Biography for
Edmond O'Brien More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

10 September 1915, New York City, New York, USA

Date of Death

9 May 1985, Inglewood, California, USA (Alzheimer's disease)

Birth Name

Redmond O'Brien

Nickname

Eddy

Height

5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

Oscar-winner Edmond O'Brien was one of the most-respected character actors in American cinema, from his heyday of the mid-1940s through the late 1960s. Born on September 10, 1915, in the New York City borough of The Bronx, O'Brien learned the craft of performance as a magician, reportedly tutored by neighbor Harry Houdini. He took part in student theatrics in high school and majored in drama at Columbia University. He made his Broadway debut at the age of 21 in 1936 and, later that year, played "The Gravedigger" in the great Shakespearean actor John Gielgud's legendary production of "Hamlet". Four years later, he would play "Mercutio" to the "Romeo" of another legendary Shakespearean, Laurence Olivier, in Olivier's 1940 Brodway production of "Romeo & Juliet".

O'Brien worked with another magician, Orson Welles, in the Mercury Theater's production of "Julius Caesar", appearing as "Mark Antony". He would later play "Casca" in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's film of the play, Julius Caesar (1953).

Altough it has been stated that he made his debut as an uncredited extra in the 1938 film, Prison Break (1938), the truth is that his stage work impressed RKO boss Pandro S. Berman, who brought him to Hollywood to appear in the plum supporting part of "Gringoire" in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), which starred Charles Laughton in the title role. After returning from his wartime service with the Army Air Force, O'Brien built up a distinguished career as a supporting actor in A-list films, and as an occasional character lead, such as in D.O.A. (1950).

O'Brien won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Barefoot Contessa (1954) and also received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role as a drunken senator who ferrets out an attempted coup d'etat in Seven Days in May (1964). He also appeared as crusty old-timer "Freddy Sykes", who antagonizes Ben Johnson's character "Tector Gorch" in director Sam Peckinpah's classic Western, The Wild Bunch (1969). Increasingly, O'Brien appeared on television in the 1960s and '70s, but managed a turn in his old boss Welles' unfinished film, The Other Side of the Wind (1972).

He married and divorced actresses Nancy Kelly and Olga San Juan, the latter being the mother of his three children, including actors Maria O'Brien and Brendan O'Brien. He died in May of 1985 in Inglewood, California, of Alzheimer's Disease and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood

Spouse

Olga San Juan	(26 September 1948 - 1976) (divorced) 3 children
Nancy Kelly	(19 February 1941 - 2 February 1942) (divorced)

Trivia

Father, with Olga San Juan, of actress Maria O'Brien, TV producer Bridget O'Brien Adelman and Brendan O'Brien.

His production company, Tiger Productions, came from his childhood nickname, 'Tiger'.

At the age of 10 he learned conjuring tricks from his neighbor, Harry Houdini.

Interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, USA. Specific Interment Location: F, T54, 50.

Younger brother of screenwriter Liam O'Brien.

Second actor to portray the title character on CBS Radio's "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" (1950-1952).

Recited Shakespeare with Keith Moon at Sam Peckinpah's surprise birthday party.

A German Shepherd aficionado.

Was original choice to play newspaper reporter Jackson Bentley in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), but health problems forced him to turn down the role, which eventually went to Arthur Kennedy.

Father-in-law of Ingrid K. Behrens (wife of son Brendan O'Brien).

Was cast in Black Christmas (1974) as Lt. Kenneth Fuller, but the part was recast with John Saxon because of O'Brien's poor health. He was rumored to be suffering from Alzheimers.

Performed a reading of "The Red Badge Of Courage" that was available as an LP.

O'Brien was originally cast as the photo-journalist Jackson Bentley (based on Lowell Thomas) in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). After O'Brien filmed several scenes, he suffered a heart attack and had to be replaced.

In an interview, director Don Siegel recalled that during the production of China Venture (1953), he noticed that O'Brien was spending more and more time in his trailer before a scene, and was beginning to arrive late for shooting, which he had never done before. Suspecting that O'Brien might be secretly drinking before he went on camera--an experience Siegel had undergone with several well-known actors he had worked with--the director peeked through the windows of O'Brien's trailer one day and was surprised to see a young man reading O'Brien's lines to him. It turned out that O'Brien's eyesight and memory were beginning to fail him, he didn't want the studio to find out and fire him, so he had his assistant read him his lines and stage directions immediately before he was to shoot a scene so he wouldn't forget them on-camera.

Ex-father-in-law of Michael Anderson Jr..

Personal Quotes

Versatility is a dangerous thing. It's very satisfying to portray many types of roles, but often your own identity gets lost. Seldom does a producer say, "This is an Eddie O'Brien part." On the other hand, while the rewards may be great in fame and financially for stars, the work becomes monotonous. No actor who plays himself is a happy person.

Salary

A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941)

$11,500