Maureen Dragone (January 20, 1920 – February 8, 2013) was an American journalist and author. She was one of the longest-standing members of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association which presents the annual
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
s. In 1978 she founded the
Young Artist Association, which presents the annual
Young Artist Awards.
Early life
Dragone was born Maureen Laing in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
. She moved to
North Hollywood, Los Angeles with her parents at the age of 10 and attended
North Hollywood High School. Her father, Canadian
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
veteran, Captain Alfred Benson Laing, was a builder and writer for trade journals, and her mother, Nora Laing, was an entertainment correspondent for numerous international publications and co-founder of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Discussions regarding the formation of the HFPA, which presented the first annual
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
s ceremony in 1944, are said to have taken place at the dining room table in her childhood home.
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Dragone wrote for numerous international newspapers and magazines and was said to have interviewed hundreds of celebrities throughout the course of her career. She was a member of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association for more than 50 years and was regarded as the "recognized historian" of the HFPA. In 2005, Dragone authored the book ''Who Makes the Golden Globes Go Around?'' which chronicled the history of the HFPA and its annual
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
s ceremony. Prior to her death in 2013, she was the only living HFPA member to have attended all 70 Golden Globes ceremonies and was bestowed with an honorary "lifetime membership" to the association.
Young Artist Association
In 1978, Dragone founded the Youth in Film Association (now known as the
Young Artist Association), which presents Hollywood's annual
Young Artist Awards to specifically recognize and honor outstanding contributions of child stars working within the entertainment industry who might otherwise be overlooked for other industry awards when judged alongside their adult counterparts. The association also sponsors the
Young Artist Foundation which grants scholarships to young performers who may be physically and/or financially challenged, enabling them to attend a performing arts school of their choice. As of 2013, the Young Artist Awards and the Young Artist Foundation scholarship fund are still presented annually.
Personal life
Dragone lived in
North Hollywood, Los Angeles for the majority of her life and was married to Michael Dragone until his death in 1986. She had two children; Michael, Jr. and Shirley. She had three grandchildren; Heather, Holly and Frank, and four great-grandchildren; Samantha, Don, Alexandra and Benjamin. In 1987, Dragone became the companion of Dan Kitchel, whom she would remain with for the next 25 years, until her death in 2013. In one of her final statements, Dragone was quoted as saying, "I did everything that I ever wanted to do, and did it my way."
Death
Dragone died on February 8, 2013, at a hospice in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
following a brief illness. After her death, a statement was posted on the HFPA's Golden Globes website, which read, "She will be missed, and was loved by so many people." The Young Artist Association that she founded announced its plans to feature a memorial tribute at the
34th Annual Young Artist Awards ceremony in her honor.
References
External links
Young Artist Awardsofficial website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragone, Maureen
1920 births
2013 deaths
American women writers
Writers from Los Angeles
Writers from Phoenix, Arizona
American women journalists
North Hollywood High School alumni
20th-century American philanthropists
20th-century American women
21st-century American women