Biography
Maureen Paula O'Sullivan was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, on May 17, 1911. The future mother of Mia Farrow was a schooldays classmate of Vivien Leigh at the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton in London. Even as a schoolgirl, Maureen desired an acting career; she studied hard and read widely. When the opportunity to be an actress came along, it almost dropped in her lap. The director Frank Borzage was in Dublin filming “Song o’ My Heart” (1930) when Maureen, then 18, met him. Borzage...
Known For
Complete Filmography

Tarzan Revisited
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Tarzan: the super hero who never goes out of fashion. The son of British Royalty, he is raised by apes in the African jungle and finds his true love, ...
Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie
2007
Documentary about the film Where Danger Lives (1950)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Until 1932's Grand Hotel, never had there existed an all-star ensemble cast on film. Conceived by MGM's production genius Irving Thalberg, the film bo...

Complicated Women
2003
as Self (archive footage)
Looks at the stereotype-breaking films of the period from 1929, when movies entered the sound era, until 1934 when the Hays Code virtually neutered fi...

In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross
1998
as Herself
A look at Tarzan on the big and small screen with interviews with some of those who have played him.

Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is
1994
as Eleanor Biddlecomb
When a mentor and friend of Jennifer's dies, she and Jonathan return to the sleepy town where Jennifer once lived and worked as a reporter. Nearly imm...

The Habitation of Dragons
1992
as Helen Taylor
Two brothers of totally different natures live in a small town in Texas. Since the death of their father they confront one another all the time for al...

With Murder in Mind
1992
as Aunt Mildred
A real estate agent is shot while trying to sell a rural farm and tries to bring the shooter to justice.

The River Pirates
1988
as Aunt Sue
A timeless story of a boy's adventures growing up in a small Southern town, Yazoo City, in the 1940s during World War II, roaming with his friends, pl...

Platinum Bombshell
1987
as Self
Short documentary about Jean Harlow's life and career.

Stranded
1987
as Grace Clark
A young woman and her grandmother living in an isolated farmhouse are kidnapped by aliens.

Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
A TV special on the 100th anniversary of the birth of film.

Peggy Sue Got Married
1986
as Elizabeth Alvorg
Peggy Sue faints at a high school reunion. When she wakes up she finds herself in her own past, just before she finished school.

Hannah and Her Sisters
1986
as Norma
Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her ...

Too Scared to Scream
1984
as Marian Hardwick
A killer is brutally attacking several tenants that live in a high rise apartment building in New York City.

Morning's at Seven
1982
as Esther "Esty" Crampton
In a small Midwestern town in the 1920s, four sisters' lives are turned upside down when one sister's son brings his fiancée home to meet his eccentri...

Mandy's Grandmother
1978
as Grandmother
A young tomboy and her prim grandmother quickly forget the disappointment of their first meeting and become friends.

The Great Houdinis
1976
as Lady Conan Doyle
A biography of the renowned escape artist Harry Houdini, examining his fascination with the occult and his promise to his wife on her deathbed that he...

That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical num...

It's Showtime
1976
as Self (archive footage)
A collection of film clips profiling animal actors.

The Crooked Hearts
1972
as Lillian Stanton
A charming but somewhat larcenous widow attempts to snare a rich bachelor through a lonely hearts club, but her scheme boomerangs into a deadly cat-an...

Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
A documentary about the glorious history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and its decline leading to the sale of its back lot and props. By extension th...

The Phynx
1970
as Maureen O'Sullivan
A rock band is invented by the government as a cover to find hostages in a remote castle in Albania held by communist enemies of the USA.

Never Too Late
1965
as Edith Lambert
A 60-year-old lumber supply businessman is dismayed to learn his 50-year-old wife is pregnant. A film adaptation of the hit Broadway comedy, with Paul...

Wild Heritage
1958
as Emma Breslin
Travails of a family heading West in a covered wagon.

The Edge of Innocence
1957
as Julia Williams
An unscrupulous criminal lawyer falls in love with a wealthy widow and becomes involved with her brother's disappearance and murder.

The Tall T
1957
as Doretta Mims
An independent former ranch foreman and an heiress are kidnapped by a trio of ruthless outlaws.

The Blessed Midnight
1956
as Sister Mary Benedict
When a boy steals a cake for his beloved aunt on Christmas Eve, his young friend tries to set things straight.

The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story
1955
as Mother
A lamb that had wandered off plays a significant part in the Nativity.

The Steel Cage
1954
as Gladys Duffy
Drama set in San Quentin prison.

Duffy of San Quentin
1954
as Gladys Duffy
San Quentin's new warden crusades for reform and for a framed inmate who loves a nurse.

Mission Over Korea
1953
as Nancy Slocum
A rookie pilot in the Korean War wants to avenge his brother's death.

All I Desire
1953
as Sara Harper
In 1910, a stage actress re-visits her husband and children she deserted ten years ago.

Bonzo Goes to College
1952
as Marion Gateson Drew
When Bonzo turns out to be the answer to the football teams troubles, the only solution is to enroll him into a college.

Ellis in Freedomland
1952
as The Dishwasher (voice)
Westinghouse claims its electric appliances "freed women from the drudgery of housework." The first half involves a dream salesman at work; the second...

No Resting Place
1951
as Nan Kyle
The brilliant British documentary filmmaker Paul Rotha made his feature-film debut with 1950's No Resting Place. Filmed on location in Ireland, the fi...

Where Danger Lives
1950
as Julie Dorn
A young doctor falls in love with a disturbed young woman and apparently becomes involved in the death of her husband. They head for Mexico trying to ...
Screen Actors
1950
as Self (uncredited)
This short film takes a look at the off-screen personas of screen actors. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.

The Big Clock
1948
as Georgette Stroud
Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor has to post-pone a vacation with his wife, again, when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned b...

Tarzan's New York Adventure
1942
as Jane
Circus owner Buck Rand kidnaps Boy to perform in his show. He forces a pilot to fly him, Boy and his animal trainer out of the jungle. Tarzan and Jane...

Tarzan's Secret Treasure
1941
as Jane
A scientific expedition happens to discover that gold exists on Tarzan's escarpment. The villainous Medford and Vandermeer kidnap Jane and Boy to exto...

Maisie Was a Lady
1941
as Abby Rawlston
Showgirl Maisie Ravier finds herself once again out of work. She meets a wealthy playboy who hires her to be his family's new maid. Maisie soon finds ...

Pride and Prejudice
1940
as Jane Bennet
Mrs. Bennet wishes to wed her five unmarried daughters and is overjoyed when a wealthy bachelor begins living nearby, but misunderstandings make happi...

Sporting Blood
1940
as Linda Lockwood
Myles Vanders feuds with hardnosed stable owner Davis Lockwood. Myles takes revenge by romancing and marrying Lockwood's daughter Linda. But as the bi...

Hollywood: Style Center of the World
1940
as Self
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother ...

Tarzan Finds a Son!
1939
as Jane Parker
A young couple die in a plane crash in the jungle. Their son is found by Tarzan and Jane who name him Boy and raise him as their own. Five years later...

Let Us Live
1939
as Mary Roberts
When a confused eyewitness identifies New York City cabbie Brick Tennant as a killer, he is sentenced to death for a murder that he wasn't involved in...

Spring Madness
1938
as Alexandra Benson
Harvard senior Sam Thatcher and his best friend and roommate, known as "The Lippencott", plan to go to Russia after graduation, a decision Sam has kep...

The Crowd Roars
1938
as Sheila 'Shelia' Carson
A young boxer gets caught between a no-good father and a crime boss when he starts dating the boss's daughter, although she doesn't know what daddy do...

Port of Seven Seas
1938
as Madelon
In the French port of Marseille, a young woman named Madelon is in love with a young sailor, Marius. Discovering she is pregnant after Marius sets out...

Hold That Kiss
1938
as June Evans
Two young people meet at a wedding and begin dating, each thinking the other is extremely wealthy. Comedy.

A Yank at Oxford
1938
as Molly Beaumont
A brash young American aristocrat attending Oxford University gets a chance to prove himself and win the heart of his antagonist's sister.

My Dear Miss Aldrich
1937
as Martha Aldrich
A young woman inherits a newspaper whose editor refuses to hire lady reporters.

The Romance of Celluloid
1937
as Self
Several behind the scenes aspects of the movie-making business, which results in the enjoyment the movie going public has in going to the theater, are...

Between Two Women
1937
as Claire Donahue
Allen Meighan, an intern, assures himself residency at 'General Hospital', when he saves the life of a man trapped in an explosion. Allen is in love w...

The Emperor's Candlesticks
1937
as Maria Orlich
Spies on opposite sides fall in love in pre-revolutionary Russia.

A Day at the Races
1937
as Judy Standish
Doctor Hugo Hackenbush, Tony, and Stuffy try and save Judy's farm by winning a big race with her horse. There are a few problems. Hackenbush runs a hi...

Tarzan Escapes
1936
as Jane
White hunter Captain Fry tries to take Tarzan back to civilization, caged for public display. He arrives in the jungle with Jane's cousins, Eric and R...

The Devil-Doll
1936
as Lorraine Lavond
Wrongfully convicted of a robbery and murder, Paul Lavond breaks out of prison with a genius scientist who has devised a way to shrink humans. When th...

Hollywood - The Second Step
1936
as Herself
This short follows the early career of actress Jane Barnes. She starts by doing extra work. After several months she is offered a studio contract (the...

The Voice of Bugle Ann
1936
as Camden Terry
A Missouri farmer's (Lionel Barrymore) son (Eric Linden) loves the daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) of a neighbor who has killed the farmer's foxhound.

The Bishop Misbehaves
1935
as Hester Grantham
On a walking tour of English cathedrals, Donald Meadows meets Hester Granthem in church. Hearing he is from that hot-bed of crime, Chicago, Hester ask...

Anna Karenina
1935
as Kitty
In 19th century Russia a woman in a respectable marriage to a senior statesman must grapple with her love for a dashing soldier.

Woman Wanted
1935
as Ann
Just after a jury finds Ann Grey guilty of murder, the car carrying her to prison crashes into another car. Ann escapes and ends up in lawyer Tony Bax...

The Flame Within
1935
as Linda Belton
Psychiatrist finds herself falling for her patient.

Cardinal Richelieu
1935
as Lenore
The cunning Cardinal Richelieu must save King Louis XIII from treachery within his inner circle.

West Point of the Air
1935
as 'Skip' Carter
An army sergeant inspires his son to become an ace flyer.

David Copperfield
1935
as Dora Spenlow
A young man journeys from a difficult childhood to maturity, exploring social injustice, personal development, and the complexities of human relations...

The Barretts of Wimpole Street
1934
as Henrietta Barrett
Remarkable poet Elizabeth Barrett is slowly recovering from a crippling illness with the help of her siblings, especially her youngest sister, Henriet...

Hide-Out
1934
as Pauline Miller
Wounded criminal Lucky Wilson takes refuge in a small Connecticut farm. He falls in love with the farmer's daughter who at first is unaware of his cr...

The Thin Man
1934
as Dorothy Wynant
A husband and wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.

Tarzan and His Mate
1934
as Jane Parker
Harry Holt returns to Africa with his friend Martin Arlington to head up a large ivory expedition.

Screen Snapshots No. 11
1934
as Herself
Long before the release of the cult film Dracula vs. Frankenstein, the original stars of Dracula and Frankenstein met face to face--for a game of ches...

Stage Mother
1933
as Shirley Lorraine
Kitty Lorraine has one purpose in life: turning her daughter Shirley into a star. Kitty controls every aspect of the girl's nascent career -- even bla...

Tugboat Annie
1933
as Patricia 'Pat' Severn
Tugboat, the Narcissus, is owned and captained by Annie Brennan, and among her crew are her alcoholic but good-natured husband, Terry, and her conscie...

The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble
1933
as Molly Kelly
Kelly's daughter falls for a revenue agent, and his divorced wife is after alimony.

Strange Interlude
1932
as Madeline Arnold
After Nina Leeds finds out that insanity runs in her husband's family, she has a love child with a handsome doctor and lets her husband believes the c...

Robbers' Roost
1932
as Helen Herrick
Running from the law, Jim Hall joins Hays’ gang. Hays is foreman on the Herrick ranch and plans to rustle Herrick’s cattle. Attracted to Herrick’s sis...

Payment Deferred
1932
as Winnie Marble
Bank clerk William Marble is desperate for money to pay his family's bills. When his wealthy nephew visits, Marble asks him for a loan, but the young ...

Okay, America!
1932
as Sheila Barton
A gossip columnist's rise to fame. Based closely on the real life of Walter Winchell.

Skyscraper Souls
1932
as Lynn Harding
After bank president David Dwight makes a vast loan to himself to build a remarkable skyscraper, his board questions the propriety of the loan. Despit...

Fast Companions
1932
as Sally
A crooked jockey tries to reform.

The Silver Lining
1932
as Joyce Moore
A women in prison tale. One's rich, one's poor. Can they prosper after prison?

Tarzan the Ape Man
1932
as Jane Parker
James Parker and Harry Holt are on an expedition in Africa in search of the elephant burial grounds that will provide enough ivory to make them rich. ...

The Big Shot
1931
as Doris Thompson
A young man runs into trouble when he buys an auto court, only to find out that its located next to a swamp that drives away all potential customers.

Skyline
1931
as Katherine Kearny
Skyline is a 1931 drama film directed by Sam Taylor and starring silent film veteran Thomas Meighan. It is based on a novel, East Side, West Side by F...

A Connecticut Yankee
1931
as Alisande / Woman in Mansion
Making a delivery to a mysterious mansion in a rainstorm, radio salesman Hank Martin is knocked out when a suit of armor topples on him. Upon awakenin...

The Princess and the Plumber
1930
as Princess Louise
A derogated prince hopes to restore his wealth and power by marrying off his daughter to royalty. Unfortunately, she has fallen in love with a young m...

Just Imagine
1930
as LN-18
New York, 1980: airplanes have replaced cars, numbers have replaced names, pills have replaced food, government-arranged marriages have replaced love,...

So This Is London
1930
as Elinor Worthing
Hiram Draper is an all-American self-made man with a profound distaste for everything British. Yet he must travel to London with his family. When Juni...

Song o' My Heart
1930
as Eileen
Broken hearts in Ireland. Sean is a great tenor, in semi-retirement, living in a village close to Mary, the woman he’s always loved. Mary’s aunt convi...