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Maura McGiveney

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Maura McGiveney
McGiveney in Do Not Disturb (1965)
Born
Mary Alish McGiveney

(1939-02-28)28 February 1939
Died10 November 1990(1990-11-10) (aged 51)
Resting place
San Fernando Mission Cemetery
OccupationActress
Years active1959–1987
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1972; div. 1972)​

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

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She was born 28 February 1939,[citation needed] in London, England,[1] the daughter of the "quick change" actor Owen McGiveney and Elizabeth Hughes.[2] McGiveney traveled with her father, so she grew up in England, France, Ireland, and the United States. She said, "I attended school wherever we happened to be".[1] She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and first came to Hollywood to work in film.[3]

Career

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McGiveney earned a Golden Globe nomination[4] 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.[citation needed] On stage she appeared in Harvey, The Second City and The Fantasticks, among many other productions.[3]

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.[3] Miss McGiveney expressed shock when the show was canceled, even though five shows were filmed and twenty-one more planned. She said "I still can't understand it. We were all so sure it was going to be a big hit"[5]

Death

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McGiveney died on 10 November 1990 in Los Angeles, aged 51, after a battle with liver disease.[4] She was survived by her long-time partner, the television scriptwriter Worley Thorne.

Filmography

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Maura McGiveney stage veteran". The Daily News. Washington, Longview. 15 February 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 27 September 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ California Death Index 1940-1997
  3. 1 2 3 "Maura McGiveney, TV Actress". Los Angeles Times. 17 November 1990. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Maura McGiveney". The Orlando Sentinel. 15 November 1990. p. A 20. Retrieved 14 September 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Turn On Cast Is a Turn Off". The Daily Times News (Burlington, NC). 6 July 1969. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
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