Sara Allgood | |
|---|---|
 Allgoodc. 1912 | |
| Born | Sarah Ellen Allgood (1880-10-30)30 October 1880 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 13 September 1950(1950-09-13) (aged 69) |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery,Culver City, California |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1918–1950 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Maire O'Neill (sister) |
Sarah Ellen Allgood (30 October 1880 – 13 September 1950),[1] known asSara Allgood, was an Irish-American actress. She first studied drama with the Irish nationalistDaughters of Ireland and was at the opening of theIrish National Theatre Society.
In 1904, she had her first big role inSpreading the News and was a full-time actress the following year. In 1915, she toured Australia and New Zealand as the lead inPeg o' My Heart. Her acting career continued in Dublin,London, and the U.S. She appeared in a number of films, most notably being nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Beth Morgan in the 1941 filmHow Green Was My Valley. She became an American citizen in 1945 and died of a heart attack in 1950.
Allgood was born on 30 October 1880, at 45 MiddleAbbey Street inDublin, then still part of theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland at the time, a daughter of Margaret (née Harold) and compositor George Allgood.[2] Her mother was Catholic, while her father was Protestant.[3][4] She had two baptisms, a Catholic baptism on 3 November 1880 and a Church of Ireland (Protestant Anglican) baptism on 21 November 1880.[5]
She had seven siblings, one of whom was fellow actressMaire O'Neill, although the two were later reportedly estranged. A brother, Tom, became a Roman Catholic priest, who took the religious name of "Father Vincent".[6]
After her father's death when she was a young girl, her mother returned to work as a furniture trader. Allgood began work as soon as she was able, apprenticed to aFrench polisher near her mother's workplace who sold high quality antique and modern furniture from their warerooms at 19 and 20Bachelors Walk, Dublin, and who also operated as cabinet-makers, upholsterers, valuers, house agents, and auctioneers.[3]
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Allgood joined the Irish nationalistDaughters of Ireland, where she first began to study drama under the direction ofMaud Gonne andWilliam Fay. She began her acting career at theAbbey Theatre and was in the opening of theIrish National Theatre Society. Her first big role was in December 1904 at the opening ofLady Gregory'sSpreading the News.[6] By 1905, she was a full-time actress, touring England and North America.
In 1915, Allgood was cast as the lead inJ. Hartley Manners' comedyPeg o' My Heart which toured Australia and New Zealand in 1916. She played the lead role opposite herPeg o' My Heart co-star and then-husband Gerald Henson inJ. A. Lipman's 1918 silent filmJust Peggy, shot inSydney. After his death and her return to Ireland, she continued to perform at the Abbey Theatre. Allgood toured with the Arts League of Service touring company in 1923-24.[7] Her most memorable performance was inSeán O'Casey'sJuno and the Paycock in 1924. She won acclaim in London when she played Bessie Burgess in O'Casey'sThe Plough and the Stars in 1926.
Allgood was frequently featured in earlyHitchcock films, such asBlackmail (1929),Juno and the Paycock (1930), andSabotage (1936).[8][9] She had a significant role inStorm in a Teacup (1937).
After many successful theatre tours of America, she pursued a film career. She was nominated for aBest Supporting Actress Academy Award for her role as Beth Morgan in the 1941 filmHow Green Was My Valley.[10] She had memorable roles in the 1941 retelling ofDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,It Happened in Flatbush (1942),Jane Eyre (1943),The Lodger (1944),The Keys of the Kingdom (1944),The Spiral Staircase (1946),The Fabulous Dorseys (1947), and the originalCheaper by the Dozen (1950).
In September 1916, Allgood married herPeg o' My Heart co-star Gerald Henson while they were touring inMelbourne. In January 1918, they had a daughter named Mary who died one day later. In November of that year, theSpanish flu pandemic claimed Henson's life.[3]
Allgood settled in Hollywood in 1940 and became an American citizen in 1945.[11][12]
On 13 September 1950, at the age of 69, Allgood died of aheart attack at her home inWoodland Hills, California. She was buried inHoly Cross Cemetery, Culver City.[citation needed]
