McDonagh, Paulette (1901–1978)

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McDonagh, Paulette (1901–1978)

Australian filmmaker. Born Paulette DeVere McDonagh in Sydney, Australia, June 11, 1901; died Aug 30, 1978, in Sydney; dau. of Dr. J. McDonagh (resident doctor for J.C. Williams theater co.); sister of Isobel McDonagh (1899–1982) and Phyllis McDonagh (1900–1978).

The 1st woman to write and direct silent films for the commercial cinema in Australia, wrote and helmed Those Who Love (1926), which starred her sister Isobel, who was already an established actress under the stage name Marie Lorraine; with sisters, made The Far Paradise (1928), a box-office success, followed by The Cheaters, which was naturalistic in style; made last film, Two Minutes' Silence (1933), a serious drama with an antiwar slant that was a financial disaster; went on to direct a series of documentaries, including a film about the legendary Australian race horse Phar Lap. With sisters, received the prestigious Langford Award from the Australian Film Institute (1978).

See also Women in World History.

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McDonagh, Paulette (1901–1978)

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