Dave O'Brien (actor)
Encyclopedia
Dave O'Brien was an American
film
actor
, director
and writer
. Born David Poole Fronabarger in Big Spring, Texas
, O'Brien started his film career in bit parts before gradually winning larger roles, mostly in B pictures
.
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, alluding to his home state. To modern audiences, he is most likely best to be remembered as a frantic dope addict in the low-budget exploitation film Reefer Madness
(1936), yelling "Play it faster, play it faster!!" to a piano-playing girl. He appeared in Queen Of The Yukon
(1940) as Bob Adams. In 1940, he appeared in The Devil Bat
as part of a comedy team with Donald Kerr. They also appeared together in Son of the Navy
(1940) and The Man Who Walked Alone
(1945).
In 1942, O'Brien starred in the movie serial
Captain Midnight
.
One of his later roles was in the film musical version of Kiss Me, Kate
(1953), a rare featured role for the actor in an 'A' list big-budget production.
O'Brien married one of his co-stars of Reefer Madness, Dorothy Short
, in 1936, but they divorced in 1954 after having two children. In 1955, he married Nancy O'Brien and had three more children. A very keen yachtsman and sailor, he died aged 57 of a heart attack aboard a 60-foot sloop named The White Cloud while competing in a yachting race off the California
coast near Catalina Island
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
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...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. Born David Poole Fronabarger in Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
, O'Brien started his film career in bit parts before gradually winning larger roles, mostly in B pictures
B pictures
In the field of video compression a video frame is compressed using different algorithms with different advantages and disadvantages, centered mainly around amount of data compression. These different algorithms for video frames are called picture types or frame types. The three major picture...
.
Biography
O'Brien became familiar to movie audiences in the 1940s as the hero of the famous MGMMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
comedy short film series Pete Smith Specialties narrated by Pete Smith
Pete Smith (film producer)
Pete Smith was a film producer and narrator of "short subject" films from 1931 to 1955....
. O'Brien wrote and directed many of these subjects under the name David Barclay.
He also appeared in many low-budget Westerns
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, often billed as 'Tex' O'Brien, alluding to his home state. To modern audiences, he is most likely best to be remembered as a frantic dope addict in the low-budget exploitation film Reefer Madness
Reefer Madness
Reefer Madness is a well-known 1936 American propaganda exploitation film revolving around the melodramatic events that ensue when high school students are lured by pushers to try "marijuana" — from a hit and run accident, to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape, and descent into madness...
(1936), yelling "Play it faster, play it faster!!" to a piano-playing girl. He appeared in Queen Of The Yukon
Queen of the Yukon
Queen Of The Yukon is a 1940 American western film. The film is an adaptation of Jack London's story. Filming took place in Big Bear Lake, California.-Plot:...
(1940) as Bob Adams. In 1940, he appeared in The Devil Bat
The Devil Bat
The Devil Bat is a black-and-white comedy-horror movie which was produced by Producers Releasing Corporation and directed by Jean Yarbrough...
as part of a comedy team with Donald Kerr. They also appeared together in Son of the Navy
Son of the Navy
Son of the Navy is a 1940 American comedy-drama film directed by William Nigh.The film is also known as The Young Recruit in the USA.- Cast :*Jean Parker as Steve Moore*James Dunn as Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone*Martin Spellman as Tommy...
(1940) and The Man Who Walked Alone
The Man Who Walked Alone
- Cast :*Dave O'Brien as Cpl. Marion Scott*Kay Aldridge as Wilhelmina Hammond*Walter Catlett as Wiggins*Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as Champ*Isabel Randolph as Mrs. Hammond*Smith Ballew as Alvin Bailey*Nancy June Robinson as Patricia Hammond...
(1945).
In 1942, O'Brien starred in the movie serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
Captain Midnight
Captain Midnight (serial)
Captain Midnight was the 17th serial released by Columbia Pictures. It was based upon the radio adventure serial of the same name broadcast from 1938 to 1949.-Plot:...
.
One of his later roles was in the film musical version of Kiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate (film)
Kiss Me Kate is the 1953 MGM film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name.Inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, it tells the tale of musical theater actors, Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, who were once married and are now performing opposite each other in the roles of Petruchio and...
(1953), a rare featured role for the actor in an 'A' list big-budget production.
O'Brien married one of his co-stars of Reefer Madness, Dorothy Short
Dorothy Short
Dorothy Short was an American film actress mainly in low-budget westerns and serials in the 1930s and 1940s.A native of Philadelphia, she married actor Dave O'Brien in 1936, the same year they appeared together in the low-budget exploitation cheapie Reefer Madness, which in modern times has become...
, in 1936, but they divorced in 1954 after having two children. In 1955, he married Nancy O'Brien and had three more children. A very keen yachtsman and sailor, he died aged 57 of a heart attack aboard a 60-foot sloop named The White Cloud while competing in a yachting race off the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast near Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
.