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

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...

and was

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

' biggest box-office money-maker in the late 1940s. She also co-starred in the 1946 Oscar-winning movie '' The Best Years of Our Lives'' and ''

White Heat ''White Heat'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, ''White Heat'' is based on a story by ...

'' (1949).

Biography

Early life

Born in St. Louis, Missouri; Mayo was 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 that is part of the St. Louis Public Schools. Soldan was known for its wealthy and pre ...

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 amphitheatre, 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 ...

) 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". Mayo toured the American vaudeville circuit for three years, serving as ringmaster and comedic foil for "Pansy the Horse," as 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 and lyricist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainment, with s ...

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

Broadway

In 1941, now officially known by her stage name Virginia Mayo, she got another career break as 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. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences ...

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 b ...

''.

Sam Goldwyn

In the early 1940s, Virginia Mayo's talent and striking beauty came to the attention of movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, who signed her to an acting contract with his company. Goldwyn only made a few films a year and usually loaned out the actors he had under contract to other producers. Her first notable role was in ''

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (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 to ...

'' (1943), which starred her future husband Michael O'Shea for producer

Samuel Bronston Samuel Bronston (March 26, 1908 – January 12, 1994) was a Bessarabian-born American film producer, film director, and a nephew of socialist revolutionary figure, Leon Trotsky. He was also the petitioner in a U.S. Supreme Court case that set a m ...

. Goldwyn originally planned to feature her with

in the film ''

Up in Arms ''Up in Arms'' is a 1944 musical film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1945. Plot Danny Weems works as an elevator operator in a New York Medical building, so he can b ...

,'' but he felt she needed more experience and gave the role to Constance Dowling. Mayo was placed in the chorus just so she could learn, but she was never officially a member of the

Goldwyn Girls The Goldwyn Girls were a musical stock company of female dancers employed by Samuel Goldwyn. Famous actresses, dancers, and models whose career included a stint in the Goldwyn Girls include Lucille Ball, Virginia Bruce, Claire Dodd, Paulette Go ...

. Then RKO borrowed her for a support role in a musical, '' Seven Days Ashore'' (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 a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...

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'' (1945) and '' The Kid from Brooklyn'' (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 Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), '' The Best Years o ...

's drama '' The Best Years of Our Lives'' (1946) for Goldwyn. Her performance drew favorable reviews from critics, as the film also became the highest-grossing film in the US since '' Gone with the Wind''. At the zenith of her career, Mayo was seen as the quintessential voluptuous Hollywood beauty. It was said that she "looked like a pinup painting come to life." 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, Warners borrowed her for the lead in a film noir, '' Smart Girls Don't Talk'' (1948).

Warner Bros

Warner Bros ended up taking over her contract from Goldwyn. They starred her in another film noir, ''

Flaxy Martin ''Flaxy Martin'' is a 1949 film noir starring Zachary Scott and Virginia Mayo, and featuring Elisha Cook Jr., Dorothy Malone, and Douglas Kennedy. The crime thriller was directed by Richard L. Bare based on a story written by David Lang. The ...

'' (1949) with

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary '' Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie L ...

, 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 screen 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 State of Colorado. The territory was organized in the ...

'' (1949), and a comedy with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

, ''

The Girl from Jones Beach ''The Girl from Jones Beach'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by I. A. L. Diamond. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Virginia Mayo, Eddie Bracken, Dona Drake, Henry Travers and Lois Wilson. The film was releas ...

'' (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, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

's sultry and scheming wife in the gangster classic ''

'' (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, Delaware – 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) ...

borrowed her to play opposite

George Raft George Raft (born George 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 ...

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 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...

'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 and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

'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, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

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 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

's leading lady in '' Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.'' (1951), Warners 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. D ...

in a Western for Walsh, '' Along the Great Divide'' (1951). Mayo starred opposite

Dennis Morgan Dennis Morgan (born Earl Stanley Morner, December 20, 1908 – September 7, 1994) was an American actor-singer. He used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting the name under which he gained his greatest fame. According to one obi ...

in David Butler's Technicolor musical, '' Painting the Clouds with Sunshine'' (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'' (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 ...

's leading lady in '' The Iron Mistress'' (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 Aloysius "Chuck" Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992) was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have p ...

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

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey "Rex" Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French Without Tears'', in wh ...

and George Sanders in ''

King Richard and the Crusaders ''King Richard and the Crusaders'' is a 1954 American historical drama film made by Warner Bros. The film stars Rex Harrison, Virginia Mayo, George Sanders and Laurence Harvey, with Robert Douglas, Michael Pate and Paula Raymond. It was directe ...

'' (1954). She was top billed in '' The Silver Chalice'' (1954) opposite

Pier Angeli Pier Angeli (19 June 193210 September 1971), also credited under her real name, Anna Maria Pierangeli, was an Italian-born television and film actress who starred in American, British and European films throughout her career. Her American motio ...

and

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

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

Post-Warners

Benedict Bogeaus Benedict Bogeaus (May 4, 1904, in Chicago – August 23, 1968, in Hollywood), was an independent film producer and former owner of General Service Studios. Biography and filmography Bogeaus' business career started when he was seventeen, workin ...

gave her the lead in ''

Pearl of the South Pacific ''Pearl of the South Pacific'' is a 1955 American adventure film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr. and Talbot Jennings. The film stars Virginia Mayo, Dennis Morgan, David Farrar, Murvyn Vye, and Lance Fuller. The film wa ...

'' (1955). Edmund Grainger cast her in ''

Great Day in the Morning ''Great Day in the Morning'' is a Technicolor Superscope 1956 film.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; May 19, 1956, page 80. It was directed by Jacques Tourneur and stars Virginia Mayo, Robert Stack, and Ruth Roman in a story set in 1860s Den ...

'' (1956), with Robert Stack, directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including '' Cat People'', ''I Walked w ...

. Mayo went to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

to play Robert Ryan's leading lady in ''

The Proud Ones ''The Proud Ones'' is a 1956 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Robert Ryan and Virginia Mayo. The film was based on the 1952 novel by Verne Athanas who after suffering an early heart attack, he gave up lo ...

'' (1956) then she did '' Congo Crossing'' (1956) at Universal. Mayo was reunited with Ladd in ''

The Big Land ''The Big Land'' is a 1957 American Western film in Warnercolor directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien Plot Back home in Texas following the Civil War, former Confederate officer Chad Morgan (Alan ...

'' (1957) made back at Warners. She played

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

in the 1957

fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction ...

The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...

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

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

at Warners. 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 series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', '' The Loretta Young Show'', and '' Lux Playhouse''.

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 ''Revolt of the Mercenaries'' (Italian: ''La rivolta dei mercenari'') is a 1961 Italian-Spanish historical adventure film directed by Piero Costa and starring Virginia Mayo, Conrado San Martín and Susana Canales.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.139 Th ...

'' (1961). Mayo's film career tapered off considerably. She appeared in '' Young Fury'' (1965) with Rory Calhoun, ''

Castle of Evil ''Castle of Evil'' is a 1966 American color horror film produced by Earle Lyon, directed by Francis D. Lyon and written by Charles A. Wallace. It stars Scott Brady, Virginia Mayo, David Brian, Lisa Gaye, Hugh Marlowe and William Thourlby. The f ...

'' (1966), and '' Fort Utah'' (1967) with John Ireland. She also guests starred on shows such as '' Burke's Law'' and ''

Daktari ''Daktari'' ( Swahili for "doctor") is an American family drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series is an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television starring Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a vete ...

'' and appeared onstage in such plays as '' That Certain Girl'' (1967) and '' Barefoot in the Park'' (1968).

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'', '' The Love Boat'', ''

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 the NBC network from O ...

'', 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 seri ...

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

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

in the all-star box office bomb '' Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' (1976). She had roles in '' Lanigan's Rabbi'' (1977), ''

Haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...

'' (1977), and '' French Quarter'' (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 historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

. 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 the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

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

Personal life

Mayo wed 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, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown. It is named after the many oak tr ...

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

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, 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 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

in 1968 and 1972, and longtime friend Ronald Reagan 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, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

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 ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''. 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 on its western border with Ventura County. The City of Westlake Village incorporated in 1981 becoming the 82nd municipality of Los Angeles County.Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks Westlake Vil ...

Filmography

Features

* ''

Follies Girl ''Follies Girl'' is a 1943 American musical comedy film directed by William Rowland and starring Wendy Barrie, Doris Nolan and Gordon Oliver. It was made by the poverty row studio Producers Releasing Corporation. Much of the film takes place in or ...

'' ( 1943) as Chorine (uncredited) * ''

'' (1943) as Mamie * ''

'' (

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in ...

) as Nurse Joanna (uncredited) * '' Seven Days Ashore'' (1944) as Carol Dean * '' The Princess and the Pirate'' (1944) as Princess Margaret * '' Wonder Man'' ( 1945) as Ellen Shanley * '' The Kid from Brooklyn'' (

1946 Events January * January 6 - The first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into four occupation zones. * January 10 ** The ...

) as Polly Pringle * '' The Best Years of Our Lives'' (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 Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

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

'' (

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 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

) as Flaxy Martin * ''

'' (1949) as Colorado Carson * ''

'' (1949) as Ruth Wilson * ''

'' (1949) as Verna Jarrett * '' Red Light'' (1949) as Carla North * '' Always Leave Them Laughing'' (1949) as Nancy Eagen * '' Backfire'' ( 1950) 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'' (

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 United ...

) as Lady Barbara Wellesley * '' Along the Great Divide'' (1951) as Ann Keith * '' Painting the Clouds with Sunshine'' (1951) as Carol * '' Starlift'' (1951) as Virginia Mayo * '' She's Working Her Way Through College'' ( 1952) as Angela Gardner / 'Hot Garters Gertie' * '' The Iron Mistress'' (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 government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...

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

'' (

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

) as Lady Edith Plantagenet * '' The Silver Chalice'' (1954) as Helene * ''

'' (

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijiangs ...

) as Rita Delaine * ''

'' (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...

) as Sally * ''

'' (1956) as Ann Merry Alaine * '' Congo Crossing'' (1956) as Louise Whitman * ''

'' ( 1957) as Helen Jagger * ''

'' (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 third ...

) as Celia Gray * '' Westbound'' ( 1959) as Norma Putnam * '' Jet Over the Atlantic'' (1959) as Jean Gurney * ''

'' (

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

) as Lady Patrizia, Duchessa di Rivalta * '' Young Fury'' ( 1964) as Sara McCoy * ''

'' (

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 ...

) as Mary Theresa 'Sable' Pulaski * '' Fort Utah'' ( 1967) 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 * '' Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' ( 1976) as Miss Battley * ''

'' (1977) as Michelle * '' French Quarter'' (

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 CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd government). * January 6 ...

) as Countess Willie Piazza / Ida * ''

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

'' (1984, TV Series) as Elinor * '' The Love Boat'' (1986, TV Series) as Virginia * ''Evil Spirits'' (

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...

) as Janet Wilson * ''Midnight Witness'' ( 1993) as Kitty * ''The Man Next Door'' (

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

) as Lucia (final film role)

Short subjects

* ''Gals and Gallons'' (

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

) as Virginia Jones * ''So You Think You're Not Guilty'' ( 1950) as Herself * ''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life'' ( 1952) 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 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