope in "The Princess and the Pirate". She made her debut in the bio-drama "Jack London", 1943. In addition, Virginia had a role on Broadway in the musical "Banjo Eyes", 1941. She toured the American vaudeville circuit for three years, serving as ringmaster and comedic foil for "Pansy the Horse", as Mayo and his partner, Nonnie Morton, performed in a horse suit. Then she appeared in her brother-in-law`s vaudeville dance and comedy "Morton and Mayo". Louis Municipal Opera Theatre in 1937 and in an act with six other girls at the Hotel Jefferson. Mayo began her career as an actress and dancer at the St. The New York Times reported her death the next day.īelow are some glamorous photos of Virginia Mayo when she was young.(age 84) Saint Louis, Missouri, United States Mayo died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure at a Thousand Oaks nursing home on January 17, 2005. In later years, she developed a passion for painting and devoted much of her time to her three grandchildren Virginia Mayo’s death For several decades, the family lived in Thousand Oaks, California. Mary Catherine O’Shea was the couple’s only child. In 1947, Virginia Mayo married actor Michael O’Shea, and they were married until he died in 1973. She published a children’s book in 1993, called Don’t Forget Me, Santa Claus, through the Barrons Juveniles Publishers. She acted on stage throughout the rest of her career, usually in dinner theatre and touring productions. Lucia was in her last role in 1997’s ‘The Man Next Door. Mayo’s career began to decline in the late 1950s, and she had only five roles in the 1960s and four more in the following decade. She also performed on stage in such shows as ‘That Certain Girl (1967)’ and ‘Barefoot in the Park (1968). In addition, she guest-starred on shows such as ‘Burke’s Law’, ‘Daktari’, and ‘The Outsider’. She and her husband made a pilot for a TV series McGarry and His Mouse (1960), but it was not picked up. Mayo starred in many of the highest-grossing films of the 1950s, including ‘Backfire’, ‘The Flame and the Arrow’, ‘The West Point Story’, ‘The Iron Mistress’, ‘Pearl of the South Pacific, and many others. Critics praised her performance, and the picture became the highest-grossing film in the United States. Mayo accepted the supporting role of unpleasant gold-digger Marie Derry in William Wyler’s drama The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) for Goldwyn, defying stereotypes. The following year, she starred in the musical ‘Wonder Man (1945),’ a smash hit. Mayo’s first lead role was in The Princess and the Pirate (1944), a Goldwyn satire of pirate flicks, opposite to comedian Bob Hope. Samuel Goldwyn, a movie magnate, noticed her skills and startling beauty and signed her to an acting contract with his business. Virginia Mayo made her Broadway debut in 1941 with Eddie Cantor in Banjo Eyes. Louis Municipal Opera after graduating from high school in 1937. Virginia began taking dancing lessons at the age of six from her aunt, who ran a dance studio. She had a fascination with show business since she was a child. Louis, Missouri, on November 30, 1920, to a newspaper reporter and his wife. As Warner Brothers’ biggest box-office money-maker in the late 1940s, she appeared in a series of comedy films with Danny Kaye. She started her film career as a chorus girl and comic foil before becoming an accomplished actress. ![]()
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