When most of us think about child stars, we may think about those who appeared in recent movies or on television shows. In reality, child stars have been a thing for many years, including one who just celebrated her 88th birthday.
Margaret O’Brien was born in California and built her legacy in Hollywood. She didn’t have a family member who was guiding her along the way to become an actress, but rather, she was focused on it herself.
When she was two years old, she was on a photo shoot with the acclaimed Paul Hesse along with the family dog. Hesse loved the dog and photographed him for the cover of the evening post but then he noticed the little girl.
Margaret later said: “He said, ‘The baby’s not bad either, she’s kind of cute,’ and we made the cover.” Eventually, MGM Studios would pay attention to her. They offer her a small role in a studio production, Babes on Broadway.
From that small beginning when she was only four years old, she began appearing in other movies. This included Journey for Margaret in 1942, and she became famous. Suddenly, she was America’s favorite sweetheart and was in some of the biggest movies.
For example, she played with Judy Garland as her younger sister in Meet Me in St. Louis. She began to experience the ups and downs of being a child celebrity at that time.
Margaret said: “I was very fortunate to have a mother that spoke up to [studio head] Louis B. Mayer.”
In 1945, Margaret O’Brien was seven years old and she won a special Juvenile Academy Award. She was given the award for being an outstanding child actress. She was also the highest-paid entertainer at the time in the United States.
The award was kept in a special room at home. In 1954, Margaret’s mother was ill and the family’s maid took the statuette home along with two other awards to polish.
After the maid was left go, she moved away without returning the award and they never got it back again. She continued to search for it, looking through antique shops and flea markets, but it wasn’t to be found.
Four decades later, the Oscar showed up and she was finally reunited with it in 1995. Steve Neimand and Mark Nash, baseball memorabilia collectors found the trophy at a Pasadena swap meet. She thought that it never would be returned.
Eventually, she was able to get roles on television and she felt that that was an important step in her career. She said: “It has given me a chance to get out of the awkward age—something the movies couldn’t do for me.”
She also said that she does not have regrets about spending her childhood as an actress. Her mother did her best to keep her grounded, ensuring that she played with neighborhood children and received an allowance, just like any other child her age.
Even decades after she got her start, the world is still appreciating the work that she did. People regularly talk about her on social media, and praise her for the good work and the movies she performed in.
This is a legacy that cannot be denied. It is one that she will continue to own and we appreciate all that she has given to us.