Juanita Quigley

Juanita Quigley (24 June 1931 – 29 October 2017) was an American child actress in motion pictures of the 1930s and 1940s. She had a sister, Rita Quigley, who was also a child actress.[1]

Juanita Quigley
Born(1931-06-24)June 24, 1931
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedOctober 29, 2017(2017-10-29) (aged 86)
Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S.
Other namesSister Quentin Rita
OccupationActress
Religious sister
Years active1934–1950
(nun 1951–1964)
Spouse(s)
Dr. Donald Robert Schultz
​
(
m. 1964; died 2012)
Children2

Career

Juanita Quigley was billed as "Baby Jane" in several early roles.[2] Her screen debut was as Claudette Colbert's three-year-old daughter in Imitation of Life (1934).[3] She went on to play featured parts in several films, including The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) and was Jean Harlow's niece in Riffraff (1936). Quigley became a familiar face to moviegoers of the era, but major roles for children so young were few and she often played bits as well as featured roles. She was one of the most popular child stars of her day, and was Universal Pictures' youngest star in 1934.[4]

Quigley was briefly involved in the Our Gang film series. In 1940, she was the guest-starring lead in The New Pupil when cast as Sally, who briefly takes "Alfalfa" (played by Carl Switzer) away from Darla Hood. Two years later, she reprised the character in Going to Press (1942), the only time in the MGM era where the female lead was played by someone other than Darla Hood (who had recently left the series) or Janet Burston.

Quigley acted alongside her older sister, Rita Quigley, in Whispering Footsteps (1943). Her last major role was in National Velvet (1944), in which she played Elizabeth Taylor's sister.[5]

Later career

Quigley made only a handful of small appearances after National Velvet, her last being in 1950. At the age of 20, in August 1951, she became a Catholic religious sister, Sister Quentin Rita in the order of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph,[6] teaching at Precious Blood Catholic School.[3] After several years in her convent, she left the vocation and married Dr. Donald Robert Schultz in 1964.[5] The couple had two children, Erik and Marta, before his death in 2010.[7][8]

Inaccurate documentation exists that Juanita made an uncredited appearance as an extra in the locally filmed Porky's II: The Next Day.[9] At the time of this filming, Juanita lived in Pennsylvania pursuing her post-convent career full-time.[10][11][12] Juanita was retired and was an intensely private person with regard to her past. Most who knew her as a friend were unaware of her previous life as an actress. As of 2016, Juanita lived a peaceful retired life with her son and daughter-in-law in Massachusetts.

Juanita Quigley died in Sudbury, Massachusetts, on 29 October 2017, aged 86.[8]

Filmography
Year Title Role
1934 We're Rich Again Child with nanny
Have a Heart Rosy
Imitation of Life Baby Jessie Pullman
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head Linette Verin
1935 Straight from the Heart Maggie Haines
Alias Mary Dow Mary Dow
1936 Riffraff Rosie
The Devil-Doll Marguerite Coulvet
Born to Dance Sally Saks
1938 Hawaii Calls Doris Milburn
The Devil's Party Helen McCoy, as a child
You and Me Nasty little girl
Woman Against Woman Ellen
Having Wonderful Time Mabel
Men with Wings Patricia Falconer, aged 6
That Certain Age The pest
1939 The Family Next Door Susan
Code of the Streets Cynthia
1940 Oh, Johnny, How Can You Love! Junior
The Blue Bird Child
The New Pupil (short) Sally
1941 Bachelor Daddy Girl with pigtails at movie
Paper Bullets Rita, as a child
1942 The Vanishing Virginian Caroline Yancey
Going to Press Sally
A Yank at Eton Jane Dennis
1943 Assignment in Brittany Jeannine
Happy Land Sally
Whispering Footsteps Rose Murphy
1944 The Lady and the Monster Mary Lou
National Velvet Malvolia Brown
1948 Luxury Liner Jean
1950 Mystery Street Daughter
gollark: Please help the Cult of Transistor. The Ceramic Wobblers appear to be able to vote faster than we can.
gollark: That's giannis.
gollark: They could wobble. If you put them on a wobbly thing.
gollark: Transistors are still better.
gollark: The Cult of Transistors is doing best on the poll.

References
  1. Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 608. ISBN 9780786479924. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  2. "Movie Star Biography - Juanita Quigley". Premiere.com. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  3. "Former Child Star Now Working as Nun". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. November 1, 1956. p. 21. Retrieved December 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. http://www.classicmoviekids.com/quigley.htm
  5. Staggs, Sam (2009). Born to Be Hurt: The Untold Story of Imitation of Life. Macmillan. p. 370. ISBN 9780312373368. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  6. "Eugene Register-Guard - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved Aug 11, 2019.
  7. "Donald (Dutch) Robert Schultz (Dr.) - Arizona Obituary Directory". obits.arizonagravestones.org. Retrieved Aug 11, 2019.
  8. "Obituary: Juanita Q. (Quigley) Schultz 1931-2017". Verde Independent. Retrieved Aug 11, 2019.
  9. Hans J. Wollstein. "Juanita Quigley Biography". AllMovie.com. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  10. Interview with her son on 09 Aug 2010
  11. Interview with her son on 21 Sept 2010
  12. Personal interview with Juanita Quigley on 20 Sept 2010

Bibliography
  • Willson, Dixie (1935). Little Hollywood Stars. Akron, OH, and New York: Saalfield Pub. Co.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.