Another article on celebrity dolls.Margaret O'Brien was not a typical child actress. She did not sing
or dance, but she had a very good dramatic acting ability. Her
talent also lay in the fact she had great screen presence. She was
in great demand for realistic drama roles.
Margaret was born in Los Angles on January 15, 1937, weighing in at
only four pounds. She was christened Angela Maxine O'Brien.
Margaret's career as an actress began quite by accident. Her Aunt
Marissa was an actress performing at the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
in New York City and at age two Maxine as she was called followed her
on stage and in back of her Aunt copied each and every step. The
audience wildly applauded. Shortly Maxine proclaimed to her Mother
Gladys O'Brien, "I want to act in the movies instead of watching
them". Her mother realized her talent and great potential. When
Gladys read in the paper an ad for child models she immediately took
Maxine. They met famous photographer Paul Hesse who hired Maxine on
the spot. A photo from the session led to a role in a 1940 small
government film titled, "You, John Jones" starring James Cagney. Her
mother after seeing the film realized the great ability Maxine had
and when she heard of an audition at MGM for the 1941 movie "Babes on
Broadway" starring the famous Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. The
talented Maxine won a role as one of the children helping Mickey put
on the big show. It was a small role and went unnoticed.
Mrs. O'Brien learned that MGM was casting for the lead of their next
big movie titled: "Journey For Margaret". The unique role called for
a child to play a child shattered by the bombing of London during
WW11. It was a very difficult role and over 200 children
auditioned. MGM was not looking for the typical child beautiful, but
one that was sensitive and intelligent. Twelve young girls including
Maxine were selected to have a screen test. Maxine was sure the part
was hers and later said, " I prayed for the role".
Winning this coveted role made Maxine Hollywood's newest child star.
On Maxine's insistence, Mrs. O'Brien petitioned the Los Angles
Superior Court to Change Maxine's name to Margaret O'Brien.
Margaret O'Brien was then signed to a seven-year contract and made
many movies. In 1944, she received a special miniature "Oscar" as
outstanding child actress of 1944. Her popularity as with most child
actors began to decline as she approached her teens. Her MGM
contract ended abruptly in 1949. In 1951 Columbia Pictures tried to
establish Margaret as a young adult and made a movie where she
received her first screen kiss, but it was a failure and Margaret
soon retired from movies all together.
The Alexander Doll Company first made an all-composition Margaret
O'Brien doll in 1946 and an all-hard plastic in 1947. The dolls were
very well made and greatly resembled the young star. The dolls were
jointed at the neck, shoulders, and hips. They had blue glass eyes
and an auburn wig with pigtails drawn in loops and tied with a ribbon
that matched her clothing. She is marked on the back of her
head "MMEALEXANDER" or simply "ALEXANDER".
The dolls were well dressed and the clothing made with special
attention to quality and detail. Each outfit was available in many
colors and was made of the highest quality fabrics, laces and trims.
The dresses were tagged, "Alexander/New York U.S.A.".
Many other dolls were made using these same doll molds. The Margaret
O'Brien dolls today remain a favorite with collectors and remain one
of the finest most beautiful dolls ever made and collectors are
willing to pay high prices for them.
