Merle OberonMerle Oberon (February 19, 1911 - November 23, 1979), born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson, was a film actress, known for her sultry looks. Born in Bombay, India to an Anglo-Irish father and an Anglo-Sinhalese mother, Constance Selby, who gave birth to Merle at the age of 15 and allowed her to be raised as her sister, Merle came to England for the first time in 1928. Initially she worked as a club hostess under the name Queenie O'Brien and played in minor and unbilled rolls in various films. Her first major film role was as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). In 1934, she played the female lead in The Scarlet Pimpernel, opposite Leslie Howard. Oberon's career went on to greater heights partly as a result of her relationship with and later marriage to director Alexander Korda, who had persuaded her to take the name under which she became famous. She received her only Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for The Dark Angel (1935). She was to star in Korda's film of I, Claudius (1937) as Messalina, but a serious car accident resulted in filming being abandoned. Merle Oberon was scarred for life, but skilled lighting technicians prevented her injuries being spotted by cinema audiences. She went on to appear as Cathy in Wuthering Heights (1939), as George Sand in A Song to Remember (1945), and as Empress Josephine in Désirée (1954). During her time as a film star, Oberon went to great lengths to disguise her mixed-race background and when her dark-skinned mother moved in with her in Hollywood, she masqueraded as Oberon's maid. Merle Oberon divorced Sir Alexander Korda in 1945, to marry cinematographer Lucien Ballard. She married twice more, to Italian-born Mexican industrialist Bruno Pagliai (two adopted children) and Dutch actor Robert Wolders, before her retirement to Malibu, California, where she died after suffering a stroke. She was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Motion Pictures, at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard. Throughout her life, Oberon maintained that she had been born in Tasmania, Australia. It was only after her death that this was revealed to have been a fabrication. This page about Merle Oberon includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Merle Oberon News stories about Merle Oberon External links for Merle Oberon Videos for Merle Oberon Wikis about Merle Oberon Discussion Groups about Merle Oberon Blogs about Merle Oberon Images of Merle Oberon |
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It was only after her death that this was revealed to have been a fabrication. In 2001, Suzanne married actor Tom Poston who played "The Peeper", a college friend of Bob Hartley on "The Bob Newhart Show". Throughout her life, Oberon maintained that she had been born in Tasmania, Australia. She also gave a memorable performance in a TV-Film opposite Kim Stanley, Robert Duvall, Edmond O'Brien and Kim Darby titled Flesh and Blood.. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Motion Pictures, at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard. Kildare, she was nominated for the Emmy for an episode titled "Shining Image" where she portrayed a nurse who was a drug addict. She was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. In Dr. She married twice more, to Italian-born Mexican industrialist Bruno Pagliai (two adopted children) and Dutch actor Robert Wolders, before her retirement to Malibu, California, where she died after suffering a stroke. Her small but underplayed role in The Birds can definitely be an acting lesson on how to really underplay. Merle Oberon divorced Sir Alexander Korda in 1945, to marry cinematographer Lucien Ballard. Her Emmy and Golden Globe nominated performance in Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean is riveting, played to the hilt, and spine chilling. During her time as a film star, Oberon went to great lengths to disguise her mixed-race background and when her dark-skinned mother moved in with her in Hollywood, she masqueraded as Oberon's maid. Pleshette has been in over two dozen made for television films and numerous dramas of the late 50's and 60's and 70's; During the 60's and 70's and she appeared to dominate the drama shows. She went on to appear as Cathy in Wuthering Heights (1939), as George Sand in A Song to Remember (1945), and as Empress Josephine in Désirée (1954). She also played opposite Tom Poston and Constance Ford in The Golden Fleecing. Merle Oberon was scarred for life, but skilled lighting technicians prevented her injuries being spotted by cinema audiences. Miss Pleshette is also a former Broadway leading lady having replaced Anne Bancroft in The Miracle Worker opposite Patty Duke to rave reviews. She was to star in Korda's film of I, Claudius (1937) as Messalina, but a serious car accident resulted in filming being abandoned. Suzanne Pleshette (born January 31, 1937) is an American actress, most known as Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show. She received her only Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for The Dark Angel (1935). Battling for Baby. Oberon's career went on to greater heights partly as a result of her relationship with and later marriage to director Alexander Korda, who had persuaded her to take the name under which she became famous. The Birds. In 1934, she played the female lead in The Scarlet Pimpernel, opposite Leslie Howard. Her first major film role was as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). Initially she worked as a club hostess under the name Queenie O'Brien and played in minor and unbilled rolls in various films. Born in Bombay, India to an Anglo-Irish father and an Anglo-Sinhalese mother, Constance Selby, who gave birth to Merle at the age of 15 and allowed her to be raised as her sister, Merle came to England for the first time in 1928. Merle Oberon (February 19, 1911 - November 23, 1979), born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson, was a film actress, known for her sultry looks. |