Dave O'Brien (actor)

Dave O'Brien (born David Poole Fronabarger;[2] May 31, 1912 – November 8, 1969) was an American film actor, director, and screenwriter.

Dave O'Brien
O'Brien in Reefer Madness (1936)
Born
David Poole Fronabarger

(1912-05-31)May 31, 1912
Big Spring, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 8, 1969(1969-11-08) (aged 57)
Catalina Island, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1930–1969
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1936; div. 1954)​
    Nancy O'Brien
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1955)​
    Children5[1]

    Life and career

    Born in Big Spring, Texas, to Mike Fronabarger and his wife, Mary Edith, he started his film career performing in choruses and working as a stunt double[2] before gradually winning larger roles, mostly in B pictures. He adopted "O'Brien" as his acting surname. He had roles in early Western movies such as Lightnin Crandall (1937), starring Bob Steele.

    O'Brien acted in 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. O'Brien also had a small dancing part with Bebe Daniels in the Busby Berkeley musical 42nd Street (1933).

    He appeared in the first few of Monogram Pictures East Side Kids films, then appeared in many low-budget Westerns, such as Producers Releasing Corporation's Texas Rangers series, where he was often billed as "Tex O'Brien", alluding to his home state.

    In 1940, he appeared in Queen of the Yukon, The Devil Bat, and Son of the Navy. In 1942, he starred in the movie serial Captain Midnight, and had the lead role in the Western Brand of the Devil in 1944. In 1945, he appeared in The Man Who Walked Alone. One of his later roles was in the MGM musical version of Kiss Me, Kate (1953), a rare featured role for the actor in an 'A' list big-budget production.

    O'Brien portrayed a frantic dope addict in the 1936 low-budget exploitation film Tell Your Children (better known under its reissue title, Reefer Madness), yelling "Play it faster, play it faster!" to a piano-playing girl (Lillian Miles).

    Recognition

    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.[3]

    Selected filmography

    Selected short subjects
    Year Title Role Notes
    1942 Calling All Pa's Joe Thunderstruck
    1943 First Aid Crandall K. Krumb, the Husband
    1944 Movie Pests Feet-in-the-Aisle-Pest Uncredited
    1946 Treasures From Trash Alonzo T. Mousebrain Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay
    1946 Sure Cures Xavier T. Schneckendorf Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay
    1947 Have You Ever Wondered Main Character Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay
    1948 Ice Aces Director as David Barclay
    1948 You Can't Win Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay
    1948 Let's Cogitate Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay
    1949 Just Suppose The Dad Director as David Barclay
    1950 Wrong Way Butch Wrong Way Butch Director as David Barclay
    1952 I Love Children But... The Dad/Papa Schlemiel Director and Writer as David Barclay

    References
    1. Anderson, Chuck. "Dave O'Brien". www.b-westerns.com.
    2. Freese, Gene Scott (2014). Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s–1970s: A Biographical Dictionary, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476614700. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
    3. "Awards Search". EMMYS. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
    4. "Tell Your Children (1936) - Full Credits - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
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