
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.

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
Enemy of the Law

Dave Wyatt
Gangsters of the Frontier

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

Mason - Bookkeeper
Utah Trail

Jeff Gray
Where the Buffalo Roam

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

Tex Wyatt
The Pinto Bandit

Sparky Barton
Double Trouble

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
That Gang of Mine

Knuckles Dolan
Boys of the City

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

Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
Sitting Pretty

Interne (uncredited)
Tomorrow's Children

Dancer (uncredited)
Gift of Gab

Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
College Coach

Nelson
Son of the Navy

Whitey - Navy Radio Man
Isle Of Destiny

The Husband
I Love My Husband, But!

Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
Movie Pests

Xavier T. Schneckendorf
Sure Cures

Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)
The Fall Guy

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?

Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
Devil and the Deep

Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)
Music in the Air

Otto Peterson (uncredited)
The World Changes

Pool Party Boy (uncredited)
Lover Come Back

Dave
Meet the O'Briens
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
179
Gender
Male
Birthday
1912-05-31
Place of Birth
Big Spring, Texas, USA
Also Known As
David Poole Fronabarger