Hollywood Golden Age Actress Virginia Mayo (1920-2005) on the Blacklist

 

 

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix

“Ginny” Mayo, a gorgeous, shapely blonde, specialized in playing trollopes, which she did exceedingly well. She is best known for playing Fred Derry’s (Dana Andrews) wife in The Best Years of Our Lives. Another notable performance was in White Heat, as Jimmy Cagney’s wife.

Although she played unfaithful sluts, the real Ginny Mayo was true blue. She married once, buried Michael O’Shea, her hubby and the father of her daughter, after 26 years (in 1973), and never re-married.
 

“The blacklisting that took place in Hollywood was slightly different than how you hear of it today. There was a genuine Communist threat in this country and there were Communistic actors, directors, screenwriters and producers in Hollywood trying to grab control of the industry and use it for their own end, which was to spread Communist propaganda throughout the country and the world. The system used to get rid of the Communists was bad. Joseph McCarthy and his methods were a little cruel and drastic. But the Communist danger was there. And it has grown.”

From Focus on Film, Volumes 33-37.