Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones; November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer. She was in a series of popular comedy films with

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; ; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. Kaye starred ...

and was

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

' biggest box-office draw in the late 1940s. She also co-starred in the 1946

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

-winning movie ''

The Best Years of Our Lives ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American drama film directed by William Wyler and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Ru ...

''.

Biography

Early life

Mayo was born in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, the daughter of newspaper reporter Luke and his wife, Martha Henrietta (née Rautenstrauch) Jones. Her family had roots back to the earliest days of St Louis, including great-great-great grandfather Captain James Piggott, who founded East St. Louis, Illinois, in 1797. Young Virginia's aunt operated an acting school in the St. Louis area, which Virginia began attending at age six. She also had a series of dancing instructors engaged by her aunt.

Vaudeville

Following her graduation from

Soldan High School Soldan International Studies High School (also known as Soldan High School) is a public magnet high school in the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, that is part of St. Louis Public Schools. Soldan was known for its wea ...

at age 16 in 1937, she landed her first professional acting and dancing jobs at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (more commonly known as

The Muny The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (commonly known as The Muny) is an amphitheater located in St. Louis, Missouri. The theatre seats 11,000 people with about 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first s ...

) and in an act with six other girls at the Hotel Jefferson. Performer Andy Mayo, impressed with her ability, recruited her to appear in his act, " Morton and Mayo". She toured the American vaudeville circuit for three years, serving as ringmaster and comedic foil for "Pansy the Horse," as Andy Mayo and his partner, Nonnie Morton, performed in a horse suit. They appeared together in some short films and were a huge hit at

Billy Rose Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman, lyricist and columnist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainm ...

's Diamond Horseshoe nightclub in the Broadway theater district, where she was spotted by

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (; born Szmuel Gelbfisz; ; July 1879 (most likely; claimed to be August 27, 1882) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer and pioneer in the American film industry, who produce ...

Broadway

In 1941, now officially known by her stage name Virginia Mayo, she got another career break when she appeared on Broadway with

Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era. Some of h ...

in ''

Banjo Eyes ''Banjo Eyes'' is a musical based on the play '' Three Men on a Horse'' by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. It has a book by Joseph Quinlan and Izzy Ellinson, music by Vernon Duke, and lyrics by John La Touche and Harold Adamson. Produced ...

''.

Sam Goldwyn

In the early 1940s, Virginia Mayo's talent and striking beauty came to the attention of movie mogul

, who signed her to an acting contract with his company. Goldwyn only made a few films a year and usually lent out the actors he had under contract to other producers. Her first notable role was in ''

Jack London John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...

'' (1943), which starred her future husband Michael O'Shea for producer Samuel Bronston. Mayo was placed in the chorus of the film '' Up in Arms'' just so she could learn, but she was never officially a member of the Goldwyn Girls. Then, RKO borrowed her for a support role in a musical, ''

Seven Days Ashore ''Seven Days Ashore'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by John H. Auer and written by Edward Verdier, Irving Phillips and Lawrence Kimble. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Marcy McGuire, Virginia Mayo, Elaine Shepard, Gordon Oliver ...

'' (1944).

Stardom

Mayo's first starring role came in 1944 opposite comedian

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

in '' The Princess and the Pirate'' (1944), a spoof of pirate movies made by Goldwyn. It earned over $3 million at the box office. Goldwyn then made her

's leading lady for the musicals ''

Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The character, wh ...

'' (1945) and ''

The Kid from Brooklyn ''The Kid from Brooklyn'' is a 1946 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen, Steve Cochran, Walter Abel, Eve Arden, and Fay Bainter. Virginia Mayo's and Vera-Ellen's sin ...

'' (1946), both very popular. Going against the previous stereotype, Mayo accepted the supporting role of unsympathetic gold digger Marie Derry in

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born American film director and producer. Known for his work in numerous genres over five decades, he received numerous awards and accolades, including three Aca ...

's drama ''

'' (1946) for Goldwyn. Her performance drew favorable reviews from critics. The film also became the highest-grossing film in the US since ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

''. At the zenith of her career, Mayo was seen as the quintessential voluptuous Hollywood beauty. She was said to "look like a pinup painting come to life." In a film review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

wrote of Mayo, "As a comedy actress, heis no better than a rather weak script. But as a model for bathing apparel—well, do you or do you not like bathing suits?" According to widely published reports from the late 1940s, the Sultan of Morocco declared her beauty to be "tangible proof of the existence of God." Eagle-Lion Films borrowed her to play the lead in '' Out of the Blue'' (1947), a comedy with George Brent. Mayo was reunited with Kaye in '' The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'' (1947), another big success, and '' A Song Is Born'' (1948), a box-office disappointment. In between, Warner Bros. borrowed her for the lead in a film noir, '' Smart Girls Don't Talk'' (1948).

Warner Bros.

Virginia Mayo and James Cagney in White Heat trailer

Warner Bros. ended up taking over her contract from Goldwyn. They starred her in another film noir, '' Flaxy Martin'' (1949) with Zachary Scott, then she did a Western with

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

and director

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent cinema actor George Walsh. He wa ...

, ''

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado. The territory was organized ...

'' (1949), and a comedy with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

, '' The Girl from Jones Beach'' (1949). Mayo received excellent reviews in another unsympathetic role, playing

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

's sultry and scheming wife in the gangster classic '' White Heat'' (1949), also for Walsh. Mayo admitted she was frightened by Cagney as the psychotic gunman in ''White Heat'' because he was so realistic.

Roy Del Ruth Roy Del Ruth (October 18, 1893 – April 27, 1961) was an American filmmaker. Early career Beginning his Hollywood career as a writer for Mack Sennett in 1915, Del Ruth later directed his first short film ''Hungry Lions'' (1919) for the pr ...

borrowed her to play opposite

George Raft George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...

in '' Red Light'' (1949), and she was

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

's leading lady in '' Always Leave Them Laughing'' (1949). Mayo was top-billed in the film noir '' Backfire'' (1950), and she was a huge hit in '' The Flame and the Arrow'' (1950) as

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor. Initially known for playing tough characters with tender hearts, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-year caree ...

's love interest. She co-starred again with James Cagney and a young

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a big band singer in 1937, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, "Sentimental Journey ...

in '' The West Point Story'' (1950), singing and dancing with Cagney, and was

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...

's leading lady in '' Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.'' (1951), Warner Bros. most popular film of the year. She co-starred with

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. ...

in a Western for Walsh, '' Along the Great Divide'' (1951). Mayo starred opposite Dennis Morgan in David Butler's Technicolor musical, ''

Painting the Clouds with Sunshine "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" is a popular music, popular song published in 1929 in music, 1929. The music was written by Joe Burke (composer), Joe Burke and the lyrics by Al Dubin for the 1929 musical film ''Gold Diggers of Broadway'' when ...

'' (1951) which was a moderate success. While Mayo appeared in several musicals, using her dance training, her voice was always dubbed. Mayo appeared in the all-star cast of '' Starlift'' (1951) and was top-billed in ''

She's Working Her Way Through College ''She's Working Her Way Through College'' is a 1952 American comedy film produced by Warner Bros. A musical comedy in Technicolor, it is directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, and stars Virginia Mayo and Ronald Reagan. The screenplay is based on the 1 ...

'' (1952) with Reagan. She was

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in ...

's leading lady in ''

The Iron Mistress ''The Iron Mistress'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Alan Ladd and Virginia Mayo. It ends with Bowie's marriage to Ursula de Veramendi and does not deal with his death at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. ...

'' (1952), a popular biopic of Jim Bowie, and starred in another musical, '' She's Back on Broadway'' (1953). Mayo appeared in the comedy-drama-action film '' South Sea Woman'' (1953) with Burt Lancaster and

Chuck Connors Kevin Joseph "Chuck" Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992) was an American actor and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have played in both Majo ...

. RKO borrowed her for a Western in 3-D, '' Devil's Canyon'' (1953), and she co-starred with

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French W ...

and

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...

in ''

King Richard and the Crusaders ''King Richard and the Crusaders'' is a 1954 American historical drama based on Sir Walter Scott's '' The Talisman'' made by Warner Bros. The film stars Rex Harrison, Virginia Mayo, George Sanders and Laurence Harvey, with Robert Douglas, Mich ...

'' (1954). She was top-billed in '' The Silver Chalice'' (1954) opposite Pier Angeli and

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

in his film debut. The film was a notorious flop.

After Warner Bros.

Benedict Bogeaus gave her the lead in '' Pearl of the South Pacific'' (1955). Edmund Grainger cast her in '' Great Day in the Morning'' (1956), with Robert Stack, directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; ; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French-American filmmaker, active during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known as an auteur of stylish and atmospheric genre films, many of them for RKO Pictures, including ...

. Mayo went to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

to play

Robert Ryan Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

's leading lady in '' The Proud Ones'' (1956), then she did '' Congo Crossing'' (1956) at Universal. Mayo was reunited with Ladd in '' The Big Land'' (1957) made back at Warner Bros. She played

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...

in the 1957

fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually Magic (paranormal), magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The Film genre, genre is considered a form of speculative fic ...

'' The Story of Mankind''. Mayo made '' The Tall Stranger'' (1957) with McCrea for Allied Artists, '' Fort Dobbs'' (1958) with Clint Walker and '' Westbound'' (1959) with

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor, whose Hollywood career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in dramas, come ...

, both at Warner Bros. Her last film of the decade was 1959's '' Jet Over the Atlantic''. She began guest-starring on television shows such as ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hoste ...

'', and ''

Lux Playhouse ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vi ...

''.

1960s

Mayo and her husband made a pilot for a TV series ''McGarry and His Mouse'' (1960), which was not picked up. She went to Italy to make '' Revolt of the Mercenaries'' (1961). Mayo's film career tapered off considerably. She appeared in '' Young Fury'' (1965) with Rory Calhoun, '' Castle of Evil'' (1966), and '' Fort Utah'' (1967) with John Ireland. She also guest starred on shows such as '' Burke's Law'' and '' Daktari'' and appeared onstage in such plays as ''That Certain Girl'' (1967) and ''

Barefoot in the Park ''Barefoot in the Park'' is a romantic comedy stage play by Neil Simon. The play premiered on Broadway in 1963, starring Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. It was made into a film in 1967, which starred Redford and Jane Fonda. Productions ...

'' (1968) with Lyle Talbot.

Later career

Mayo acted on stage for the rest of her career, mostly in dinner theatre and touring shows. Productions included ''No, No Nanette'' (1972), ''40 Carats'' (1975), ''Good News'' (1977), ''Move Over Mrs Markham'' (1980) and ''Butterflies Are Free'' (1981). Mayo continued to occasionally appear on television in shows such as '' Police Story'', ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, '' The Twilight Zon ...

'', ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...

'', ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on NBC from October 1, 1982, ...

'', and ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'', and a dozen episodes of the soap opera '' Santa Barbara''. Mayo was one of many famous actors to make a

cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...

in the all-star

box office bomb A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has te ...

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood ''Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Bruce Dern, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr and Art Carney. Spoofing the craze surrounding Rin Tin Tin, the film is notable for the larg ...

'' (1976). She had roles in '' Lanigan's Rabbi'' (1977), '' Haunted'' (1977), and ''

French Quarter The French Quarter, also known as the (; ; ), is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans () was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Square" in English), a ...

'' (1978). Later film appearances were in '' Evil Spirits'' (1990), ''Midnight Witness'' (1993) and ''The Man Next Door'' (1997), which was her last film role. Mayo was one of the first to be awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

. Hers is located at 1751 Vine Street. In 1996, she was honored by her hometown as she received a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 1993, Mayo published a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

themed children's book entitled, ''Don't Forget Me, Santa Claus'' through Barrons Juveniles Publishers.

Personal life

Mayo wed actor Michael O'Shea in 1947, and they remained married until he died in 1973. The couple had one child, Mary Catherine O'Shea (born in 1953). For several decades, the family lived in

Thousand Oaks, California Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, located in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles. Approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown Los Angeles, it is named after the many oak trees pr ...

. In later years, she developed a passion for painting and also occupied her time doting on her three grandsons. She was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

, but she may have converted to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, inspired by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. A lifelong Republican, she endorsed

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

in 1968 and 1972, and longtime friend

in 1980.

Death

Mayo died of pneumonia and complications of

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

in the Los Angeles area on January 17, 2005, aged 84, at a nursing home in Thousand Oaks. Her death was reported the next day in ''

''. She is buried next to O'Shea in Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Park in

Westlake Village, California Westlake Village is a city in Los Angeles County, California, on its western border with Ventura County. Upon its incorporation in 1981, Westlake Village became the 82nd municipality of Los Angeles County.Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks We ...

Filmography

Features

* '' Follies Girl'' (

1943 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured. * January 4 � ...

) as Chorine (uncredited) * ''

'' (1943) as Mamie * '' Up in Arms'' (

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

) as Nurse Joanna (uncredited) * ''

'' (1944) as Carol Dean * '' The Princess and the Pirate'' (1944) as Princess Margaret * ''

'' (

1945 1945 marked the end of World War II, the fall of Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan. It is also the year concentration camps were liberated and the only year in which atomic weapons have been used in combat. Events World War II will be ...

) as Ellen Shanley * ''

'' (

1946 1946 (Roman numerals, MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1946th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 946th year of the 2nd millennium, the 46th year of the 20th centur ...

) as Polly Pringle * ''

'' (1946) as Marie Derry * '' Out of the Blue'' (

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country i ...

) as Deborah Tyler * '' The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'' (1947) as Rosalind van Hoorn * '' Smart Girls Don't Talk'' (

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

) as Linda Vickers * '' A Song Is Born'' (1948) as Honey Swanson * '' Flaxy Martin'' (

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...

) as Flaxy Martin * ''

'' (1949) as Colorado Carson * '' The Girl from Jones Beach'' (1949) as Ruth Wilson * '' White Heat'' (1949) as Verna Jarrett * '' Red Light'' (1949) as Carla North * '' Always Leave Them Laughing'' (1949) as Nancy Eagen * '' Backfire'' (

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

) as Nurse Julie Benson * '' The Flame and the Arrow'' (1950) as Anne de Hesse * '' The West Point Story'' (1950) as Eve Dillon * ''

Captain Horatio Hornblower ''Captain Horatio Hornblower'' is a 1951 British naval swashbuckling war film in Technicolor from Warner Bros., produced by Gerry Mitchell, directed by Raoul Walsh, that stars Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty and Terence Morgan. ...

'' (

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...

) as Lady Barbara Wellesley * '' Along the Great Divide'' (1951) as Ann Keith * ''

'' (1951) as Carol * '' Starlift'' (1951) as Virginia Mayo * ''

'' (

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

) as Angela Gardner / 'Hot Garters Gertie' * ''

'' (1952) as Judalon de Bornay * '' She's Back on Broadway'' (

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

) as Catherine Terris * '' South Sea Woman'' (1953) as Ginger Martin * '' Devil's Canyon'' (1953) as Abby Nixon * ''

'' (

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

) as Lady Edith Plantagenet * '' The Silver Chalice'' (1954) as Helene * '' Pearl of the South Pacific'' ( 1955) as Rita Delaine * '' The Proud Ones'' (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

) as Sally * '' Great Day in the Morning'' (1956) as Ann Merry Alaine * '' Congo Crossing'' (1956) as Louise Whitman * '' The Big Land'' (

1957 Events January * January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany. * January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch. * January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...

) as Helen Jagger * '' The Story of Mankind'' (1957) as Cleopatra * '' The Tall Stranger'' (1957) as Ellen * '' Fort Dobbs'' (

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the thir ...

) as Celia Gray * ''

'' (1958) Season 2 Episode 11 * '' Westbound'' (

1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...

) as Norma Putnam * '' Jet Over the Atlantic'' (1959) as Jean Gurney * '' Revolt of the Mercenaries'' (

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

) as Lady Patrizia, Duchessa di Rivalta * '' Young Fury'' (

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

) as Sara McCoy * '' Castle of Evil'' (

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

) as Mary Theresa 'Sable' Pulaski * '' Fort Utah'' (

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

) as Linda Lee * ''Fugitive Lovers'' (

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

) as Liz Trent * ''

'' (

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

) as Miss Battley * '' Haunted'' (1977) as Michelle * ''

'' (

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

) as Countess Willie Piazza / Ida * ''

'' (1984, TV Series) as Herself * ''

'' (1984, TV Series) as Elinor * ''

'' (1986, TV Series) as Virginia * '' Evil Spirits'' (

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

) as Janet Wilson * ''Midnight Witness'' (

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

) as Kitty * ''The Man Next Door'' (

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

) as Lucia (final film role)

Short subjects

* ''Gals and Gallons'' (

1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...

) as Virginia Jones * ''So You Think You're Not Guilty'' (

) as Herself * ''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life'' (

) as Herself * ''Screen Snapshots: Salute to Hollywood'' (

) as Herself

Live theater

* ''That Certain Girl'' (1967, Thunderbird Hotel, Las Vegas) * ''Barefoot in the Park'' (1968 National Company) * ''No, No Nanette'' (1972 National Company) * ''40 Carats'' (1975/May–June, Hayloft Dinner Theatre, Lubbock, Texas) * ''Good News'' (1977, Paper Mill Playhouse) * ''Mover Over Mrs. Markham'' (1980 National Tour) * ''Butterflies Are Free'' (1981 Tour) * ''Follies'' (1995, Houston and Seattle)

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mayo, Virginia 1920 births 2005 deaths Deaths from pneumonia in California 20th-century American actresses Actresses from St. Louis American film actresses American Roman Catholics American television actresses California Republicans Converts to Roman Catholicism Missouri Republicans American vaudeville performers Warner Bros. contract players Burials at Valley Oaks Memorial Park 20th-century American women writers Western (genre) film actresses American musical theatre actresses American radio actresses American stage actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women