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.
Movies & TV Shows
-
42nd Street (1933) — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
-
Tell Your Children (1938) — Ralph
-
Kiss Me Kate (1953) — Ralph
-
The Devil Bat (1940) — Johnny Layton
-
The Sign of the Cross (1932) — Christian on Stairway (uncredited)
-
That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) — (archive footage)
-
The Dawn Patrol (1930) — Pilot (uncredited)
-
Bowery at Midnight (1942) — Det. Pete Crawford
-
T.V. of Tomorrow (1953) — Man on TV
-
Madam Satan (1930) — Zeppelin Reveler
-
Spooks Run Wild (1941) — Jeff Dixon
-
New Frontier (1939) — Jason Braddock
-
Wonder Bar (1934) — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
-
Hot Saturday (1932) — Party Guest (Uncredited)
-
Rasputin and the Empress (1932) — Soldier (uncredited)
-
Boys of the City (1940) — Knuckles Dolan
-
Devil and the Deep (1932) — Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
-
That Gang of Mine (1940) — Knuckles Dolan
-
College Coach (1933) — Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
-
Murder at the Vanities (1934) — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
-
The Phantom of 42nd Street (1945) — Tony Woolrich
-
One Man's Journey (1933) — Dance Extra (uncredited)
-
Search for Beauty (1934) — Talent Contestant (uncredited)
-
Murder by Invitation (1941) — Michael, the chauffeur
-
Consolation Marriage (1931) — Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)
-
Wyoming Outlaw (1939) — Acacia Park Game Warden
-
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge (1942) — Sgt. Phil Lyons
-
You Can't Win (1948) — Harried Homeowner
-
Flying Wild (1941) — Tom Lawson
-
Movie Pests (1944) — Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
-
Gangsters of the Frontier (1944) — Dave Wyatt
-
College Humor (1933) — Student
-
Yukon Flight (1940) — Constable Kelly
-
Tomorrow's Children (1934) — Interne (uncredited)
-
No More Ladies (1935) — Party Guest (uncredited)
-
Forbidden Trails (1941) — Jim Cramer
-
Woman Wanted (1935) — Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)
-
East Side Kids (1940) — Knuckles Dolan
-
Is My Face Red? (1932) — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
-
Wanted - A Master (1936) — Dog's Master (uncredited)
Directed
-
You Can't Win (1948) — Director
-
Wrong Way Butch (1950) — Director
-
Sure Cures (1946) — Director
-
Did'ja Know? (1950) — Director
-
Diamond Demon (1947) — Director
- I Love My Mother-In-Law But... (1948) — Director
-
Reducing (1952) — Director
-
Things We Can Do Without (1953) — Director
- I Love My Wife BUT! (1947) — Director
-
Cash Stashers (1953) — Director
-
Camera Sleuth (1951) — Director
-
Film Antics (1954) — Director
- Do Someone a Favor! (1954) — Director
-
Bargain Madness (1951) — Director
-
Ice Aces (1948) — Director
-
Treasures from Trash (1946) — Director
-
Bowling Tricks (1948) — Director
-
Ain't It Aggravatin' (1954) — Director
-
Crashing the Movies (1950) — Director
- Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 (1946) — Director
- The Fall Guy (1955) — Director
-
Let's Cogitate (1948) — Director
-
Just Suppose (1948) — Director
- Have You Ever Wondered? (1947) — Director
- Musiquiz (1952) — Director
- Super Cue Men (1949) — Director
- Out for Fun (1954) — Director
- Those Good Old Days (1949) — Director
- I Love My Husband, But! (1946) — Director
- A Wife's Life (1950) — Director
-
I Love Children, But! (1952) — Director
- Early Sports Quiz: What's Your I.Q. No. 13 (1947) — Director
- Football Thrills No. 10 (1947) — Director
- Surfboard Rhythm (1947) — Director
- Neighbor Pests (1947) — Director
- We Can Dream, Can't We? (1949) — Director
- The Man Around the House (1955) — Director
- Just What I Needed (1955) — Director
- Pest Control (1950) — Director
- The Mosconi Story (1953) — Director