Dave O'Brien

Known for

Acting

Born

May 31, 1912

Birthplace

Big Spring, Texas, USA

Died

November 8, 1969 (aged 57)

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. 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 un...

Best known work

42nd Street

1933

Tell Your Children

1938

Kiss Me Kate

1953

The Devil Bat

1940

The Sign of the Cross

1932

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

The Dawn Patrol

1930

Bowery at Midnight

1942

T.V. of Tomorrow

1953

Madam Satan

1930

Filmography

2006
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
as Self (archive footage)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
1956
The Desperados Are in Town
as Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
1956
The Kettles in the Ozarks
as Conductor
1955
MGM ParadeTV
as Self (1 episode)
1955
The Fall Guy
as Himself as Various Characters (archive footage), Director
1955
Just What I Needed
as Harry Horseknuckle, Director, Screenplay
1955
The Man Around the House
as Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited), Director, Story, Screenplay
1954
Film Antics
Director
1954
Meet the O'Briens
as Dave, Teleplay, Producer
1954
Out for Fun
as Businessman Seeking Relaxation, Writer, Director
1954
Do Someone a Favor!
as George Dibson, Director, Screenplay
1954
Tennessee Champ
as Luke MacWade
1954
Ain't It Aggravatin'
as Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead, Director, Story
1953
Things We Can Do Without
as Thaddeus E. Thud III, Director, Story, Screenplay
1953
Kiss Me Kate
as Ralph
1953
Cash Stashers
as A Shmoe Named Joe, Director, Story, Screenplay
1953
Dogs 'n Ducks
Original Story, Screenplay
1953
T.V. of Tomorrow
as Man on TV
1953
The Mosconi Story
Director
1952
I Love Children, But!
as The Daddy, Director, Writer
1952
Reducing
as Man on Bench (uncredited), Director, Screenplay, Original Story
1952
Musiquiz
Director
1951
The Red Skelton ShowTV
Writer