James
FitzSimons was born
Sept. 11, 1927 in Ranelagh, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. He was the
youngest of six children of
Margurita and Charles FitzSimons. Quoting big sister Maureen, "Jimmy was the baby
of the family and we called him 'Poooor Jimmy' because he was his
mother's little darling."
Although Educated in Catholic
boys' schools in Dublin for academics, Jimmy possessed the same talents
as his older siblings and went on to enroll for training in the
performing arts at the Abbey Theater in Dublin, becoming an Abbey
Player. It was John Ford who suggested the stage name "James
Lilburn" and he cast him as Father Paul in "The Quiet Man" in
1951. Brother Charlie, was cast as Forbes, the IRA man.
Jimmy
loved
motorcycle racing and won the famed Leinster 500 in Dublin in the
1950s. Recently a gentleman from England, Bill Hiscose,
contacted
me stating that he had acquired the 1947 Manx Norton motorcycle which
was initially owned by Jimmy FitzSimons. He said the machine was
in complete original condition with matching engine and frame numbers.
Bill said he had always been interested in motorcycles and had a
small collection at his home in England. (picture
below).
After Jimmy and
Charlie came to the United States to shoot the interiors at the
Republic studio for "The Quiet Man" they both eventually pursued
their own careers here. Below they are enjoying some pool tiime
with sister, Maureen O'Hara - a star at Fox and Universal Studios.
