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Denis O'Dea
Actor

Denis O'Dea

26 Apr 1905Born
5 Nov 1978Died
73Age at death
24Credits

Biography

Denis O'Dea (26 April 1905 – 5 November 1978) was an Irish stage and film actor.

He was born in Dublin and attended Synge Street CBS. When very young he and his mother Kathleen (from County Kerry) moved in with her sister, who kept a boarding house at 54 South Richmond Street. He worked in insurance until taking up acting. O'Dea was a leading member of Dublin's Abbey Theatre where he had a great acting career from 1929 to 1953; a list of his performances can be found in the Abbey archives. He also appeared in numerous plays by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy, some of which toured New York and England.

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His work led to a number of notable film roles, including two mid-1930s John Ford films, The Informer and The Plough and the Stars (1936), and the part of the police inspector in pursuit of IRA man James Mason in Carol Reed's Odd Man Out (1947).

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1960Esther and the KingFilm: Mordecai
  2. 1959Darby O'Gill and the Little PeopleFilm: Father Murphy
  3. 1959I Captured the King of the LeprechaunsFilm: Father Murphy
  4. 1957The Story of Esther CostelloFilm: Father Devlin
  5. 1957The Rising of the MoonFilm: Police Sergeant Tom O'Hara (segment '1921')
  6. 1955Captain LightfootFilm: Regis Donnell
  7. 1953MogamboFilm: Father Josef
  8. 1953Sea DevilsFilm: Lethierry
  9. 1953NiagaraFilm: Inspector Starkey
  10. 1951Never Take No for an AnswerFilm: Father Damico
  11. 1951Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.Film: RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
  12. 1951The Long Dark HallFilm: Sir Charles Morton
  13. 1950Treasure IslandFilm: Dr. Livesy
  14. 1949Under CapricornFilm: Mr. Corrigan
  15. 1949LandfallFilm: Captain Burnaby
  16. 1949Marry MeFilm: George Saunders
  17. 1949The Bad Lord ByronFilm: Prosecuting Counsel
  18. 1948The Fallen IdolFilm: Inspector Crowe
  19. 1947The Mark of CainFilm: Sir William Godgrey
  20. 1947Odd Man OutFilm: Inspector
  21. 1936The Plough and the StarsFilm: The Covey
  22. 1936Beloved EnemyFilm: Sean's I.R.A. Friend (Uncredited)
  23. 1935The InformerFilm: Street Singer
  24. 1935Guests of The NationFilm

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