Maureen O'Sullivan

Hollywood's Jane was born in Boyle (Maureen O'Sullivan, 1911 - 1998): What famous Hollywood Film Star was born in Boyle? This question, in a Boyle pub quiz, in the early eighties, received a puzzled reaction. My memory seems to suggest that it was not answered. Such was the veil that time had drawn over the name of Maureen O'Sullivan. Yet in the 1930s' this beautiful woman, born in Boyle in 1911, was a major Hollywood star and will always have a place in the history of film.

While Maureen O'Sullivan starred in many different and highly regarded films, such as 'David Copperfield' with W.C. Fields, she will be forever associated with the portrayal of the original, iconic, Jane, in the first series of Tarzan films. In these she co-starred with the great American Olympic swimmer, turned actor, Johnny Weissmuller.

Miss O'Sullivan was born in what is now Sheerin's shop in Main Street, Boyle. Her father, of Cork background, was an officer in the British army regiment The Connacht Rangers, based in the nearby imposing military barracks now known as King House. Her mother's family were Frazers of Scottish background.

Riversdale:
With the onset of the Great War her father was away on service for long periods. The family moved to the maternal home at Riversdale, Knockvicar, four miles from Boyle. This is an impressive house lying in beautiful countryside on the banks of the Boyle river and Lough Key. "My memories of those days will never leave me", she wrote. She attended Catholic Convent schools in Dublin and at Roehampton in England where a schoolmate was Vivian Leigh who became famous as Scarlett O'Hara in the classic film 'Gone With the Wind'.

Jane and Tarzan:
In the 1920s' the family settled in Dublin where the beautiful, blue-eyed, eighteen year old was seen by the American Film Producer/Director, Frank Borzage. He cast her in a film called 'Song of My Heart', a vehicle for the great Irish tenor Count John McCormack. McCormack helped her adjust to the hectic life of Hollywood and the big star environment which made the young lady initially and understandably pine for home. Then Maureen was cast in the role with which she will always be associated, that of Jane in the Tarzan series of films. The first of a series of five was titled, 'Tarzan The Ape Man', in 1932, which also introduced the swimming hero Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. This pair became the most enduring of all the Tarzan and Jane pairs. Her last 'Jane' film was 'Tarzan's New York Adventure' in 1942.

Among Hollywood Legends:
Miss O'Sullivan featured with many of the great stars of a golden period of Hollywood film. She starred with Charles Laughton, Norma Shearer and Frederic March in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street"; William Powell in the classic film, "The Thin Man" and with the master comic film makers 'The Marx Brothers' in, "A Day At The Races" and also with other greats such as Henry Fonda, Laurence Olivier and Greta Garbo.
She always insisted on being referred to as coming from Boyle; "No, I wasn't born in Dublin, I was born in Boyle, Ireland", she corrected a Canadian interviewer in 1934.

Marriage and Family:
Miss O'Sullivan met and married the Australian film producer/director, John Farrow and they had seven children. The demands of raising a large family meant few film appearances until much later. One of their daughters Mia Farrow was to become particularly well known. She starred initially in a popular television melodrama series of the 1960s', 'Peyton Place' and later in feature films. Mia became associated with Frank Sinatra, Andre Previn and Woody Allen.

Tragedy and Renewal:
Miss 0'Sullivan's husband John Farrow died suddenly in 1963 adding to the tragic loss of their son Michael, who was killed in a plane crash, at the age of nineteen. In 1985 romance blossomed again for this formidable lady and she married James Cushing. Her film and stage career had also revived. In 1979 she starred in a stage production of Shaw's 'Pygmalion' among others. She also starred in films the most notable being "Hannah and Her Sisters". In this film, directed by her then son-in-law Woody Allen, she starred with her daughter Mia and Michael Caine.

Triumphant return to Boyle:
The response or lack of it to my quiz question in 'The Ceili House Bar' in 1981 prompted a train of events that was to lead to a memorable festive day for the North Roscommon town. Sunday, August 7th 1988 was a day the sun shone and Hollywood came to Boyle. Miss O'Sullivan responded to an invitation to revisit her hometown initiated by an energetic local committee headed by Frank Geelan. The star paraded through the town in a vintage mobile, led by the Mullingar Marching Band. It was like a film scene itself as the cameras clicked and rolled. The crowds, recognising a unique occasion, got into, and helped create, an atmospheric welcome which surprised and delighted the star guest to the point where she was visibly overcome on reaching the home of her earliest years. The speeches of welcome were many and creative and Miss O'Sullivan responded in poetic and emotive terms:

"My life has come a big circle. Today the circle has kind of closed and I am home again where I was born and my happiest days were spent.
Whatever poetry is in my soul, whatever goodness is in my heart, whatever love I have of God, whatever it is, comes from here".

She endeared herself to the autograph seekers as the formalities proceeded.
A plaque was unveiled on the home of her birthplace. A commemorative tree was planted with a coin placed at its roots for luck and a leaf taken as a memory. Local ladies gave a spontaneous rendition of; "I'll take you home again (Maureen)". An evening of music, song and dance followed in The Royal Hotel with Jim Casserly leading the dance. Memories of a day full of nostalgia, emotion and of the happy jostling crowds come tumbling forward and what memories there are.

Monkey Puzzle:
On Monday the main event took place at the Riversdale House, home of the Burke family where Maureen had spent part of her childhood and now was an honoured guest. Friends and neighbours were entertained and made welcome with the star planting another tree, a monkey puzzle this time, emblematic of her early film associations. Then it was a tour of the hills and vales meeting long-lost relatives in Ballinafad, the dignitaries of Boyle town Council and being presented with a portrait of her father in the offices of The Roscommon Herald. The party returned to Riversdale by boat, across storied Lough Ce with its islands and history, disembarking at Clarendon Lock below the house.

And so it passed as all things do but I will not forget the two days I spent in the company of a Hollywood film star, Maureen O'Sullivan.
She was from Boyle, and hadn't forgotten.