MAUREEN O'HARA THE RED-HEADED IRISH BEAUTY

Thanks to her red hair, beautiful eyes and the magicians of the Technicolor process, Maureen O'Hara became known as The Queen of Technicolor. Best remembered in her roles as the heroine in costume epics, she has appeared in many film classics including 'How Green Was My Valley" and 'The Quiet Man".

The following are some costume pieces from her career.

This brown two piece riding suit was worn by Ms O'Hara in the opening scenes of the 1949 Universal Pictures film "Baghdad". The film tells the story of a Princess in search of her fathers' murder. The costumes were designer by Yvonne Wood.

From the same film, is a green satin gown with tassel trim as worn by Ms O'Hara.



Ms O'Hara wears this costume in the 1945 RKO classic "The Spanish Main". An entertaining swashbuckling story, she starred opposite Paul Henreid. Ms O'Hara's costumes were designer by Edward Stevenson. This is a cream lace nightgown with lace up to the front.

I am a great admirer of this wonderful actress not only for her amazing talent but for her many contributions to the motion picture industry. An extraordinary and remarkable woman. If you get the chance, you must read her 2005 autobiography "Tis Herslef".

FILM COSTUME AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN PERFORMERS

During the era of the silent picture and with the advent of sound, there was no other star that presented such an enigmatic and mysterious presence on the screen as Anna May Wong. Considered to be the first Chinese American film star yet born near Los Angeles to second-generation Chinese-American parents in 1905. Best remebered for her role in Shanghai Express opposite Marlene Dietrich in 1932 for Paramount Pictures. Anna May Wong’s greatest dissapointment was to have missed out in the lead role in “The Good Earth” which MGM made in 1937 and cast Luise Rainer in instead.

This is a costume worn by Anna May Wong in “Daugher of Shanghai” in 1937 for Paramount pictures. The film was considered ground breaking in that Asian American actors played the lead roles.



This is a dance cosutme worn by Nancy Kwan as Linda Low in “Flower Drum Song” Universal Pictures 1961. Flower Drum Song was a broadway musical in 1958 written by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

This costume was worn by Nancy Kwan in the Fan Tan Fanny number early in the film. Costumes were desgined by the legendary Irene Sharaff. The film is a musical Celebration of San Fransisco’s Chinatown.