About Maura McGiveney
Lived 1939 – 1990 (aged 51). Maura McGiveney was a British actor and film actor.
Mary Alish "Maura" McGiveney (28 February 1939 – 10 November 1990) was an English-American film and television actress during the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared several times in such TV series as Hawaii Five-0 and Perry Mason, The Virginian ("Day of the Scorpion"), Straightaway, The Hollywood Palace, Adam-12, McHale's Navy, My Three Sons, Peter Gunn, The Fugitive, The Flying Nun, Death Valley Days, and Dr. Kildare.
Early life She was born 28 February 1939, in Stockport, England, She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and first came to Hollywood to work in film.
Career McGiveney earned a Golden Globe nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as Most Promising Newcomer of 1966 for her role as Claire Hackett in the farce Do Not Disturb with Doris Day and Rod Taylor. She was also in the films Twist Around the Clock with Chubby Checker, W.I.A. Wounded in Action", Once You Kiss a Stranger and Destination America.
McGiveney was a comedian and singer as well as an actress. In what she hoped would be her ticket to fame, she appeared in a program similar to the successful TV show Laugh-In titled Turn-On. Turn on's sole episode aired on February 5, 1969, with the curvaceous McGiveney as "The Body Politic". The rather sexually explicit theme, jokes and remarks of Turn-On led to ABC affiliates refusing to broadcast the second episode, and the sponsor Bristol-Myers immediately canceled it.
McGiveney died in 1990 in Los Angeles after a battle with liver disease. She was survived by her long-time partner, the television scriptwriter Worley Thorne.
Filmography North by Northwest (1959) - Attendant #2 (uncredited) Twist Around the Clock (1961) - Debbie Marshall Do Not Disturb (1965) - Claire Hackett W.I.A. Wounded in Action (1966) - Lt. Marietta Dodd Once You Kiss a Stranger (1969) - Harriet Parker
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Maura McGiveney's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Maura McGiveney's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Maura McGiveney?
British actor (1939-1990)
When was Maura McGiveney born?
Maura McGiveney was born on 28 February 1939 in Stockport.
When did Maura McGiveney die?
Maura McGiveney died on 10 November 1990.
What was Maura McGiveney's occupation?
Maura McGiveney was an actor and film actor.
What nationality was Maura McGiveney?
Maura McGiveney was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Maura McGiveney. https://biography.guide/maura-mcgiveney/
MLA: "Maura McGiveney." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/maura-mcgiveney/.
Chicago: "Maura McGiveney." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/maura-mcgiveney/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:31 UTC