Virginia O'Brien
Biography
Virginia O'Brien was an American actress and singer who became known for her comic musical work at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. She sang in a deadpan style, with little movement and no facial expression, a gimmick she reportedly found by accident during a Los Angeles stage production of Meet the People when stage fright froze her before a number. Audiences laughed, and she repeated the approach in films from 1940, picking up nicknames including Frozen Face and Miss Ice Glacier. Her MGM films included Ziegfeld Follies (1945), The Harvey Girls (1946), Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), and, with the Marx Brothers, The Big Store (1941). She made her Broadway debut in Keep Off the Grass and recorded for Columbia and Decca Records. After Merton of the Movies (1947), she was dropped from her MGM contract and turned to television and live performance. She appeared in Francis in the Navy (1955) and Gus (1976). She died in 2001.
81years old at death
- Born Los Angeles
- Died Woodland Hills
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 35 years1941 to 1976
First and latest
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First role
Virginia O'Brien made her Broadway debut in Keep Off the Grass, a short-lived musical, appearing with Jimmy Durante. She also recorded four songs from the show for Columbia Records.
A role that slipped away
After a 1947 film with Red Skelton, Merton of the Movies, and a guest spot the next year in the short Musical Merry-Go-Round, O'Brien lost her MGM film contract without warning and turned to television and live performances.
Beyond film
In 1984, Virginia O'Brien put together a cabaret act titled "Virginia O'Brien Salutes the Great MGM Musicals." It was taped at the Masquer's Club in Hollywood and can be found on CD and iTunes.
Virginia O'Brien movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
George Sidney directed two of these films, Roy Del Ruth two and Vincente Minnelli two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Judy Garland's page
Cyd Charisse's page
Red Skelton's page
Angela Lansbury's page
Alan Mowbray's page
Harry Hayden's page
All films by George Sidney
Roy Del RuthDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1945
All films by Roy Del Ruth
All films by Vincente Minnelli
Also two films together4 more actors
- Kathryn GraysonTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Lena HorneTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Tony MartinTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and The Big Store (1941)
- Lucille BremerTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.