Marie Kean

Marie Kean (27 June 1918 – 29 December 1993) was an Irish actress of stage and screen whose career spanned over 40 years.[1] The Stage called her one of Ireland's most impressive actresses, and "an artist of considerable emotional depth and theatrical command."[2]

Marie Kean
in her one-woman show, Dublin, 1971
Born(1918-06-27)27 June 1918
Rush, Ireland
Died30 December 1993(1993-12-30) (aged 75)
Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland
OccupationActress

Life

Kean grew up in the village of Rush, County Dublin, and was educated at Loreto College, North Great George's Street, Dublin. She learned her craft at the Gaiety School of Acting and was part of the Abbey Theatre company until 1961.[3]

Kean's leading role as the kindly matriarch Mrs. Kennedy in the Radio Éireann serial drama The Kennedys of Castleross made her famous throughout Ireland. She starred in the programme for the duration of its 18-year run.[4]

In 1968, Kean won a Jacob's Award for her performance as Winnie in RTÉ television's production of Samuel Beckett's play Happy Days, a role she had performed on stage and which she described later as her favourite part.[5] Among her other television roles was that of Mrs. Conn Brickley, Bridget's mother, in an episode of the Irish RM titled "The Boat's Share".[6]

Kean's many stage appearances include performances in the plays of Synge, O'Casey and Friel. She had the lead role of Maggie Polpin in the 1969 world première of John B. Keane's play Big Maggie at the Cork Opera House[7] In 1978 she won the State of New York best actress award for her performance in what has become Keane's most successful play.[8]

Arguably her most memorable film role was as Barry's scheming mother in Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.[1] She also played a bigoted Irish shopkeeper in David Lean's Ryan's Daughter.[6] Her final movie appearance was in John Huston's The Dead (1987), in which she played the part of Mrs. Malins.[9]

Marie Kean died in Donnybrook, Dublin at the age of 75. Her husband William Mulvey predeceased her in 1977.[10]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1956JacquelineMrs. Flannagan
1958RooneyMrs. O'Flynn
1958Sally's Irish RogueEllen Carey
1960A Terrible BeautyMrs. Matia Devlin (the publican)
1961The Big GambleCynthia
1962The Quare FellowMrs. O'Hara
1962Stork TalkMrs. Webster
1964Girl with Green EyesJosie Hannigan
1966I Was Happy Here
1966Cul-de-sacMarion Fairweather
1966The Fighting Prince of DonegalThe Mother
1968Great CatherinePrincess Dashkoff
1970Ryan's DaughterMrs. McCardle
1975Barry LyndonBelle, Barry's Mother
1982AngelMae
1987The DeadMrs. Malins
1987The Lonely Passion of Judith HearneMrs. Rice

References
  1. McFarlane, Brian (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781526111975 – via Google Books.
  2. "Kean, Marie". Archived from the original on 14 September 2014.
  3. The Irish Times, "The Saturday Profile", 25 August 1979
  4. "The Kennedys of Castleross Episode 1". RTÉ.ie.
  5. The Irish Times, "Big Maggie: Mother with a Difference", 22 February 1969
  6. "Rush actress was one of our biggest film stars". Irish Independent. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  7. "Irish Playography listing for Big Maggie". Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2007.
  8. The Irish Times, "The Saturday Interview", 10 July 1982
  9. "Marie Kean - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  10. The Irish Times, "Abbey, RTÉ actress dies in Dublin", 30 December 1993
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