MovieChat Forums > Wagon Train (1957) Discussion > Ann Sheridan and Virginia Mayo

Ann Sheridan and Virginia Mayo

posted 8 years ago by ben-thayer
3 replies | jump to latest

Two of the most beautiful stars of the 40s guest starred on WT, but WOW were they different in their respective episodes.

FYI...I am fascinated with both of these women, and I love seeing them in roles they played during their heyday.

Virginia Mayo appeared in 1958, and looked ravishingly beautiful. Four years later Ann Sheridan appeared, and I didn't even recognize her.

Granted, Ms. Sheridan was a couple years older...but it's obvious she was falling victim to her lifestyle, and would pass away a short 5 years later from esophageal cancer at the young age of 51. On this episode of WT her voice was very raspy, and her bottom teeth looked as if they were outlined with a sharpie...both an indication of an extremely heavy smoking habit. Although it's entirely likely alcohol also played a role in her condition. I would've guessed she was MUCH older than 46.

Please note that I am not being critical of Ms. Sheridan, I find it tremendously tragic. Everyone in Hollywood smoked, and alcohol was ubiquitous. So many of the greats died from their lifestyles during that era.

Ms. Mayo would live to the ripe age of 84.

Two of the most beautiful actresses from the golden age of film, whose lives took very different turns.

[–] Henry_Framus_Valentine 8 years ago

Virginia Mayo was more beautiful at 40 (say, in Fort Dobbs) than she was at 25 (in The Best Years of Our Lives), and that`s saying a lot since she was gorgeous in the earlier film. In Colorado Territory she is just amazingly stunning.

Beautiful, smart, witty, and, I guess, righteous is one way of describing Virginia. A few years before Miss Mayo died, I attended a showing of The Princess and the Pirate at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Virginia was frail and came out on stage pushed in a wheelchair. Nevertheless, none of her celebrated wit had disappeared and she kept the whole theater entertained for the better part of an hour.

🇺🇸 Liberty • E Pluribus Unum • In God We Trust 🇺🇸

[–] ben-thayer 8 years ago

A few years before Miss Mayo died, I attended a showing of The Princess and the Pirate at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Virginia was frail and came out on stage pushed in a wheelchair.

Wow...what a memory that must be! Envious I am....!

That film remains one of my all time favorites...the drinking scene was a riot, and Ms. Mayo munching down on the chicken still makes me smile.

[–] LarrupinLou 7 years ago

Beautiful, smart, witty, and, I guess, righteous is one way of describing Virginia. A few years before Miss Mayo died, I attended a showing of The Princess and the Pirate at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Virginia was frail and came out on stage pushed in a wheelchair. Nevertheless, none of her celebrated wit had disappeared and she kept the whole theater entertained for the better part of an hour.

The Princess and the Pirate is the film that I fell in love with her as a kid over 40 years ago. I was still at the age where girls were icky, but some women just captured my heart back then regardless and Virginia Mayo was one of them.

No blah, blah, blah!