Mary Ann Phelan: What happened to Martin Sheen’s mother?

Mary Ann Phelan is the mother of Martin Sheen. Mary Ann Phelan’s son is an American actor who is most known for his role as U.S. President Josiah Bartlet in the NBC series The West Wing (1999–2006). He has received numerous accolades for his contribution to the industry over the six decades of his career. He has received three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He rose to prominence in his breakthrough roles in the crime drama Badlands and the Vietnam war drama Apocalypse Now.

Mary Ann Phelan: Bio Summary

Who is Martin Sheen’s mother?

Mary Ann Phelan was born on May 22, 1903, in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland the daughter of Michael Phelan. She was married to Spanish immigrant Francisco Estévez. Her husband was a factory worker/machinery inspector at the National Cash Register Company.

The couple had 10 children- 9 boys and a girl. Their children are Carmen Estevez, Manuel N. Estevez, Michael J. Estevez, Conrad J. Estevez, Ramon G. Estevez (Martin Sheen)** Joseph Estevez, and 4 Sons whose names are Unknown.

ALSO, READ; Francisco Estévez: Who is Martin Sheen’s father?

When Mary Ann Phelan was giving birth to her famous son, Sheen’s left arm was crushed by forceps, giving him limited lateral movement of that arm (Erb’s palsy) and resulting in the arm being three inches (7.6 cm) shorter than his right. Mary and her husband raised their children on Brown Street in the South Park neighborhood.

Due to his husband’s work, the family lived on the island of Bermuda on St. John’s Road, Pembroke Parish, where five of her children were born. Sheen was the first child to be born in Dayton, Ohio after the family returned from Bermuda.

What happened to Mary Ann Phelan, Martin Sheen’s mother?

Mary Ann Phelan passed away when her son was only eleven years old. Sheen and his siblings faced the possibility of living in an orphanage or foster home. However, the family was able to remain together with the assistance of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dayton.

Martin Sheen’s mother passed away on August 1, 1951, in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio. She was 48 years old. Mary is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Kettering, Montgomery, Ohio. Her husband Francisco Estévez who passed away some years later was buried in the same cemetery.

Why did Martin Sheen change his name?

Martin Sheen who was born Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez adopted his stage name, Martin Sheen, from a combination of the CBS casting director, Robert Dale Martin, who gave him his first big break, and Catholic archbishop and broadcaster, Fulton J. Sheen. In a 2003 Inside the Actors Studio interview, Sheen explained the reason behind this decision.

“Whenever I would call for an appointment, whether it was a job or an apartment, and I would give my name, there was always that hesitation and when I’d get there, it was always gone. So I thought, I got enough problems trying to get an acting job, so I invented Martin Sheen.“

He continued– “It’s still Estevez officially. I never changed it officially. I never will. It’s on my driver’s license and passport and everything. I started using Sheen, I thought I’d give it a try, and before I knew it, I started making a living with it and then it was too late. In fact, one of my great regrets is that I didn’t keep my name as it was given to me. I knew it bothered my dad.“

While his son, Charlie Sheen, adopted his dad’s professional last name, the elder Sheen said he was able to dissuade another from potentially facing the same sense of disappointment.