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Virginia Mayo
Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones; November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer. She was in a series of popular comedy films with Danny Kaye and was Warner Bros.' biggest box-office draw in the late 1940s. She also co-starred in the 1946 Oscar-winning movie The Best Years of Our Lives.
Mayo was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of newspaper reporter Luke and his wife, Martha Henrietta (née Rautenstrauch) Jones. 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, Illinois, in 1797. Virginia's aunt operated an acting school in the St. Louis area, which Virginia began attending at age six. She also had a series of dancing instructors engaged by her aunt.[citation needed]
Following her graduation from Soldan High School at age 16 in 1937, Virginia landed her first professional acting and dancing jobs at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (more commonly known as "The Muny") and in an act with six other girls at the Hotel Jefferson. Performer Andy Mayo, impressed with her ability, recruited her to appear in his act, "Morton and Mayo".
She toured the American vaudeville circuit for three years, serving as ringmaster and comedic foil for "Pansy the Horse," performed by Andy Mayo and his partner, Nonnie Morton, in a horse suit. They appeared together in some short films and were a huge hit in New York at Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe nightclub in the Broadway theater district, where she was spotted by Samuel Goldwyn.[citation needed]
In 1941, then officially known by her stage name Virginia Mayo, she got another career break when she appeared on Broadway with Eddie Cantor in Banjo Eyes.
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.[citation needed]
Goldwyn only made a few films a year and usually lent out the actors he had under contract to other producers. Her first notable role was in Jack London (1943), which starred her future husband Michael O'Shea for producer Samuel Bronston.
Mayo was placed in the chorus of the film Up in Arms just so she could learn, but she was never officially a member of the Goldwyn Girls. Then, RKO borrowed her for a support role in a musical, Seven Days Ashore (1944).[citation needed]
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Virginia Mayo
Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones; November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer. She was in a series of popular comedy films with Danny Kaye and was Warner Bros.' biggest box-office draw in the late 1940s. She also co-starred in the 1946 Oscar-winning movie The Best Years of Our Lives.
Mayo was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of newspaper reporter Luke and his wife, Martha Henrietta (née Rautenstrauch) Jones. 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, Illinois, in 1797. Virginia's aunt operated an acting school in the St. Louis area, which Virginia began attending at age six. She also had a series of dancing instructors engaged by her aunt.[citation needed]
Following her graduation from Soldan High School at age 16 in 1937, Virginia landed her first professional acting and dancing jobs at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (more commonly known as "The Muny") and in an act with six other girls at the Hotel Jefferson. Performer Andy Mayo, impressed with her ability, recruited her to appear in his act, "Morton and Mayo".
She toured the American vaudeville circuit for three years, serving as ringmaster and comedic foil for "Pansy the Horse," performed by Andy Mayo and his partner, Nonnie Morton, in a horse suit. They appeared together in some short films and were a huge hit in New York at Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe nightclub in the Broadway theater district, where she was spotted by Samuel Goldwyn.[citation needed]
In 1941, then officially known by her stage name Virginia Mayo, she got another career break when she appeared on Broadway with Eddie Cantor in Banjo Eyes.
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.[citation needed]
Goldwyn only made a few films a year and usually lent out the actors he had under contract to other producers. Her first notable role was in Jack London (1943), which starred her future husband Michael O'Shea for producer Samuel Bronston.
Mayo was placed in the chorus of the film Up in Arms just so she could learn, but she was never officially a member of the Goldwyn Girls. Then, RKO borrowed her for a support role in a musical, Seven Days Ashore (1944).[citation needed]
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