Brefni O'Rorke


Brefni O'Rorke was an Irish actor, both on the stage and in movies.

Early life

O'Rorke was born as William Francis Breffni O'Rorke at 2 Esplande Villas in Dollymount, Clontarf, Dublin on 26 June 1889, and baptised at Clontarf Parish Church on 1 August 1889. His father, Frederick O'Rorke, was a cork merchant, and his mother, Jane Caroline O'Rorke, née Morgan, was an actress. He had an older brother, Frederick, who was twelve years older than him.

Career

O'Rorke began studying acting with his mother and made his professional début in 1912 at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin in a production of Shaw's John Bull's Other Island. While still living in Dublin, he met and married in 1916 Alice Cole, a chorus-girl turned actress, who had divorced her first husband and immigrated from South Africa with her young son. Thus O'Rorke became the stepfather of Cyril Cusack. Other theatre roles included the title role in Finn Varra Maa, a musical "pantomime" written by Thomas Henry Nally with music by Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer.
In 1939 he appeared in several broadcasts in the new fledgling BBC television broadcast, including a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy called The King of Spain's Daughter, and produced by Denis Johnston.

Partial filmography

The Ghost of St. Michael's – Sergeant MacFarlaneThis Man Is Dangerous – Dr CrosbieLove on the Dole – Dole Officer Cottage to Let – Scottish Police Inspector Jeannie – Quarantine OfficerThe Black Sheep of Whitehall – Ministry receptionist Hatter's Castle – FoyleThe Missing Million – ColemanThe Next of Kin – Brigadier BluntThe Day Will Dawn – Political journalistThey Flew Alone – Mac Unpublished Story – DentonThe First of the Few – SpecialistSecret Mission – Father JouvetMuch Too Shy – Mr SomersKing Arthur Was a Gentleman – Colonel DuncannonWe'll Meet Again – Dr DrakeTomorrow We Live – MoreauThe Flemish Farm – MinisterEscape to Danger – Security OfficerThey Met in the Dark – Detective Inspector BurrowsThe Lamp Still Burns – Mr LorrimerThe Hundred Pound Window – KennedyTawny Pipit – Uncle ArthurIt Happened One Sunday – EngineerDon't Take It to Heart – Lord ChaunduytMen of Rochdale – Miles AshworthTwilight Hour – Richard MelvilleThey Were Sisters – CoronerWaltz Time – EmperorPerfect Strangers – Mr HargroveMurder in Reverse – SullivanThe Rake's Progress – BromheadThe Voice Within – Sergeant SullivanI See a Dark Stranger – Michael O'Callaghan
posthumous complete:The Root of All Evil – FarnishGreen Fingers – CoronerThe Upturned Glass – Dr FarrellJassy – Fielding, footman

Television

National Television started in October 1936, initially broadcast just two hours a day. The station stopped broadcasting at the start of the War, and didn't restart until 1946.
"Plays" could last just one hour maximum, but some were only 25 minutes long. Also, there was no recording possible, so any repeat was really a new broadcast.

Dramas





Others