Juanita Quigley (June 24, 1931 – October 29, 2017) was an American child actress known for her roles in films during the 1930s and 1940s. She was the younger sister of fellow child actress Rita Quigley.
Quigley first captured audiences as a young child in Imitation of Life (1934), playing the three-year-old daughter of Claudette Colbert. Throughout her career, she appeared in several films, including The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) and Riffraff (1936), where she portrayed Jean Harlow's niece. With a significant presence in the film industry, she became one of the most beloved child stars of her time and was recognized as Universal Pictures’ youngest star in 1934.
She had a brief stint in the Our Gang series, starring as Sally in The New Pupil (1940) and again in Going to Press (1942), marking a rare instance of a female lead not played by Darla Hood or Janet Burston. Quigley also acted alongside her sister in Whispering Footsteps (1943) and had her last notable role in National Velvet (1944) as Elizabeth Taylor's sister.
After a few minor appearances post-National Velvet, Quigley retired from acting around 1950. In August 1951, she joined the Daughters of Mary and Joseph to teach at Precious Blood Catholic School. Later leaving the convent, she married and embraced a private life. As of 2016, she resided in Massachusetts with her son and daughter-in-law, enjoying a peaceful retirement. Juanita Quigley passed away on October 29, 2017, at the age of 86 in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
