Born in Waco, Texas, Mary Louise Cecilia “Texas” Guinan came to New York City in 1907 to launched her entertainment career. Ambitious, tireless, and versatile, she toured in vaudeville, sang on Broadway, starred in silent films as a rip-roaring cowgirl, became a speakeasy hostess, and played herself in two Warner Bros. talkies.
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As Texas herself would say, "If you want anything bad enough, go out and fight for it. Work day and night in order to achieve the goal. Sacrifice your time, your peace, your sleep. Sweat for it, fret for it, plan for it. Lose your terror of God and man for it. Hold fast to the pillars of faith, hope, confidence, stern pertinacity. Defy cold poverty, pain of body and brain. Besiege and beset for it, and you’re bound to win."
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To find out more about her stage career, her silver screen stand-outs, her night club reign, her personal life, her quotable “Guinanisms,” or the books and films about her, just click on the links.