28 Facts About Myrna Fahey

Myrna Fahey was an American actress known for her role as Maria Crespo in Walt Disney's Zorro and as Madeline Usher in The Fall of the House of Usher.

Myrna Fahey appeared in episodes of 37 television series from the 1950s into the 1970s, including Bonanza, Wagon Train, The Time Tunnel, Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, Laramie, Gunsmoke, The Adventures of Superman, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Daniel Boone, Perry Mason, and Batman.

Myrna Elisabeth Fahey was born in Carmel, Maine, near Bangor, the youngest of three children for Francis Edward Fahey and Olivia Newcomb.

Myrna Fahey did her secondary education at Pemetic High School in Southwest Harbor, where she performed in musicals, plays, and took part in public speaking events.

Myrna Fahey took part in her school's wilderness exploring club, was a cheerleader for four years, and captain of the girls' undefeated varsity basketball team.

Myrna Fahey graduated from high school in June 1951 and worked briefly at a retail job in Bangor.

At the state fair in August 1952, representing Bangor, Myrna Fahey came in first runner-up to winner Norma Lee Collins.

Myrna Fahey immediately entered another beauty pageant the following month, winning the Miss Maine Cosmetology 1952 title.

Myrna Fahey served as one of the fashion model hostesses on Queen for a Day and did photo shoots and general publicity events for the station's advertisers and other programs.

Myrna Fahey did fashion modeling for the Broadway department store.

Myrna Fahey did well enough in her first film that the studio used her for its premiere television program, Warner Brothers Presents.

However, the Warners job finished during summer 1955, so Myrna Fahey committed to an extended publicity campaign for the title of Miss Rheingold.

In January 1956, Myrna Fahey was selected to be a "Baby Star", a short-lived attempt to revive the old WAMPAS annual tradition.

Myrna Fahey had no performing work, and was relegated to doing "hostess" bits for public events.

Myrna Fahey moved from Burbank to a large apartment in Beverly Hills that she shared with her mother, and registered as a Republican.

Myrna Fahey did many of these live original productions during 1957, though the titles of some are no longer known.

Myrna Fahey did a lot of work for Disney Studios in the fall of 1957 that would not be released or broadcast until the following year.

Reviewer Franklin Argyle said "Myrna Fahey is a fine actress confined to a lightweight part".

Myrna Fahey complained in a 1960 interview that she was being typecast in "good girl" roles because of what directors called her "moral overtones," even though she wanted to play darker and more complicated characters.

Myrna Fahey had worked in many Westerns in the late 1950s, usually in the role of the sheriff's daughter, including an appearance on Gunsmoke in 1958.

Myrna Fahey appeared in a supporting role in "Duel at Sundown", a notable episode of Maverick with James Garner, featuring Clint Eastwood as a trigger-happy villain.

Myrna Fahey's image branched out in the 1960s, helped by House of Usher and a role on the Boris Karloff TV series Thriller that same year titled "Girl with a Secret".

Myrna Fahey's most sustained television work was a starring role in the one-season series Father of the Bride, based on a film of the same name starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor.

Myrna Fahey portrayed Jennifer Ivers on the TV version of Peyton Place.

Myrna Fahey invested in stocks and one of her contracts stipulated that she have a stock ticker in her dressing room.

Myrna Fahey became the subject of death threats while dating baseball great Joe DiMaggio in 1964.

Myrna Fahey died on May 6,1973, at age 40, at St John's Hospital in Santa Monica, after a long battle with cancer.

Myrna Fahey is buried in Mount Pleasant Catholic Cemetery in Bangor, Maine.