Daniel Peter O'Herlihy (May 1, 1919 – February 17, 2005) was an Irish actor of film, television, and radio.
With a distinguished appearance and rich, resonant speaking voice, O'Herlihy's best known-roles included his
Oscar-nominated portrayal of the lead character in
Luis Buñuel's
''Robinson Crusoe'' (1954),
Brigadier General Warren A. Black in ''
Fail Safe'' (1964),
Marshal Ney in ''
Waterloo
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat
* Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place.
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Antarctica
*King George Island (S ...
'' (1970),
Conal Cochran in ''
Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' (1982), Grig in ''
The Last Starfighter
''The Last Starfighter'' is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan ( Lance Guest), a teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also features Rob ...
'' in (1984), "The Old Man" in ''
RoboCop
''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dan ...
'' (1987) and its
1990 sequel, and Andrew Packard in the television series ''
Twin Peaks
''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 fo ...
'' (1990–91).
Early life and education
O'Herlihy was born in
Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N1 ...
,
County Wexford in 1919, but moved with his family to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
when he was young. He was educated at
Christian Brothers College in
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire ( , ) is a suburban coastal town in Dublin in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.
The town was built following the 1816 legislation that allowed the building of a major port to serve Dubli ...
and later studied at
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...
, graduating in 1944 with a degree in architecture, following in his father's footsteps.
He developed a keen interest in acting during his university studies. He joined several amateur theatre groups and joined the
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...
as a bit player. After graduating from the university, he decided to pursue acting full-time, working at the Abbey and
Gate Theatre
The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928.
History Beginnings
The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochlainn ...
, first as a set designer, then later as an actor.
Career
O'Herlihy's first acting role came in 1944, when he played the lead in the Gate's production of ''Red Roses For Me'', written and directed by
Seán O'Casey. He appeared in some fifty plays at the Gate.
He made his film debut in
Carol Reed
Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for '' Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), '' The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded th ...
's ''
Odd Man Out
''Odd Man Out'' is a 1947 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, and starring James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, and Kathleen Ryan. Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it follows a wounded Nationalist leader who attempts to evade poli ...
'' in 1947,
which was shot on-location in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingd ...
, and also worked extensively in radio.
His first American film role was as
Macduff in
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
' version of ''
Macbeth
''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (1948).
In 1952, he starred in the
Red Scare
A Red Scare is the promotion of a widespread fear of a potential rise of communism, anarchism or other leftist ideologies by a society or state. The term is most often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which a ...
film ''
Invasion, U.S.A.'' and, in 1954 in
Luis Buñuel's ''
Robinson Crusoe
''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tr ...
'', which earned him an
Academy Award nomination
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for Best Actor.
O'Herlihy recalled that the producers of the film wanted Buñuel to use
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
for the role, with Buñuel refusing, saying he was too big and too fat.
They arranged a screening of Welles' ''
Macbeth
''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' to show how a bearded Welles would look but Buñuel demanded O'Herlihy who appeared in the film.
O'Herlihy was later featured in ''
The Young Land'' in 1959 as Judge Millard Isham. In 1960, he played Sir Harry Ivers, an upper-class English drifter who joins
Alan Ladd in a plot to ruin an Arizona cattle town by robbing its bank in the western ''
One Foot in Hell''. In 1964, he starred in ''
Fail Safe'' in the role of General Black, or "Blackie". In 1969, he was cast in ''
The Big Cube'' and ''
100 Rifles
''100 Rifles'' is a 1969 American Western film directed by Tom Gries and starring Jim Brown, Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds. It is based on Robert MacLeod's 1966 novel ''The Californio''. The film was shot in Spain. The original music score was ...
''. In 1970, he starred in the epic ''
Waterloo
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat
* Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place.
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Antarctica
*King George Island (S ...
'', playing the part of
Michel Ney
Michel Ney, 1st Duke of Elchingen, 1st Prince of the Moskva (; 10 January 1769 – 7 December 1815), was a French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one ...
, the marshal of France. In 1982, he starred in ''
Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' as Conal Cochran and in 1984, he appeared in ''
The Last Starfighter
''The Last Starfighter'' is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan ( Lance Guest), a teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also features Rob ...
'' as Grig, Alex Rogan's reptilian copilot, navigator, and sidekick. In 1986's ''
The Whoopee Boys
''The Whoopee Boys'' is a 1986 American comedy film directed by John Byrum and starring Michael O'Keefe and Paul Rodriguez. It was made by the writers and the producers of the 1984 hit film ''Revenge of the Nerds''.
Plot
Two dim-witted New York ...
'' he played a judge and in 1987, he appeared in ''
RoboCop
''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dan ...
'' as "The Old Man". That same year, he was cast in
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...
's ''
The Dead
The Dead may refer to:
* The dead, those who have experienced death
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''The Dead'' (Higson novel), 2010 novel by Charlie Higson
* ''The Dead'' (Kracht novel), 2016 novel by Christian Kracht
* "The Dead ...
''. In 1990, he appeared in ''
RoboCop 2'', the sequel to the 1987 film.
O'Herlihy had a fairly extensive career in television, having appeared on ''
Rawhide'', ''
The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', ''
Adventures in Paradise'', and ''
Target: The Corruptors!''. He portrayed Larry "Ace" Banner in the first season of ''
The Untouchables'' in the episode titled "The Big Squeeze". He was cast as Stephen Jordan in the last season of ''
Checkmate'' episode " "Referendum on Murder". He also appeared on ''
The Americans'' and ''
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' in the episodes "The Fiddlesticks Affair" and "The Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Rum Affair" and on ''
Route 66'' in the episode "To Walk with the Serpent". In 1962, he was cast as Glenn Kassin in "The Earth Mover" episode of ''
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
''. He appeared on ''
Bonanza
''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...
'' (Episode: "The Artist" as Matthew Raine).
In 1963–1964, he was in ''
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters''. On ''
The Long, Hot Summer'', O'Herlihy became the lead star, having replaced
Edmond O'Brien in the part of Will Varner midway through the program's one-season run. In 1966, he appeared in the episode "Have You Seen the
Aurora Borealis
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of b ...
?" of ''
The Road West'', starring
Barry Sullivan. In 1974, he appeared in ''
QB VII'' and played the Senior American Officer, Col. Max Dodd in the second series of BBC's POW drama ''
Colditz''. In 1976, he guest-starred in an episode of ''
Gibbsville''. In 1978, he guest-starred in the second part of the ''
Battlestar Galactica'' episode "
Gun on Ice Planet Zero" as Dr. Ravishol. O'Herlihy also portrayed the ill-fated lumber tycoon Andrew Packard in the cult television program ''
Twin Peaks
''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 fo ...
'' (1991) and in the ''
Batman: The Animated Series'' episode "Deep Freeze", voicing the villainous theme park mogul Grant Walker. In 1998, O'Herlihy acted in his last film, ''
The Rat Pack'', playing
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Personal life
Dan O'Herlihy married Elsie Bennett in 1945. He was the brother of director
Michael O'Herlihy
Michael O'Herlihy (1 April 1929 – 16 June 1997) was an Irish television producer and director who directed shows like ''Gunsmoke'' (1955), '' Maverick'' (1957), ''Star Trek'' (1965), '' Hawaii Five-O'' (1968), ''M*A*S*H'' (1972) and '' The ...
and the father of actor
Gavan O'Herlihy, visual artist Olwen O'Herlihy, and architect
Lorcan O'Herlihy
Lorcan O'Herlihy (born 1959 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish-born American architect working in Los Angeles and the founding principal of Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects OHA He is the son of the actor Dan O'Herlihy
Daniel Peter O'Herlihy ...
. He and his wife had nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. One grandchild, Mica O'Herlihy, is a filmmaker whose work has been shown at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...
. Another, Alana O'Herlihy, is a photographer and director who has collaborated with
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
.
O'Herlihy became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1983.
Death
O'Herlihy died of natural causes in
Malibu,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
in 2005, aged 85. His personal papers are held in the
University College Dublin Archives.
Complete filmography
References
External links
*
*
O'Herlihy in ''The Long Hot Summer'' (1965–66) youtube.com; accessed September 3, 2015.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Herlihy, Dan
1919 births
2005 deaths
Alumni of University College Dublin
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male radio actors
Male actors from Dublin (city)
Irish male film actors
Irish male television actors
Irish male radio actors
Actors from County Wexford
California Democrats
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Irish emigrants to the United States
20th-century American male actors
People educated at C.B.C. Monkstown
People from Wexford, County Wexford
20th-century Irish male actors