Dave O'Brien

Biography

Dave O'Brien was an American actor, stunt performer, director, and comedy writer who received an Emmy. Born in Big Spring, Texas, he adopted O'Brien as his professional name. He worked in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Pete Smith Specialties comedy shorts, writing and directing many of them as David Barclay, and had a small dancing role in the Busby Berkeley musical 42nd Street. He played a drug abuser in Tell Your Children (1936) and appeared in low-budget Westerns and East Side Kids films, including the Texas Rangers series billed as Tex O'Brien. His credits included The Devil Bat (1940), Queen of the Yukon, Son of the Navy, and the serial Captain Midnight, in which he starred. Later he appeared in the MGM musical Kiss Me Kate (1953). He also wrote comedy for Red Skelton.

57years old at death

Born May 31, 1912Big Spring
Died November 8, 1969Santa Catalina Island
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
David Poole Fronabarger (birth name)Also credited as David Barclay and 'Tex' O'Brien

Movie Career

Films: 9
Career span: 17 years1936 to 1953

Genres

Comedy33%, 3 films
Drama33%, 3 films
Horror33%, 3 films
Western33%, 3 films
Crime22%, 2 films

First and latest

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Behind the camera
O'Brien appeared in Pete Smith Specialties, a comedy short film series made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Using the name David Barclay, he also wrote and directed many of these subjects.
First role
O'Brien started out in film by performing in choruses and serving as a stunt double. He later moved up into bigger parts, mainly in B pictures.

Dave O'Brien movies on Netflix

Kiss Me Kate1953IMDb rating 7.0as Ralph
Spook Town1944IMDb rating 5.4as TexRanger Tex Wyatt
Bowery at Midnight1942IMDb rating 5.3as Pete Crawford
King of the Stallions1942IMDb rating 5.2as Steve Mason
Spooks Run Wild1941IMDb rating 5.3as Jeff Dixon
The Gunman From Bodie1941IMDb rating 5.9as Joe Martin(David O'Brien)
Isle Of Destiny1940IMDb rating 4.9as Whitey - Navy Radio Man
The Devil Bat1940IMDb rating 5.4as Johnny Layton
Tell Your Children1936IMDb rating 3.8as Ralph

Best known for

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

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Tell Your Children1936 Comedy, Crime, Dramaas Ralph
IMDb rating 3.810.0K votes
The Devil Bat1940 Horror, Sci-Fias Johnny Layton
IMDb rating 5.43.9K votes
Spooks Run Wild1941as Jeff Dixon
IMDb rating 5.32.0K votes
Kiss Me Kate1953as Ralph
IMDb rating 7.07.4K votes
Bowery at Midnight1942as Pete Crawford
IMDb rating 5.31.5K votes
The Gunman From Bodie1941as Joe Martin(David O'Brien)
IMDb rating 5.9183 votes
Spook Town1944as TexRanger Tex Wyatt
IMDb rating 5.472 votes
King of the Stallions1942as Steve Mason
IMDb rating 5.243 votes

Most often with

Elmer Clifton directed two of these films. Bela Lugosi appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bela Lugosi

Richard Alexander

George Eldredge

Charles KingChick Hannan

Frank LaRue

Elmer CliftonDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bela Lugosi3 films together, 1940 to 1942
Bela Lugosi's page
- Bowery at Midnight1942IMDb rating 5.3O'Brien as Pete CrawfordLugosi as Prof. Brenner aka Karl Wagner
- Spooks Run Wild1941IMDb rating 5.3O'Brien as Jeff DixonLugosi as Nardo
- The Devil Bat1940IMDb rating 5.4O'Brien as Johnny LaytonLugosi as Dr. Paul Carruthers
Richard Alexander2 films together, 1936 to 1944
Richard Alexander's page
- Spook Town1944IMDb rating 5.4O'Brien as TexRanger Tex WyattAlexander as Henchman(Dick Alexander)
- Tell Your Children1936IMDb rating 3.8O'Brien as RalphAlexander as Pete Daley
George Eldredge2 films together, 1941 to 1942
George Eldredge's page
- Bowery at Midnight1942IMDb rating 5.3O'Brien as Pete CrawfordEldredge as Det. Thompson
- Spooks Run Wild1941IMDb rating 5.3O'Brien as Jeff DixonEldredge as Policeman
Charles King2 films together, 1941 to 1944
Charles King's page
- Spook Town1944IMDb rating 5.4O'Brien as TexRanger Tex WyattKing as Trigger(Charles King Jr.)
- The Gunman From Bodie1941IMDb rating 5.9O'Brien as Joe Martin(David O'Brien)King as Steve Dunn
Chick Hannan2 films together, 1941 to 1944
Chick Hannan's page
- Spook Town1944IMDb rating 5.4O'Brien as TexRanger Tex WyattHannan as TexRanger
- The Gunman From Bodie1941IMDb rating 5.9O'Brien as Joe Martin(David O'Brien)Hannan as Townsman
Frank LaRue2 films together, 1936 to 1941
Frank LaRue's page
- The Gunman From Bodie1941IMDb rating 5.9O'Brien as Joe Martin(David O'Brien)LaRue as Jud Mason
- Tell Your Children1936IMDb rating 3.8O'Brien as RalphLaRue as Bill's Lawyer
Elmer CliftonDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1944
All films by Elmer Clifton
- Spook Town1944IMDb rating 5.4O'Brien as TexRanger Tex Wyatt
- Isle Of Destiny1940IMDb rating 4.9O'Brien as Whitey - Navy Radio Man
Also two films together3 more actors
- Guy WilkersonSpook Town (1944) and Spooks Run Wild (1941)
- Dorothy ShortSpooks Run Wild (1941) and Tell Your Children (1936)
- Edmund MortimerThe Devil Bat (1940) and Tell Your Children (1936)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Two awards and honors from 1960 to 1961, one of them major.

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Dave O'Brien's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Emmy Awards
1961	Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series	The Red Skelton Show	Won
Other honors
1960	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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