Donald O'Brien

Biography

Donald O'Brien was an Irish-French actor whose career across film, stage, and television lasted about forty years. Born in Pau, France, he attended drama school and joined Dublin's Gate Theatre before making his feature debut in a small speaking part in Act of Love (1953). After minor French films, including The Trial of Joan of Arc (1962), he appeared in The Train (1964), which led John Frankenheimer to cast him in Grand Prix (1966), his first breakout role. In 1967 he moved to Italy for Sergio Sollima's Run, Man, Run!, and that role opened years of leading work in Spaghetti Westerns, often as a villain or antihero. Later credits included Two Brothers in Trinity (1973), Four of the Apocalypse (1975), Keoma (1976), Yeti: The Giant of the 20th Century (1977), The Inglorious Bastards (1978), The Name of the Rose (1986), Hands of Steel (1986), Ghosthouse (1988), and The Sect (1991).

87years old at death

Born September 15, 1930Pau
Died April 23, 2018Andernos-les-Bains
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as Donal O'Brien

Movie Career

Films: 14
Career span: 29 years1962 to 1991

Genres

Action29%, 4 films
Thriller29%, 4 films
Western29%, 4 films
Drama21%, 3 films
Horror21%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
O'Brien's first feature film appearance came in 1953 at age 23, a brief speaking role in Anatole Litvak's war drama Act of Love.
Big break
O'Brien's breakout role was a supporting part in John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix, cast after the director was impressed by his brief turn as a Wehrmacht Feldwebel in The Train.
Languages
For Castellari's 1978 film The Inglorious B*stards, O'Brien's co-star Bo Svenson taught him how to speak several lines in German.

Donald O'Brien movies on Netflix

The Sect1991IMDb rating 6.0as Justice Jonathan Ford
Ghosthouse1988IMDb rating 4.8as Valkos
Hands of Steel1986IMDb rating 5.3as Professor Olster
The Name of the Rose1986IMDb rating 7.7as Pietro d'Assisi
The Inglorious Bastards1978IMDb rating 6.5as SS Officer
Yeti: The Giant of the 20th Century1977IMDb rating 4.1as Sgt. Stricker
Keoma1976IMDb rating 7.0as Caldwell
Four of the Apocalypse1975IMDb rating 6.3as Sheriff of Salt Flat
Kung Fu Brothers in the Wild West1973IMDb rating 4.7as Outlaw
Sex of the Witch1973IMDb rating 4.3as Commissario
Two Brothers in Trinity1972IMDb rating 4.8as Lester O'Hara(Donal O'Brian)
Grand Prix1966IMDb rating 7.2as Wallace Bennett
The Train1964IMDb rating 7.8as Schwartz
The Trial of Joan of Arc1962IMDb rating 7.4as English Priest

Best known for

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

Top

The Name of the Rose1986 Crime, Mystery, Thrilleras Pietro d'Assisi
IMDb rating 7.7129K votes
Keoma1976 Drama, Westernas Caldwell
IMDb rating 7.06.9K votes
The Inglorious Bastards1978as SS Officer
IMDb rating 6.511K votes
Ghosthouse1988as Valkos
IMDb rating 4.83.3K votes
The Train1964as Schwartz
IMDb rating 7.822K votes
Hands of Steel1986as Professor Olster
IMDb rating 5.33.3K votes
Four of the Apocalypse1975as Sheriff of Salt Flat
IMDb rating 6.33.4K votes
The Sect1991as Justice Jonathan Ford
IMDb rating 6.04.2K votes

Most often with

John Frankenheimer directed two of these films, Enzo G. Castellari two. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Massimo Vanni

William Berger

Albert Rémy

Joshua Sinclair

John FrankenheimerDirector, 2 films

Enzo G. CastellariDirector, 2 films

Films together

Massimo Vanni2 films together, 1976 to 1978
Massimo Vanni's page
- The Inglorious Bastards1978IMDb rating 6.5O'Brien as SS OfficerVanni as French Resistance
- Keoma1976IMDb rating 7.0O'Brien as CaldwellVanni as Caldwell's Henchman at Wagon
William Berger2 films together, 1973 to 1976
William Berger's page
- Keoma1976IMDb rating 7.0O'Brien as CaldwellBerger as William Shannon
- Kung Fu Brothers in the Wild West1973IMDb rating 4.7O'Brien as OutlawBerger as Angelo Biondo
Albert Rémy2 films together, 1964 to 1966
Albert Rémy's page
- Grand Prix1966IMDb rating 7.2O'Brien as Wallace BennettRémy as Surgeon
- The Train1964IMDb rating 7.8O'Brien as SchwartzRémy as Didont
Joshua Sinclair2 films together, 1976 to 1978
Joshua Sinclair's page
- The Inglorious Bastards1978IMDb rating 6.5O'Brien as SS OfficerSinclair as The Sergeant
- Keoma1976IMDb rating 7.0O'Brien as CaldwellSinclair as Sam Shannon
John FrankenheimerDirector, 2 films, 1964 to 1966
All films by John Frankenheimer
- Grand Prix1966IMDb rating 7.2O'Brien as Wallace Bennett
- The Train1964IMDb rating 7.8O'Brien as Schwartz
Enzo G. CastellariDirector, 2 films, 1976 to 1978
All films by Enzo G. Castellari
- The Inglorious Bastards1978IMDb rating 6.5O'Brien as SS Officer
- Keoma1976IMDb rating 7.0O'Brien as Caldwell

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top