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Juanita Quigley

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
33

Gender
Female

Birthday
June 24, 1931 (95 years old)

Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA

Juanita Quigley

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Juanita Quigley (24 June 1931 – 29 October 2017) was an American child actress in motion pictures of the 1930s and 1940s. She had a sister, Rita Quigley, who was also a child actress.

Juanita Quigley was billed as "Baby Jane" in several early roles. Her screen debut was as Claudette Colbert's three-year-old daughter in Imitation of Life (1934). She went on to play featured parts in several films, including The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) and was Jean Harlow's niece in Riffraff (1936). Quigley became a familiar face to moviegoers of the era, but major roles for children so young were few and she often played bits as well as featured roles. She was one of the most popular child stars of her day, and was Universal Pictures' youngest star in 1934.

Quigley was briefly involved in the Our Gang film series. In 1940, she was the guest-starring lead in The New Pupil when cast as Sally, who briefly takes Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer away from Darla Hood. Two years later, she reprised the character in Going to Press (1942), the only time in the MGM era where the female lead was played by someone other than Darla Hood (who had recently left the series) or Janet Burston.

Quigley acted alongside her older sister, Rita Quigley, in Whispering Footsteps (1943). Her last major role was in National Velvet (1944), in which she played Elizabeth Taylor's sister.

Quigley made only a handful of small appearances after National Velvet, her last being in 1950. At the age of 20, in August 1951, she became a religious sister in the order of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph, teaching at Precious Blood Catholic School. After several years in her convent, she left the vocation and married.

Inaccurate documentation exists that Juanita made an uncredited appearance as an extra in the locally filmed Porky's II: The Next Day. At the time of this filming, Juanita lived in Pennsylvania pursuing her post-convent career full-time. Juanita was retired and was an intensely private person with regard to her past. Most who knew her as a friend were unaware of her previous life as an actress. As of 2016, Juanita lived a peaceful retired life with her son and daughter-in-law in Massachusetts.

Juanita Quigley died in Sudbury, MA, on 29 October 2017, aged 86.

Known For

Acting

1950Mystery Streetas Harkley's Daughter (uncredited)
1945National Velvetas Malvolia 'Mally' Brown
1944The Lady and the Monsteras Mary Lou
1943Whispering Footstepsas Rose Murphy
1943Happy Landas Sally Pierce (uncredited)
1943Assignment in Brittanyas Jeannine
1942A Yank at Etonas Jane 'The Runt' Dennis
1942Going to Pressas Sally
1942The Vanishing Virginianas Caroline Yancey
1941Gangs Inc.as Rita as a Child (uncredited)
1941Bachelor Daddyas Girl
1940Cinderella's Felleras Cinderella
1940The New Pupilas
1940The Blue Birdas Child
1940Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!as 'Junior'
1939Code of the Streetsas Cynthia
1939The Family Next Dooras Susan Pierce
1938That Certain Ageas Butch Warren ("The Pest" in credits)
1938Men with Wingsas Patricia Falconer at Age 6
1938Having Wonderful Timeas Mabel
1938Woman Against Womanas Ellen
1938The Devil's Partyas Young Helen
1938You and Meas Nasty Little Girl (uncredited)
1938Hawaii Callsas Doris Milburn
1936Born to Danceas Sally Saks
1936The Devil-Dollas Marguerite Coulvet
1936Riffraffas Rosie
1935Alias Mary Dowas Mary Dow
1935Straight from the Heartas Maggie Haines (as Baby Jane)
1934The Man Who Reclaimed His Headas Linette Verin
1934Imitation of Lifeas Baby Jessie Pullman, Age 3
1934We're Rich Againas Child with Nanny (uncredited)
1934In Love with Lifeas Little Girl with serving tray

Production