Arthur O'Connell

Biography

Arthur O'Connell was an American actor known for character roles, gaining prominence in the 1950s. Born in Manhattan, New York, he began acting in 1929 in summer stock and later worked in theater and vaudeville in the United States and London. After small film parts early on, he originated Howard Bevans in the Broadway production of Picnic and recreated the role in the 1955 movie, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. A second Oscar nomination followed for Anatomy of a Murder (1959), in which he was the alcoholic mentor to James Stewart's character. He also appeared in Bus Stop (1956) and was often cast as a father in films with teen idols, including Elvis Presley, Pat Boone and Fabian. In the 1960s he kept taking character parts on television and in film, avoided a regular series, and in 1967 co-starred in The Second Hundred Years. His last film was The Hiding Place (1975).

73years old at death

Born March 29, 1908Manhattan
Died May 18, 1981Woodland Hills
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19

Movie Career

Films: 34
Career span: 27 years1948 to 1975

Genres

Comedy44%, 15 films
Drama41%, 14 films
Adventure18%, 6 films
Family18%, 6 films
Romance18%, 6 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
O'Connell's breakthrough came on Broadway, where he was the first Howard Bevans, a middle-aged suitor of a spinsterish schoolteacher in Picnic. He played Bevans again in the 1955 film with Rosalind Russell and got an Oscar nomination.
First role
O'Connell began acting in 1929, when he got a summer stock part in The Patsy with the Frankin Stock Company in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
A change of course
O'Connell served in the Army's Signal Corps during World War II and was discharged in 1945. After that, Charles Laughton spotted him in little theater, and he joined a traveling Shakespearean company.
A change of course
During the 1960s, O'Connell kept taking choice character parts in television and films, but he stayed away from a regular television series, waiting until he could be guaranteed top billing.

Arthur O'Connell movies on Netflix

The Hiding Place1975IMDb rating 7.4as Casper ten Boom, 'Papa'
Huckleberry Finn1974IMDb rating 5.6as Col. Grangerford
Ben1972IMDb rating 5.3as Billy Hatfield
The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1as Chaplain
A Taste of Evil1971IMDb rating 6.2as John
The Last Valley1971IMDb rating 7.0as Hoffman
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?1970IMDb rating 5.4as Mr. Kruft
There Was a Crooked Man...1970IMDb rating 6.8as Mr. Lomax
The Power1968IMDb rating 5.9as Henry Hallson
A Covenant with Death1967IMDb rating 6.0as Judge Hockstadter
The Reluctant Astronaut1967IMDb rating 6.3as Arbuckle "Buck" Fleming
Fantastic Voyage1966IMDb rating 6.8as Colonel Donald Reid
The Silencers1966IMDb rating 5.9as Joe Wigman
The Great Race1965IMDb rating 7.2as Henry Goodbody
The Monkey's Uncle1965IMDb rating 5.9as Darius Green III
7 Faces of Dr. Lao1964IMDb rating 7.1as Clint Stark
Kissin' Cousins1964IMDb rating 5.3as Pappy Tatum
Follow That Dream1962IMDb rating 6.6as Pop Kwimper
A Thunder of Drums1961IMDb rating 6.0as Sgt. Karl Rodermill
Misty1961IMDb rating 6.6as Grandpa Beebe
Pocketful of Miracles1961IMDb rating 7.1as Count Alfonso Romero
Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4as Tom Wyatt
The Great Impostor1960IMDb rating 6.9as Warden J.B. Chandler
Anatomy of a Murder1959IMDb rating 8.0as Parnell Emmett McCarthy
Gidget1959IMDb rating 6.6as Russell Lawrence
Man of the West1958IMDb rating 7.0as Sam Beasley
Operation Mad Ball1957IMDb rating 6.5as Col. Rousch
Bus Stop1956IMDb rating 6.3as Virgil Blessing
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit1956IMDb rating 7.1as Gordon Walker
The Proud Ones1956IMDb rating 6.9as Jim Dexter
The Solid Gold Cadillac1956IMDb rating 7.4as Mark Jenkins
Picnic1955IMDb rating 7.0as Howard Bevans
Force of Evil1948IMDb rating 7.2as Link Hall
State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2as First Reporter

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Anatomy of a Murder1959 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Parnell Emmett McCarthy
IMDb rating 8.079K votes
Bus Stop1956 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Virgil Blessing
IMDb rating 6.314K votes
Fantastic Voyage1966as Colonel Donald Reid
IMDb rating 6.823K votes
The Great Race1965as Henry Goodbody
IMDb rating 7.222K votes
Man of the West1958as Sam Beasley
IMDb rating 7.011K votes
Pocketful of Miracles1961as Count Alfonso Romero
IMDb rating 7.18.9K votes
7 Faces of Dr. Lao1964as Clint Stark
IMDb rating 7.16.0K votes
The Poseidon Adventure1972as Chaplain
IMDb rating 7.155K votes

Most often with

Joshua Logan directed two of these films, Anthony Mann two and Frank Capra two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Tony Curtis

Gary Merrill

Gene Hackman

Ernest Borgnine

Roddy McDowall

Keenan Wynn

Joshua LoganDirector, 2 films Anthony MannDirector, 2 films

Frank CapraDirector, 2 films

Films together

Tony Curtis3 films together, 1960 to 1970
Tony Curtis's page
- Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?1970IMDb rating 5.4O'Connell as Mr. KruftCurtis as Shannon Gambroni
- The Great Race1965IMDb rating 7.2O'Connell as Henry GoodbodyCurtis as The Great Leslie
- The Great Impostor1960IMDb rating 6.9O'Connell as Warden J.B. ChandlerCurtis as Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr.…
Gary Merrill3 films together, 1960 to 1974
Gary Merrill's page
- Huckleberry Finn1974IMDb rating 5.6O'Connell as Col. GrangerfordMerrill as Pap
- The Power1968IMDb rating 5.9O'Connell as Henry HallsonMerrill as Mark Corlane
- The Great Impostor1960IMDb rating 6.9O'Connell as Warden J.B. ChandlerMerrill as Pa Demara
Gene Hackman2 films together, 1967 to 1972
Gene Hackman's page
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1O'Connell as ChaplainHackman as Reverend Scott
- A Covenant with Death1967IMDb rating 6.0O'Connell as Judge HockstadterHackman as Harmsworth
Ernest Borgnine2 films together, 1970 to 1972
Ernest Borgnine's page
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1O'Connell as ChaplainBorgnine as Rogo
- Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?1970IMDb rating 5.4O'Connell as Mr. KruftBorgnine as Sheriff Harve
Roddy McDowall2 films together, 1971 to 1972
Roddy McDowall's page
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1O'Connell as ChaplainMcDowall as Acres
- A Taste of Evil1971IMDb rating 6.2O'Connell as JohnMcDowall as Dr. Michael Lomas
Keenan Wynn2 films together, 1956 to 1965
Keenan Wynn's page
- The Great Race1965IMDb rating 7.2O'Connell as Henry GoodbodyWynn as Hezekiah Sturdy
- The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit1956IMDb rating 7.1O'Connell as Gordon WalkerWynn as Sgt. Caesar Gardella
Joshua LoganDirector, 2 films, 1955 to 1956
All films by Joshua Logan
- Bus Stop1956IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as Virgil Blessing
- Picnic1955IMDb rating 7.0O'Connell as Howard Bevans
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1958 to 1960
All films by Anthony Mann
- Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4O'Connell as Tom Wyatt
- Man of the West1958IMDb rating 7.0O'Connell as Sam Beasley
Frank CapraDirector, 2 films, 1948 to 1961
All films by Frank Capra
- Pocketful of Miracles1961IMDb rating 7.1O'Connell as Count Alfonso Romero
- State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2O'Connell as First Reporter
Also two films together32 more actors
- Glenn FordPocketful of Miracles (1961) and Cimarron (1960)
- Whit BissellA Covenant with Death (1967) and The Proud Ones (1956)
- Jack LemmonThe Great Race (1965) and Operation Mad Ball (1957)
- Royal Dano7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) and Man of the West (1958)
- John Qualen7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
- Elvis PresleyKissin' Cousins (1964) and Follow That Dream (1962)
- Leslie NielsenThe Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
- Lee J. CobbMan of the West (1958) and The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
- Peter FalkThe Great Race (1965) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
- Edmond O'BrienFantastic Voyage (1966) and The Great Impostor (1960)
- Frank FergusonPocketful of Miracles (1961) and Man of the West (1958)
- Cliff RobertsonGidget (1959) and Picnic (1955)
- George HamiltonThe Power (1968) and A Thunder of Drums (1961)
- Stella StevensThe Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Silencers (1966)
- Kenner G. KempThe Great Race (1965) and A Thunder of Drums (1961)
- Leoda RichardsThe Silencers (1966) and The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
- Connie GilchristThe Monkey's Uncle (1965) and The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
- Earl HollimanThe Power (1968) and A Covenant with Death (1967)
- Jack AlbertsonThe Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Kissin' Cousins (1964)
- Burt MustinThe Reluctant Astronaut (1967) and Misty (1961)
- Jeanette NolanThe Reluctant Astronaut (1967) and The Great Impostor (1960)
- Robert MiddletonThe Great Impostor (1960) and The Proud Ones (1956)
- Alan HewittThe Monkey's Uncle (1965) and Follow That Dream (1962)
- Betty FieldBus Stop (1956) and Picnic (1955)
- Suzanne PleshetteSuppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? (1970) and The Power (1968)
- Hope LangePocketful of Miracles (1961) and Bus Stop (1956)
- Howard McNearFollow That Dream (1962) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
- Kathryn GrantAnatomy of a Murder (1959) and Operation Mad Ball (1957)
- James DarrenGidget (1959) and Operation Mad Ball (1957)
- Yvonne CraigKissin' Cousins (1964) and Gidget (1959)
- J. Edward McKinleyThere Was a Crooked Man... (1970) and A Thunder of Drums (1961)
- Mary LaRocheGidget (1959) and Operation Mad Ball (1957)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.