Merle Oberon, the Anglo-Indian actress, passed away on 11th February, 1981. Just a few days before her death, she had posed for her last photo session. The session was conducted by her friend and professional photographer, David Bailey. Oberon is seen in the photos sitting on the floor, with a shawl around her shoulders.
The photo session took place at Oberon’s home in Chelsea, London. Bailey recalls that Oberon was ‘in great form and looking very beautiful’ during the shoot. In some of the photos, Oberon is seen with her pet dog, a Bichon Frise called ‘Toby’.
After Oberon’s death, Bailey gifted the photos to her family. They remained unpublished until 2014, when they were featured in a book called ‘Merle Oberon: The Last Photo Session’. The photos offer a poignant glimpse into the final weeks of Oberon’s life.
Oberon was a much-loved actress, and these photos provide a valuable insight into her private life. They offer a touching tribute to a talented and much-missed actress.
Contents
What happened Merle Oberon?
Merle Oberon (born Estelle Merle O’Brien Thompson; 19 February 1911 – 23 November 1979) was an Anglo-Indian actress.
Born in Bombay, British India, Oberon was the daughter of Alice Louisa (Baring) and Frank St. John O’Brien Thompson, an Irish colonel in the British Army. Her paternal great-grandfather was the 3rd Earl of Inchiquin. She was educated in India and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
Oberon began her career in British films in the late 1920s and achieved success in the 1930s. She was one of the most popular British stars of the era, ranking behind only Vivien Leigh and Margaret Lockwood in popularity in British cinema during the 1930s. She starred in a number of successful films, including The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), The Dark Angel (1935), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Wuthering Heights (1939), and I, Claudius (1937).
In the 1940s, Oberon moved to the United States, where she starred in a number of Hollywood films, including The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The Moon and Sixpence (1942), and Tales of Manhattan (1942). She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Moon and Sixpence.
Oberon returned to Britain in the 1950s and continued to make films there, including The Battle of the Sexes (1959), The V.I.P.s (1963), and The Molly Maguires (1970).
She was married three times, to actors Laurence Olivier and Michael Wilding, and to producer-director Herbert Wilcox.
Oberon died on 23 November 1979, aged 68, from a heart attack.
Is Merle Oberon alive?
Merle Oberon (born Estelle Merle O’Brien Thompson; 19 February 1911 – 23 November 1979) was an Anglo-Indian actress. She began her career in British films in the 1930s and was one of the most popular stars of the era. After her career in Britain ended, she appeared in American films.
Oberon’s death has been the subject of much speculation over the years. Some reports say that she died in November 1979, while others say she died in November 1985. The confusion over the year of her death may be due to the fact that her death was not announced until November 1986.
Some reports say that Oberon’s death was kept secret for fear that it would damage her reputation. However, her executor, John Heyman, has said that the main reason for keeping her death a secret was because her family wanted to avoid the media attention that would have been generated.
So, the question remains: did Merle Oberon die in November 1979 or November 1985? The answer is that we may never know for sure.
Who did Merle Oberon leave her money to?
Merle Oberon was an English actress who was born in Calcutta, India in 1902. She passed away in 1979, leaving behind an estate worth an estimated $6 million. While Oberon was alive, she never revealed who she left her money to. However, after her death, it was revealed that she had left the majority of her estate to her secretary and companion, Peggy Ashcroft.
Was Merle Oberon married?
As one of the most renowned actresses of the 1930s and 1940s, Merle Oberon was the subject of much speculation regarding her personal life. One of the most persistent rumours was that she was secretly married to actor Laurence Olivier.
Born in India in 1911, Oberon was the daughter of a British army colonel and an American opera singer. She made her stage debut at the age of six, and by the time she was a teenager had performed on Broadway. In 1935, she made her film debut in The Dark Angel, and over the next decade starred in a number of high-profile movies, including Wuthering Heights, The Three Musketeers, and The Private Life of Henry VIII.
Oberon’s personal life was the subject of much gossip and speculation. In particular, there was much speculation about her relationship with Laurence Olivier, with some claiming that the two had secretly married. However, there is no evidence that this was actually the case, and Olivier himself later denied that they had ever been married.
In later life, Oberon married twice more, to American businessman William Teasdale and to Spanish bullfighter Manuel Martinez. She died in 1991, aged 79.
Who was Merle Oberon’s real mother?
Merle Oberon was an English actress who achieved success in Hollywood. She was born in India in 1911, the daughter of an English father and a half-caste Indian mother. Her mother died when she was very young, and she was brought up by her father and a succession of stepmothers. It has been claimed that Oberon’s real mother was a Bollywood actress named Khair-un-Nissa, who was also the mistress of her father. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, and it is more likely that Oberon’s mother was someone else entirely.
Who inherited Audrey Hepburn’s money?
Who inherited Audrey Hepburn’s money?
Audrey Hepburn was an actress and humanitarian who was born in Belgium in 1929. She achieved international fame in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday” and later starred in such films as “The Nun’s Story” (1959) and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961). She also worked as a UNICEF ambassador. Hepburn died in 1993 at the age of 63, and her estate was appraised at $14 million.
Who inherited Audrey Hepburn’s money? Her son, Sean Ferrer, inherited the majority of her estate. Ferrer was born in 1960 to Hepburn and her first husband, Mel Ferrer. Ferrer worked as an actor and producer. He died in 2006 at the age of 46.
Other beneficiaries of Hepburn’s estate include her grandchildren and godchildren.
Who was the first Indian actress in Hollywood?
Bollywood is one of the most well-known film industries in the world. Many talented actors and actresses have made a name for themselves in this industry over the years. However, not many people know that some of these actors and actresses have ventured into Hollywood as well.
The first Indian actress to make a name for herself in Hollywood was Lilly Singh. Lilly is a Canadian actress and YouTube personality who is of Indian descent. She made her Hollywood debut in the 2017 film Bad Moms Christmas.
Since then, Lilly has appeared in several other Hollywood films, including the 2018 comedy film Akshay Kumar and Rajnikanth starrer 2.0. She is also set to star in the upcoming action comedy film Dhillukh.
Apart from her work in Hollywood, Lilly is also well-known for her popular YouTube channel Superwoman, which has over 14 million subscribers.
Lilly is a talented actress and YouTube personality who has made a name for herself in both Hollywood and Bollywood. She is sure to achieve even more success in the years to come.