Dave O'Brien (actor)
Dave O'Brien was an American film actor, stunt man, film director, and Emmy awarded comedy writer. He was well known for his portrayal, in the 1942 serial films of the title character in Captain Midnight, performer and comedy writer in the Pete Smith Specialties and as one of Red Skelton's comedy writers.
Life and career
Born in Big Spring, Texas, to Mike Fronabarger and his wife, Mary Edith, he started his film career performing in choruses and working as a stunt double, then graduating into larger roles, mostly in B pictures. He adopted "O'Brien" as his acting pseudonym. He had roles in early Western movies such as Lightnin' Crandall.O'Brien acted in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy short film series Pete Smith Specialties. O'Brien wrote and directed many of these subjects under the name David Barclay. In 1933, O'Brien also had a small dancing part with Bebe Daniels in the Busby Berkeley musical 42nd Street. O'Brien portrayed a frantic drug abuser in the 1936 anti-drug film Tell Your Children.
He appeared in several of the East Side Kids films. He appeared in low-budget Westerns, such as Producers Releasing Corporation's Texas Rangers series, billed as "Tex O'Brien".
In 1940, he appeared in Queen of the Yukon, The Devil Bat with Bela Lugosi, and Son of the Navy. In 1942, he starred in the fifteen episode movie serial Captain Midnight. In 1944, were roles in a series of Westerns, some of which were the Billy the Kid serials, and serials The Texas Rangers, a lead role in Brand of the Devil. In 1945, he appeared in The Man Who Walked Alone. By 1953, he was in the MGM musical Kiss Me, Kate.
Recognition and writing career, death
As a comedy writer for The Red Skelton Show, O'Brien shared an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1961. Then, shared a nomination for the same award in 1963. At the time of his death in 1969, O'Brien was still writing for the Red Skelton Hour.Selected filmography
Consolation Marriage The World Changes as Otto Peterson Bright Eyes as BillThe Black Coin Reefer Madness Rough Riding Rhythm Gun Packer Frontier Scout as Steven NorrisFighting Mad as Constable KellyFlaming Lead Crashing Thru Main Street Lawyer East Side Kids as 'Knuckles' DolanBoys of the City as 'Knuckles' DolanThat Gang of Mine as 'Knuckles' DolanGun Code as GaleThe Devil Bat as Johnny LaytonIsle of Destiny Navy Radio Man Phantom Rancher as Henchman LukeSon of the Navy as Chief Machinist's MateHold That Woman as Miles HanoverSky Bandits as Constable Kelly Buzzy Rides the Range as Ken BlairQueen of the YukonFlying Wild as Tom LawsonBuzzy and the Phantom Pinto The Spider Returns Murder by Invitation as Michael, the ChauffeurBilly the Kid in Santa Fe as Texas JoeBilly the Kid Wanted as JeffSpooks Run Wild as Jeff DixonDouble Trouble as Sparky MarshallForbidden Trails as Jim CramerBowery at Midnight as Peter Crawford'Neath Brooklyn Bridge as Sergeant LyonsBilly the Kid's Smoking Guns as Jeff TravisThe Yanks Are Coming as Sgt. CallahanThe Rangers Take Over as Tex WyattBad Men of Thunder Gap as Tex WyattWest of Texas as Tex WyattBorder Buckaroos as Tex WyattFighting Valley as Tex WyattTrail of Terror as Tex WyattThe Return of the Rangers as Tex WyattBoss of Rawhide as Tex WyattTahiti Nights Outlaw Roundup as Tex WyattGuns of the Law as Tex WyattThe Pinto Bandit as Tex WyattSpook Town as Tex WyattBrand of the Devil as Tex WyattGunsmoke Mesa as Tex WyattGangsters of the Frontier as Tex WyattDead or Alive as Tex WyattThe Whispering Skull as Tex WyattMarked for Murder as Tex WyattThe Phantom of 42nd Street as Tony WoolrichEnemy of the Law as Tex WyattThree in the Saddle as Tex WyattFrontier Fugitives as Tex WyattFlaming Bullets as Tex WyattThe Man Who Walked Alone Kiss Me, Kate T.V. of Tomorrow Himself The Kettles in the Ozarks ConductorSelected short subjects
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | - |
| 1942 | Calling All Pa's | Joe Thunderstruck | - | |
| 1943 | First Aid | Crandall K. Krumb, the Husband | - | |
| 1943 | Seventh Column | Falstaff Pratt | Uncredited | - |
| 1944 | Movie Pests | Feet-in-the-Aisle-Pest | Uncredited | - |
| 1944 | Safety Sleuth | Careless Man | Uncredited | - |
| 1946 | Treasures From Trash | Alonzo T. Mousebrain | Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1946 | Sure Cures | Xavier T. Schneckendorf | Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1946 | I Love My Husband, BUT! | The Husband | Director as David Barclay, Dorothy Short appears as his Wife | - |
| 1947 | I Love My Wife, BUT! | The Husband | Director as David Barclay, Dorothy Short appears as his Wife | - |
| 1947 | Have You Ever Wondered | Main Character | Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1948 | I Love My Mother-in-Law, But... | The Husband | Director as David Barclay, Dorothy Short as his Wife, and Anne O'Neal as the Mother-in-Law | - |
| 1948 | Ice Aces | Director as David Barclay | - | |
| 1948 | You Can't Win | Harried Homeowner | Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1948 | Let's Cogitate | Director and Screenplay Writer as David Barclay | - | |
| 1949 | Just Suppose | The Dad | Director as David Barclay | - |
| 1950 | Did'ja Know? | Main Character | Director as David Barclay | - |
| 1950 | Wrong Way Butch | Wrong Way Butch | Director as David Barclay | - |
| 1952 | I Love Children But... | The Dad/Papa Schlemiel | Director and Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1953 | Things We Can Do Without | Thaddeus E. Thud | Director and Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1954 | Ain't it Aggravatin' | Main Character | Director and Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1954 | Do Someone a Favor | George Dibson | Director and Writer as David Barclay | - |
| 1954 | Out for Fun | Businessman seeking relaxation | Director and Writer as David Barclay |