Ringside Report Puts the Spotlight on Margaret O’Brien

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By Geoffrey Huchel

When it comes to the film industry’s most popular child stars, it would be hard to imagine Margaret O’Brien’s name not making the list. Known for giving many heartfelt performances, O’Brien became one of the most popular child stars in cinema history, and shared the silver screen with some of the greatest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine and the legendary Judy Garland, to name a few.

Margaret O’Brien was born Angela Maxine O’Brien on January 15, 1937, in San Diego, California. Her father was a circus performer, and her mother, a dancer. At age four, O’Brien made her first film appearance in an uncredited role of Maxine in Metro-Goldwyn Mayer’s BABES ON BROADWAY (1941), with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. It was her next film, JOURNEY FOR MARGARET (1942) that brought her widespread attention. Her name was later changed to Margaret following the success of the film. Following JOURNEY she made appearances in the films THOUSANDS CHEER (1943), MADAME CURIE (1943), LOST ANGEL (1943), JANE EYRE (1943), with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, and THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (1944), with Charles Laughton and Robert Young. In the classic musical MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), O’Brien played Tootie Smith, opposite Judy Garland’s Esther Smith.

Tootie is arguably O’Brien’s most well-known role, and was given a special Juvenile Academy Award for her performance. The film also starred Mary Astor and Lucille Bremer. The young O’Brien continued turning in performances throughout the 1940s in films such as MUSIC FOR MILLIONS (1944), OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945), THREE WISE FOLLS (1946), THE UNFINISHED DANCE (1947), and BIG CITY (1948). O’Brien co-starred with a group of talented actresses when she played Beth March in LITTLE WOMEN (1949), starring June Allyson, Janet Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor and her MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS co-star Mary Astor. Her last film appearance of the decade was in the drama THE SECRET GARDEN (1949), playing Mary Lennox. The film co-starred Dean Stockwell and Herbert Marshall.

O’Brien continued making feature films, however, her career made the shift into television. From the 1950s through the mid-1990s, O’Brien made appearances in several series and TV movies such as SUSPICION (1957-1958), WAGON TRAIN (1957-1965), LITTLE WOMEN (1958), PURSUIT (1958-1959), RAWHIDE (1959-1965), MAGGIE (1960), THE AQUANUTS (19600, PERRY MASON (1957-1966), COMBAT! (1962-1967), IRONSIDE (1967-1975), LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE (196901974), ADAM-12 (1968-1975), MARCUS WELBY, M.D. (1969-1976), HOTEL (1983-1988), TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE (1983-1988), MURDER, SHE WROTE (1984-1996), THE NEW LASSIE (1989-1992) and SUNSET AFTER DARK (1996).

She appeared as herself in the specials MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: THE MAKING OF AMERICAN CLASSIC (1994), THE GREAT CHRISTMAS MOVIES (1998), and CHILD STARS: THEIR STORY (2000). Her most recent credits include THE CRAVEN COVE MURDERS (2002), ELF SPARKLES MEETS CHRISTMAS THE HORSE (2009), DEAD IN LOVE (2009), ELF SPARKLE AND THE SPECIAL RED DRESS (2010), DR JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (2017), THIS IS OUR CHRISTMAS (2018) and IMPACT EVENT (2018).

In 1960, O’Brien was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to film and television.

Essential O’Brien:

JOURNEY FOR MARGARET (1942)
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (1944)
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)
LITTLE WOMEN (1949)
THE SECRET GARDEN (1949)

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