Born: September 10, 1915 – Died: May 9, 1985
Edmond O'Brien, the renowned actor known for his Oscar-winning performances, was born on September 10, 1915, in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn, New York City. O'Brien's journey into the world of entertainment was quite magical, as he initially honed his performance skills under the guidance of none other than his neighbor, the legendary Harry Houdini. While in high school, he dabbled in student theatrics and later pursued drama at Fordham University, making his Broadway debut at a mere 21 years old in 1936. O'Brien's illustrious career spanned from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s, solidifying his reputation as one of America's most esteemed character actors . His contributions to the entertainment industry, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, continue to be celebrated.
Early Life and Career
Edmond O'Brien was an Oscar-winning actor known for his remarkable contributions to American cinema. His journey into the world of performance began with an unusual twist, as he learned the art of magic from none other than his neighbor, the legendary Harry Houdini. During his high school years, O'Brien actively participated in student theatrics, honing his acting skills.
Moving forward, O'Brien pursued his passion for acting by majoring in drama at Fordham University. However, his formal education in theater was relatively short-lived, as he left the university after just six months. Nonetheless, he was determined to make his mark in the entertainment industry.
In 1936, at the age of 21, Edmond O'Brien made his Broadway debut, marking the beginning of his professional acting career. Later that same year, he portrayed "The Gravedigger" in a production of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," starring the renowned Shakespearean actor John Barrymore. Four years later, in 1940, O'Brien played 'Mercutio' in Laurence Olivier's Broadway production of "Romeo & Juliet." His talent was undeniable, and he continued to shine on stage.
O'Brien's journey in the world of theater intersected with the Mercury Theater, where he worked alongside another magician-turned-actor, Orson Welles. He appeared as 'Mark Antony' in the Mercury Theater's production of "Julius Caesar." This experience led to his role as 'Casca' in Welles' film adaptation of the play.
While O'Brien's stage work was impressive, his transition to Hollywood was catalyzed by RKO boss George Schaefer. Schaefer recognized O'Brien's talent and brought him to Hollywood to play the supporting role of 'Gringoire' in the film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," which starred Charles Laughton.
Although there are claims that O'Brien made an uncredited debut in the 1938 film, the official start of his Hollywood career can be traced back to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
Edmond O'Brien's Hollywood journey was marked by a series of noteworthy performances. After returning from his service with the Army Air Force during World War II II, he solidified his position as a distinguished supporting actor in A-list films. He occasionally took on character lead roles, as exemplified by his role in "D.O.A."
O'Brien's talent was duly recognized by the Academy, as he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance and received a nomination in the same category for his role as a drunken senator in "Seven Days in May." He left a lasting impression as the crusty 'Freddy Sykes' in director Sam Peckinpah's classic Western, The Wild Bunch.
In addition to his illustrious career in film, Edmond O'Brien ventured into television in the 1960s and '70s. He even worked on Orson Welles' unfinished film project, "The Other Side of the Wind."
On a personal note, O'Brien's love life included marriages and divorces with actresses Olga San Juan and Nancy Kelly. He was the father of three children, including actors Maria O'Brien and Brendan O'Brien.
In summary, Edmond O'Brien made an indelible mark on Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole. His talent, versatility, and dedication to his craft earned him critical acclaim and prestigious awards. O'Brien's ability to seamlessly transition between stage and screen, coupled with his memorable performances, solidify his status as an iconic figure in American cinema.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Other Side of the Wind | Pat Mullins |
| 1974 | Juicio de Socrates (Short) | Socrates |
| 1974 | 99 and 44/100% Dead! | Uncle Frank |
| 1974 | Police Story (TV Series) | Chief Frank Modeer |
| 1973 | Lucky Luciano | Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger (as Edmund O'Brien) |
| 1973 | Isn't It Shocking? (TV Movie) | Justin Oates |
| 1973 | The New Temperatures Rising Show (TV Series) | Dr. Banning |
| 1972 | They Only Kill Their Masters | George |
| 1972 | McMillan & Wife (TV Series) | Mr. Fontaine |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) | Officer Gustav 'Gus' Charnovski, SFPD |
| 1972 | Jigsaw (TV Movie) | Det. Ed Burtelson |
| 1972 | Cade's County (TV Series) | Clint Pritchard |
| 1971 | What's a Nice Girl Like You...? (TV Movie) | Morton Stillman |
| 1971 | River of Mystery (TV Movie) | R.J. Twitchell |
| 1971 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) | Morgan MacQuarie |
| 1971 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) | John Bergman |
| 1970 | Dream No Evil | Timothy MacDonald |
| 1970 | The Young Lawyers (TV Series) | John W. MacGillicuddy |
| 1970 | The Intruders (TV Movie) | Col. William Bodeen |
| 1961–1970 | Insight (TV Series) | Houseworthy | Dr. William Davis |
| 1969 | The Bold Ones: The Protectors (TV Series) | Warden Millbank |
| 1969 | The Love God? | Osborn Tremaine |
| 1969 | The Wild Bunch | Sykes |
| 1969 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) | Rocky McCauley |
| 1968 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) | Raymond Halder |
| 1968 | Flesh and Blood (TV Movie) | Harry |
| 1967 | The Outsider (TV Movie) | Marvin Bishop |
| 1967 | The Virginian (TV Series) | Thomas Manstead |
| 1967 | To Commit a Murder | Sphax - Publisher |
| 1967 | The Viscount | Ricco Barone |
| 1966 | The Doomsday Flight (TV Movie) | The Man |
| 1966 | Fantastic Voyage | General Carter |
| 1965 | The Long, Hot Summer (TV Series) | Will Varner |
| 1965 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Jefferson Crowley | Crowley |
| 1965 | Synanon | Chuck Dederich |
| 1965 | Sylvia | Oscar Stewart |
| 1964 | The Hanged Man (TV Movie) | Arnie Seeger |
| 1964 | Rio Conchos | Pardee |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour (TV Series) | Buck Denholt |
| 1964 | Breaking Point (TV Series) | Roger Conning |
| 1964 | The Greatest Show on Earth (TV Series) | Mike O'Kelley |
| 1964 | Seven Days in May | Sen. Raymond Clark |
| 1962–1963 | Sam Benedict (TV Series) | Sam Benedict | Charlie Dunphie |
| 1962 | The Longest Day | Gen. Raymond D. Barton |
| 1962 | Birdman of Alcatraz | Tom Gaddis |
| 1962 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | Dutton Peabody |
| 1962 | Moon Pilot | McClosky - aka 'Mac' |
| 1961 | Target: The Corruptors! (TV Series) | Ollie Crown |
| 1961 | The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series) | Sid Williams |
| 1960 | The Great Impostor | Capt. Glover - HMCS Cayuga |
| 1960 | Johnny Midnight (TV Series) | Johnny Midnight |
| 1960 | The 3rd Voice | The Voice (voice) |
| 1960 | The Last Voyage | Second Engineer Walsh |
| 1957–1959 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) | Marshal Ben Clark | Russ Andrews |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) | Capt. Sam Prado |
| 1959 | The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial (TV Series) | Jim Reardon |
| 1959 | The Restless and the Damned | Mike Buchanan |
| 1959 | Up Periscope | Commander Paul Stevenson |
| 1957–1959 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) | Roy Brenner | Joe Ferguson | Al Preston |
| 1958 | Lux Playhouse (TV Series) | Big Jim Webber |
| 1958 | Suspicion (TV Series) | Sgt. Miles Odeen |
| 1953–1958 | Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) | Jim Reardon | Rick Saunders | Capt. Simpson |
| 1958 | Sing Boy Sing | Joseph Sharkey |
| 1958 | The World Was His Jury | David Carson |
| 1957 | Stopover Tokyo | George Underwood |
| 1957 | The Big Land | Joe Jagger |
| 1951–1957 | Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) | Harry 'Steve' Morgan | Maj. Joppolo | Randall ... |
| 1956 | The Girl Can't Help It | Marty 'Fats' Murdock |
| 1956 | A Cry in the Night | Capt. Dan Taggart |
| 1954–1956 | Climax! (TV Series) | Leo Waldek | Joel Flint |
| 1956 | D-Day the Sixth of June | Lt. Col. Alexander Timmer |
| 1956 | The Rack | Lt. Col. Frank Wasnick |
| 1956 | Screen Directors Playhouse (TV Series) | Thaddeus Kubaczik |
| 1984 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 1956 | Winston Smith of the Outer Party | Unknown |
| 1955 | The Star and the Story (TV Series) | Ray Ericson |
| 1955 | Playwrights '56 (TV Series) | Sidney |
| 1955 | Pete Kelly's Blues | Fran McCarg |
| 1955 | Damon Runyon Theater (TV Series) | Duke Martin |
| 1955 | The Red Skelton Hour (TV Series) | Grizzled Old Prospector |
| 1955 | Stage 7 (TV Series) | Clinton Sturges |
| 1953–1954 | The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) | Capt. Joyce |
| 1954 | The Barefoot Contessa | Oscar Muldoon |
| 1954 | The Shanghai Story | Dr. Dan Maynard |
| 1954 | Shield for Murder | Barney Nolan |
| 1954 | The Bob Hope Show (TV Series) | Actor |
| 1953 | The Bigamist | Harry Graham |
| 1953 | China Venture | Capt. Matt Reardon |
| 1953 | Julius Caesar | Casca |
| 1953 | Cow Country | Ben Anthony |
| 1953 | Man in the Dark | Steve Rawley |
| 1953 | The Hitch-Hiker | Roy Collins |
| 1953 | Robert Montgomery Presents (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1952 | The Turning Point | John Conroy |
| 1952 | Screen Snapshots: Hollywood on the Ball (Short) | Edmond O'Brien |
| 1952 | Denver & Rio Grande | Jim Vesser |
| 1952 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Midway Barker at End (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Silver City | Larkin Moffatt |
| 1951 | Warpath | John Vickers |
| 1951 | Two of a Kind | Michael "Lefty" Farrell |
| 1951 | Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (TV Series) | Ben Jordan |
| 1951 | The Redhead and the Cowboy | Maj. Dunn Jeffers |
| 1950 | Between Midnight and Dawn | Officer Dan Purvis |
| 1950 | The Admiral Was a Lady | Jimmy Stevens |
| 1950 | 711 Ocean Drive | Mal Granger |
| 1950 | Backfire | Steve Connelly |
| 1949 | D.O.A. | Frank Bigelow |
| 1949 | Under Capricorn | Opening narration (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Task Force | Radio Announcing Pearl Harbor Attack (voice, uncredited) |
| 1949 | White Heat | Hank Fallon aka Vic Pardo |
| 1948 | An Act of Murder | David Douglas |
| 1948 | Fighter Squadron | Maj Ed Hardin |
| 1948 | For the Love of Mary | Lt. Tom Farrington |
| 1948 | Another Part of the Forest | Benjamin 'Ben' Hubbard |
| 1947 | A Double Life | Bill Friend |
| 1947 | The Web | Bob Regan |
| 1946 | The Killers | Jim Reardon |
| 1944 | Winged Victory | Irving Miller (as Sgt. Edmond O'Brien) |
| 1943 | The Amazing Mrs. Holliday | Tom Holliday |
| 1942 | Powder Town | J. Quincy 'Penji' Pennant |
| 1942 | Obliging Young Lady | 'Red' Reddy |
| 1941 | Parachute Battalion | Bill Burke |
| 1941 | A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob | Stephen Herrick |
| 1939 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Gringoire |
General:
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