William Joseph Patrick O'Brien (November 11, 1899 – October 15, 1983) was an American film actor with more than 100 screen credits. Of Irish descent, he often played
Irish and
Irish-American
Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry.
Irish immigration to the United States
From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
characters and was referred to as "Hollywood's Irishman in Residence" in the press. One of the best-known screen actors of the 1930s and 1940s, he played priests, cops, military figures, pilots, and reporters. He is especially well-remembered for his roles in ''
Knute Rockne, All American
''Knute Rockne, All American'' is a 1940 American biographical film that tells the story of Knute Rockne, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame's legendary football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan as p ...
'' (1940), ''
Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), and ''
Some Like It Hot
''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee an ...
'' (1959). He was frequently paired onscreen with
Hollywood star and close friend
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
. O'Brien also appeared on stage and television.
Early life
O'Brien was born in 1899 to an Irish-American
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
family in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
. All four of his grandparents had come from Ireland. The O'Briens were originally from
County Cork
County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
. His grandfather, Patrick O'Brien, for whom he was named, was an architect who was killed while trying to break up a saloon fight in New York City. His mother's parents, the McGoverns, emigrated from
County Galway
County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...
in the west of Ireland in the mid- to late-19th century.
As a child, O'Brien served as an
altar boy at
Gesu Church, while growing up near 13th and Kilbourn Streets in Milwaukee. He attended
Marquette Academy with fellow actor
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
, who was a lifelong friend. During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, O'Brien and Tracy joined the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
. They both attended boot camp at the
Great Lakes Naval Training Center, but they never went to sea. The war ended before their training had finished.
Jack Benny was also at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center at the same time as O'Brien and Tracy. According to his autobiography, Benny performed a number on the violin at a show one evening, when the sailors started booing and heckling him. O'Brien walked on stage and whispered in his ear, "For heaven's sake, Ben, put down the damn fiddle and talk to 'em." Benny stopped playing his violin and made a series of comments that got laughs from the audience. In this way, O'Brien indirectly helped to start Benny's career in comedy.
After the war, O'Brien finished his secondary schooling at Marquette Academy and later attended
Marquette University
Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...
. While still at college, he decided to seek work as an actor. He and Spencer Tracy moved to New York, where they both attended the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a Private college, private drama school with two locations, one in New York City and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related ...
. The two struggling young actors shared a small studio apartment, and began their careers on the stage.
Early career
O'Brien spent a decade in plays on
Broadway and in the New York City area.
O'Brien made his film debut in the
Vitaphone Varieties short film, ''The Nightingale'', produced in New York and released in August 1930.
His first starring role was as ace reporter Hildy Johnson in the original 1931 version of ''
The Front Page'' with
Adolphe Menjou. In 2010, this film was selected by the
National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
's
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
He was the lead in Paramount's ''
Personal Maid'' (1931), and appeared in a
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
musical ''
Flying High'' (1931), supporting
Bert Lahr. He was
Irene Dunne's love interest in RKO's ''
Consolation Marriage
''Consolation Marriage'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Paul Sloane and written by Humphrey Pearson. The film stars Irene Dunne, Pat O'Brien, John Halliday, Myrna Loy, and Matt Moore. The film was released on November 2 ...
'' (1932), then co-starred opposite a young
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
in ''
Hell's House
''Hell's House'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code drama film starring Junior Durkin, featuring Bette Davis and directed by Howard Higgin. The screenplay by Paul Gangelin and Ben Orkow, B. Harrison Orkow, set during the waning days of the Prohibition ...
'' (1932). O'Brien stayed in leads, going from studio to studio: ''
Scandal for Sale'' (1932), at Universal; ''
The Strange Case of Clara Deane'' (1932), at Paramount; ''
Hollywood Speaks'' (1932), ''
American Madness'' (1932) and ''
Virtue
A virtue () is a trait of excellence, including traits that may be morality, moral, social, or intellectual. The cultivation and refinement of virtue is held to be the "good of humanity" and thus is Value (ethics), valued as an Telos, end purpos ...
'' (1932).
O'Brien played a heroic pilot in Universal's ''
Air Mail
Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...
'' (1932), directed by
John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...
. While at that studio he was in the compelling ''
Laughter in Hell'' (1932) and ''
Destination Unknown'' (1933). At the small
Majestic Pictures he starred in ''
The World Gone Mad'' (1933).
Warner Bros

O'Brien's first Warner Bros. movie was ''
Bureau of Missing Persons'' (1933), starring Bette Davis. He went to RKO for ''
Flaming Gold'' (1933) and MGM for ''
Bombshell'' (1933), then Warners signed O'Brien to a long-term contract. He would remain with the studio until 1940, when he left after a dispute over the terms of his contract renewal.
[O'Brien, pp. 260–261.]
O'Brien supported
Dick Powell in ''
College Coach'' (1933) and
Joan Blondell
Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years.
Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on a film career, estab ...
in ''
I've Got Your Number'' (1934). He was third lead to Barbara Stanwyck and
Joel McCrea in ''
Gambling Lady'' (1934), then was with Powell again in ''
Twenty Million Sweethearts'' (1934).
''
Here Comes the Navy'' (1934) was O'Brien's first film with
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
, also under contract to Warners. The two originally met in 1926 and remained friends for almost six decades. After O'Brien's death, Cagney referred to him as his "dearest friend."
O'Brien played the lead, a boxer, in ''
The Personality Kid'' (1934), supported Powell in ''
Flirtation Walk'' (1934) and was an auctioneer in ''
I Sell Anything'' (1935).
Cagney and O'Brien were reteamed in ''
Devil Dogs of the Air'' (1935). He was a critic in love with
Dolores del Río in ''
In Caliente'' (1935) and had the lead in the
bio-pic ''
Oil for the Lamps of China'' (1935), which he called "one of my favorite pictures." "That was a sweetheart," he said.
He and Cagney were in ''
The Irish in Us'' (1935) then it was back to supporting Powell in ''
Page Miss Glory'' (1935). He headlined a musical ''
Stars Over Broadway'' (1935) then was back with Cagney for
Howard Hawks
Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...
' ''
Ceiling Zero'' (1935). Cagney later sued Warners for billing O'Brien's name above his.
"Jimmy's grand to work with," said O'Brien in 1935. "You couldn't ask for a better partner but there's a limit to all that. I think one picture a year with Jimmy would be fine. But as it is I've been with him in every uniform – the army, the navy, the police, the marines, the air corps – and it's always a case of me falling for his girl or him falling for mine. It gets tiresome... I don't just want to be a fast-talking Charlie all my life."
[F. S.]
Sentimental Irishman
. ''The New York Times'', December 1, 1935.
Warners gave him some starring parts: ''
I Married a Doctor'' (1936), ''
Public Enemy's Wife'' (1936), ''
China Clipper'' (1936), ''
The Great O'Malley'' (1937), and ''
Slim'' (1937) with
Henry Fonda. He was Captain of the Guard (on special leave from the US Army) in ''
San Quentin'' (1937) opposite
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
, romanced Blondell in ''
Back in Circulation'' (1937) and was a veteran sailor in ''
Submarine D-1'' (1938).
O'Brien was pulled out of ''
Swing Your Lady'' to co-star with
Kay Francis in ''
Women Are Like That'' (1938) and was back with Powell for ''
Cowboy from Brooklyn
''Cowboy from Brooklyn'' is a 1938 American Western musical romantic comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Earl Baldwin. It stars Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien and Priscilla Lane. The film was based on the 1937 Broadway play ''Howd ...
'' (1938). He and Cagney reteamed for ''
Boy Meets Girl'' (1938), and he was meant to be back with Powell in ''
Garden of the Moon'' (1938), but Powell refused to do it – he was replaced by
John Payne.
O'Brien has one of his best ever roles as the former street kid turned priest in ''
Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with Cagney. He was with Blondell in ''
Off the Record'' (1939) and ''
The Kid from Kokomo'' (1939), and co-starred with
Gale Page in ''
Indianapolis Speedway'' (1939).
He went over to Paramount for ''
The Night of Nights'' (1939), part of a deal in which Warners bought the rights to ''
The Old Maid'' from Paramount. He then made ''
Slightly Honorable'' (1939) for United Artists.
Back at Warner Bros he was reunited with Cagney for ''
The Fighting 69th'' (1940) then made ''
Castle on the Hudson
''Castle on the Hudson'' (UK title: ''Years Without Days'') is a 1940 American prison film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring John Garfield, Ann Sheridan and Pat O'Brien. The film was based on the book ''Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing ...
'' (1940) with Sheridan and
John Garfield
John Garfield (born Jacob Julius Garfinkle; March 4, 1913 – May 21, 1952) was an American actor who played brooding, rebellious, working-class characters. He grew up in poverty in New York City. In the early 1930s, he became a member of ...
. He was a cop in ''
'Til We Meet Again'' (1940), with Cagney and Sheridan in ''
Torrid Zone'' (1940). He co-starred with Garfield and
Frances Farmer in ''
Flowing Gold'' (1940).
O'Brien was then given his best known role, as the famous
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
football coach
Knute Rockne in ''
Knute Rockne, All American
''Knute Rockne, All American'' is a 1940 American biographical film that tells the story of Knute Rockne, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame's legendary football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan as p ...
'' (1940). In the film, he gave the speech to "win just one for the Gipper," referring to recently deceased football player,
George Gipp, portrayed in the film by a young
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
. Reagan later used this saying as a slogan for his campaign for president in 1980.
O'Brien was at a career peak. He was considered for the role of
Alvin York in the film ''
Sergeant York
Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known by his rank as Sergeant York, was an American soldier who was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor fo ...
''. From this high point, however, O'Brien left Warner Bros in July 1940.
Leaving Warner Bros
After he left Warner Bros. in 1940, O'Brien signed a contract with
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
for two films a year. However they ended up not using him.
He signed with
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
to make two films a year. He was in ''
Escape to Glory'' (1940), then was idle for a year before making ''
Two Yanks in Trinidad'' (1942) with
Brian Donlevy
Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, who was noted for playing dangerous and tough characters. Usually appearing in supporting roles, among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (1939), '' The Great ...
and ''
Flight Lieutenant'' (1942) with
Glenn Ford
Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006), known as Glenn Ford, was a Canadian-born American actor. He was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-office draws of th ...
. At Universal he was in ''
Broadway'' (1942) with
George Raft
George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...
.
RKO
Soon he signed a contract with
RKO and appeared in several movies for that studio.
He mostly played authority/military roles such as ''
The Navy Comes Through'' (1942), and ''
Bombardier'' (1943). ''
The Iron Major
''The Iron Major'' is a 1943 American biographical film about the famed college football coach and World War I hero, Frank Cavanaugh. Directed by Ray Enright, the screenplay was written by Aben Kandel and Warren Duff, based on Florence E. Ca ...
'' (1943) was an attempt to repeat the success of ''Knute Rockne'' with O'Brien as
Frank Cavanaugh.
At Universal he supported
Deanna Durbin in
Frank Borzage
Frank Borzage ( né Borzaga; April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an American film director and actor. He was the first person to win the Academy Awards, Academy Award for Academy Award for Best Director, Best Director for his film ''7th Heaven ...
's ''
His Butler's Sister'' (1943) then it was back to RKO for ''
Marine Raiders
The Marine Raiders are special operations forces originally established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious warfare, amphibious light infantry warfare.
Despite the original intent for Raiders to serve ...
'' (1944).
With his agent Phil Ryan, O'Brien set up his own production company, Teneen Productions. They signed a deal with Columbia to make a film with O'Brien, ''
Secret Command'' (1944). (In 1955 the IRS would sue him for earnings on this film.) At RKO he did ''
Having Wonderful Crime'' (1946) and ''
Man Alive'' (1945). For Columbia he made ''
Perilous Holiday'' (1946).
In 1946 he starred in the successful
film noir
Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
suspense film, ''
Crack-Up''. He was in a thriller, ''
Riffraff'' (1947) and another biopic ''
Fighting Father Dunne'' (1948). He followed it with ''
The Boy with Green Hair'' (1948), and ''
A Dangerous Profession'' (1949) with Raft.
While working as a Hollywood contract player, O'Brien made occasional appearances on the radio in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1946 he collaborated with the contralto
Kate Smith on the popular ''
Viva America'' program for the
CBS radio network. In the summer of 1947, he starred with
Lynn Bari in ''Summer Theater'', a program "dramatizing episodes in the life of a small town druggist."
[ ]
Later career
O'Brien's movie career slowed considerably by the early 1950s, although he still managed to get work in television. In his autobiography, ''The Wind at My Back'', he professed to being completely flummoxed about the decline of his career. His close friend, Spencer Tracy, fought with his studio,
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
, to get roles for O'Brien in his films ''
The People Against O'Hara'' (1951) and ''
The Last Hurrah'' (1958).
He still had leads in films like ''
Okinawa'' (1952), ''
Inside Detroit'' (1956) and ''
Kill Me Tomorrow'' (1957). In 1959 O'Brien appeared in a supporting role in one of his best-known movies as a police detective opposite
George Raft
George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...
in ''Some Like It Hot'', starring
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
,
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
, and
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor with a career that spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 films, in roles co ...
.
In his later years, O'Brien often worked in television. He was cast in 1956 and 1957 in four episodes of the religion
anthology series
An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...
, ''
Crossroads''. In three of the four programs, he played priests. He also performed in two episodes of ''
The Virginian'' in the mid-1960s. In the 1960–1961 television season, O'Brien played James Harrigan, Sr. in a
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
titled ''
Harrigan and Son''.
O'Brien made numerous appearances on television as himself, including several on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...
''. In 1957, he guest starred in the first season of the
NBC variety program, ''
The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford''. Other shows in which he appeared as himself include the interview programs: ''
The David Frost Show'', ''
The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
'', ''
The Merv Griffin Show'', and ''
The Joey Bishop Show''. In 1957,
Ralph Edwards profiled O'Brien's life and career for an episode of ''
This Is Your Life''. He was also the mystery guest on the game show ''
What's My Line?
''What's My Line?'' is a Panel show, panel game show that originally ran in the United States, between 1950 and 1967, on CBS, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent American revivals. The game uses celebrity panelists ...
'' in 1953 and 1957. In the "Jennifer and the Will" episode of ''
WKRP in Cincinnati
''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson. It was based upon his experiences obs ...
'', he has a memorably comic turn as Jennifer Marlowe's elderly boyfriend. Shortly thereafter, O'Brien's final filmed performance came in a 1982 episode of ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...
''.
O'Brien spoke the Star Spangled Banner to the accompaniment of
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''.
Early life
Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) ...
on trumpet for the National Anthem opening of
Super Bowl IV in 1970. He was invited to do this because of his role as Knute Rockne.
He had a small role as
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan Augus ...
' father in the 1978 comedy film ''
The End
The End may refer to:
Film
* The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...
'', opposite
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. As a performer, she was known for her ability to adapt to her screen partner's acting style.
Born in Helena, Monta ...
, cast as Reynolds' mother.
In later years, O'Brien recalled that he had had three "great" movie roles in his career: Knute Rockne, Hildy Johnson in ''The Front Page'', and
Father Duffy in ''
The Fighting 69th''.
From the 1960s through the early 1980s, O'Brien often traveled around the United States as a one-man act and in road shows. He also performed frequently in nightclubs.
Near the end of his life, he toured in a stage production of ''
On Golden Pond'', which he considered "absolutely the best play" he had ever read.
"Irish Mafia"
In the late 1930s, O'Brien and a small group of his actor friends began to meet to converse and exchange opinions and stories. Hollywood columnist
Sidney Skolsky dubbed them the "Irish Mafia," but they preferred to call their social group the "Boys Club." In addition to O'Brien, the original members of the club were
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
,
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
,
Allen Jenkins and
Frank McHugh, all of whom were Irish-Americans. Later
Lynne Overman joined their group and then
George Brent,
James Dunn,
Louis Calhern
Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known by his stage name Louis Calhern, was an American actor. Described as a “star leading man of the theater and a star character actor of the screen,” he appeared in over 100 roles ...
,
William Gargan,
Paul Kelly,
Regis Toomey,
Brian Donlevy
Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, who was noted for playing dangerous and tough characters. Usually appearing in supporting roles, among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (1939), '' The Great ...
,
Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Rexford Bellamy (June 17, 1904 – November 29, 1991) was an American actor whose career spanned 65 years on stage, film, and television. During his career, he played leading roles as well as supporting roles, garnering acclaim and award ...
,
Lloyd Nolan and
Frank Morgan
Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...
.
James Gleason and
Bert Lahr were also frequent guests. The actors gathered to socialize, but they also occasionally used the group to discuss ideas about their latest movies. By the mid-1940s the group began to break up, as members either moved or died. Some of the surviving members kept in contact by telephone and occasional meetings.
Personal life
O'Brien and his wife, Eloise, had four children: Mavourneen, Sean, Terry, and Brigid. Three of his children were adopted.
The youngest, Brigid O'Brien (1946-2016), was his biological child.
Eloise O'Brien occasionally appeared on stage with her husband.
Among those who knew him personally, O'Brien was known for his love of storytelling, jokes, and late-night parties.
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
specifically remembered him as a
raconteur.
Another friend recalled that he was always "the life, and I mean the lively life, of the party."
[McCabe, p. 223.] He traveled to Vietnam as part of a US tour in February 1969.
Death
O'Brien died on October 15, 1983, from a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
at age 83, following minor
prostate
The prostate is an male accessory gland, accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found in all male mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemica ...
surgery. President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
released a White House statement noting his sadness over his old friend's death. The president had called the actor at the hospital just days before his death.
[Eve Zibart.]
Pat O'brien dies.
. ''The Washington Post'', October 16, 1983.
Filmography
Short Subjects:
*''A Dream Comes True'' (1935)
*''A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio'' (1935)
*''
Swingtime in the Movies'' (1938)
*''Out Where the Stars Begin'' (1938)
*''Screen Snapshots: Famous Fathers and Sons'' (1946)
*''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood's Happy Homes'' (1949)
*''Screen Snapshots: Motion Picture Mothers, Inc.'' (1949)
*''Screen Snapshots: Hopalong in Hoppy Land'' (1951)
*''Screen Snapshots: Memorial to Al Jolson'' (1952)
*''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Mothers and Fathers'' (1955)
*''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Beauty'' (1955)
Television credits
*''
Place the Face'' (
CBS television series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
, March 11, 1954)
*''
Crossroads'' (three episodes, 1955–1957) as Father Patrick O'Neil / Father Edward Sullivan / Father Jim / Father Edmund Boyle
*''
Science Fiction Theatre'' (1955) (Are We Invaded?) as Dr. Arnold
*''
Sneak Preview'' (1956) (Season 1, Ep 5 "The Way Back")
*''
What's My Line?
''What's My Line?'' is a Panel show, panel game show that originally ran in the United States, between 1950 and 1967, on CBS, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent American revivals. The game uses celebrity panelists ...
'' (10/13/1957) (Episode #384) (Season 9, Ep 7) as Mystery Guest
*''
Walt Disney Presents'' (1959) (I Captured the King of the Leprechauns) as Himself
*''Joyful Hour'' (1960, TV Movie) as Host
*''
Harrigan and Son'' (1960–1961) as James Harrigan Sr.
*''
Going My Way
''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ...
'' in "The Boss of the Ward" (1963) as Frank McCaffey
*''
Hazel'' (1966) as Uncle Jerome Van Meter
*''
The Over-the-Hill Gang'' (1969, TV Movie) as Capt. Oren Hayes
*''Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol'' (1972, TV Movie) as Sgt. McGll
*''Adventures of Nick Carter'' (1972, TV Movie) as Hallelujah Harry (unsold pilot)
*''
McCloud'' (1973) as Mac Ferguson
*''Kiss Me, Kill Me'' (1976, TV Movie) as Jimmy, morgue attendant
*''
Scout's Honor'' (1980, TV Movie) as Mr. Caboose
*''
WKRP In Cincinnati
''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson. It was based upon his experiences obs ...
'' (1981) as Col. H. Buchanan
*''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...
'' (1980–1982) as Uncle Joe (final appearance)
Radio appearances
Further reading
*Wise, James. ''Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services''. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, Pat
1899 births
1983 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni
United States Navy personnel of World War I
American male film actors
American male radio actors
American male stage actors
American people of Irish descent
American Roman Catholics
Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
California Republicans
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Male actors from Milwaukee
Marquette University alumni
Warner Bros. contract players
Columbia Pictures contract players
RKO Pictures contract players
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players
Wisconsin Republicans
Marquette University High School alumni