Una O'Connor

Una O'Connor (born Agnes Teresa McGlade; 23 October 1880 – 4 February 1959) was an Irish-born American actress who worked extensively in theatre before becoming a character actress in film and in television. She often portrayed comical wives, housekeepers and servants. In 2020, she was listed at number 19 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

Life and work O'Connor was born to a Catholic nationalist family at 14 Alexander Street West in Belfast, Ireland. She was the daughter of James McGlade, a publican, and the former Maria Murphy. Her mother died when she was two; her father was a landowner/ farmer, ensuring that the family always had income from family land. He soon left for Australia and McGlade was brought up by an aunt, studying at St Dominic's School, Belfast, convent schools and in Paris. Thinking she would pursue teaching, she enrolled in the South Kensington School of Art. She changed her name when she began her acting career with the Abbey Theatre. One of her earliest appearances was in George Bernard Shaw's The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet in which she played the part of a swaggering American ranch girl. The production played in Dublin as well as in New York, opening 20 November 1911 at the Maxine Elliott Theatre, marking O'Connor's American debut.

By 1913, she was based in London, where she appeared in The Magic Jug, The Starlight Express (1915–16 at the Kingsway Theatre), and Paddy the Next Best Thing. In the early 1920s, she appeared as a cockney maid in Plus Fours followed in 1924 by her portrayal of a cockney waitress in Frederick Lonsdale's The Fake. In a single paragraph review, an unnamed reviewer noted "Una O'Connor's low comedy hotel maid was effectively handled." The latter show also played in New York (with O'Connor in the cast), opening 6 October 1924 at the Hudson Theatre. A review of the New York performances of The Fake recounts details of the plot, but then mentions two players of more than ordinary excellence. In the third act of The Fake occurs a scene between Una O'Connor and Godfrey Tearle, with Miss O'Connor as a waitress trying a crude sort of flirtation with Mr. Tearle. He does not respond at all and the longing, the pathos of this servant girl when she has exhausted her charms and receives no encouragement, is the very epitome of what careful character portrayal should be. Miss O'Connor is on the stage for only this single act, but in that short space of time she registers an indelible impression. Rightly, she scored one of the best hits of the performance.

These two plays in which she portrayed servants and waitresses appear to have portended her future career. Returning to London, she played in The Ring o' Bells (November 1925), Autumn Fire (March 1926), Distinguished Villa (May 1926), When Autumn Fire toured the U.S., opening first in Providence, Rhode Island, a critic wrote: "Una O'Connor, who plays Ellen Keegan, the poor drudge of a daughter, bitter against life and love, does fine work. Her excellence will undoubtedly win her the love of an American public."

She made her first appearance on film in Dark Red Roses (1929), followed by Murder! (1930) directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and an uncredited part in To Oblige a Lady (1931).

Despite her lengthy apprenticeship, she had attracted little attention. British critic Eric Johns recalled meeting her in 1931 in which she confessed: "I don't know what I'm going to do if I don't get work ... The end of my savings is in sight and unless something happens soon, I'll not be able to pay the rent". Her luck changed when she was chosen by Noël Coward to appear in Cavalcade at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1933. When she expressed surprise that Coward had noticed her, Coward replied that he had watched her for years and wrote the part with her in mind. including a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy called In Search of Valour (1939) in which she played the part of Stasia Claremorris. After her return to America, the storage facility that housed her furniture and car was destroyed in one of The Blitz strikes, which she took as a sign to remain in America. In a rare article written by O'Connor, she called working in television "the most exacting and nerve-racking experience that has ever come my way. It is an attempt to do two things at once, a combination of stage and screen techniques with the compensations of neither".

Her weak heart was detected in 1932 when her arrival in America began with detention at Ellis Island because of a "congenital heart condition". By the time of her appearance in the stage version of Witness for the Prosecution she had to stay in bed all day, emerging only to get to the theater and then leaving before the curtain call in order to return to her bed. Her appearance in the film version was intended to be her last. She had been living at the Windsor House at 100 West 58th Street in Manhattan.

Complete filmography

Dark Red Roses (1929) as Mrs. Weeks Murder! (1930) as Mrs. Grogram To Oblige a Lady (1931) (uncredited) Cavalcade (1933) as Ellen Bridges Pleasure Cruise (1933) as Mrs. Signus Timbuctoo (1933) as Myrtle Horse Play (1933) as Clementia Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933) as Mrs. Arnell Simmons The Invisible Man (1933) as Jenny Hall Orient Express (1934) as Mrs. Peters The Poor Rich (1934) as Lady Fetherstone All Men Are Enemies (1934) as Annie Stingaree (1934) as Annie Chained (1934) as Amy, Diane's Maid The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) as Wilson Father Brown, Detective (1934) as Mrs. Boggs David Copperfield (1935) as Mrs. Gummidge Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as Minnie The Informer (1935) as Mrs. McPhillip Thunder in the Night (1935) as Julie - Hotel Chambermaid The Perfect Gentleman (1936) as Harriet Chatteris Rose-Marie (1936) as Anna Roderick Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) as Mary Suzy (1936) as Landlady Lloyd's of London (1936) as Widow Blake The Plough and the Stars (1936) as Mrs. Gogan Personal Property (1937) as Clara, Crystal's Maid Call It a Day (1937) as Mrs. Milson, the Housekeeper The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) as Bess The Return of the Frog (1938) as Mum Oaks We Are Not Alone (1939) as Susan O'Connor, Newcome's Maid All Women Have Secrets (1939) as Mary His Brother's Keeper (1940) as Eva It All Came True (1940) as Maggie Ryan Lillian Russell (1940) as Marie The Sea Hawk (1940) as Miss Latham He Stayed for Breakfast (1940) as Doreta The Strawberry Blonde (1941) as Mrs. Mulcahey Her First Beau (1941) as Effie Kisses for Breakfast (1941) as Ellie Three Girls About Town (1941) as Maggie O'Callahan Always in My Heart (1942) as Angie My Favourite Spy (1942) as Cora Random Harvest (1942) as Tobacconist Forever and a Day (1943) as Mrs. Caroline Ismay This Land Is Mine (1943) as Mrs. Emma Lory Holy Matrimony (1943) as Sarah Leek Government Girl (1943) as Mrs. Harris The Canterville Ghost (1944) as Mrs. Umney My Pal Wolf (1944) as Mrs. Blevin Christmas in Connecticut (1945) as Norah The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) as Mrs. Breen Cluny Brown (1946) as Mrs. Wilson Of Human Bondage (1946) as Mrs. Foreman Child of Divorce (1946) as Nora, the Maid The Return of Monte Cristo (1946) as Miss Beedle Unexpected Guest (1947) as Matilda Hackett Lost Honeymoon (1947) as Mrs. Tubbs Banjo (1947) as Harriet The Corpse Came C.O.D. (1947) as Nora Ivy (1947) as Matilda Thrawn Fighting Father Dunne (1948) as Miss O'Rourke Adventures of Don Juan (1948) as Duenna Ha da venì ... don Calogero! (1952) as Angelica, perpetua Witness for the Prosecution (1957) as Janet MacKenzie (final film role)

Stage credits Dates are of the first performance.

Television

The Moon in the Yellow River (BBC 1938) as Aunt Columba Death at Newtown-Stewart (BBC 1939) In Search of Valour (BBC 1939) as Stasia Claremorris "Saturday's Children" on Lux Video Theatre (CBS October 2, 1950)