Maureen Potter

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Irish actress (1925–2004)

title: "Maureen Potter" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1925-births", "2004-deaths", "irish-comedy-musicians", "irish-stage-actresses", "irish-television-actresses", "irish-women-comedians", "people-from-clontarf,-dublin", "20th-century-irish-women-singers", "20th-century-irish-comedians", "actors-from-dublin-(city)", "comedians-from-dublin-(city)"] description: "Irish actress (1925–2004)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Potter" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Irish actress (1925–2004) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Maureen Potter
image	Maureen_Potter.jpg
birth_name	Maria Philomena Potter
birth_date
birth_place	Fairview, Dublin, Ireland
death_date
death_place	Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland
resting_place	Clontarf Cemetery
nationality	Irish
other_names	Maureen Potter
occupation	Singer, actress, comedienne, performer
years_active	1938—2004
height	4 ft
spouse
children	John, Hugh
::

Maria Philomena Potter (3 January 1925 – 7 April 2004), known as Maureen Potter, was an Irish singer, actress, comedienne and performer.

Early life

Potter was born in Dublin and educated at St. Mary's school in Fairview. She had a long career in Irish theatre, mainly as Ireland's première comedienne, but also as a straight actress. She was a regular performer at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and for many years starred in Christmas pantomime. She became the first star to have a bronze cast of her handprints outside the theatre. She married Jack O'Leary in 1959, an Irish army officer whom she had first met in 1943, and he wrote most of her comedic material.

Career

Among Potter's many dramatic roles in the theatre was that of Maisie Madigan in Juno and the Paycock. While still a teenager, she toured abroad before World War II as a singer and dancer with Jack Hylton (known as Jack Haylton and his orchestra). In January 1938, Potter appeared on the BBC Television Service with Jack Hylton and his Band. Film of her performance is held by the Alexandra Palace Television Society. In 2001, the Archivist of the Alexandra Palace Television Society gave Potter a copy of her 1938 television appearance, and she recalled her memories:*"I was 13 years of age when I appeared with the Jack Hylton Band in RadiOlympia, a programme that went out on television all those years ago. What I remember most is the heavy ochre make-up the performers had to wear. I was excused the make-up for some reason; maybe mine was such a long shot that it was not deemed necessary. If you blink you miss me! However, June Malo, the Henderson Twins, Peggy Dell, Bruce Trent and Freddie Schweitzer had this heavy ochre make-up plastered on them. Plastered is the only word! Having toured with them for over 12-months and used to seeing them in stage make-up they looked very strange. Mr Hylton was excused also. He was always Mr Hylton to me. He called me "Morine", (the American pronunciation, and was a kind man who made such a difference to my career. He always wore those two-tone shoes that were so popular at the time. It is wonderful to see him so trim and dapper in the tape, which Simon Vaughan has sent me."*Potter first appeared professionally with Jimmy O'Dea in pantomime and appeared frequently on television and in cabaret. She played the role of Dante Riordan in Joseph Strick's film, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1977). ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Maureen_Potter_bronze_hand_prints.jpg" caption="Maureen Potter's hand prints in bronze outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin" alt="Bronze cast of hand prints and the name Maureen Potter"] ::

In the 1970s, Potter appeared alongside puppets in adverts for Jacob's Mikado, Kimberley and Coconut Cream biscuits, with the line "Someone you love would love some mum".

Later life and death

Potter was conferred with the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 1984, and was later awarded an honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1988. She died in her sleep at her home in Clontarf on 7 April 2004, at the age of 79. She was survived by her husband, Jack O'Leary and her sons, John and Hugh.

Filmography

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	The Rising of the Moon	Pegeen Mallory – barmaid	(2nd Episode)
1958	Gideon's Day	Mrs. Ethel Sparrow
1967	Ulysses	Josie Breen
1977	A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man	Dante
1997	How to Cheat in the Leaving Certificate	Una's Mother
::

Advertising

In the late 1970s she advertised Jacob's biscuits.

References

(10 April 2004). "Funeral takes place of Maureen Potter". [[The Irish Times]].
"With warmth and comic genius, she was marked early on for the stage".
"Maureen Potter Abbey Actress".
(13 April 2004). "Maureen Potter".
(7 April 2004). "Maureen Potter dies aged 79". [[RTÉ News]].
"Maureen Potter – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB".
(7 April 2004). "Actress and comedienne Maureen Potter dies". [[The Irish Times]].
(20 January 1938). "Jack Hylton and his Band".
"APTS – The Alexandra Palace Television Society".
Maureen Potter letter to APTS Archivist – March 2001
{{YouTube. 0z1iLiTuV1M. APTS footage containing interview with Maureen Potter
"Maureen Potter".
(25 May 2009). "Someone You Love Would Love Some (Mum)".
(15 October 2012). "Classic Jacob's Kimberley, MIkado & Coconut Cream TV Ad".
Dixon, Stephen. (12 April 2004). "Maureen Potter". [[The Guardian]].

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