Maureen O’Hara, the legendary screen actress known for roles in Miracle on 34th Street and How Green Was My Valley, has died in her sleep. She was 95 years old.
The Associated Press reports that Johnny Nicoletti, her longtime manager, confirmed her passing.
“She passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family as they celebrated her life listening to music from her favorite movie, The Quiet Man,” a statement from Maureen O’Hara’s family reads.
We mourn the passing of Maureen O'Hara, star of 'Miracle on 34th Street', who made generations of us believe. pic.twitter.com/Wq3gMTBhpv
— 20th Century Fox (@20thcenturyfox) October 24, 2015
Maureen O’Hara’s Hollywood career began back in 1939, when she arrived there to star in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She was often referred to as the Queen of Technicolor, as cameras loved the combination of her fiery red hair and pale complexion.
#RIP, Maureen O'Hara. Revisit our review of #MiracleOn34thStreet https://t.co/bumODKJ76A pic.twitter.com/WvEqoO1WCG
— Variety (@Variety) October 24, 2015
“As an actress, Maureen O’Hara brought unyielding strength and sudden sensitivity to every role she played. Her characters were feisty and fearless, just as she was in real life. She was also proudly Irish and spent her entire lifetime sharing her heritage and the wonderful culture of the Emerald Isle with the world,” a family biography reads.
During her heyday, Maureen O’Hara starred opposite the legendary John Wayne in several films. Wayne once remarked that he preferred starring with men, “except for Maureen O’Hara; she’s a great guy.”
Maureen O'Hara, the "Miracle on 34th Street" star and "Queen of Technicolor," has died at 95 https://t.co/5ekFuNVVwy pic.twitter.com/s4dqvOHU0l
— People magazine (@people) October 24, 2015
“I adored him, and he loved me. But we were never sweethearts. Never, ever,” O’Hara said of John Wayne back in 1991.
Maureen O’Hara, 'The Queen of Technicolor,' Dies at 95 https://t.co/QB3VxgHZ4m pic.twitter.com/TZP3wjHHl1
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 24, 2015
Hollywood has long another of its great screen legends with the passing of Maureen O’Hara. She lived a good, long life, however, and while survivors are no doubt sad she’s gone, they must revel in her achievements and her longevity.