Merle Oberon

It was only after her death that this was revealed to have been a fabrication. More recently, O'Neill started to write, and has published From Fallen To Forgiven, a book of biographical notes and philosophical thoughts about life and existence. Throughout her life, Oberon maintained that she had been born in Tasmania, Australia. O'Neill had more success in TV movies, including notable performances in Love's Savage Fury and in Bare Essence. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Motion Pictures, at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard. After her success in Summer of '42 in 1971, in which she plays the young widow of a soldier killed in war, O'Neill became a well-known Hollywood actress, and continued acting for the next two decades, but was seldom offered roles which challenged her abilities. She was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. In 1970 she played a minor role in Rio Lobo, starring John Wayne.

She married twice more, to Italian-born Mexican industrialist Bruno Pagliai (two adopted children) and Dutch actor Robert Wolders, before her retirement to Malibu, California, where she died after suffering a stroke. In 1968 she landed a small role in For the Love of Ivy. Merle Oberon divorced Sir Alexander Korda in 1945, to marry cinematographer Lucien Ballard. As a teenager, O'Neill started to work as a model and appeared in TV commercials and on magazine covers. During her time as a film star, Oberon went to great lengths to disguise her mixed-race background and when her dark-skinned mother moved in with her in Hollywood, she masqueraded as Oberon's maid. She was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as the daughter of a Spanish-Irish businessman and his English wife. She went on to appear as Cathy in Wuthering Heights (1939), as George Sand in A Song to Remember (1945), and as Empress Josephine in Désirée (1954). Jennifer O'Neill (born February 20, 1948) is an American actress.

Merle Oberon was scarred for life, but skilled lighting technicians prevented her injuries being spotted by cinema audiences. For the Love of Ivy (1968). She was to star in Korda's film of I, Claudius (1937) as Messalina, but a serious car accident resulted in filming being abandoned. Futz! (1969). She received her only Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for The Dark Angel (1935). Rio Lobo (1970). Oberon's career went on to greater heights partly as a result of her relationship with and later marriage to director Alexander Korda, who had persuaded her to take the name under which she became famous. Summer of '42 (1971).

In 1934, she played the female lead in The Scarlet Pimpernel, opposite Leslie Howard. Such Good Friends (1971). Her first major film role was as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). Glass Houses (1972). Initially she worked as a club hostess under the name Queenie O'Brien and played in minor and unbilled rolls in various films. The Carey Treatment (1972). Born in Bombay, India to an Anglo-Irish father and an Anglo-Sinhalese mother, Constance Selby, who gave birth to Merle at the age of 15 and allowed her to be raised as her sister, Merle came to England for the first time in 1928. Lady Ice (1973).

Merle Oberon (February 19, 1911 - November 23, 1979), born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson, was a film actress, known for her sultry looks. Whiffs (1975). The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975). Gente di rispetto (1975). L'innocente (1976).

Call Girl (1976). 7 Note in Nero (1977). Caravans (1978). A Force of One (1979).

Steel (1980). Cloud Dancer (1980). Scanners (1981). I love NY (1988).

Committed (1988). Discretion assured (1993). Love is Like That (1996). The Corporate Ladder (1997).

The Ride (1997). The Prince and the Surfer (1999). Time Changer (2002).