As I struggle manfully to get woken up, shaken down and out of the house to go back to the office after a hectic week off - the (cough, cough) "wedding of the year" in Plymouth Wednesday, a flying visit to the boys in Essex on the weekend - I still find time to raise a glass of
poitin to a real Hollywood survivor; Miss Maureen O'Hara,
95 years old today.
A woman who crossed swords with movie moguls (Walt Disney called her
"that bitch"), and traded kisses - and punches - with such superstars as John Wayne (who said:
"She's a great guy. I've had many friends, and I prefer the company of men. Except for Maureen O'Hara.") and Tyrone Power, Miss O'Hara remains probably the most successful of exports from The Emerald Isle this side of Guinness.
Asked about her career, she recently said:
"I've always been a tough Irish lass. I proved there was a bloody good actress in me. It wasn't just my face. I gave bloody good performances."
And you can't say fairer than that!
On this Tacky Music Monday, however, it's not her acting but her singing to which we turn - and, to cheer us all up, here she is (in an unfortunately out-of-sync recording) on an old episode of Andy Williams' TV show (to be sure):
Maureen O'Hara (born Maureen FitzSimons, 17th August 1920)
