Tom O'Brien (July 25, 1890 – June 8, 1947) was an American silent and

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

known for his burly serio-comic roles. He worked in the

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

'' The Gentleman from America'' (1923) as Johnny Day, which is about the humorous tale of two American buddies (O'Brien and

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitioned ...

) and they have numerous adventures in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Tom O'Brien appeared in over 80 films in a 22 years of career. He was primarily cast as stocky "Irish types" in comic supporting roles. He also worked in ''

The Big Parade ''The Big Parade'' is a 1925 American silent war drama film directed by King Vidor, starring John Gilbert, Renée Adorée, Hobart Bosworth, Tom O'Brien, and Karl Dane. Written by World War I veteran Laurence Stallings, the film is about an ...

'' (1925) as Corporal Bull O'Hara. He was buried at

Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California, United States. It is the original and current flagship location of Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, a chain of six cemeteries and four additional mortuaries ...

.''Resting Places''
/ref>

Filmography

Feature films

* '' The Murder in the Museum'' (1934) as Alfred Carr * '' The Woman Condemned'' (1934) as First Detective * '' Only Yesterday'' (1933) * '' Lucky Dog'' (1933) as The Detective * '' It's a Cinch'' (1932) as Spike * ''

The Night Mayor ''The Night Mayor'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Lee Tracy, Evalyn Knapp and Don Dillaway.Palmer, p. 132 Plot Cast * Lee Tracy as Mayor Bobby Kingston * Evalyn Knapp as Doree Dawn * Don D ...

'' (1932) as Delaney * '' The Phantom Express'' (1932) as Red Connelly, the Telegraph Operator * '' The Unexpected Father'' (1932) as Policeman * ''

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...

'' (1931) as Police Sgt. Pat Collins * '' Hell-Bent for Frisco'' (1931) as Fogarty * '' Trapped'' (1931) as Joe Farley * '' The Hawk'' (1931) as Killdane * '' Midnight Special'' (1930) as Dan Padden * ''

Moby Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 Epic (genre), epic novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is centered on the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler ...

'' (1930) as Starbuck * '' Call of the West'' (1930) as Bull Clarkson * ''

Dance Hall Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for Dance, dancing, but usually refers to a specific type of twentieth-century venue, with dance clubs (nightclubs) becoming more popular towards the end of the century. The palais de danse was a term ap ...

'' (1929) as Truck Driver * ''

Dark Skies ''Dark Skies'' is an American UFO conspiracy theory–based science fiction television series. It debuted on NBC on September 21, 1996, and ended on May 31, 1997, and was later rerun by the Sci-Fi Channel; 18 episodes and a two-hour pilot epis ...

'' (1929) as Pete * '' The Talk of Hollywood'' (1929) as Reel-Mixing Projectionist * '' Untamed'' (1929) as Moran * '' Broadway Scandals'' (1929) as Bill Gray * ''

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

'' (1929) as Dugan * ''

Smiling Irish Eyes ''Smiling Irish Eyes'' is a 1929 American sound ( All-Talking) pre-Code Vitaphone musical film with Technicolor sequences. The film is now considered a lost film. However, the Vitaphone audio discs still exist. Plot Rory O'More leaves his sweeth ...

'' (1929) as Black Barney * '' The Flying Fool'' (1929) as Tom Dugan * '' His Lucky Day'' (1929) as James, the Chauffeur * '' It Can Be Done'' (1929) as Detective * '' The Peacock Fan'' (1929) as Sgt. O'Brien * ''

The Office Scandal ''The Office Scandal'' is a 1929 American sound part-talkie drama film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Phyllis Haver, Raymond Hatton and Margaret Livingston.Langman p.84 In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences ...

'' (1929) as Pool Hall Lookout * '' The Last Warning'' (1929) as Inspector * '' The Chorus Kid'' (1928) as Bill Whipple * '' Anybody Here Seen Kelly?'' (1928) as Buck Johnson * '' San Francisco Nights'' (1928) as 'Red' * '' Outcast Souls'' (1928) as Officer * '' That's My Daddy'' (1927) as Officer Patrick Moran * '' The Private Life of Helen of Troy'' (1927) as Ulysses * ''

The Bugle Call ''The Bugle Call'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Jackie Coogan and Claire Windsor, which was released on August 6, 1927. The Lost Film Files database lists this film as being lost film, lost. Pl ...

'' (1927) as Sgt. Doolan * '' Twelve Miles Out'' (1927) as Irish * '' The Frontiersman'' (1927) as Abner Hawkins * '' Rookies'' (1927) as Sgt. O'Brien * '' Winners of the Wilderness'' (1927) as Timothy * ''

The Fire Brigade ''The Fire Brigade'' (also known as ''Fire!'') is 1926 American silent film, silent drama film directed by William Nigh. The film stars May McAvoy and Charles Ray (actor), Charles Ray. ''The Fire Brigade'' originally contained sequences shot in ...

'' (1926) as Joe O'Neil * '' Tin Hats'' (1926) as Sergeant McGurk * '' The Flaming Forest'' (1926) as Mike * '' The Winner'' (1926) as Slugger Martin * '' Take It from Me'' (1926) as Taxi Driver * '' The Runaway Express'' (1926) as Sandy McPherson * '' Poker Faces'' (1926) as The Prizefighter * '' Sally, Irene and Mary'' (1925) as Stage Manager * ''

The Last Edition The Last Edition is a 1925 American silent film, silent melodrama directed by Emory Johnson. Film Booking Offices of America, FBO released the film in November 1925. The film's "All-Star" cast included Ralph Lewis (actor), Ralph Lewis as a Print ...

'' (1925) as Bull, Job Foreman * ''

'' (1925) as Bull * '' Crack o' Dawn'' (1925) as Stanley Steele *''

White Fang ''White Fang'' is a novel by American author Jack London (1876–1916) about a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication in Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. First serialized in ''Outing'' magazin ...

'' (1925) as Matt * ''

Winning a Woman ''Winning a Woman'' is a 1925 American silent action film directed by Harry S. Webb and starring Jack Perrin, Josephine Hill and William J. Turner.Munden p.909 Cast * Jack Perrin Jack Perrin (born Lyman Wakefield Perrin; July 25, 1896 & ...

'' (1925) as Unknown role * ''

So This Is Marriage? ''So This Is Marriage'' is a lost 1924 American silent drama film directed by Hobart Henley. The film was originally released with sequences filmed in the Technicolor 2-color process that depicted the story of David and Bathsheba from the Boo ...

'' (1924) as Riley * '' Winner Take All'' (1924) as Dynamite Galloway * '' Never Say Die'' (1924) as Gun Murray * '' What Shall I Do?'' (1924) as Big Jim Brown * '' Untamed Youth'' (1924) as Jim Larson * '' Fools Highway'' (1924) as Philadelphia O'Brien * '' Flapper Wives'' (1924) as Tim Callahan * '' Tipped Off'' (1923) as Jim 'Pug' Murphy, Mildred's Brother * '' The Gentleman from America'' (1923) as Johnny Day * '' The Scarlet Car'' (1923) as Mitt Deagon * '' Youth to Youth'' (1922) as Ralph Horry * ''

Up and Going ''Up and Going'' is a 1922 American silent adventure film directed by Lynn Reynolds and starring Tom Mix, Eva Novak and William Conklin.Solomon p.276 Cast * Tom Mix as David Brandon (in play) * Eva Novak as Jackie McNabb (in play) * William Con ...

'' (1922) as Sergeant Langley * '' Their Mutual Child'' (1921) as Steve Dingle * '' The Devil Within'' (1921) as Wansley * '' Scrap Iron'' (1921) as Battling Burke * '' The Sagebrusher'' (1920) as Charlie Dornewald * '' Dangerous Hours'' (1919) as Bolshevik at Meeting * '' Square Deal Sanderson'' (1919) as Williams * '' The Mints of Hell'' (1919) as Unknown role

Short films

* ''Fun in the Clouds'' (1928, short) as The Director * ''Pardon My Glove'' (1922, short) as The Champ * ''Bucking Broadway'' (1922, short) as The Stage Manager * ''A Hickory Hick'' (1922, short) as The Crooked Crook * ''Plumb Crazy'' (1923, short) as Olie Margerine * ''Spooks and Spasms'' (1917, short) as The Big V Riot Squad * ''The Runaway Freight'' (1914, short) as Slim, a Yeggman * ''McCarn Plays Fate'' (1914, short) as Bull Klein

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1890 births 1947 deaths American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors {{US-film-actor-1890s-stub