Maggie McNamara
| Maggie McNamara | |
|---|---|
Studio Publicity Photo, 1953.
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| Born |
Marguerite McNamara June 18, 1928 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 18, 1978 (aged 49) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Barbiturate overdose |
| Resting place | Saint Charles Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Textile High School |
| Occupation | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1951–1964 |
| Spouse(s) | David Swift (m.1951; div. 195?) |
Marguerite "Maggie" McNamara (June 18, 1928 – February 18, 1978) was an American stage, film, and television actress and model. McNamara began her career as a teenage fashion model. She came to public attention in the controversial film The Moon Is Blue directed by Otto Preminger, reprising the role she played in the Chicago production of the play. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the film.
By the mid-1950s, McNamara's career began to decline. She appeared in two films after The Moon Is Blue and made her final film in 1963. After five guest-starring roles in television series in early 1960s, she retired from acting. For the remainder of her life, she worked as a typist in New York City. In February 1978, McNamara died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 49.
McNamara was born in New York City, one of four children of Timothy (1888-1955) and Helen (née Fleming 1888-1968) McNamara. Her father was of Irish descent while her mother was born in England to Irish parents. McNamara had two sisters, Helen and Cathleen, and a brother, Robert. Her parents divorced when she was nine years old.
She attended Textile High School in New York. As a teenager, McNamara was discovered when modeling agent John Robert Powers saw photos of her taken at a friend's home. With her mother's encouragement, McNamara signed with his agency and, while still in high school, began working as a teen model. She was one of the most successful teen model of the time and appeared in Seventeen, Life, Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. McNamara later commented on her modeling days:
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