RIP Margaret Field, 1922-2011

Margaret Field, the leading lady of The Man From Planet X, died of cancer on November 6, 2011, at the age of 89.

In its obituary of the actress, The New York Times ran a photograph of her in TMFPX, which it called "her most memorable role". (While most reports gave Ms. Field's birth date as May 10, 1922, some sources, including IMDb, list her birth year as 1923, which would have made her 88.)

According to the Times article, Ms. Field and her children from her first marriage (future Oscar-winner Sally and brother Richard) endured the tribulations of a small-part actress trying to make a living in the movie business. Twice, Sally Field said in a 2008 interview, most of their things were repossessed because the family didn't have enough money. "It wasn't a glamourous life," Sally was quoted as saying. But Margaret's subsequent marriage to actor Jock Mahoney, and TV work from the early 50s into the 60s, helped stabilize her home and financial situations. After marrying Mahoney, Margaret Field began acting under the name "Maggie Mahoney", the name she used until she and Mahoney were divorced in the 60s.

Margaret Field co-starred with the late Robert Clarke in several films besides Planet X, including A Modern Marriage and another sci-fi favorite, Captive Women, in which she played her sexiest role. She also had small parts in major films. In his autobiography Clarke wrote that he and Margaret dated for a time before she met Mahoney and got serious with him.

A news item a couple of years ago indicated that Sally had moved her mother into her (Sally's) house to make it easier to take care of her. Ironically, Margaret Field died on Sally's 65th birthday.

Margaret Field may not have had the major career she hoped for (and that her daughter achieved), but she was a good actress and one who always gave pleasure to audiences. Rest in peace.