Mary Maguire was an Australian-American actress who is best known for Mysterious Mr. Moto, Confession, and Sergeant Murphy.
Personal and Family Life
Mary Maguire, born Helene Teresa Maguire on February 22, 1919, in Melbourne, Australia, was one of five children born to Michael “Mick” Maguire, a former football player and boxer. She studied at the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy and began her acting career in 1933. She was married twice; her first marriage to Robert Gordon-Canning lasted from 1940 until their divorce in 1944.
Career
Mary moved to the U.S. in 1936 and signed a contract with Warner Bros., where she appeared in several films. She briefly worked for Fox and later starred in productions by British Picture Corp. Her career was interrupted by personal tragedies, including the death of her son, Michael, shortly after birth, which deeply affected her. Although she attempted to revive her acting career later, she didn’t have much success.
Death and Legacy
Mary Maguire passed away on May 18, 1974, in Long Beach, California. She is buried alongside her second husband, Philip Henry Legarra, at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California. Despite her relatively brief career in the film industry, she is remembered for her contributions to early Hollywood cinema.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Mysterious Mr. Moto | 1938-09-17 | Ann Richman |
| Confession | 1937-08-19 | Hildegard |
| Sergeant Murphy | 1938-01-01 | Miss Mary Lou Carruthers |
| Keep Smiling | 1938-01-02 | Avis Maguire |
| That Man’s Here Again | 1937-04-16 | Nancy Lee |
| The Outsider | 1939-01-30 | Lalage Sturdee |
| Alcatraz Island | 1937-10-13 | Annabel “Ann” Brady |
| Black Eyes | 1939-04-08 | Tanya Petroff |
| An Englishman’s Home | 1940-01-27 | Betty Brown |
| Breakdowns of 1938 | 1938-12-31 | Ann (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| This Was Paris | 1942-03-21 | Blossom Leroy – Butch’s Girlfriend |