Great Character Actor – No Kidding
Una O'Connor (1880 – 1959) She most often played Cockney and English roles but she was pure Irish. This delightful, diminutive, at 5' 2″, actress was a joy to watch. With a sharp featured face, cackling voice and birdlike mannerisms she was often cast as shrews, maids, spinsters, nagging wives and gossips. She was a most memorable character actress. Born Agnes Teresa McGlade in Belfast, Northern Ireland on October 23, 1880 she began her acting career with Dublin's famed Abbey Theatre graduating on to the London and Broadway stages. She made her film debut in 1929 in “Dark Red Roses” as Mrs. Meeks. Among her other film credits were: “Murder!” (1930) as Mrs. Grogram; “Cavalcade” (1933) which brought her to Hollywood to recreate her stage role as Ellen Bridges; “Timbuctoo” (1933) as Myrtle; “Pleasure Cruise” (1933) as Mrs. Signus; “The Invisible Man” (1933) with Claude Rains, as Jenny Hall; “Mary Stevens, M.D.” (1933) as Mrs. Arnell Simmons; “Orient Express” (1934) as Mrs. Peters; “The Poor Rich” (1934) as Lady Fetherstone; “The Barretts of Wimpole Street” (1934) as Wilson; “All Men Are Enemies” (1934) as Annie; “Stingaree” (1934) as Annie; “Chained” (1934) as Amy, Diane's Maid; “The Perfect Gentleman” (1935) as Harriet; “Father Brown, Detective” (1935) as Mrs. Boggs; “David Copperfield” (1935) as Mrs. Gummidge; “The Informer” (1935) with Victor McLaglen, as Mrs. McPhillip; “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) as Minnie; “Rose-Marie” (1936) as Anna; “Lloyds of London” (1936) as Widow Blake; “Little Lord Fauntleroy” (1936) with Freddie Bartholomew, as Mary; “The Plough and the Stars” (1936) as Maggie Gogan; “Suzy” (1936) as Mrs. Bradley, Suzy's Landlady; “Personal Property” (1937) as Clara; “Call It a Day” (1937) as Mrs. Milson, the Housekeeper; “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938) with Errol Flynn, as Bess; “Return of the Frog” (1938) as Mum Oaks; “We Are Not Alone” (1939) as Susan; “All Women Have Secrets” (1939) as Mary; “His Brother's Keeper” (1939) as Eva; “It All Came True” (1940) as Maggie Ryan; “The Sea Hawk” (1940) as Miss Latham; “Lillian Russell” (1940) as Marie; “He Stayed for Breakfast” (1940) as Doreta; “Her First Beau” (1941) as Effie; “Three Girls About Town” (1941) as Maggie O'Callahan; “How Green Was My Valley” (1941) in an uncredited bit part; “The Strawberry Blonde” (1941) as Mrs. Timothy Mulcahey; “Kisses for Breakfast” (1941) as Ellie the Maid; “My Favorite Spy” (1942) as Cora the Maid; “Always in My Heart” (1942) as Angie; “Random Harvest” (1942) as Tobacconist; “Forever and a Day” (1943) as Mrs. Ismay; “Holy Matrimony” (1943) as Mrs. Leek; “This Land is Mine” (1943) as Mrs. Emma Lory; “Government Girl” (1943) as Mrs. Harris; “My Pal Wolf” (1944) as Mrs. Blevin; “The Canterville Ghost” (1944) as Mrs. Umney; “Christmas in Connecticut” (1945) as Norah; “The Bells of St. Mary's” (1945) one of my favorite of her roles, as Mrs. Breen; “The Return of Monte Cristo” (1946) as Miss Beedle; “Child of Divorce” (1946) as Nora the Maid; “Of Human Bondage” (1946) as Mrs. Foreman; “Cluny Brown” (1946) as Mrs. Wilson; “Banjo” (1947) as Harriet; “Unexpected Guest” (1947) as Mathilda Hackett; “Lost Honeymoon” (1947) as Mrs. Tubbs; “The Corpse Came C.O.D.” (1947) as Nora; “Ivy” (1948) as Mrs. Thrawn; “The Adventures of Don Juan” (1948) with Errol Flynn, as Duenna; “Fighting Father Dunne” (1948) as Miss O'Rourke; “Ha da veni… don Calogero!” (1952) an Italian film, as Perpetua; and “Witness for the Prosecution” (1957) as Janet McKenzie, her last film. She also guest starred on an episode of “Philco Television Playhouse” in 1948. She died on February 4, 1959 in New York City, New York of a heart ailment at age 78.
|
— Kathleen