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Dave O'Brien
Actor

Dave O'Brien

31 May 1912Born
8 Nov 1969Died
57Age at death
196Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dave O'Brien (born David Poole Fronabarger, May 31, 1912 – November 8, 1969) was an American film actor, director, and writer.

O'Brien was best known to movie audiences in the 1940s as the hero of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy short film series Pete Smith Specialties narrated by Pete Smith. O'Brien wrote and directed many of these subjects under the name David Barclay. He also appeared in many low-budget Westerns, often billed as Tex O'Brien.

Read the full biography

In 1942, O'Brien starred in the movie serial Captain Midnight.

Modern audiences perhaps best remember O'Brien as a frantic dope addict in the 1936 low-budget exploitation film Tell Your Children (better known under its reissue title, Reefer Madness).

As a writer for The Red Skelton Show, O'Brien shared an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1961 and shared a nomination for the same award in 1963.

O'Brien died, aged 57, of a heart attack while competing in a yachting race.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 196 credits.

  1. 1976That's Entertainment, Part IIFilm: (archive footage) (uncredited)
  2. 1964The Big Parade of ComedyFilm: Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
  3. 1956The Desperados Are in TownFilm: Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
  4. 1956The Kettles in the OzarksFilm: Conductor
  5. 1955MGM ParadeSeries (2 episodes)
  6. 1955The Fall GuyFilm: Director
  7. 1955Just What I NeededFilm: Harry Horseknuckle, Screenplay, Director
  8. 1955The Man Around the HouseFilm: Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited), Screenplay, Director
  9. 1954Film AnticsFilm: Director
  10. 1954Meet the O'BriensFilm: Dave
  11. 1954Out for FunFilm: Businessman Seeking Relaxation, Director, Writer
  12. 1954Do Someone a Favor!Film: George Dibson, Director, Screenplay
  13. 1954Tennessee ChampFilm: Luke MacWade
  14. 1954Ain't It Aggravatin'Film: Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead, Director
  15. 1953Things We Can Do WithoutFilm: Thaddeus E. Thud III, Director, Screenplay
  16. 1953Kiss Me KateFilm: Ralph
  17. 1953Cash StashersFilm: A Shmoe Named Joe, Director, Screenplay
  18. 1953Dogs 'n DucksFilm: Screenplay
  19. 1953T.V. of TomorrowFilm: Man on TV
  20. 1953The Mosconi StoryFilm: Director
  21. 1952I Love Children, But!Film: The Daddy, Director, Writer
  22. 1952ReducingFilm: Man on Bench (uncredited), Director, Screenplay
  23. 1952MusiquizFilm: Director
  24. 1951Bargain MadnessFilm: Director, Writer
  25. 1951Camera SleuthFilm: Writer, Director
  26. 1950Wrong Way ButchFilm: Butch, Director, Screenplay
  27. 1950A Wife's LifeFilm: George T. Hardnose (uncredited), Screenplay, Director
  28. 1950Did'ja Know?Film: Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant, Director, Screenplay
  29. 1950Crashing the MoviesFilm: Director
  30. 1950Pest ControlFilm: Cruising Wolf, Director
  31. 1949We Can Dream, Can't We?Film: Director
  32. 1949Those Good Old DaysFilm: Director
  33. 1949Super Cue MenFilm: Director
  34. 1948Let's CogitateFilm: Oliver T. Aseltafel, Director
  35. 1948Ice AcesFilm: Writer, Director
  36. 1948Just SupposeFilm: Husband (uncredited), Director, Writer
  37. 1948You Can't WinFilm: Harried Homeowner, Writer, Director
  38. 1948I Love My Mother-In-Law But...Film: The Son-In-Law / Husband, Director, Screenplay
  39. 1948Bowling TricksFilm: Director
  40. 1947Have You Ever Wondered?Film: Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer, Writer, Director
  41. 1947Surfboard RhythmFilm: Director
  42. 1947Football Thrills No. 10Film: Director
  43. 1947Neighbor PestsFilm: Director
  44. 1947I Love My Wife BUT!Film: The Husband, Director, Screenplay
  45. 1947Early Sports Quiz: What's Your I.Q. No. 13Film: Director
  46. 1947Diamond DemonFilm: Director, Writer
  47. 1946I Love My Husband, But!Film: The Husband, Director, Screenplay
  48. 1946Sure CuresFilm: Xavier T. Schneckendorf, Writer, Director
  49. 1946Treasures from TrashFilm: Alonzo T. Mousebrain, Screenplay, Director
  50. 1946Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11Film: Horace, Writer, Director
  51. 1946Studio VisitFilm: O'Brien
  52. 1945Flaming BulletsFilm: Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson
  53. 1945Frontier FugitivesFilm: Dave Wyatt
  54. 1945Three in the SaddleFilm: Dave Wyatt
  55. 1945Enemy of the LawFilm: Dave Wyatt
  56. 1945The Phantom of 42nd StreetFilm: Tony Woolrich
  57. 1945The Man Who Walked AloneFilm: Marion Scott
  58. 1945Marked for MurderFilm: Dave Wyatt
  59. 1944The Whispering SkullFilm: Dave Wyatt
  60. 1944Tahiti NightsFilm: Jack
  61. 1944Safety SleuthFilm: Careless Man
  62. 1944Dead or AliveFilm: Dave Wyatt
  63. 1944Gangsters of the FrontierFilm: Dave Wyatt
  64. 1944Gunsmoke MesaFilm: Tex Wyatt
  65. 1944Brand of the DevilFilm: Tex Wyatt
  66. 1944Movie PestsFilm: Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
  67. 1944Spook TownFilm: Tex Wyatt
  68. 1944The Pinto BanditFilm: Tex Wyatt
  69. 1944Sportsman's MemoriesFilm: Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)
  70. 1944Guns of the LawFilm: Tex Wyatt
  71. 1944Outlaw RoundupFilm: Tex Wyatt
  72. 1943Boss of RawhideFilm: Tex Wyatt
  73. 1943The Return of the RangersFilm: Tex Wyatt
  74. 1943Trail of TerrorFilm: Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt
  75. 1943Fighting ValleyFilm: Tex Wyatt
  76. 1943Seventh ColumnFilm: Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man
  77. 1943Border BuckaroosFilm: Tex Wyatt
  78. 1943West of TexasFilm: Tex Wyatt
  79. 1943Bad Men of Thunder GapFilm: Tex Wyatt
  80. 1942The Rangers Take OverFilm: Tex Wyatt

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.