Dave O'Brien

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.

Known For

Stanley Phillips

Welcome Home

Johnny Layton

The Devil Bat

Johnny Henessey

Million Dollar Racket

Jeff Dixon

Spooks Run Wild

Tex Alden

Song of the Buckaroo

Ralph

Tell Your Children

Those Good Old Days

Bat

Man's Country

Det. Pete Crawford

Bowery at Midnight

Trucker (uncredited)

Born to Be Wild

Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

The Sign of the Cross

Neighbor Pests

Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]

The Secret of Treasure Island

Oliver T. Aseltafel

Let's Cogitate

Duke

Trigger Smith

Conductor

The Kettles in the Ozarks

Jim Dana

Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto

Tom Lawson

Flying Wild

Charlie

On the Spot

Jim Cramer

Forbidden Trails

Steve Norris

Frontier Scout

Tom Martin

Riders of the Sage

Henchman Slade

Whirlwind Horseman

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Wonder Bar

Fred Chambers

Crashing Thru

Dave Wyatt

Gangsters of the Frontier

Dave Wyatt

Enemy of the Law

Dave Wyatt

Frontier Fugitives

Tony Woolrich

The Phantom of 42nd Street

Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)

Consolation Marriage

Dave Dodge

Down Texas Way

Marion Scott

The Man Who Walked Alone

Bob Adams

Queen of the Yukon

Terry Navarro

The Black Coin

Jeff Travis

Law and Order

Bart

Brothers of the West

Jerry Morgan

Daughter of the Tong

Jeff Gray

Where the Buffalo Roam

Mason - Bookkeeper

Utah Trail

Dick Williams

The Singing Cowgirl

Dance Extra (uncredited)

One Man's Journey

Self (archive footage)

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

Red Baker - Henchman

Gun Packer

Businessman Seeking Relaxation

Out for Fun

Henchman Lucke

Phantom Rancher

Henchman Trigger

Drifting Westward

Frank Gordon

Flaming Lead

Captain Albright / Captain Midnight

Captain Midnight

Student

Good News

Man on TV

T.V. of Tomorrow

Party Guest (Uncredited)

Hot Saturday

Carson

Buried Alive

Bob Lawson

Water Rustlers

Dancer (uncredited)

Flying High

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

Woman Wanted

Student

College Humor

Dave Wyatt

The Whispering Skull

Man in Audience

On Your Toes

Submarine Crewman

Roar of the Dragon

Tex Wyatt

Guns of the Law

Bob Swane

Code of the Cactus

Henchman Meggs

Outlaws' Paradise

Billiards Player

Undercover Agent

Acacia Park Game Warden

Wyoming Outlaw

Jason Braddock

New Frontier

Constable Kelly

Fighting Mad

Dr. Jerry Leonard

The Fighting Renegade

Soldier

The Arizona Kid

Daniels

Mutiny in the Big House

Jeff

Billy the Kid Wanted

Sparky Barton

Double Trouble

Tex Wyatt

The Pinto Bandit

Ed Arden

Texas Wildcats

Corporal Kelly

Danger Ahead

Constable Kelly

Murder on the Yukon

Buzz Weston

The Texas Marshal

Constable Kelly

Yukon Flight

Constable Kelly

Sky Bandits

Ranch hand Red

Rollin' Westward

Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt

Trail of Terror

Jack

Tahiti Nights

Tex Wyatt

Bad Men of Thunder Gap

George Baldwin

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

Thaddeus E. Thud III

Things We Can Do Without

Arthur - Harry's Friend

Carry Harry

Knuckles Dolan

Boys of the City

Knuckles Dolan

That Gang of Mine

Talent Contestant (uncredited)

Search for Beauty

Knuckles Dolan

East Side Kids

U. S. Marine

Prisoner of Japan

Sgt. Phil Lyons

'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

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

Ain't It Aggravatin'

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

Did'ja Know?

Tex Wyatt

The Rangers Take Over

Joe Martin

The Gunman From Bodie

Detective Waters

Rough Riding Rhythm

Steve Davis

The Cowboy from Sundown

Student

Student Tour

Interne (uncredited)

Tomorrow's Children

Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)

Sitting Pretty

Dancer (uncredited)

Gift of Gab

Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

College Coach

Nelson

Son of the Navy

Whitey - Navy Radio Man

Isle Of Destiny

Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest

Movie Pests

Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)

The Fall Guy

Xavier T. Schneckendorf

Sure Cures

The Husband

I Love My Husband, But!

Miles Hanover

Hold That Woman!

Horace

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

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Murder at the Vanities

Pete (uncredited)

We're Rich Again

Member of Audience

Doubting Thomas

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Is My Face Red?

Party Boy (uncredited)

Pick-up

Nightclub Patron

The Girl on the Front Page

Ralph Spencer

The Deadly Game

Tex Wyatt

Border Buckaroos

Tex Wyatt

Boss of Rawhide

Jackson, Wentworth's Aide

The Spider Returns

Jeff

Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns

O'Brien

Studio Visit

Jeff

Sheriff of Sage Valley

Texas Joe

Billy the Kid in Santa Fe

Henchman Gale

Gun Code

Tex Wyatt

Fighting Valley

Tex Wyatt

The Return of the Rangers

Tex Wyatt

West of Texas

Tex Wyatt

Brand of the Devil

Dave Wyatt

Dead or Alive

Tex Wyatt

Outlaw Roundup

Dave Wyatt

Marked for Murder

Tex Wyatt

Gunsmoke Mesa

Tex Wyatt

Spook Town

Dave Wyatt

Three in the Saddle

Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson

Flaming Bullets

Henchman

Starlight Over Texas

Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown

The Desperados Are in Town

Michael, the chauffeur

Murder by Invitation

Tommy Shannon

Lightnin' Crandall

Pilot (uncredited)

The Dawn Patrol

The Husband

I Love My Wife BUT!

George T. Hardnose (uncredited)

A Wife's Life

The Son-In-Law / Husband

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

A Shmoe Named Joe

Cash Stashers

The Daddy

I Love Children, But!

Harry Horseknuckle

Just What I Needed

Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)

The Man Around the House

Soldier (uncredited)

Rasputin and the Empress

Butch

Wrong Way Butch

Harried Homeowner

You Can't Win

George Dibson

Do Someone a Favor!

(archive footage)

That's Entertainment, Part II

Husband (uncredited)

Just Suppose

Man on Bench (uncredited)

Reducing

Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer

Have You Ever Wondered?

Victory Quiz

Joe Thunderstruck

Calling All Pa's

Careless Man

Safety Sleuth

King of the Stallions

Alonzo T. Mousebrain

Treasures from Trash

Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

The Big Parade of Comedy

Football Player (uncredited)

70,000 Witnesses

Young Man (uncredited)

Ship Cafe

Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man

Seventh Column

Ralph

Kiss Me Kate

Dog's Master (uncredited)

Wanted - A Master

Party Guest (uncredited)

No More Ladies

Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)

Sportsman's Memories

Luke MacWade

Tennessee Champ

Sgt. Callahan

The Yanks Are Coming

Shopper

She Married Her Boss

Zeppelin Reveler

Madam Satan

The Husband

What About Daddy?

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

174

Gender

Male

Birthday

1912-05-31

Place of Birth

Big Spring, Texas, USA

Also Known As

David Poole Fronabarger