Edmond O'Brien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edmond O'Brien
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O'Brien in D.O.A. (1950)
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| Born |
Eamon Joseph O'Brien
September 10, 1915 |
| Died | May 9, 1985 (aged 69) Inglewood, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1936–1974 |
| Spouse(s) |
Olga San Juan
(m. 1948; div. 1976) |
| Children | 3, including Brendan O'Brien |
| Relatives | Liam O'Brien (brother) |
Edmond O'Brien (born Eamon Joseph O'Brien) was an American actor and film director. He was born on September 10, 1915, and passed away on May 9, 1985. His acting career lasted for almost 40 years. During this time, he won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. He also has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
Edmond O'Brien was known as a character actor in American movies. This means he was great at playing many different kinds of people, not just the main hero. Some of his most famous films include The Barefoot Contessa (1954) and Seven Days in May (1964). He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Barefoot Contessa. He was also nominated for the same award for Seven Days in May.
Other well-known movies he appeared in are The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), The Killers (1946), White Heat (1949), and D.O.A. (1950). He also starred in 1984 (1956), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and The Wild Bunch (1969).
Contents
Early Life and Acting Dreams
Edmond O'Brien was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the youngest of seven children. His parents were from Ireland. His father passed away when Edmond was only four years old.
When he was a kid, Edmond loved to perform magic shows for children in his neighborhood. He called himself "Neirbo the Great," which is "O'Brien" spelled backward! His aunt, who taught English and speech, often took him to the theatre. This helped him become very interested in acting. He soon started acting in plays at school.
After studying at Fordham University for a short time, O'Brien received a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He studied acting there for two years. He said it was "the best training in the world for a young actor."
Starting on Stage
Edmond O'Brien began acting in summer plays in Yonkers. He made his first appearance on Broadway when he was 21 years old. He acted in plays like Daughters of Atreus and Hamlet. He also toured with other plays.
In 1940, he acted with Ruth Chatterton in a Broadway play called Leave Her to Heaven.
Becoming a Film Star
Edmond O'Brien's work in theatre caught the eye of a film producer named Pandro Berman. This led to his first movie role as the romantic lead in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).
After this, he went back to Broadway to act in Romeo and Juliet with famous actors Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.
A film studio called RKO offered O'Brien a long-term contract. He appeared in movies like A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941) and Parachute Battalion (1941). He even married his co-star from Parachute Battalion, Nancy Kelly, though their marriage lasted less than a year.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Edmond O'Brien joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. He continued acting while serving his country. He appeared in a Broadway play called Winged Victory, which was about the Air Forces. He acted alongside other future stars like Karl Malden and Kevin McCarthy. When the play was made into a movie in 1944, O'Brien played his role again.
Working with Warner Bros.
In 1948, O'Brien signed a contract with Warner Bros.. He starred in films like Another Part of the Forest and An Act of Murder.
One of his most famous roles during this time was as an undercover police officer in White Heat (1949). He acted opposite the legendary James Cagney. O'Brien learned a lot from Cagney, who told him to "Play it from here, kid," tapping his heart. This meant to act with real feeling.
In 1949, a group of women voted Edmond O'Brien as having the most "male magnetism" in America! They said his strong looks and personality really impressed them.
Freelance Acting and Awards
After his contract with Warner Bros. ended, O'Brien made one of his most well-known movies, D.O.A. (1950). He also starred in 711 Ocean Drive (1950).
He worked on many different projects, including two films for director Ida Lupino: The Hitch-Hiker and The Bigamist. He also played Casca in the movie Julius Caesar (1953).
Edmond O'Brien also worked a lot in television during this time. He appeared on popular shows like Lux Video Theatre. He even planned to direct his own movies.
In 1954, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Oscar Muldoon in The Barefoot Contessa. This was a huge achievement! He then appeared in other important films like 1984 and The Girl Can't Help It.
Television Career
Edmond O'Brien appeared in many television shows throughout his career. In 1957, he starred in a live TV drama called The Comedian. He played a head writer named Al Preston.
From 1959 to 1960, O'Brien played the main character in a TV crime show called Johnny Midnight. He played a New York City actor who became a private detective. The producers asked him to lose weight for the role, so he went on a special diet.
O'Brien also had his own production company. He continued to appear in many TV series, including Target: The Corruptors! and Mission: Impossible.
Later Film Roles
In the 1960s, Edmond O'Brien continued to get great movie roles. He was cast in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), but he had a heart attack during filming and had to leave the movie.
He recovered and directed his first feature film, Man-Trap (1961). He also appeared in The Longest Day (1962).
He had important roles in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962).
In the mid-1960s, he co-starred in the "Gallegher" episodes of NBC's Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. From 1963 to 1965, he also starred in the TV legal drama Sam Benedict.
In 1964, O'Brien received his second Oscar nomination for his role in Seven Days in May.
He kept working steadily into the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, he started having memory problems. He also had another heart attack, which made him leave the movie The Glass Bottom Boat (1966).
His last works were an episode of the TV series Police Story and a main role in the film 99 and 44/100% Dead, both in 1974. He also appeared in The Other Side of the Wind, a movie filmed in the 1970s but released much later in 2018.
Personal Life
Edmond O'Brien was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Nancy Kelly from 1941 to 1942. He then married actress Olga San Juan in 1948. Olga was the mother of his three children: Bridget, Maria, and Brendan. Their marriage ended in 1976.
Final Years
In the late 1970s, Edmond O'Brien became ill with Alzheimer's disease. This is a condition that affects memory and thinking. He passed away on May 9, 1985, at the age of 69, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Edmond O'Brien has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! One star is for his work in motion pictures, located at 1725 Vine Street. The second star is for his contributions to television, located at 6523 Hollywood Blvd. Both stars were dedicated on February 8, 1960.
See also
In Spanish: Edmond O'Brien para niños
