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Mary O'Hara (author)

February 21, 2023

Mary O'Hara Alsop (July 10, 1885 – October 14, 1980) was an American author, screenwriter, pianist, and composer. She was a Hollywood screenwriter for silent films that includes The Prisoner of Zenda (1922), Braveheart (1925), and Framed (1927).

In 1961, she performed her folk musical composing, The Catch Colt, at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. She was the author of several books including Let Us Say Grace (1930), My Friend Flicka (1941), and Novel-in-the-Making (1954). She died from arteriosclerosis on October 14, 1980, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Biography

 
The room on the Remount Ranch outside Cheyenne, Wyoming where Mary O'Hara wrote "My Friend Flicka" was made into a "bar room" around 1946.

Mary O'Hara Alsop was born July 10, 1885, in Cape May Point, New Jersey, the third child of the Reverend Dr. Reese Fell Alsop and Mary Lee Spring. O'Hara, who was named after her maternal grandmother, Mary O'Hara Spring (née Denny), grew up in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Her siblings included an older sister, the writer Gulielma ("Elma") Fell; an older brother, Reese; and a younger sister, Elizabeth ("Bess"). She was a descendant of William Penn.

She married her third cousin, Kent Kane Parrot, in 1905 against her father's wishes. They had a daughter, O'Hara Parrot, born in 1908, who died of skin cancer in her early teens, and a son, Kay (Ken) Parrot (born in 1910).

Following the end of her marriage to Parrot, Mary O'Hara worked as a Hollywood screenwriter during the silent film era. Her screenwriting credits included the movies The Last Card (1921), The Prisoner of Zenda (1922), Braveheart (1925), and Framed (1927).

 
A rocky, pine-covered ridge runs through the center of the Remount Ranch in Southeastern Wyoming where Mary O'Hara lived for 11 years.[1] The ranch is located on the eastern slope of the Laramie Mountains at more than 7,500 in elevation.

In 1922 she married Helge Sture-Vasa, a Swede who had experience working horses in the U.S. Army Remount Service, and they moved to Wyoming. In 1930 the couple bought a ranch which had been established in 1886 in Laramie County, between Laramie and Cheyenne. They renamed it Remount Ranch, and stocked the ranch with sheep, which were at that time a profitable endeavor. The Great Depression wrecked the sheep market and any hope for profits for O'Hara and her husband. To make ends meet, they eked out a living delivering milk in Cheyenne and breeding horses.[1] Subsequently, O'Hara ran a summer camp for boys on holiday from Eastern prep schools.

Yet it was her typewriter, not livestock, that proved most profitable for O'Hara. With the rugged Remount as a backdrop, she began writing Wyoming ranch stories. Her best known and loved works were written at this time: My Friend Flicka (1941), Thunderhead (1943), and Green Grass of Wyoming (1946). The books were so popular that they have been translated in many languages such as: Arabic, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Cambodian, Burmese, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Japanese and Korean.[2]

O'Hara and her husband sold the Remount in 1946 and purchased a ranch in California. The following year Mary O'Hara divorced her second husband, and returned alone to the Eastern U.S., settling in Monroe, Connecticut, where she continued to write fiction and non-fiction.

Mary O'Hara was also an accomplished pianist and composer. She composed a folk musical, "The Catch Colt," which was performed in 1961 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and at the Lincoln Theatre in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The musical was published in 1964. Two years later, O'Hara published her account of writing, composing and producing the musical, "A Musical in the Making."

Her other piano compositions included "Esperan" (1943), "Green Grass of Wyoming" (1946), "May God Keep You" (1946), and "Wind Harp" (1954).

In 1968, she moved to Chevy Chase, Maryland, where she lived until her death on October 14, 1980, at the age of 95 of arteriosclerosis.

Books

  • Let Us Say Grace (1930)
  • My Friend Flicka (1941)
  • Thunderhead (1943)
  • Green Grass of Wyoming (1946)
  • The Son of Adam Wyngate (1952)
  • Novel-in-the-Making (1954)
  • Wyoming Summer (1963); based on O'Hara's diary
  • A Musical in the Making (1966); O'Hara's account of writing, composing and producing the musical, "The Catch Colt"
  • Flicka's Friend (1982); O'Hara's autobiography, published posthumously

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Flicka's hoofbeats echo across the Remount," by Mary Mohatt. Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Cheyenne, Wyoming. February 9, 1992.
  2. ^ Translated books,boxes 10,11, and 12, Mary O'Hara papers, #00237, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Sources

External links

  • Mary O'Hara at IMDb
  • My Friend Flicka at IMDb
  • Thunderhead – Son of Flicka at IMDb
  • Green Grass of Wyoming at IMDb
  • (via the Wayback_Machine)
  • Remount Ranch
  • The Mary O'Hara papers at the American Heritage Center

February 21, 2023
mary, hara, author, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, add. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mary O Hara author news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article December 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Mary O Hara Alsop July 10 1885 October 14 1980 was an American author screenwriter pianist and composer She was a Hollywood screenwriter for silent films that includes The Prisoner of Zenda 1922 Braveheart 1925 and Framed 1927 In 1961 she performed her folk musical composing The Catch Colt at the Catholic University of America Washington D C She was the author of several books including Let Us Say Grace 1930 My Friend Flicka 1941 and Novel in the Making 1954 She died from arteriosclerosis on October 14 1980 in Chevy Chase Maryland Contents 1 Biography 2 Books 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Sources 6 External linksBiography Edit The room on the Remount Ranch outside Cheyenne Wyoming where Mary O Hara wrote My Friend Flicka was made into a bar room around 1946 Mary O Hara Alsop was born July 10 1885 in Cape May Point New Jersey the third child of the Reverend Dr Reese Fell Alsop and Mary Lee Spring O Hara who was named after her maternal grandmother Mary O Hara Spring nee Denny grew up in Brooklyn Heights New York Her siblings included an older sister the writer Gulielma Elma Fell an older brother Reese and a younger sister Elizabeth Bess She was a descendant of William Penn She married her third cousin Kent Kane Parrot in 1905 against her father s wishes They had a daughter O Hara Parrot born in 1908 who died of skin cancer in her early teens and a son Kay Ken Parrot born in 1910 Following the end of her marriage to Parrot Mary O Hara worked as a Hollywood screenwriter during the silent film era Her screenwriting credits included the movies The Last Card 1921 The Prisoner of Zenda 1922 Braveheart 1925 and Framed 1927 A rocky pine covered ridge runs through the center of the Remount Ranch in Southeastern Wyoming where Mary O Hara lived for 11 years 1 The ranch is located on the eastern slope of the Laramie Mountains at more than 7 500 in elevation In 1922 she married Helge Sture Vasa a Swede who had experience working horses in the U S Army Remount Service and they moved to Wyoming In 1930 the couple bought a ranch which had been established in 1886 in Laramie County between Laramie and Cheyenne They renamed it Remount Ranch and stocked the ranch with sheep which were at that time a profitable endeavor The Great Depression wrecked the sheep market and any hope for profits for O Hara and her husband To make ends meet they eked out a living delivering milk in Cheyenne and breeding horses 1 Subsequently O Hara ran a summer camp for boys on holiday from Eastern prep schools Yet it was her typewriter not livestock that proved most profitable for O Hara With the rugged Remount as a backdrop she began writing Wyoming ranch stories Her best known and loved works were written at this time My Friend Flicka 1941 Thunderhead 1943 and Green Grass of Wyoming 1946 The books were so popular that they have been translated in many languages such as Arabic Dutch Portuguese Spanish Cambodian Burmese Norwegian Swedish German Japanese and Korean 2 O Hara and her husband sold the Remount in 1946 and purchased a ranch in California The following year Mary O Hara divorced her second husband and returned alone to the Eastern U S settling in Monroe Connecticut where she continued to write fiction and non fiction Mary O Hara was also an accomplished pianist and composer She composed a folk musical The Catch Colt which was performed in 1961 at the Catholic University of America in Washington D C and at the Lincoln Theatre in Cheyenne Wyoming The musical was published in 1964 Two years later O Hara published her account of writing composing and producing the musical A Musical in the Making Her other piano compositions included Esperan 1943 Green Grass of Wyoming 1946 May God Keep You 1946 and Wind Harp 1954 In 1968 she moved to Chevy Chase Maryland where she lived until her death on October 14 1980 at the age of 95 of arteriosclerosis Books EditLet Us Say Grace 1930 My Friend Flicka 1941 Thunderhead 1943 Green Grass of Wyoming 1946 The Son of Adam Wyngate 1952 Novel in the Making 1954 Wyoming Summer 1963 based on O Hara s diary A Musical in the Making 1966 O Hara s account of writing composing and producing the musical The Catch Colt Flicka s Friend 1982 O Hara s autobiography published posthumouslySee also EditFlicka a 2006 film adaptation of O Hara s book My Friend Flicka a 1943 coming of age film based on Mary O Hara s novel Thunderhead Son of Flicka a 1945 sequel to the 1943 film My Friend Flicka Notes Edit a b Flicka s hoofbeats echo across the Remount by Mary Mohatt Wyoming Tribune Eagle Cheyenne Wyoming February 9 1992 Translated books boxes 10 11 and 12 Mary O Hara papers 00237 American Heritage Center University of Wyoming Sources EditBiography of Mary O Hara from Georgetown University Libraries Special Collections Mary O Hara papers 1900 2015 https www harpercollins com blogs authors mary ohara 880000020537External links EditMary O Hara at IMDb My Friend Flicka at IMDb Thunderhead Son of Flicka at IMDb Green Grass of Wyoming at IMDb The History of Remount Ranch via the Wayback Machine Remount Ranch The Mary O Hara papers at the American Heritage Center Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary O 27Hara author amp oldid 1102636033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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