Margaret Sheridan
Encyclopedia
Margaret Elizabeth Sheridan (October 29, 1926 – May 1, 1982) was an American actress of the early 1950s, and protégée of director Howard Hawks
. The raven-haired beauty is best remembered for her role as Nikki Nickolson opposite Kenneth Tobey
in the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World
.
, California
, to Thomas J. and Julia P. Sheridan. Margaret was discovered by Howard Hawks while she was still attending college. Initially Hawks believed she was the most promising of his female discoveries.
In 1947 she married William F. Pattison, a professional airline pilot. Hawks offered Sheridan the female lead opposite John Wayne
in the 1948 film Red River. Sheridan turned down the role because she was expecting the birth of her first child. Joanne Dru
accepted the role. Later Hawks offered her the role of Nikki Nickolson in the 1951 film The Thing from Another World, where the quality of the film and her performance cemented her in the minds of film lovers.
Sheridan's career suffered, and she never achieved the fame Hawks had hoped. Motherhood and a few years of maturity had evidently changed her. Hawks is quoted as saying she was just "not the same girl" he had discovered. He later commented that if she would have taken the role in Red River her career would have flourished.
She reportedly died of lung cancer May 1, 1982 in Orange, California
.
Howard Hawks
Howard Winchester Hawks was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era...
. The raven-haired beauty is best remembered for her role as Nikki Nickolson opposite Kenneth Tobey
Kenneth Tobey
Kenneth Tobey was an American stage, television, and film actor.-Early years:Born in Oakland, California, Tobey was headed for a law career when he first dabbled in acting at the University of California Little Theater...
in the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World , is a 1951 science fiction film based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell . It tells the story of an Air Force crew and scientists at a remote Arctic research outpost who fight a malevolent plant-based alien being...
.
Career
She was born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to Thomas J. and Julia P. Sheridan. Margaret was discovered by Howard Hawks while she was still attending college. Initially Hawks believed she was the most promising of his female discoveries.
In 1947 she married William F. Pattison, a professional airline pilot. Hawks offered Sheridan the female lead opposite John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
in the 1948 film Red River. Sheridan turned down the role because she was expecting the birth of her first child. Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru was an American film and television actress, known for such films as Red River and All the King's Men.-Career:...
accepted the role. Later Hawks offered her the role of Nikki Nickolson in the 1951 film The Thing from Another World, where the quality of the film and her performance cemented her in the minds of film lovers.
Sheridan's career suffered, and she never achieved the fame Hawks had hoped. Motherhood and a few years of maturity had evidently changed her. Hawks is quoted as saying she was just "not the same girl" he had discovered. He later commented that if she would have taken the role in Red River her career would have flourished.
She reportedly died of lung cancer May 1, 1982 in Orange, California
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
.