Pat O’Brien

….as Father Duffy
in “The Fighting 69 th” (1940)

Born: November 11th, 1899 in Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Died: October 15th, 1983 in Santa Monica , California at age 83
Cause of death: heart attack
Real name: William Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Marriages: One to actress Eloise Taylor that endured until his death. They had 4 children, three of them adopted.

Remarks: Irish families (and even Irish-American families) believed having a child “in the church” was a stepping stone to Heaven. Pat thought about entering the seminary but decided it wasn’t his calling. But as an actor, he probably wore the collar more often than even his good friend Spencer Tracy. The two went to school together at Marquette Academy and shared a New York apartment afterwards. Pat, Spence and pal Jimmy Cagney were part of what Hollywood called “The Irish Mafia” and Pat won the nickname “Irishman in Residence”. He loved everything Irish except one….his favorite drink was Cutty Sark Scottish whiskey and water in a tall glass!

Films (92) also include “The Front Page” (1931), "Gambling Lady” (1934), “Devil Dogs of the Air” (1935), “Angels with Dirty Faces” (1938), “Knute Rockne All-American” (1940, The Iron Major” (1943) and “Ragtime” (1943).

Ingrid Bergman

…as Sister Mary Benedict
in “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (1945)

Born: August 29th, 1915 in Stockholm , Sweden
Died: August 29th, 1982 in London , England at age 67 Cause if death: lymphoma
Real name: Ingrid Bergman

Marriages: Three. Her first to Dr. Peter Lindstrom ended in 1950 after 13 years and one daughter. The second to director Roberto Rossellini concluded an affair that almost cost her a career. It lasted 7 years and produced 3 children. Her third also ended in divorce.

Remarks: Ingrid played saints(“Joan of Arc” 1948) and sinners (“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” 1941) all with exceptional clarity. She began acting at age 17 and continued in her craft until her Emmy-award performance in the television mini-series “A Woman Called Golda” in 1982. She died on her 67 th birthday and her ashes scattered at sea off the coast of Sweden . ( for more on Ingrid, see Issue #3 Past Issues)

Films (47) also include “Munkbrogreven” (1935), “Intermezzo” (1939), “ Casablanca ” (1942), “Gaslight” (1944), “Notorious” (1946), “ Stromboli ” (1949) and “Indiscreet” (1958).

Burt Lancaster

….as “Elmer Gantry” (1960

Born: November 2nd, 1913 in New York City , New York
Died: October 20th, 1994 in Century City, California at age 80
Cause of death: heart attack after a stroke
Real Name: Burton Stephen Lancaster
Marriages: Three. The first to June Ernst lasted 11 years before ending in divorce. No children. The second to Norma Anderson also ended in divorce after 23 years and 5 children. The third to Susan Martin lasted 3 years until his death.

Remarks: A circus acrobat before WWII, Burt discovered both the USO and acting while in the army. His first film “The Killers” in 1946 made him famous, his athletic ability in action pictures made him very bankable and his blue eyes and wide smile made him very attractive to the ladies. But it was his role as fiery evangelist Elmer Gantry that won him an Oscar. Burt suffered a massive stroke in 1990 and never fully recovered. He died of a heart attack four years later.

Films (78) also include “Kiss the Blood Off My Hands” (1948), “Jim Thorpe All-American” ( 1951), “Apache” (1954), “The Rose Tattoo” (1955), “The Unforgiven” (1960), “The Train” (1964), “Airport” (1970) and “ Atlantic City ” (1980).

Helen Hayes

….as Angela Charamonte
“The White Sister” (1933)

Born: October 10th, 1900 in Washington, D.C.
Died: March 17th, 1993 in Nyack, New York at age 92
Cause of death: congestive heart failure
Real name: Helen Hayes Brown
Marriages: One to playwright Charles MacArthur that lasted 28 years until his death. They adopted one son, actor James MacArthur.

Remarks: Helen was a stage actress who left Broadway periodically to make films. But when she did, her performances were stellar. Helen received the Best Actress Oscar for her sound film debut in “The Sins of Madelon Claudet” and her second Oscar much later as the engaging stowaway in the 1970 film “Airport” (she stole that movie right out from under Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin) . Known as the “First Lady of the Theater” a theater was named after her although it no longer exists. Helen’s last screen appearance was on television as a guest on the Johnny Carson Show in June, 1992. She died at her home “Pretty Penny” in Nyack just one year later.

Films (20) also include “A Farewell to Arms” (1932), “Night Flight” (1933), “What Every Woman Knows” (1934), Anastasia” (1956) and “Candleshoe” (1977).

Spencer Tracy

….as Father Matthew Doonan
in “The Devil at 4 O’Clock”

Born: April 8th, 1900 in Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Died: June 10th, 1967 in Beverly Hills, California at age 67
Cause of death: heart attack due to diabetes
Real name: Spencer Bonaventure Tracy
Marriages: One to Louise Treadwell that produced two children. But they were living separate lives and Spence had an ongoing relationship with Katharine Hepburn.

Remarks: No matter what his problems off-screen, Spencer Tracy gave his on-screen portrayals such an enduring quality that no one else could ever play those roles. Best remembered as Father Flanagan in “ Boys Town ”, his other roles as a priest are also memorable including his role as Father Tim Mullin in “ San Francisco ” (1936). But his films with Katharine Hepburn were all classics. He had just finished “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” with Kate and Sidney Poitier when he died of a sudden heart attack.

Films (78) also include “20,000 Years in Sing Sing” (1932), “Captains Courageous” (1937), “ Edison the Man” (1940), “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1941), “Cass Timberlane” (1947), “Broken Lance” (1954) and “Judgement at Nuremberg ” (1967)

Rosalind Russell

….as Mother Superior
in“ The Trouble With Angels” (1966)

Born: June 4th, 1907 in Waterbury , Connecticut. Died: November 28th, 1976 in Beverly Hills, California at age 69 Cause of death: metastasized breast cancer
Real name: Rosalind Russell
Marriages: One to Frederick Brisson in 1941 that lasted until her death. They had one son, Lance, in 1943.

Remarks: Even though she was raised Catholic, this was the only time she ever played a nun on the screen. Fully intending to be an actress, she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts on the pretext of becoming a drama teacher. Rosalind’s success on Broadway in “My Sister Eileen” ended all speculation and she repeated her fine performance in the film version. Exceptional comedic timing won her the role of Hildy Johnson opposite Cary Grant in “His Girl Friday”(1940). In the 1950s she returned to Broadway and again reprised her successful performance in “Auntie Mame” for the screen. Rosalind was plagued with painful rheumatoid arthritis for years but cancer proved to be her final enemy.

Films (52) also include “Evelyn Prentiss” (1934), “Night Must Fall” (1937), “The Women” (1939), “Take a Letter, Darling” (1942), “Sister Kenny” (1946), “Picnic” (1955) and “Gypsy” (1962).

Richard Arlen

….as the Reverend Dan Matthews
in “ The Calling of Dan Matthews” (1935)

Born: September 1st, 1898 in Charlottesville, Virginia
Died: March 28th, 1976 in North Hollywood, California at age 77
Cause of death: emphysema
Real name: Cornelius Richard Van Mattimore
Marriages: Three. His first marriage to silent film actress Jobyn Ralston lasted 18 years and produced his only child, actor Richard Arlen, Jr.

Remarks: As one of the few “crusading” ministers in films during the 1930s, Arlen made the most of this outdated script. He had become an actor literally by accident. After crashing his motorcycle into the gates of Paramount Pictures and breaking his leg, the studio paid for his recovery and threw in a contract as well. Arlen’s career hit its highs in the silent era but “B” pictures kept him busy when sound came in. A hearing problem threatened his career in the late 40s but surgery corrected it. His last screen appearance came in 1976 in “Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood ”.

Films (150) also include “Wings” (1927), “ Island of Lost Souls ” (1933), “Artists And Models” (1937), “Wildcat” (1942), “ Silver City ” (1951), “The Shepherd of the Hills” (1964) and “ Waco ” (1966).

Barbara Stanwyck

….as Florence “Faith” Fallon
“The Miracle Woman” (1931)

Born: July 16th, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York .
Died: January 20th, 1990 in Santa Monica, California at age 82.
Cause of death; congestive heart failure.
Real name: Ruby Catherine Stevens
Marriages: Two. The first to vaudevillian Frank Fay lasted 7 years before ending in divorce. They had one adopted son, Dion. The second to actor Robert Taylor lasted 12 years but also ended in divorce.

Remarks: The role of Florence Fallon was based on Robert Riskin’s play “Bless You Sister” rumored to be inspired by the current popularity of Aimee Semple McPherson. But once the studio chopped it, restyled it and left much of the meaty parts lost in editing, Barbara didn’t have much to work with. She would do much better 2 years later in “Gambling Lady” with Henry Fonda. Barbara’s career on the big screen lasted 37 years (1927-1964) and then she made her mark on television until 1986. (For more on Barbara, see Issue # 5 Past Issues.)

Films (82) also include “Night Nurse” (1931), “The Woman in Red” (1935), “Stella Dallas” (1937), “Union Pacific” (1939), “Double Indemnity” (1944), “The Strnage Love of Martha Ivers” (1946) and “Executive Suite” (1954).

Bing Crosby

….as Father Chuck O’Malley
in “Going My Way” (1944)

Born: May 2nd, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington
Died: October 14th, 1977 in Madrid, Spain at age 74
Cause of death: heart attack
Real name: Harry Lillis Crosby
Marriages: Two. His first to singer Dixie Lee lasted 22 years until her death. They had 4 sons. His second to actress Kathryn Grant lasted 20 years until his death. They had 3 children.

Remarks: The role of Father O’Malley won a Best Actor Oscar for Bing and another Oscar nod when he reprised it in “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (1945). The crooner had his first real film success in Paramount ’s “The Big Broadcast” in 1932 but it was his teaming with Bob Hope in the “Road” pictures that sent his career skyward. Another Oscar nomination came with his role as the alcoholic singer in “The Country Girl” (1954) (and the beginning of a love affair with Grace Kelly). Bing was playing golf in Madrid when he suffered a fatal heart attack. His last words were rumored to be “That was a great game of golf, fellers”.

Films (96) also include “Pennies From Heaven” (1936), “Rhythm on the River” (1940), “Holiday Inn” (1942), “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” (1949), “Little Boy Lost” (1953) and “Say One For Me” (1959).

Jean Simmons

….as Sister Sarah Brown
in “Guys and Dolls” (1955)

Born: January 31st, 1929 in Crouch Hill, England
Real name: Jean Merilyn Simmons
Marriages: Two, both ending in divorce. The first to actor Stewart Granger lasted 10 years and produced 1 child. The second to director Richard Brooks lasted 17 years and also produced one child.

Remarks: As the naïve Salvation Army miss, Jean got the chance to sing on screen and won the Golden Globe Award. She also played Sister Sharon to Burt Lancaster’s Elmer Gantry. Other strong performances: Jean Maragon in “The Big Country” (1958) between two strong leading men, Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston and as Mary Follett in “All the Way Home” (1963) with Robert Preston. Jean also found television fertile ground. One excellent performance was that of Fiona Cleary in the blockbuster miniseries “The Thorn Birds”. She is now in semi-retirement in Santa Monica .

Films (56) also include “Great Expectations” (1946), “Black Narcissus” (1947), “Angel Face” (1952), “Young Bess” (1953), “The Actress” (1953), “Desiree” (1954), “This Earth is Mine” (1959) and “The Grass is Greener” (1960)

Don Murray

…..as Father Charles Dismas Clark
“The Hoodlum Priest” (1961)

Born: July 31st, 1929 in Hollywood, California (age 76)
Real name: Donald Patrick Murray
Marriages: Two. The first to actress Hope Lange lasted 5 years before ending in divorce. They had 2 children.

Remarks: You must admit, Don was really into clerical story lines. He co-wrote, co-produced and starred in this film, starred as Rev, Norman Vincent Peale in “One Man’s Way” (1964) and directed “The Cross and the Switchblade” (another priest vs, delinquents tale). He also directed “Damian” a true story about the priest who treated lepers. But, lest we forget, he began his career with Marilyn Monroe in “Bus Stop” (1956)! He is now working on “The Hard Ride” due for release this year.

Films (34) also include “A Hatful of Rain” (1957), “Advise and Consent” (1962), “Baby, the Rain Must Fall” (1965), “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” (1972) and “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986).

Peggy Wood

….as Mother Abbess
in “The Sound of Music” (1965)

Born: February 9th, 1892 in Brooklyn, New York
Died: March 18th, 1978 in Stamford, Connecticut at age 86
Cause of death: stroke
Real name: Margaret Wood
Marriages: Two. Her first to John Weaver lasted 4 years until his death in 1938. Her second to Will Walling lasted 32 years until his death in 1973. They had one son.

Remarks: The role of Mother Abbess won a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Peggy but she lost to Shelley Winters (“A Patch of Blue”). She made her Broadway debut at 17 in the chorus line of “Naughty Marietta ” and 10 years later Noel Coward wrote a part for her in his operetta "Bittersweet”. A versatile actress in everything from musicals to Shakespeare, Peggy is probably most remembered for her role as Marta Hansen in the “Mama” television series that ran from 1949 to 1957.

Films (13) also include “Almost a Husband” (1919), “Wonder of Women” (1929), “Jalna” (1935), “A Star is Born” (1937) and “Magnificent Doll” (1946).