VIRGINIA MAYO BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Virginia Mayo was born Virginia Clara Jones on November 30th, 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri.  Her father was a newspaper reporter. At a young age she became interested in dancing as her aunt owned a dance studio and by age six she had begun taking dance classes there. 
 
Upon completion of Solden High School in 1937, Mayo, became a member of the St. Louis Municipal Opera appearing in the chorus and performing at the Jefferson Hotel.  Andy Mayo, her brother in law, saw her at the hotel and asked her to be a part of his vaudeville act.  This was how she got her stage name Virginia Mayo by taking on his last name.  Mayo worked for a total of three years with Andy Mayo.  She even made an appearance on Broadway in, "Banjo Eyes" (1941).   
 
During her Broadway performance she was scouted by a MGM talent scout and was signed to a contract for films.  Her first film was in 1943 on, "Jack London" followed by a small role in, "Follies Girls" (1943).  Besides her obvious beauty, she possessed a talent that MGM felt they could really be successful with her.  They chose to give her larger roles casting her next in, "The Princess and the Pirate" (1944).  Virginia continued to get cast in films and her popularity would grow with each role.  Some of the more popular ones were, "Wonder Man" (1945), "The Kid from Brooklyn" (1946) and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1947).

Mayo worked well into the 50's and 60's mostly being cast in 'B' rated films and quite a few westerns.  She did also appear in a number of musicals but ironically her voice was always dubbed, it was her beauty the producers were after.  In addition to film, Mayo appeared in many television shows including: Night Gallery, Merv Griffin, Police Story, Dinah Shore, Mike Douglas, and numerous variety specials.  She also had feature roles on The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, Remington Steele, and 12 episodes of the daytime show, Santa Barbara.

Mayo was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the Motion Picture Industry and also recevied a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.  Mayo married only one time, to actor, Michael O'Shea in 1947.  Together the couple had one daughter, Mary Catherine O'Shea born in 1953.  The couple remanied together until Michael passed away in 1973. 

Mayo ahd her husband worked together on a variety of films such as, "Tunnel of Love", "Fiorello", and "George Washington Slept Here".

On Janauary 17th, 2005 Virgina Mayo passed away from natural causes in Thousand Oaks, California at the age of 84.  Virginia Mayo was one of the most popular actresses during the 1940's and 1950's remembered for her striking beauty and porcelain skin. 
 

Filmography

2005  White Heat: Top of the World
2003  Norwegian Actresses in Hollywood
2001  Ronald Reagan: The Hollywood Years, the Presidential Years
1999  The Best of Film Noir 
1998  The Best of Hollywood
1997  "The Naked Truth: Bridesface Revisited
1997  Burt Lancaster: Daring to Reach
1997  The Man Next Door
1995  Inside the Dream Factory
1994  The Bible According to Hollywood
1993  "Vicki!: Episode dated 10 May 1993"
1993  Midnight Witness
1992  James Cagney: Top of the World
1990  Evil Spirits
1986  "The Love Boat: Hello Emily/The Tour Guide/The Winner Number
1984  "Remington Steele: Cast in Steele
1984  "Murder, She Wrote: Hooray for Homicide
1984  "Santa Barbara
1983  Do It Debbie's Way
1981  James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy
1978  French Quarter
1977  "Lanigan's Rabbi: The Cadaver in the Clutter
1977  Haunted
1976  Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1975  "Police Story: Face for a Shadow
1975  Fugitive Lovers
1971  "Night Gallery: The Diary/A Matter of Semantics/Big Surprise/Professor Peabody's Last Lecture
1969  "The Outsider: Behind God's Back
1967  Fort Utah
1967  "Daktari: Judy and the Gorilla
1966  Castle of Evil
1966  "The Bob Hope Show:
1965  "Burke's Law: Who Killed the Man on the White Horse?
1965  Young Fury
1961  Revolt of the Mercenaries
1960  McGarry and His Mouse
1959  Jet Over the Atlantic
1959  "Lux Playhouse: Deathtrap
1959  Westbound
1958  "The Loretta Young Show: Operation Snowball
1958  "Wagon Train: The Beauty Jamison Story
1958  Fort Dobbs
1958  Screen Snapshots: Salute to Hollywood
1957  The Tall Stranger
1957  The Story of Mankind
1957  "Conflict: Execution Night
1957  The Big Land
1956  Congo Crossing
1956  The Proud Ones
1956  Great Day in the Morning
1955  Pearl of the South Pacific
1954  The Silver Chalice 
1954  "The Ed Sullivan Show:
1954  A Star Is Born World Premiere
1954  King Richard and the Crusaders
1953  Devil's Canyon
1953  South Sea Woman
1953  She's Back on Broadway
1952  The Iron Mistress
1952  She's Working Her Way Through College
1952  Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life
1951  Painting the Clouds with Sunshine
1951  Along the Great Divide
1951  Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
1950  The West Point Story
1950  The Flame and the Arrow
1950  Backfire
1949  Always Leave Them Laughing
1949  Red Light
1949  White Heat
1949  The Girl from Jones Beach
1949  Colorado Territory
1949  Flaxy Martin
1948  A Song Is Born
1948  Smart Girls Don't Talk
1947  The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
1947  Out of the Blue
1946  The Best Years of Our Lives
1946  The Kid from Brooklyn
1945  Wonder Man
1944  The Princess and the Pirate
1944  Seven Days Ashore
1944  Up in Arms
1943  Jack London
1943  Follies Girl
1939  Gals and Gallons