Bryan O'Byrne
Encyclopedia
Bryan Jay O'Byrne was an American
film and television actor
and acting coach. His credits include numerous television shows and films, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Batman
, Blondie
and Occasional Wife
.
descent.
O'Byrne attended St. Peter's Elementary School and Plattsburgh High School. O'Byrne received his bachelor's degree
from Plattsburgh State, now known as the State University of New York at Plattsburgh
.
He had one marriage. His only son, Sean Kevin O'Byrne, died young.
teacher
. He later moved to New York City
to pursue acting
. O'Byrne successfully entered the profession after starring in the Broadway production of Duel of Angels
opposite actress Vivien Leigh
in the late 1950s.
O'Byrne studied acting under Stella Adler
and dance
with Martha Graham
. He resided in the same New York apartment building as actors James Farentino
and Marlon Brando
, befriending both of them early in their careers.
O'Byrne soon moved to Los Angeles
to purse opportunities in film and television. O'Byrne credits during his career included numerous film and television roles. The Hollywood Reporter
described many of his characters as "quiet, milquetoast."
Additionally, he appeared in more than 200 television commercials.
He was particular active within the television industry during the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in six episodes of Get Smart
as Hodgkins, the assistant to the Chief. O'Byrne played Robin's high school principal in the 1960s Batman (TV series)
original television series. He regularly appeared as a mortuary worker in The Munsters
, as well as the series Occasional Wife
, in which he played the Man-in-Middle, and as Mr. Beasley, the mailman
, in Blondie
. His other lengthy television credits included guest appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Murder, She Wrote
, The Bob Newhart Show
, Happy Days
, The Bill Cosby Show
, The Partridge Family
, Sanford and Son
and Gunsmoke
. O'Byrne film credits included Spaceballs
, Gunfight in Abilene
, Marnie
, The Shakiest Gun in the West
, The Million Dollar Duck
, Gus
, Love at First Bite
, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
and Zapped!
.
. Film studios sometimes recommended that younger actors work with O'Byrne to improve their performances.
O'Byrne coached and mentored many then-unknown film and television actors. Forrest Whittaker, Jimmy Smits
and Lou Diamond Phillips
studied under him early in their careers. He also coached acting to Pam Dawber
, Christopher McDonald
, Bonnie Bedelia
, Bill Allen
and Marj Dusay
.
In particular, O'Byrne is credited with launching the acting career of Nick Nolte
. O'Byrne, who often coached college students, was working with Nolte's college roommate at the time. O'Byrne asked Nolte, who was not an actor at the time, to read a scene
they were working on. O'Byrne reportedly recognized Nolte's talent and began coaching him as well. Nolte spent nearly a year sleeping on O'Byrne's couch
while working with him to become an actor. O'Byrne cast Nolte in his production of The Last Pad, by playwright William Inge
, which effectively launched Nolte's professional career.
Professionally, O'Bryne was a member of the Actors' Equity Association
, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
(AFTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild
(SAG). He served on the Emmy Nominating Committee, based in Los Angeles.
, after retiring, where he lived for the last sixteen years of his life.
Bryan O'Byrne died on December 4, 2009, in Pacifica, California
, at the age of 78. His funeral was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pacifica. Actor Christopher McDonald
, a close friend and former student, read the eulogy
at O'Byrne's funeral.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film and television actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and acting coach. His credits include numerous television shows and films, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Batman
The Joker Goes to School
"The Joker Goes to School", a first-season episode of the Batman television series', first aired on ABC March 2, 1966 as its fifteenth episode, with an encore telecast occurring on August 10, 1966. It guest starred Cesar Romero as The Joker...
, Blondie
Blondie (1968 TV series)
Blondie is a short-lived American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1968-1969 television season. The series is an updated version of the 1957 TV series that was based on the comic strip of the same name. The series starred Will Hutchins as Dagwood Bumstead and Jim Backus as his boss Mr...
and Occasional Wife
Occasional Wife
Occasional Wife is an American sitcom that aired on NBC on September 13, 1966, and ran until May 9, 1967 . It was originally on NBC's Tuesday night schedule; in the Eastern Time Zone it aired from 8:30-9:00 p.m...
.
Early life
Bryan O'Byrne was born on February 6, 1931, in Plattsburgh, New York, to parents Elmer and Bessie M. Ducatte O'Byrne. He was of IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
descent.
O'Byrne attended St. Peter's Elementary School and Plattsburgh High School. O'Byrne received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Plattsburgh State, now known as the State University of New York at Plattsburgh
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
The State University of New York at Plattsburgh is a four-year, public liberal arts college in Plattsburgh, New York. The college was founded in 1889 and opened in 1890. The college is currently part of the State University of New York system and is accredited by the Middle States Association of...
.
He had one marriage. His only son, Sean Kevin O'Byrne, died young.
Acting career
O'Byrne had served in the United States Army before becoming an elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. He later moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to pursue acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
. O'Byrne successfully entered the profession after starring in the Broadway production of Duel of Angels
Duel of Angels
Duel of Angels is a 1963 English adaptation by Christopher Fry of the play Pour Lucrèce written in 1944 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. The play is based on the story of Lucretia, the virtuous Roman housewife who was raped and, finding no support from her husband and his friends, is driven...
opposite actress Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh, Lady Olivier was an English actress. She won the Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire , a role she also played on stage in London's West End, as well as for her portrayal of the southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, alongside Clark...
in the late 1950s.
O'Byrne studied acting under Stella Adler
Stella Adler
Stella Adler was an American actress and an acclaimed acting teacher, who founded the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City and the The Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Los Angeles with long-time protege Joanne Linville, who continues to teach and furthers Adler's legacy...
and dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
with Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
. He resided in the same New York apartment building as actors James Farentino
James Farentino
James Farentino is an American actor. He has appeared in almost one hundred roles, among them in The Final Countdown, Jesus of Nazareth, and Dynasty.-Career:...
and Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, befriending both of them early in their careers.
O'Byrne soon moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to purse opportunities in film and television. O'Byrne credits during his career included numerous film and television roles. The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
described many of his characters as "quiet, milquetoast."
Additionally, he appeared in more than 200 television commercials.
He was particular active within the television industry during the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in six episodes of Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
as Hodgkins, the assistant to the Chief. O'Byrne played Robin's high school principal in the 1960s Batman (TV series)
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
original television series. He regularly appeared as a mortuary worker in The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
, as well as the series Occasional Wife
Occasional Wife
Occasional Wife is an American sitcom that aired on NBC on September 13, 1966, and ran until May 9, 1967 . It was originally on NBC's Tuesday night schedule; in the Eastern Time Zone it aired from 8:30-9:00 p.m...
, in which he played the Man-in-Middle, and as Mr. Beasley, the mailman
Mailman
Mailman may refer to:*Mail carrier, a person who delivers mail*Mailman , a 2003 novel by American author J. Robert Lennon.*The Mail Man, a 1993 album by American rapper E-40*GNU Mailman, mailing list software...
, in Blondie
Blondie (1968 TV series)
Blondie is a short-lived American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1968-1969 television season. The series is an updated version of the 1957 TV series that was based on the comic strip of the same name. The series starred Will Hutchins as Dagwood Bumstead and Jim Backus as his boss Mr...
. His other lengthy television credits included guest appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
, Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, The Bill Cosby Show
The Bill Cosby Show
The Bill Cosby Show is an American situation comedy that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Cosby's first solo foray in television, after his co-starring role with...
, The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
, Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
and Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
. O'Byrne film credits included Spaceballs
Spaceballs
Spaceballs is a 1987 American science fiction comedy parody film co-written by, directed by, Mel Brooks and starring Bill Pullman, John Candy, Mel Brooks & Rick Moranis. It also features, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, and the voice of Joan Rivers. The film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on...
, Gunfight in Abilene
Gunfight In Abilene
Gunfight in Abilene is a 1967 western film. It is the second film based on the short story "Gun Shy" by Clarence Upson Young.-Plot:Cal Wayne accidentally kills a fellow Confederate soldier during the Civil War...
, Marnie
Marnie (film)
Marnie is a 1964 psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on the novel of the same name by Winston Graham. The film stars Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery. The original film score was composed by Bernard Herrmann.-Plot:...
, The Shakiest Gun in the West
The Shakiest Gun in the West
The Shakiest Gun in the West is a 1968 Western comedy film starring Don Knotts. It was directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.The film is a remake of The Paleface, a 1948 movie starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell....
, The Million Dollar Duck
The Million Dollar Duck
The Million Dollar Duck is a 1971 Disney comedy film that was directed by Vincent McEveety, and stars Dean Jones, Sandy Duncan and Joe Flynn.-Plot:...
, Gus
Gus (film)
Gus is a 1976 American film by Walt Disney Productions. Its center character is Gus, a football-playing mule.- Plot :Gus is a film about a football-kicking mule and his trainer "Andy" ....
, Love at First Bite
Love At First Bite
Love at First Bite is a 1979 comedy horror film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, using characters originally created by Bram Stoker. It stars George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin and Arte Johnson. The original music score was composed by Charles Bernstein...
, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again is a 1979 sequel to the 1975 family film The Apple Dumpling Gang starring the comedy duo of Tim Conway, and Don Knotts. Conway and Knotts reprise their roles as Amos and Theodore. The film also stars Tim Matheson, Harry Morgan, and Kenneth Mars. Laugh-In star...
and Zapped!
Zapped!
Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...
.
Acting teacher
O'Byrne also worked as an acting teacher and coach to many early actors. Much of his instruction emphasized repetition and scene studyScene study
Scene study is a technique used to teach acting. One or more actors perform a dramatic scene and are then offered feedback from teachers, classmates, or each other....
. Film studios sometimes recommended that younger actors work with O'Byrne to improve their performances.
O'Byrne coached and mentored many then-unknown film and television actors. Forrest Whittaker, Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
and Lou Diamond Phillips
Lou Diamond Phillips
Lou Diamond Phillips is an American film, television, and stage actor and director. His breakthrough came when he starred in the film La Bamba. He earned a supporting actor Golden Globe Award nomination for his role in Stand and Deliver and a Tony Award nomination for his role in The King and I...
studied under him early in their careers. He also coached acting to Pam Dawber
Pam Dawber
Pam Dawber is an American actress best known for her lead television sitcom roles as Mindy McConnell in Mork & Mindy and Samantha Russell in My Sister Sam .-Life and career:...
, Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...
, Bonnie Bedelia
Bonnie Bedelia
Bonnie Bedelia Culkin is an American actress best known for her supporting roles in the action film Die Hard and the courtroom drama Presumed Innocent...
, Bill Allen
Bill Allen (actor)
William Lawrence "Bill" Allen is an American film and television actor.Allen was born in Wichita, Kansas. He became famous for his role in the 1986 film RAD as BMX racer Cru Jones. Among other roles, William appeared as Roger Sloate in the 1987 Family Ties television episode "Matchmaker"...
and Marj Dusay
Marj Dusay
Marj Dusay is an actress known for her roles on American soap operas...
.
In particular, O'Byrne is credited with launching the acting career of Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
. O'Byrne, who often coached college students, was working with Nolte's college roommate at the time. O'Byrne asked Nolte, who was not an actor at the time, to read a scene
Scene (film)
In TV and movies, a scene is generally thought of as the action in a single location and continuous time. Due to the ability to edit recorded visual works, it is typically much shorter than a stage play scene....
they were working on. O'Byrne reportedly recognized Nolte's talent and began coaching him as well. Nolte spent nearly a year sleeping on O'Byrne's couch
Couch
A couch, also called a sofa, is an item of furniture designed to seat more than one person, and providing support for the back and arms. Typically, it will have an armrest on either side. In homes couches are normally found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge...
while working with him to become an actor. O'Byrne cast Nolte in his production of The Last Pad, by playwright William Inge
William Inge
William Motter Inge was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s, he had a string of memorable Broadway productions, and one of these, Picnic, earned him a Pulitzer Prize...
, which effectively launched Nolte's professional career.
Professionally, O'Bryne was a member of the Actors' Equity Association
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is a performers' union that represents a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists , promo and voice-over announcers and other...
(AFTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
(SAG). He served on the Emmy Nominating Committee, based in Los Angeles.
Later life and death
O'Byrne retired from acting in the 1990s to care for his sister, Henrietta Bouyea, who was in failing health. He moved to Pacifica, CaliforniaPacifica, California
Pacifica is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay.-Overview:The City of Pacifica is spread along a six mile stretch of the north central California coastal beach and hills, nestled in several small valleys spanning between...
, after retiring, where he lived for the last sixteen years of his life.
Bryan O'Byrne died on December 4, 2009, in Pacifica, California
Pacifica, California
Pacifica is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay.-Overview:The City of Pacifica is spread along a six mile stretch of the north central California coastal beach and hills, nestled in several small valleys spanning between...
, at the age of 78. His funeral was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pacifica. Actor Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...
, a close friend and former student, read the eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
at O'Byrne's funeral.