Portrait of Dave O'Brien

Dave O'Brien

Acting

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.

Born: May 31, 1912

Place of Birth: Big Spring, Texas, USA

Filmography

2006
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II

as (archive footage)

1964
The Big Parade of Comedy

as Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

1956
The Desperados Are in Town

as Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown

1954
Tennessee Champ

as Luke MacWade

1953
Things We Can Do Without

as Thaddeus E. Thud III

1953
Kiss Me Kate

as Ralph

1953
Cash Stashers

as A Shmoe Named Joe

1953
T.V. of Tomorrow

as Man on TV

1952
1952
Reducing

as Man on Bench (uncredited)

1950
1950
Did'ja Know?

as Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant

1948
Let's Cogitate

as Oliver T. Aseltafel

1948
Just Suppose

as Husband (uncredited)

1948
You Can't Win

as Harried Homeowner

1946
Sure Cures

as Xavier T. Schneckendorf

1946
Treasures from Trash

as Alonzo T. Mousebrain

1946
Studio Visit

as O'Brien

1945
Flaming Bullets

as Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson

1945
Frontier Fugitives

as Dave Wyatt

1945
Three in the Saddle

as Dave Wyatt

1945
Enemy of the Law

as Dave Wyatt

1945
1945
1945
Marked for Murder

as Dave Wyatt

1944
1944
1944
Dead or Alive

as Dave Wyatt

1944
1944
Gunsmoke Mesa

as Tex Wyatt

1944
Brand of the Devil

as Tex Wyatt

1944
Movie Pests

as Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest

1944
Spook Town

as Tex Wyatt

1944
The Pinto Bandit

as Tex Wyatt

1944
Guns of the Law

as Tex Wyatt

1944
Outlaw Roundup

as Tex Wyatt

1943
Boss of Rawhide

as Tex Wyatt

1943
Trail of Terror

as Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt

1943
Fighting Valley

as Tex Wyatt

1943
Seventh Column

as Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man

1943
Border Buckaroos

as Tex Wyatt

1943
West of Texas

as Tex Wyatt

1943
1942
1942
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

as Sgt. Phil Lyons

1942
The Yanks Are Coming

as Sgt. Callahan

1942
Bowery at Midnight

as Det. Pete Crawford

1942
Calling All Pa's

as Joe Thunderstruck

1942
Law and Order

as Jeff Travis

1942
Prisoner of Japan

as U. S. Marine

1942
Down Texas Way

as Dave Dodge

1942
What About Daddy?

as The Husband

1942
Captain Midnight

as Captain Albright / Captain Midnight

1941
Forbidden Trails

as Jim Cramer

1941
Double Trouble

as Sparky Barton

1941
Spooks Run Wild

as Jeff Dixon

1941
1941
The Deadly Game

as Ralph Spencer

1941
The Texas Marshal

as Buzz Weston

1941
Murder by Invitation

as Michael, the chauffeur

1941
The Spider Returns

as Jackson, Wentworth's Aide

1941
Flying Wild

as Tom Lawson

1940
The Devil Bat

as Johnny Layton

1940
That Gang of Mine

as Knuckles Dolan

1940
1940
Queen of the Yukon

as Bob Adams

1940
Gun Code

as Henchman Gale

1940
Boys of the City

as Knuckles Dolan

1940
Sky Bandits

as Constable Kelly

1940
Hold That Woman!

as Miles Hanover

1940
On the Spot

as Charlie

1940
Phantom Rancher

as Henchman Lucke

1940
1940
Isle Of Destiny

as Whitey - Navy Radio Man

1940
Murder on the Yukon

as Constable Kelly

1940
East Side Kids

as Knuckles Dolan

1940
Danger Ahead

as Corporal Kelly

1940
Yukon Flight

as Constable Kelly

1939
Crashing Thru

as Fred Chambers

1939
Buried Alive

as Carson

1939
Fighting Mad

as Constable Kelly

1939
Flaming Lead

as Frank Gordon

1939
On Your Toes

as Man in Audience

1939
The Arizona Kid

as Soldier

1939
The Fighting Renegade

as Dr. Jerry Leonard

1939
Daughter of the Tong

as Jerry Morgan

1939
New Frontier

as Jason Braddock

1939
Riders of the Sage

as Tom Martin

1939
Wyoming Outlaw

as Acacia Park Game Warden

1939
Undercover Agent

as Billiards Player

1939
Outlaws' Paradise

as Henchman Meggs

1939
Texas Wildcats

as Ed Arden

1939
1939
Rollin' Westward

as Ranch hand Red

1939
Code of the Cactus

as Bob Swane

1939
Drifting Westward

as Henchman Trigger

1939
Water Rustlers

as Bob Lawson

1938
1938
Gun Packer

as Red Baker - Henchman

1938
1938
Frontier Scout

as Steve Norris

1938
1938
Utah Trail

as Mason - Bookkeeper

1938
1938
1938
The Singing Cowgirl

as Dick Williams

1938
Whirlwind Horseman

as Henchman Slade

1938
The Secret of Treasure Island

as Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]

1938
Born to Be Wild

as Trucker (uncredited)

1937
Million Dollar Racket

as Johnny Henessey

1937
Rough Riding Rhythm

as Detective Waters

1937
Lightnin' Crandall

as Tommy Shannon

1936
Wanted - A Master

as Dog's Master (uncredited)

1936
The Girl on the Front Page

as Nightclub Patron

1936
The Black Coin

as Terry Navarro

1935
Ship Cafe

as Young Man (uncredited)

1935
1935
Welcome Home

as Stanley Phillips

1935
Woman Wanted

as Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)

1935
Doubting Thomas

as Member of Audience

1935
No More Ladies

as Party Guest (uncredited)

1934
Music in the Air

as Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)

1934
Student Tour

as Student

1934
Gift of Gab

as Dancer (uncredited)

1934
We're Rich Again

as Pete (uncredited)

1934
Tomorrow's Children

as Interne (uncredited)

1934
Murder at the Vanities

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

1934
Wonder Bar

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

1934
Search for Beauty

as Talent Contestant (uncredited)

1933
The World Changes

as Otto Peterson (uncredited)

1933
Sitting Pretty

as Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)

1933
College Coach

as Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

1933
One Man's Journey

as Dance Extra (uncredited)

1933
College Humor

as Student

1933
Pick-up

as Party Boy (uncredited)

1932
Rasputin and the Empress

as Soldier (uncredited)

1932
The Sign of the Cross

as Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

1932
Hot Saturday

as Party Guest (Uncredited)

1932
70,000 Witnesses

as Football Player (uncredited)

1932
Devil and the Deep

as Submarine Crewman (uncredited)

1932
Roar of the Dragon

as Submarine Crewman

1932
Is My Face Red?

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

1931
Consolation Marriage

as Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)

1931
Flying High

as Dancer (uncredited)

1930
Madam Satan

as Zeppelin Reveler

1930
Good News

as Student

1930
The Dawn Patrol

as Pilot (uncredited)