Myrna Fahey, a native of Maine who rose to prominence as a film and television actress in the 1950s and 1960s, achieved significant fame before her career was cut short by cancer, leading to her death in 1973. Born in Carmel and raised primarily in Southwest Harbor, Fahey maintained deep roots in the state, eventually finding her final repose in Bangor.
Born on March 12, 1933, Fahey spent her earliest years in Carmel before her family relocated to Bangor. They eventually settled in Southwest Harbor, where her father, Francis, worked as a shipbuilder. As a child, Fahey’s ambitions were far removed from Hollywood glamour; she envisioned a life as a designer, teacher, or even a guide, considering herself an expert at canoeing. She also worked briefly at Rines Co. on Main Street in downtown Bangor.
It wasn't until her final year at Pemetic High School in 1950 that the allure of acting became undeniable. Myrna Fahey told legendary gossip columnist Hedda Hopper in 1959 that by age 17, she felt "life had to provide me with more excitement than merely existing," and that acting "seemed to be the one career which could do it." Her career aspirations initially met with resistance from her parents. She recounted to Hopper that her father was particularly amazed by her declaration, stating that his New England calm was shaken, but she ultimately prevailed. Fahey then pursued her craft at the Pasadena College of Theatre Arts and spent time at the Pasadena Playhouse, studying under the guidance of family friend, writer John Butler.
Fahey’s early years in Hollywood were characterized by hard work. She began humbly, appearing in television advertisements for toothpaste and detergent before securing more substantial roles. By her own count, she performed in some 40 television plays in the mid-1950s. Her first notable, though uncredited, film appearance was in 1955 alongside Jack Palance, Lee Marvin, and Dennis Hopper in the noir film “I Died a Thousand Times.” Her recognizability grew through beauty competitions, including being crowned the Hancock Poultry Queen in 1951 and a finalist for Miss Maine in 1952. In 1956, photographer Paul Hesse encouraged her to compete for the Miss Rheingold title, where she became one of six national finalists.
Her career continued to ascend in 1959 with a significant role in "The Story on Page One," co-starring Rita Hayworth and Tony Franciosa. Director Clifford Odets reportedly saw "big potential" in the Mainer. However, her mother, Olevia, who moved to California to help maintain her daughter’s home, was less impressed by the Hollywood life, often speaking tersely to studio personnel. Myrna Fahey told Hopper that when she excitedly described her big break, her mother cautioned, "it isn’t at all like a state-of-Maine girl." The following year brought Fahey’s largest film role, playing Madeline Usher in Roger Corman’s adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” opposite Mark Damon and Vincent Price. This film, which played in Greater Bangor theaters throughout 1960, marked her last film role. Around this time, Fahey informed Los Angeles Times television critic Cecil Smith that her parents had come around and were "all for" her Hollywood ambitions.
Throughout the 1960s, Fahey became a familiar face on numerous popular television programs, including "Batman," "Bonanza," "Father of the Bride," "Gunsmoke," "Maverick," and "Perry Mason." A Bangor Daily News reporter once noted her as "one of the best known actresses in modern television." Fahey was known for embracing diverse and challenging roles, often choosing parts as "dipsomaniacs and 'bad girls'" to move beyond the "simpering sweet parts" frequently written for women. Despite her success, she did not fully embrace the Hollywood social scene, preferring to spend her time skiing and boating, a reflection of her conservative New England upbringing.
As the 1960s concluded, Myrna Fahey was diagnosed with cancer. She died on May 6, 1973, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Though she once contemplated never returning to live full time in Maine, the state remained her ultimate resting place, as she was interred in Mount Pleasant Catholic Cemetery in Bangor.