Let’s take a moment to celebrate a true Hollywood legend, Maureen O’Hara. With her dazzling auburn hair and emerald green eyes, she was often referred to as the “Queen of Technicolor.” But there was so much more to this Ireland-born actress than her striking looks. Maureen, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday on August 17, wasn’t just a pretty face; she was a force of nature. She played strong-willed women who weren’t afraid to stand up for themselves, and she lived her life the same way. “She had to be tough to survive what life threw at her,” says Aubrey Malone, the author of the newly updated Maureen O’Hara: The Biography. And boy, did life throw some curveballs her way.
When Maureen burst onto the scene in 1939, she wasn’t your typical Hollywood starlet. Standing tall at 5-foot-8, she wasn’t afraid to dive headfirst into adventurous roles. Her athletic background made her a natural fit for swashbuckling adventures. “I acted, punched, swashbuckled, and shot my way through an absurdly masculine profession,” Maureen once said. And if anyone doubted her grit, John Wayne, her frequent on-screen partner, had this to say: “I prefer the company of men, except for Maureen O’Hara. She is a great guy.” Their chemistry was electric, and their partnership remains one of Hollywood’s most iconic duos.
Behind the Scenes: A Life Full of Adventure
Maureen wasn’t just a powerhouse on-screen; she carried that same energy into her personal life. After two marriages that didn’t work out, she found love again in 1968 with Gen. Charles F. Blair Jr., an Air Force aviator. Together, they moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where they ran an airboat company and a tourist magazine. It was a new chapter filled with excitement and new experiences, but life had other plans. Tragedy struck in 1978 when Charles was killed in an aviation accident. “I didn’t have time to sit in a corner and cry,” Maureen later said. “I was left with an airline to run.” And that’s exactly what she did—she rolled up her sleeves and kept moving forward.
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Even after such a devastating loss, Maureen didn’t let it define her. She returned to acting and kept working until she was 80 years old. She passed away in 2015 at her home in Boise, Idaho, leaving behind a legacy of strength and resilience. Looking back on her life, she once said, “I would love to have sung just one opera, but I wouldn’t change my life.” And honestly, who could blame her? She lived a life that was as colorful and adventurous as the characters she portrayed on-screen.
—Louise A. Barile, with reporting by Lexi Ciccone
