Bernadette O'Farrell
Bernadette O'Farrell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 30 January 1924 |
| Died | 26 September 1999 (aged 75) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1947–1959 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Bernadette Mary O'Farrell (30 January 1924 – 26 September 1999) was an Irish actress in film and television, best known for playing Maid Marian in the 1950s.
Early years
[edit]O'Farrell was born in Birr, County Offaly, Irish Free State.[1] Her mother was an amateur actress, and her father managed a bank.[2] She attended a convent school, and worked as a secretary as a young woman.[3]
Career
[edit]O'Farrell broke into film work in her twenties, after being introduced to English director Carol Reed.[4] She is best known for playing Maid Marian in the 1950s British television adaptation of The Adventures of Robin Hood, co-starring Donald Pleasence, Paul Eddington, Richard O'Sullivan, and Richard Greene.[3] It was one of the first British television productions to find an audience in North America, and O'Farrell and Greene made a publicity tour in the United States in 1956, to support the show.[3][5] She left the show in 1957,[6] after 78 episodes, to avoid type-casting, and was replaced by Patricia Driscoll.[7]
She played an English school mistress, Miss Harper, in The Happiest Days of Your Life (1949),[8] Jessie Bond in The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953) and Peg Curtis in the boxing film The Square Ring (1953).[9]
She retired from acting in 1959 to live on a farm in Buckinghamshire, England. Later, O'Farrell and Launder moved to Monaco.[10] Her last film appearance was in The Wildcats of St. Trinian's (1980).[9]
Personal life
[edit]O'Farrell was married to the film writer, director and producer Frank Launder from 1950 until his death in 1997.[11] They had two daughters together, Georgina and Aisling.[6][10] O'Farrell died in 1999, at the age of 75, in Monaco.[2]
Filmography
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Captain Boycott | Mrs. Fagan | |
| 1950 | The Happiest Days of Your Life | Miss Harper | |
| 1951 | Life in Her Hands | Mary Gordon | |
| 1951 | Lady Godiva Rides Again | Janie | |
| 1952 | Lady in the Fog | Heather McMara | |
| 1953 | The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan | Jessie Bond | |
| 1953 | The Genie | ||
| 1953 | The Square Ring | Peg Curtis | |
| 1959 | The Bridal Path | Siona | |
| 1980 | The Wildcats of St Trinians | Miss Carfax | (final film role) |
References
[edit]- ^ Hogan, Sean (9 November 1999). "Robin Hood's courageous sweetheart". The Irish Times.
- ^ a b "Bernadette O'Farrell; Actress in 'Robin Hood'". Los Angeles Times. 4 October 1999. p. A 13. Retrieved 21 March 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Bernadette O'Farrell: Famous as Maid Marian, actress saw role as career burden". National Post. 2 October 1999. p. 18. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Strutton, Bill (25 February 1950). "Pretty Irish colleen gets film break". The Australian Women's Weekly. p. 42. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Newton, Dwight (11 October 1956). "Day and Night: Maid Marion in Hollywood". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 59. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Davis, Clifford (31 January 1957). "Maid Marian is quitting the TV forest". Daily Mirror. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1955-59) Credits". BFI Screenonline.
- ^ "The Happiest Days of Your Life: Stage Farce Makes Screen 'Winner'". Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer. 4 August 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Bernadette O'Farrell". BFI. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Bernadette O'Farrell, 75, Actress Who Played Maid Marian on TV". The New York Times. 1 October 1999. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Obituaries: Frank Launder". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
