Dave O'Brien

Dave O'Brien

1912-05-31 – 1969-11-08 (age 57) Big Spring, Texas, USA
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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 under its reissue title, Reefer Madness).

As a writer for The Red Skelton Show, O'Brien shared an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1961 and shared a nomination for the same award in 1963.

O'Brien died, aged 57, of a heart attack while competing in a yachting race.

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Known For

Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate

1953

as Ralph

42nd Street
42nd Street

1933

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross

1932

as Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

Madam Satan
Madam Satan

1930

as Zeppelin Reveler

That's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

as (archive footage)

Wonder Bar
Wonder Bar

1934

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Double Trouble
Double Trouble

1941

as Sparky Barton

Pick-up
Pick-up

1933

as Party Boy (uncredited)

New Frontier
New Frontier

1939

as Jason Braddock

'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

1942

as Sgt. Phil Lyons

College Coach
College Coach

1933

as Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

Rasputin and the Empress
Rasputin and the Empress

1932

as Soldier (uncredited)

The Dawn Patrol
The Dawn Patrol

1930

as Pilot (uncredited)

The Big Parade of Comedy
The Big Parade of Comedy

1964

as Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

Forbidden Trails
Forbidden Trails

1941

as Jim Cramer

Tomorrow's Children
Tomorrow's Children

1934

as Interne (uncredited)

Hot Saturday
Hot Saturday

1932

as Party Guest (Uncredited)

Music in the Air
Music in the Air

1934

as Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)

We're Rich Again
We're Rich Again

1934

as Pete (uncredited)

College Humor
College Humor

1933

as Student