Dave O'Brien

May 31, 1912 - Nov 08, 1969 (57 years old) in Big Spring, Texas, USA

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 Phantom of 42nd Street

Tony Woolrich

Kiss Me Kate

Ralph

Tell Your Children

Ralph

Is My Face Red?

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

The Man Who Walked Alone

Marion Scott

The Arizona Kid

Soldier

Isle Of Destiny

Whitey - Navy Radio Man

That's Entertainment, Part II

(archive footage)

Down Texas Way

Dave Dodge

The Gunman From Bodie

Joe Martin

Credits

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage 2006

Self (archive footage)

★ 6
That's Entertainment, Part II 1976

(archive footage)

★ 6.9
The Big Parade of Comedy 1964

Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

★ 6.3
The Desperados Are in Town 1956

Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown

★ NR
The Kettles in the Ozarks 1956

Conductor

★ 6.4
The Fall Guy 1955

Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)

★ 6
Just What I Needed 1955

Harry Horseknuckle

★ NR
The Man Around the House 1955

Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)

★ NR
Out for Fun 1954

Businessman Seeking Relaxation

★ NR
Do Someone a Favor! 1954

George Dibson

★ NR
Tennessee Champ 1954

Luke MacWade

★ 5.8
Ain't It Aggravatin' 1954

Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead

★ 6
Things We Can Do Without 1953

Thaddeus E. Thud III

★ 8
Kiss Me Kate 1953

Ralph

★ 6.4
Cash Stashers 1953

A Shmoe Named Joe

★ 6
T.V. of Tomorrow 1953

Man on TV

★ 6.4
I Love Children, But! 1952

The Daddy

★ NR
Reducing 1952

Man on Bench (uncredited)

★ 2
Wrong Way Butch 1950

Butch

★ 5.8
A Wife's Life 1950

George T. Hardnose (uncredited)

★ 6
Did'ja Know? 1950

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

★ 6
Those Good Old Days 1949

★ NR
Let's Cogitate 1948

Oliver T. Aseltafel

★ 5
Just Suppose 1948

Husband (uncredited)

★ 6
You Can't Win 1948

Harried Homeowner

★ 4.3
I Love My Mother-In-Law But... 1948

The Son-In-Law / Husband

★ 7.3
Have You Ever Wondered? 1947

Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer

★ NR
Neighbor Pests 1947

★ NR
I Love My Wife BUT! 1947

The Husband

★ 7.5
I Love My Husband, But! 1946

The Husband

★ NR
Sure Cures 1946

Xavier T. Schneckendorf

★ 5
Treasures from Trash 1946

Alonzo T. Mousebrain

★ 8
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 1946

Horace

★ NR
Studio Visit 1946

O'Brien

★ 3.5
Flaming Bullets 1945

Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson

★ 5
Frontier Fugitives 1945

Dave Wyatt

★ NR
Three in the Saddle 1945

Dave Wyatt

★ NR
Enemy of the Law 1945

Dave Wyatt

★ 5
The Phantom of 42nd Street 1945

Tony Woolrich

★ 4.5
The Man Who Walked Alone 1945

Marion Scott

★ 5.5
Marked for Murder 1945

Dave Wyatt

★ 4.2
The Whispering Skull 1944

Dave Wyatt

★ 6.5
Tahiti Nights 1944

Jack

★ NR
Safety Sleuth 1944

Careless Man

★ NR
Dead or Alive 1944

Dave Wyatt

★ 5.3
Gangsters of the Frontier 1944

Dave Wyatt

★ 3.8
Gunsmoke Mesa 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ 1
Brand of the Devil 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ 5
Movie Pests 1944

Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest

★ 5.6
Spook Town 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
The Pinto Bandit 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
Sportsman's Memories 1944

Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)

★ NR
Guns of the Law 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ 5
Outlaw Roundup 1944

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
Boss of Rawhide 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ 5.5
The Return of the Rangers 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
Trail of Terror 1943

Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt

★ NR
Fighting Valley 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
Seventh Column 1943

Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man

★ NR
Border Buckaroos 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
West of Texas 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
Bad Men of Thunder Gap 1943

Tex Wyatt

★ NR
The Rangers Take Over 1942

Tex Wyatt

★ 6
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge 1942

Sgt. Phil Lyons

★ 6.4
The Yanks Are Coming 1942

Sgt. Callahan

★ 4.5
Bowery at Midnight 1942

Det. Pete Crawford

★ 5.1
Calling All Pa's 1942

Joe Thunderstruck

★ 6
King of the Stallions 1942

★ 6
Carry Harry 1942

Arthur - Harry's Friend

★ NR
Sheriff of Sage Valley 1942

Jeff

★ 5.6
Law and Order 1942

Jeff Travis

★ 6
Prisoner of Japan 1942

U. S. Marine

★ 4.3
Down Texas Way 1942

Dave Dodge

★ NR
Victory Quiz 1942

★ 6
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns 1942

Jeff

★ 4.5
What About Daddy? 1942

The Husband

★ NR
Captain Midnight 1942

Captain Albright / Captain Midnight

★ 5
Forbidden Trails 1941

Jim Cramer

★ 5.4
Double Trouble 1941

Sparky Barton

★ NR
Spooks Run Wild 1941

Jeff Dixon

★ 4.8
Billy the Kid Wanted 1941

Jeff

★ 5.7
The Gunman From Bodie 1941

Joe Martin

★ 7
The Deadly Game 1941

Ralph Spencer

★ 6
The Texas Marshal 1941

Buzz Weston

★ NR
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe 1941

Texas Joe

★ 4
Murder by Invitation 1941

Michael, the chauffeur

★ 5.6
The Spider Returns 1941

Jackson, Wentworth's Aide

★ 8.7
Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto 1941

Jim Dana

★ NR
Flying Wild 1941

Tom Lawson

★ 5.9
The Devil Bat 1940

Johnny Layton

★ 5.3
That Gang of Mine 1940

Knuckles Dolan

★ 5.6
The Cowboy from Sundown 1940

Steve Davis

★ NR
Queen of the Yukon 1940

Bob Adams

★ 5
Gun Code 1940

Henchman Gale

★ NR
Boys of the City 1940

Knuckles Dolan

★ 5.4
Sky Bandits 1940

Constable Kelly

★ 5
Hold That Woman! 1940

Miles Hanover

★ 5
On the Spot 1940

Charlie

★ 5.3
Phantom Rancher 1940

Henchman Lucke

★ 3.5
Son of the Navy 1940

Nelson

★ 5.5
Isle Of Destiny 1940

Whitey - Navy Radio Man

★ 5
Murder on the Yukon 1940

Constable Kelly

★ 3.5
East Side Kids 1940

Knuckles Dolan

★ 7
Danger Ahead 1940

Corporal Kelly

★ NR
Yukon Flight 1940

Constable Kelly

★ 3.9
Crashing Thru 1939

Fred Chambers

★ 6
Buried Alive 1939

Carson

★ 4.7
Fighting Mad 1939

Constable Kelly

★ 4
Flaming Lead 1939

Frank Gordon

★ 4
Mutiny in the Big House 1939

Daniels

★ 4.4
On Your Toes 1939

Man in Audience

★ 3.9
The Arizona Kid 1939

Soldier

★ 5.8
The Fighting Renegade 1939

Dr. Jerry Leonard

★ 5.7
Daughter of the Tong 1939

Jerry Morgan

★ 5
New Frontier 1939

Jason Braddock

★ 5.5
Riders of the Sage 1939

Tom Martin

★ 5
Wyoming Outlaw 1939

Acacia Park Game Warden

★ 5.6
Undercover Agent 1939

Billiards Player

★ 4.8
Outlaws' Paradise 1939

Henchman Meggs

★ NR
Texas Wildcats 1939

Ed Arden

★ NR
Trigger Smith 1939

Duke

★ NR
Rollin' Westward 1939

Ranch hand Red

★ 5
Code of the Cactus 1939

Bob Swane

★ 5.5
Drifting Westward 1939

Henchman Trigger

★ NR
Water Rustlers 1939

Bob Lawson

★ 4
Song of the Buckaroo 1938

Tex Alden

★ NR
Gun Packer 1938

Red Baker - Henchman

★ NR
Where the Buffalo Roam 1938

Jeff Gray

★ 5
Frontier Scout 1938

Steve Norris

★ 4.5
Starlight Over Texas 1938

Henchman

★ NR
Utah Trail 1938

Mason - Bookkeeper

★ 5
Man's Country 1938

Bat

★ NR
Tell Your Children 1938

Ralph

★ 4.2
The Singing Cowgirl 1938

Dick Williams

★ 5
Whirlwind Horseman 1938

Henchman Slade

★ 4
The Secret of Treasure Island 1938

Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]

★ 4
Born to Be Wild 1938

Trucker (uncredited)

★ 7
Million Dollar Racket 1937

Johnny Henessey

★ 6
Rough Riding Rhythm 1937

Detective Waters

★ NR
Brothers of the West 1937

Bart

★ 6
Lightnin' Crandall 1937

Tommy Shannon

★ 3
Wanted - A Master 1936

Dog's Master (uncredited)

★ 6.4
The Girl on the Front Page 1936

Nightclub Patron

★ NR
The Black Coin 1936

Terry Navarro

★ 6
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell 1936

George Baldwin

★ 4
Ship Cafe 1935

Young Man (uncredited)

★ NR
She Married Her Boss 1935

Shopper

★ 7
Welcome Home 1935

Stanley Phillips

★ NR
Woman Wanted 1935

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

★ 6.3
Doubting Thomas 1935

Member of Audience

★ 7
No More Ladies 1935

Party Guest (uncredited)

★ 5.1
Student Tour 1934

Student

★ 5
Gift of Gab 1934

Dancer (uncredited)

★ 1
We're Rich Again 1934

Pete (uncredited)

★ 4
Tomorrow's Children 1934

Interne (uncredited)

★ 5.2
Murder at the Vanities 1934

★ 5.4
Wonder Bar 1934

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

★ 6.1
Search for Beauty 1934

Talent Contestant (uncredited)

★ 5.9
Sitting Pretty 1933

Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)

★ 7.5
College Coach 1933

Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

★ 4.2
One Man's Journey 1933

Dance Extra (uncredited)

★ 7.1
College Humor 1933

Student

★ 5.6
Pick-up 1933

Party Boy (uncredited)

★ 4.8
Rasputin and the Empress 1932

Soldier (uncredited)

★ 5.3
The Sign of the Cross 1932

Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

★ 6.2
Hot Saturday 1932

Party Guest (Uncredited)

★ 6.5
70,000 Witnesses 1932

Football Player (uncredited)

★ 4.8
Roar of the Dragon 1932

Submarine Crewman

★ 6
Is My Face Red? 1932

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

★ 5
Consolation Marriage 1931

Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)

★ 6.1
Flying High 1931

Dancer (uncredited)

★ 4.8
Madam Satan 1930

Zeppelin Reveler

★ 5.9
Good News 1930

Student

★ 5
The Dawn Patrol 1930

Pilot (uncredited)

★ 6.7