- Dorothy McGuire
-
This article is about the American actress born in 1916. For the member of the McGuire Sisters singing trio, see The McGuire Sisters.
Dorothy McGuire 
from the trailer for Gentleman's Agreement (1947)Born Dorothy Hackett McGuire
June 14, 1916
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.Died September 13, 2001 (aged 85)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.Years active 1943–1990 Spouse John Swope (m. 1943–1979) Dorothy Hackett McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was an American actress.
Contents
Career
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Eventually, she reached Broadway, first appearing as an understudy to Martha Scott in Our Town, and subsequently starring in the domestic comedy, Claudia.
Brought to Hollywood by producer David O. Selznick on the strength of her stage performance, McGuire starred in her first film, a movie adaptation of her Broadway success, Claudia, and portrayed the character of a child bride who almost destroys her marriage through her selfishness. Her inaugural screen performance was popular with both the public and critics alike and was the catalyst for not only a sequel, Claudia and David (both movies co-starring Robert Young), but also for numerous other film roles.
By 1943, at the age of 27, she was already playing mother roles, in such movies as A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1947 for Gentleman's Agreement. Other notable films include The Enchanted Cottage, A Summer Place, Three Coins in the Fountain, Friendly Persuasion, Old Yeller, Swiss Family Robinson, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.
McGuire had a long Hollywood career. Her versatility served her well in taut melodramas, such as The Spiral Staircase and Make Haste to Live, as well as in light, frothy comedies, such as Mother Didn't Tell Me and Mister 880.
Personal life and death
Married to Life magazine photographer John Swope (1908–1979) for more than 35 years, she had a son, photographer Mark Swope, and a daughter Topo (born 1948), who also became an actress.
McGuire died of cardiac arrest following a brief illness at the age of 85 in 2001. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Dorothy McGuire has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6933 Hollywood Blvd.
Filmography
Film and Television Year Title Role Notes 1943 Claudia Claudia Naughton 1944 Reward Unlimited Peggy Short film 1945 The Enchanted Cottage Laura Pennington 1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Katie Nolan 1945 The Spiral Staircase Helen Capel 1946 Claudia and David Claudia Naughton 1946 Till the End of Time Pat Ruscomb 1947 Gentleman's Agreement Kathy Lacy 1950 Mother Didn't Tell Me Jane Morgan 1950 Mister 880 Ann Winslow 1951 Robert Montgomery Presents Judith Traherne Episode: "Dark Victory" 1951 Callaway Went Thataway Deborah Patterson 1951 I Want You Nancy Greer 1952 Invitation Ellen Bowker Pierce 1954 Make Haste to Live Crystal Benson 1954 Three Coins in the Fountain Miss Frances 1954 The United States Steel Hour Tina Episode: "A Garden in the Sea" 1954 Lux Video Theatre Jody Norris Episode: "To Each His Own" 1954 The Best of Broadway Tracy Lord Episode: "The Philadelphia Story" 1954 Climax! Janet Spence Episode: "The Gioconda Smile" 1955 Trial Abbe Nyle 1956 Climax! Miranda Episode: "Pale Horse, Pale Rider" 1956 Friendly Persuasion Eliza Birdwell 1957 Old Yeller Katie Coates 1959 The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker Mrs. Emily 'Ma' Pennypacker 1959 This Earth Is Mine Martha Fairon 1959 A Summer Place Sylvia Hunter 1960 The Dark at the Top of the Stairs Cora Flood 1960 The Swiss Family Robinson Mother Robinson 1961 Susan Slade Leah Slade 1963 Summer Magic Margaret Carey 1964 The Red Skelton Hour Guest Vocalist Episode: "A Man and His Money Are Soon Parted" 1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told The Virgin Mary 1971 Flight of the Doves Granny O'Flaherty 1972 Another Part of the Forest Lavinia Hubbard TV movie 1972 She Waits Sarah Wilson TV movie 1973 Jonathan Livingston Seagull Mother (voice) 1976 Rich Man, Poor Man Mary Jordache 7 episodes 1978 Little Women Marmee March 1979 The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel Effie Webb TV movie 1982 The Love Boat Hanna Hamilton 1 episode 1983 Ghost Dancing Sarah Bowman TV movie 1983 Fantasy Island Joan Mallory Episode: "Three's a Crowd/Second Time Around" 1984 The Love Boat Sarah Webster 1 episode 1984 The Young and the Restless Cora Miller TV series 1985 Hotel Mrs. Christopher Episode: "Skeletons" 1985 Amos Hester Farrell TV movie 1985 Glitter The Matriarch Episode: "The Matriarch" 1985 Between the Darkness and the Dawn Beryl Foster TV movie 1986 St. Elsewhere Augusta Endicott 3 episodes 1986 American Geisha Ann Suzuki TV movie 1986 Highway to Heaven Jane Thompson Episode: "Keep Smiling" 1987 Summer Heat Narrator (voice) 1988 Highway to Heaven Jane Thompson Episode: "We Have Forever: Part 1"
Episode: "We Have Forever: Part 2"1988 I Never Sang for My Father Margaret Garrison 1990 Hallmark Hall of Fame Flora Atkins Episode: "Caroline?" 1990 The Last Best Year Anne TV movie External links
Categories:- 1916 births
- 2001 deaths
- Actors from Nebraska
- American film actors
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- People from Omaha, Nebraska
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
