Roy Del Ruth borrowed her to play opposite George Raft in Red Light (1949) and she was Milton Berle's leading lady in Always Leave Them Laughing (1949). Mayo admitted she was frightened by Cagney as the psychotic gunman in White Heat because he was so realistic. Mayo received excellent reviews in another unsympathetic role, playing Jimmy Cagney's girl friend in White Heat (1949), also for Walsh. They starred her in another film noir, Flaxy Martin (1949) with Zachary Scott, then she did a Western with Joel McCrea and director Raoul Walsh, Colorado Territory (1949), and a comedy with Ronald Reagan, The Girl from Jones Beach (1949). Warner Bros ended up taking over her contract from Goldwyn. In between, Warners borrowed her for the lead in a film noir, Smart Girls Don't Talk (1948). 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. 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."Įagle Lion Films borrowed her to play the lead in Out of the Blue (1947), a comedy with George Brent. It was said that she "looked like a pinup painting come to life". At the zenith of her career, Mayo was seen as the quintessential voluptuous Hollywood beauty. Her performance drew favorable reviews from critics, as the film also became the highest-grossing film inside the US since Gone with the Wind. Going against previous stereotype, Mayo accepted the supporting role of unsympathetic, gold-digger Marie Derry in William Wyler's drama The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) for Goldwyn. Goldwyn then made her Danny Kaye's leading lady for some musicals, Wonder Man (1945) and The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), both very popular. Mayo's first starring role came in 1944 opposite comedian Bob Hope 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 gave her a bit part in Up in Arms (1944) then RKO borrowed her for a support role in a musical, Seven Days Ashore (1944). Her first notable role was in Jack London (1943), which starred her future husband Michael O'Shea for producer Samuel Bronston. Goldwyn only made a few films a year and would usually loan out the actors he had under contract to other producers. 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. In 1941 Jones, now known by the stage name Virginia Mayo, got another career break as she appeared on Broadway with Eddie Cantor in Banjo Eyes. Jones 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. Impressed with her ability, performer Andy Mayo, recruited her to appear in his act "Morton and Mayo". Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (more commonly known as The Muny) and in an act with six other girls at the Hotel Jefferson. 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 was tutored by a series of dancing instructors engaged by her aunt.įollowing her graduation from Soldan High School in 1937, Jones landed her first professional acting and dancing jobs at the St. 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, Missouri, she was the daughter of newspaper reporter Luke and wife, Martha Henrietta (née Rautenstrauch) Jones. Contents Biographyīorn Virginia Clara Jones in St. She also co-starred in the 1946 Oscar-winning movie The Best Years of Our Lives. She was in a series of comedy films with Danny Kayeand was Warner Brothers' biggest box-office money-maker in the late 1940s. Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones Novem– January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer.
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