Dave O'Brien
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.
Known for
The Devil Bat
Johnny Layton
The Kettles in the Ozarks
Conductor
The Desperados Are in Town
Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
Tex Wyatt
Student Tour
Student
Gun Code
Henchman Gale
One Man's Journey
Dance Extra (uncredited)
Queen of the Yukon
Bob Adams
No More Ladies
Party Guest (uncredited)
Murder on the Yukon
Constable Kelly
Did'ja Know?
Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe
Texas Joe
The Rangers Take Over
Tex Wyatt
The Girl on the Front Page
Nightclub Patron
The Gunman From Bodie
Joe Martin
The Sign of the Cross
Christian on Stairway (uncredited)
The Yanks Are Coming
Sgt. Callahan
Million Dollar Racket
Johnny Henessey
The Fighting Renegade
Dr. Jerry Leonard
Things We Can Do Without
Thaddeus E. Thud III
Is My Face Red?
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Danger Ahead
Corporal Kelly
Madam Satan
Zeppelin Reveler
College Coach
Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
Good News
Student
Frontier Fugitives
Dave Wyatt
Roar of the Dragon
Submarine Crewman
The Phantom of 42nd Street
Tony Woolrich
The Spider Returns
Jackson, Wentworth's Aide
Murder at the Vanities
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
The Big Parade of Comedy
Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
Yukon Flight
Constable Kelly
Frontier Scout
Steve Norris
Rasputin and the Empress
Soldier (uncredited)
The Secret of Treasure Island
Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]
Riders of the Sage
Tom Martin
The Man Who Walked Alone
Marion Scott
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
Gift of Gab
Dancer (uncredited)
Outlaw Roundup
Tex Wyatt
Seventh Column
Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man
Guns of the Law
Tex Wyatt
Consolation Marriage
Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)
Fighting Valley
Tex Wyatt
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
Sgt. Phil Lyons
Mutiny in the Big House
Daniels
The Return of the Rangers
Tex Wyatt
Double Trouble
Sparky Barton
Pick-up
Party Boy (uncredited)
Enemy of the Law
Dave Wyatt
Fighting Mad
Constable Kelly
New Frontier
Jason Braddock
Wrong Way Butch
Butch
Border Buckaroos
Tex Wyatt
Trigger Smith
Duke
Tennessee Champ
Luke MacWade
Outlaws' Paradise
Henchman Meggs
Buried Alive
Carson
Sheriff of Sage Valley
Jeff
The Arizona Kid
Soldier
Undercover Agent
Billiards Player
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
Horace
Doubting Thomas
Member of Audience
Daughter of the Tong
Jerry Morgan
Wyoming Outlaw
Acacia Park Game Warden
Gunsmoke Mesa
Tex Wyatt
Boss of Rawhide
Tex Wyatt
Utah Trail
Mason - Bookkeeper
Flying Wild
Tom Lawson
Sitting Pretty
Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
Hot Saturday
Party Guest (Uncredited)
The Black Coin
Terry Navarro
Gun Packer
Red Baker - Henchman
Crashing Thru
Fred Chambers
Rollin' Westward
Ranch hand Red
Flaming Bullets
Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson
Three in the Saddle
Dave Wyatt
Just What I Needed
Harry Horseknuckle
Spooks Run Wild
Jeff Dixon
Drifting Westward
Henchman Trigger
Phantom Rancher
Henchman Lucke
Woman Wanted
Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)
Kiss Me Kate
Ralph
Song of the Buckaroo
Tex Alden
Reducing
Man on Bench (uncredited)
Billy the Kid Wanted
Jeff
On Your Toes
Man in Audience
Trail of Terror
Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt
Ship Cafe
Young Man (uncredited)
Welcome Home
Stanley Phillips
Wonder Bar
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Devil and the Deep
Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
The Dawn Patrol
Pilot (uncredited)
Tell Your Children
Ralph
Tahiti Nights
Jack
The Man Around the House
Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)
Gangsters of the Frontier
Dave Wyatt
Music in the Air
Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)
Just Suppose
Husband (uncredited)
Tomorrow's Children
Interne (uncredited)
Have You Ever Wondered?
Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer
Boys of the City
Knuckles Dolan
Texas Wildcats
Ed Arden
The Deadly Game
Ralph Spencer
Bowery at Midnight
Det. Pete Crawford
T.V. of Tomorrow
Man on TV
The Texas Marshal
Buzz Weston
Brothers of the West
Bart
The Pinto Bandit
Tex Wyatt
Rough Riding Rhythm
Detective Waters
Murder by Invitation
Michael, the chauffeur
Calling All Pa's
Joe Thunderstruck
She Married Her Boss
Shopper
We're Rich Again
Pete (uncredited)
The World Changes
Otto Peterson (uncredited)
The Fall Guy
Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)
Brand of the Devil
Tex Wyatt
Sure Cures
Xavier T. Schneckendorf
Forbidden Trails
Jim Cramer
College Humor
Student
Do Someone a Favor!
George Dibson
Flying High
Dancer (uncredited)
Isle Of Destiny
Whitey - Navy Radio Man
Where the Buffalo Roam
Jeff Gray
West of Texas
Tex Wyatt
That Gang of Mine
Knuckles Dolan
Lightnin' Crandall
Tommy Shannon
Treasures from Trash
Alonzo T. Mousebrain
A Wife's Life
George T. Hardnose (uncredited)
Wanted - A Master
Dog's Master (uncredited)
East Side Kids
Knuckles Dolan
70,000 Witnesses
Football Player (uncredited)
Safety Sleuth
Careless Man
Son of the Navy
Nelson
The Singing Cowgirl
Dick Williams
Carry Harry
Arthur - Harry's Friend
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
Self (archive footage)
On the Spot
Charlie
The Cowboy from Sundown
Steve Davis
Man's Country
Bat
Studio Visit
O'Brien
Victory Quiz
Dead or Alive
Dave Wyatt
Prisoner of Japan
U. S. Marine
Spook Town
Tex Wyatt
Hold That Woman!
Miles Hanover
Sky Bandits
Constable Kelly
Code of the Cactus
Bob Swane
Movie Pests
Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
Cash Stashers
A Shmoe Named Joe
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
George Baldwin
Search for Beauty
Talent Contestant (uncredited)
Marked for Murder
Dave Wyatt
Whirlwind Horseman
Henchman Slade
I Love My Wife BUT!
The Husband
Born to Be Wild
Trucker (uncredited)
Flaming Lead
Frank Gordon
Starlight Over Texas
Henchman
Sportsman's Memories
Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)
Water Rustlers
Bob Lawson
Ain't It Aggravatin'
Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead
Down Texas Way
Dave Dodge
Law and Order
Jeff Travis
Captain Midnight
Captain Albright / Captain Midnight
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
The Son-In-Law / Husband
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns
Jeff
I Love My Husband, But!
The Husband
Let's Cogitate
Oliver T. Aseltafel
The Whispering Skull
Dave Wyatt
Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto
Jim Dana
King of the Stallions
What About Daddy?
The Husband
Out for Fun
Businessman Seeking Relaxation
Neighbor Pests
You Can't Win
Harried Homeowner
Those Good Old Days
I Love Children, But!
The Daddy