Don O'Kelly, (March 17, 1924 – October 2, 1966) was an American actor prominent in the 1950s and 1960s mostly on television. Though credited as "Don Kelly" in earlier performances, his billing was changed to "Don O'Kelly" in 1960.

Background

Donald Patrick Kelly was born at Sheepshead Bay in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

to an

Irish-American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

father (Robert J. Kelly) and

Norwegian-American Norwegian Americans ( nb, Norskamerikanere, nn, Norskamerikanarar) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the ...

mother (Rachel Marie Knudsen). Don Kelly enlisted in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

on June 17, 1941 just prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and saw active duty aboard the USS Stanton and USS Palmer. He saw convoy duty at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Iceland; England; Scotland; North Africa (Invasion), the European Theater; Africa; Italy; convoy duty to Scotland; Africa; Iceland; Southern France (Invasion) through Channel into Pacific and then on to the Carolinas; Siapan; Tinian; Marshalls; Gilbert; Iwo Jima; Okinawa, and the Sea of Japan (when World War II ended). He saw active duty four years, three months, and 17 days and then went home. Kelly received an Honorable Discharge after the war and upon separation joined his cousin's ice skating show. O'Kelly used his

GI Bill of Rights The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

to study acting with the Strasberg company in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

Career

Don O'Kelly began his career starring in ''

Tank Battalion is a multi-directional shooter arcade video game that was released by Namco in 1980. The only direct home conversion is for the MSX, and in 1985 a similar game release is ''Battle City'' for the Family Computer. ''Tank Battalion'' received a ...

'' with Marjorie Hellen (later

Leslie Parrish Leslie Parrish (born Marjorie Hellen; March 13, 1935) is an American actress, activist, environmentalist, writer, and producer. She worked under her birth name for six years, changing it in 1959. Early life As a child, Parrish lived in Massachu ...

). O'Kelly was a familiar face to series television fans during the 1950s and 1960s. His last starring role was in '' The Hostage'', made in 1966 and released in 1967, for which he received very favorable reviews.

TV and film credits

* '' The Hostage'' (1967) ... Bull * ''

Shoot Out at Big Sag ''Shoot Out at Big Sag'' is a 1962 American Western (genre), Western film. It starred Walter Brennan and was made for Brennan's production company. The film was produced by Brennan's son Andy and based on a story by Walter Coburn. It was meant ...

'' (1962) ... Fargo * ''

Frontier Uprising ''Frontier Uprising'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Jim Davis, Nancy Hadley and Ken Mayer. It is a remake of ''Kit Carson'' (1940).Tank Battalion is a multi-directional shooter arcade video game that was released by Namco in 1980. The only direct home conversion is for the MSX, and in 1985 a similar game release is ''Battle City'' for the Family Computer. ''Tank Battalion'' received a ...

'' (1958) ... Sgt Brad Dunne aka ''Korean Attack'' * ''The Notorious Mr. Monks'' (1958) ... Dan Flynn * ''

Bombers B-52 ''Bombers B-52'' (released in the UK as ''No Sleep till Dawn''Leverence 1974, pp. 233–234.) is a 1957 Warner Bros. CinemaScope film in WarnerColor, produced by Richard Whorf and directed by Gordon Douglas. The film stars Natalie Wood and Karl ...

'' (1957) ... Master Sergeant Darren McKind aka ''No Sleep Till Dawn'' (UK) * '' The Crooked Circle'' (1957) ... Joe Kelly * ''

The Big Land ''The Big Land'' is a 1957 American Western film in Warnercolor directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien Plot Back home in Texas following the Civil War, former Confederate officer Chad Morgan ( Alan ...

'' (1957)... Billy Tyler aka ''Stampeded'' (UK) * ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'' (1965) episode ''The Night of a Thousand Eyes'' ... Peavey * ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'' (1965) episode ''Eliab's Aim'' ... Dealer * ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols " ♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'' (1964) episode ''One Nation Indivisible'' ... George Zybsko * ''

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 U ...

'' (1964) episode ''The Lila Conrad Story'' * '' The Virginian'' (1963) episode ''The Evil That Men Do'' ... Deke * ''The Dakotas'' (1963) episode ''Fargo'' ... Paul Young * ''The Gallant Men'' (1963)episode ''The Leathernecks'' ... Captain Barlow * ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television Private investigator#PIs in fiction, private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith (actor), Roger Smith, Richard Long (actor), Richard Long (fr ...

'' (1963) episode ''Crashout'' ... Arnie Martin * ''The Gallant Men'' (1962) episode ''One Moderately Peaceful Sunday'' * ''

'' (1962) episode ''Terror in a Small Town'' ... Sheriff Farger * ''The Beachcomber'' (1962) episode ''The Fugitive'' ... Womack * ''Ripcord'' (1961) episode ''High Jeopardy'' ... Johnny Grimes * ''

'' (1961) episode ''The Turning Point'' ... Nate Minton * ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' (1961) episode ''Meeting at Mimbers'' ... Green River Tom Smith * ''Riverboat'' (1960) episode ''Zigzag'' ... Clyde * ''Bat Masterson'' (1960) episode ''The Elusive Baguette'' as “Reed Morgan” * ''The Deputy'' (1960) episode ''Lady for a Hanging'' ... Hunter * ''

'' (1960) episode ''The Last of the Night Raiders'' ... Jack Doolin * ''Tombstone Territory (1960) episode ''Girl From Philadelphia'' ... as outlaw Ben Quade * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'' (1960) episode ''The Mighty Casey'' ... Monk * ''Overland Trail'' (1960) episode ''Fire in the Hole'' ... Red * ''

'' (1960) episode ''Vacation with Pay'' ... Adams * ''Bourbon Street Beat'' (1960) episode ''Neon Nightmare'' ... George Johnson * ''Lawman'' (1960) episode ''The Truce'' * ''M Squad'' (1960) episode ''Race to Death'' ... Joe Calhoun * ''Laramie'' (1960) episode ''Duel at Alta Mesa'' * ''The Alaskans'' (1960) episode ''The Trial of Reno McKee'' ... Carl * ''The Alaskans'' (1960) episode ''Black Sand'' * ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...

'' (1960) episode ''The Day of the Bad Man'' ... Amos Saint * ''

'' (1960) episode ''El Toro Grande'' * ''The Restless Gun'' (1959) episode ''A Very Special Inspector'' ... Blair Weeks * ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded to ...

'' (1959)episode ''The Daltons'' ...Bob Dalton * ''Black Saddle'' (1959) episode ''Client: Reynolds'' ... Harry Briggs * ''Lawman'' (1959) episode ''The Souvenir'' ... Virgil Carey * ''Disneyland'' (6 March 1959) episode ''The Slaughter Trail'' ... Jed * ''Texas John Slaughter'' (1959) episode (#1.5) ''The Slaughter Trail'' ... Jed * ''Disneyland'' (20 March 1959) episode ''Man from Bitter Creek'' ... Jed * ''Texas John Slaughter (1959) (#1.6) ''Man from Bitter Creek'' ... Jed * ''Sugarfoot'' (1959) episode ''The Giant Killer'' ... Tracy * ''The Texan'' (1959) episode ''A Quart of Law'' * ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bureau ...

'' (1958) episode ''Holiday at Hollow Rock'' ... Ira Swain * ''

'' (1958) episode ''The Court Martial of Johnny Murdo'' ... Sergeant Bannock * ''Lawman'' (1958) episode ''The Oath'' ... Lou Menke * ''Broken Arrow'' (1958) episode ''War Trail'' ... Captain Baker * ''

'' (1958) episode ''The Teacher'' ... Coley * ''

'' (1958) episode ''Trail West to Fury'' ... Jett * ''Wire Service'' (1957) episode ''Misfire'' * ''Frontier'' (1956) episode ''A Somewhere Voice'' ... Jim * ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'' (1956) episode ''The Sinbuster'' * ''Frontier'' (1956) episode ''The Well'' ... Jim

Personal life

Kelly and his wife, Ruth Kelly, had three sons. Don Kelly died of stomach cancer in

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most d ...

shortly after "The Hostage" was released and just prior to leaving on a national tour promoting the film.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okelly, Don 1924 births 1966 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male television actors American male film actors Male actors from New York City American people of Irish descent American people of Norwegian descent People from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn Military personnel from New York City Deaths from cancer in California United States Navy personnel of World War II