Maura McGiveney

Maura McGiveney (1939 – 1990) was an English-American film and television actress during the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared several times in such TV series as Hawaii Five-0 and Perry Mason, and also in episodes of The Virginians, The Hollywood Palace, Adam 12, McHale's Navy, My Three Sons, Peter Gunn, The Fugitive, The Flying Nun, Death Valley Days, and Dr. Kildare.^[1]

McGiveney earned a Golden Globe nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as Most Promising Newcomer of 1966 for her role as Claire Hackett in the farce Do Not Disturb with Doris Day and Rod Taylor. She was also in the films Twist Around the Clock with Chubby Checker, "W.I.A. Wounded in Action", "Once You Kiss A Stranger" and Destination America.^[1] On stage she appeared in Harvey, "The Second City" and "The Fantasticks", among many other productions.^[2]

McGiveney was a comedian and singer as well as an actress. In what she hoped would be her ticket to fame, she appeared in a program similar to the successful TV show Laugh-In titled Turn-On. Turn on's sole episode aired on February 5, 1969 with the curvaceous McGiveney as "The Body Politic". The rather sexually explicit theme, jokes and remarks of "Turn-On" led to ABC affiliates refusing to broadcast the second episode, and the sponsor Bristol-Myers immediately canceled it.^[2] Miss McGiveney expressed shock when the show was canceled, even though five shows were filmed and twenty-one more planned. She said "I still can't understand it. We were all so sure it was going to be a big hit"^[3]

She was born February 28, 1939 in Stockport, England, UK^[1] and died November 10, 1990 of cirrhosis of the liver in Sherman Oaks, California.^[2] Born Mary Alish McGiveney^[1][4] She was the daughter of the "quick change" actor Owen McGiveney and Elizabeth Hughes.^[4] She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and first came to Hollywood to work in film.^[2]

On January 10, 1972 Maura married long time off and on boyfriend William Szathmary on January 10, 1972 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is better known by his stage name Bill Dana. The couple was divorced in May 1972 in Los Angeles, California.

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