Virginia O'Brien

Virginia O'Brien

​Known to classic film fans by various nicknames--including Miss Deadpan, Frozen Face, and Miss Ice Glacier--this statuesque, dark-haired singer/actress carved a unique niche for herself on stage and screen by the hilarious Sphinx-like way she delivered a song. The daughter of the captain of detectives of the Los Angeles Police Department, Virginia Lee O'Brien became interested in music and dance at an early age (it didn't hurt her career chances that her uncle was noted film director Lloyd Bacon). Her big show-business break came in 1939 after she secured a singing role in the L.A. production of the musical/comedy "Meet the People". On opening night, when time came for her solo number, Virginia became so paralyzed with fright that she sang her song with a wide-eyed motionless stare that sent the audience (which thought her performance a gag) into convulsions. Demoralized, Virginia left the stage only to soon find out that she was a sensation. Signed by MGM in 1940, she deadpanned her way to acclaim and immense popularity with appearances in some of the studio's most memorable musicals including Thousands Cheer (1943), The Harvey Girls (1946), Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), Ziegfeld Follies (1945), Panama Hattie (1942), Ship Ahoy (1942), Meet the People (1944) and Du Barry Was a Lady (1943), performing inimitable renditions of such classic songs as "The Wild Wild West" (from The Harvey Girls), "A Fine Romance" (from Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)), "It's a Great Big World" (from The Harvey Girls (1946)), "Poor You" (from Ship Ahoy (1942)), and "Say We're Sweethearts Again" (from Meet the People (1944)). Although too often relegated to featured songs and small supporting roles, she still managed to become an audience favorite by the sheer force of her personality, polished vocals and way with a comic quip. The latter ability is especially apparent in one of her last MGM films, Merton of the Movies (1947), in which she co-starred with Red Skelton. In 1948, after 17 memorable screen appearances for MGM, the studio unceremoniously dropped her from its roster. She returned to films only twice more after her termination from MGM, in Universal's Francis in the Navy (1955) and Disney's Gus (1976), preferring to focus her energies on television and the stage, where she delighted audiences for three more decades. In the 1980s the still youthful beauty toured the country in a one-woman show and recorded a live album at the famed Masquers Club entitled, "A Salute to the Great MGM Musicals". One of her last significant stage appearances came in 1984 as Parthy Ann in the Long Beach Civic Light Opera's production of "Showboat", with Alan Young. She remained in semi-retirement in a large home in Wrightwood, California, for most of her later years until her death at the Motion Picture Country Hospital in Woodland Hills, 16 January, 2001, from a heart attack.

  • Заглавие: Virginia O'Brien
  • Популярност: 1.3
  • Известен за: Acting
  • Рожден ден: 1919-04-18
  • Място на раждане: Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Начална страница:
  • Също известен като: Virginia Lee O'Brien, Miss Red Hot Frozen Face, Вирджиния О'Брайен
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Virginia O'Brien Филми

  • 1943
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    Du Barry was a Lady

    Du Barry was a Lady

    6.1 1943 HD

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  • 1943
    imgФилми

    Thousands Cheer

    Thousands Cheer

    6.4 1943 HD

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  • 1942
    imgФилми

    Ship Ahoy

    Ship Ahoy

    5.9 1942 HD

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  • 1955
    imgФилми

    Francis in the Navy

    Francis in the Navy

    5.5 1955 HD

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  • 1946
    imgФилми

    Докато облаците отминат

    Докато облаците отминат

    5.6 1946 HD

    Този мюзикъл е посветен на историята и живота на бродуейския композитор Джером...

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  • 1944
    imgФилми

    Meet the People

    Meet the People

    5 1944 HD

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  • 1942
    imgФилми

    Panama Hattie

    Panama Hattie

    4 1942 HD

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  • 1947
    imgФилми

    Merton of the Movies

    Merton of the Movies

    6.8 1947 HD

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  • 1941
    imgФилми

    Ringside Maisie

    Ringside Maisie

    7 1941 HD

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  • 1941
    imgФилми

    Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1

    Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1

    1 1941 HD

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  • 1944
    imgФилми

    Две момичета и морякът

    Две момичета и морякът

    5.7 1944 HD

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  • 1946
    imgФилми

    Момичетата на Харви

    Момичетата на Харви

    6.4 1946 HD

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  • 1941
    imgФилми

    Братята Маркс: Големият магазин

    Братята Маркс: Големият магазин

    6.254 1941 HD

    Бpaтятa oтивaт нa изтoĸ в „Гoлeмият мaгaзин“, зa дa cтaнaт дeтeĸтиви - oxpaнитeли в...

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  • 1976
    imgФилми

    Gus

    Gus

    6 1976 HD

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  • 1941
    imgФилми

    Lady Be Good

    Lady Be Good

    5.4 1941 HD

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  • 1946
    imgФилми

    The Show-Off

    The Show-Off

    7 1946 HD

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  • 1940
    imgФилми

    Hullabaloo

    Hullabaloo

    4 1940 HD

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  • 1940
    imgФилми

    Sky Murder

    Sky Murder

    6.3 1940 HD

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  • 1945
    imgФилми

    The Great Morgan

    The Great Morgan

    5.5 1945 HD

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  • 1945
    imgФилми

    Ziegfeld Follies

    Ziegfeld Follies

    6.1 1945 HD

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  • 1948
    imgФилми

    Musical Merry-Go-Round #4

    Musical Merry-Go-Round #4

    1 1948 HD

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