Editing Maureen Potter (section)

==Early life==
Potter was born in [[Dublin]] and educated at St. Mary's school in [[Fairview, Dublin|Fairview]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/with-warmth-and-comic-genius-she-was-marked-early-on-for-the-stage-1.1307702|title=With warmth and comic genius, she was marked early on for the stage|website=The Irish Times}}</ref> She had a long career in [[Irish theatre]], mainly as Ireland's première comedienne, but also as a straight actress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie//archives/2018/1221/1018541-maureen-potter-abbey-actress/|title=Maureen Potter Abbey Actress|website=RTÉ Archives}}</ref> She was a regular performer at the [[Gaiety Theatre, Dublin|Gaiety Theatre]] in Dublin and for many years starred in Christmas [[pantomime]].<ref name=independent>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/maureen-potter-38304.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/maureen-potter-38304.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Maureen Potter|date=13 April 2004|website=The Independent}}</ref> She became the first star to have a bronze cast of her handprints outside the theatre.<ref name="rte">{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0407/47458-potter/|title=Maureen Potter dies aged 79|date=7 April 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924134818/https://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0407/47458-potter/|archive-date=24 September 2015|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref> 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.<ref name=independent/>

=== Career ===
Among Potter's many dramatic roles in the theatre was that of Maisie Madigan in ''[[Juno and the Paycock]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/maureen-potter-84549|title=Maureen Potter – Broadway Cast & Staff &#124; IBDB|website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref> 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).<ref name=guardianobit/> On a tour of Germany, they once performed in front of [[Adolf Hitler]] and other [[Nazism|Nazis]].<ref name="irishtimesobit">{{Cite news |date=7 April 2004 |title=Actress and comedienne Maureen Potter dies |work=[[The Irish Times]] |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/actress-and-comedienne-maureen-potter-dies-1.975853 |url-status=live |access-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110214042/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/actress-and-comedienne-maureen-potter-dies-1.975853 |archive-date=10 January 2020}}</ref> In January 1938, Potter appeared on the [[BBC Television Service]] with Jack Hylton and his Band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/185e8389707a4f598375d598dc028c9f|title=Jack Hylton and his Band|date=20 January 1938|issue=746|pages=17|via=BBC Genome}}</ref> Film of her performance is held by the Alexandra Palace Television Society.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.apts.org.uk/|title=APTS – The Alexandra Palace Television Society|website=www.apts.org.uk}}</ref> In 2001, the Archivist of the Alexandra Palace Television Society gave Potter a copy of her 1938 television appearance, and she recalled her memories:<blockquote>''"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."''<ref>Maureen Potter letter to APTS Archivist – March 2001</ref><ref>{{YouTube|0z1iLiTuV1M|APTS footage containing interview with Maureen Potter}}</ref></blockquote>Potter first appeared professionally with [[Jimmy O'Dea]] in pantomime and appeared frequently on television and in [[cabaret]].<ref name="irishtimesobit" /> She played the role of Dante Riordan in [[Joseph Strick]]'s film, ''[[A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (film)|A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man]]'' (1977).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maureen Potter |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa84a489 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521135856/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa84a489 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 May 2018 |website=BFI}}</ref>
[[File:Maureen Potter bronze hand prints.jpg|alt=Bronze cast of hand prints and the name Maureen Potter|thumb|Maureen Potter's hand prints in bronze outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin]]

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".<ref>{{cite web |title=Someone You Love Would Love Some (Mum) |url=https://www.crookedshore.com/someone-you-love-would-love-some-mum/ |website=crookedshore |access-date=2024-11-24 |date=25 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Classic Jacob's Kimberley, MIkado & Coconut Cream TV Ad |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRQAa7eA9l4 |access-date=2024-11-24 |date=15 October 2012}}</ref>