The famous Child Actress Margaret O’Brien came to the Ironwood Country Club sponsored by the Palm Springs Women in Film and Television Luncheon. President Patti Gribow spoke about upcoming events for PSWIFT including the Broken Glass Awards being held on March 1st and how they are almost sold out already.
Gribow introduced Actor Randal Malone and told of all his work in film,TV,Stage and LA Nightclubs. Malone spoke about this friendship with O’Brien over the years. He mentioned that O’Brien has 4 stars on the Hollywood walk of stars. One each for Film,TV,Stage and Radio. Her varied career didn’t stop as a child star in movies.
O’Brien spoke about her life as a child star and some of the people she worked with in those movies. She won a Juvenile Oscar in 1944 for her performance in Meet Me in St. Louis. She said June Allyson and she were the best at crying and remained friends. O’Brien was at Allyson’s wedding here in Palm Springs at the Ingleside Inn which is O’Brien’s favorite place to stay. She stayed there as a child and said she almost grew up there. O’Brien comes to the Desert often to see the many friends she has that live here in the Valley.
O’Brien said her favorite film was Little Women. She said Judy Garland was like a big sister and Wallace Beery was difficult as he didn’t like kids. She felt she had the greatest childhood and traveled all over the world with her mother.
Her hero was Geronimo and told how she scalped all her dolls as a child. O’Brien called Malone to the stage and they handed out Golden Halo Awards to Mel Haber, Owner of Ingleside Inn, President Patti Gribow and Shari Davis.
O’Brien signed black and white and color movie stills of her from her many famous films for guests. Donations from the autographs will go to Animal Rescue for No Kill Shelters.
