Stuart O'Brien (stage)

Stuart O'Brien was an Irish-born actor and manager in Australia.

History

Francis Stuart O'Brien was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and was brought to England as a child. In 1851 he left for America, and began acting professionally with J. W. Wallack's company, briefly adopting the stage name Frank Stuart.
He arrived in Victoria, Australia in 1854, and did not appear on stage for a year or so, then in 1856 he joined H. T. Craven and W. H. Stephens at the Lyceum Theatre, Sydney in a company that included G. V. Brooke, Robert Heir and Mrs. Robert Heir, James Milne, Francis Belfield, Mrs. Crosby (Mrs. Eigenshank), Harry Edwards, E. Wright, W. H. Walker, R. P. Whitworth, Mrs. Winterbottom, Miss Amy Howard and Mrs H. T. Craven.
He founded his own troupe, touring the New South Wales goldfields and New Zealand then returned to Victoria, where he was a popular favorite.
He later became joint lessee of the Princess Theatre, Melbourne with the scenic artist Harry Holmes, a financial failure for them both.
He was noted for playing "Job Armroyd" in Watts Phillips' Lost in London and "Deacon Skinner" in Struck Oil. One of his last parts was as "Donald McAlister" opposite Jennie Lee in The Grasshopper in 1882.
He was for many years a warden of the Australasian Dramatic and Musical Association.