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Dave O'Brien

Dave O'Brien

Born on May 31st, 1912

Big Spring, Texas, USA

Died on November 8th, 1969

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.

Filmography

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

2006

Self (archive footage)

Details

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

(archive footage)

Details

The Big Parade of Comedy

1964

Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

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The Desperados Are in Town

1956

Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown

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The Kettles in the Ozarks

1956

Conductor

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The Fall Guy

1955

Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)

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Just What I Needed

1955

Harry Horseknuckle

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The Man Around the House

1955

Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)

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Out for Fun

1954

Businessman Seeking Relaxation

Details

Do Someone a Favor!

1954

George Dibson

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Tennessee Champ

1954

Luke MacWade

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Ain't It Aggravatin'

1954

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

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Things We Can Do Without

1953

Thaddeus E. Thud III

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Kiss Me Kate

1953

Ralph

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Cash Stashers

1953

A Shmoe Named Joe

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T.V. of Tomorrow

1953

Man on TV

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I Love Children, But!

1952

The Daddy

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Reducing

1952

Man on Bench (uncredited)

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Wrong Way Butch

1950

Butch

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A Wife's Life

1950

George T. Hardnose (uncredited)

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Did'ja Know?

1950

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

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Those Good Old Days

1949

Character TBA

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Let's Cogitate

1948

Oliver T. Aseltafel

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Just Suppose

1948

Husband (uncredited)

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You Can't Win

1948

Harried Homeowner

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

1948

The Son-In-Law / Husband

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Have You Ever Wondered?

1947

Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer

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Neighbor Pests

1947

Character TBA

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I Love My Wife BUT!

1947

The Husband

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I Love My Husband, But!

1946

The Husband

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Sure Cures

1946

Xavier T. Schneckendorf

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Treasures from Trash

1946

Alonzo T. Mousebrain

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

1946

Horace

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Studio Visit

1946

O'Brien

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Flaming Bullets

1945

Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson

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Frontier Fugitives

1945

Dave Wyatt

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Three in the Saddle

1945

Dave Wyatt

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Enemy of the Law

1945

Dave Wyatt

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The Phantom of 42nd Street

1945

Tony Woolrich

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The Man Who Walked Alone

1945

Marion Scott

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Marked for Murder

1945

Dave Wyatt

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The Whispering Skull

1944

Dave Wyatt

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Tahiti Nights

1944

Jack

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Safety Sleuth

1944

Careless Man

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Dead or Alive

1944

Dave Wyatt

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Gangsters of the Frontier

1944

Dave Wyatt

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Gunsmoke Mesa

1944

Tex Wyatt

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Brand of the Devil

1944

Tex Wyatt

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Movie Pests

1944

Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest

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Spook Town

1944

Tex Wyatt

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The Pinto Bandit

1944

Tex Wyatt

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Sportsman's Memories

1944

Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)

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Guns of the Law

1944

Tex Wyatt

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Outlaw Roundup

1944

Tex Wyatt

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Boss of Rawhide

1943

Tex Wyatt

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The Return of the Rangers

1943

Tex Wyatt

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Trail of Terror

1943

Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt

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Fighting Valley

1943

Tex Wyatt

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Seventh Column

1943

Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man

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Border Buckaroos

1943

Tex Wyatt

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West of Texas

1943

Tex Wyatt

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Bad Men of Thunder Gap

1943

Tex Wyatt

Details

The Rangers Take Over

1942

Tex Wyatt

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'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

1942

Sgt. Phil Lyons

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The Yanks Are Coming

1942

Sgt. Callahan

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Bowery at Midnight

1942

Det. Pete Crawford

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Calling All Pa's

1942

Joe Thunderstruck

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King of the Stallions

1942

Character TBA

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Carry Harry

1942

Arthur - Harry's Friend

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Sheriff of Sage Valley

1942

Jeff

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Law and Order

1942

Jeff Travis

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Prisoner of Japan

1942

U. S. Marine

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Down Texas Way

1942

Dave Dodge

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Victory Quiz

1942

Character TBA

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Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns

1942

Jeff

Details

What About Daddy?

1942

The Husband

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Captain Midnight

1942

Captain Albright / Captain Midnight

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Forbidden Trails

1941

Jim Cramer

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Double Trouble

1941

Sparky Barton

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Spooks Run Wild

1941

Jeff Dixon

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Billy the Kid Wanted

1941

Jeff

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The Gunman From Bodie

1941

Joe Martin

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The Deadly Game

1941

Ralph Spencer

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The Texas Marshal

1941

Buzz Weston

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Billy the Kid in Santa Fe

1941

Texas Joe

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Murder by Invitation

1941

Michael, the chauffeur

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The Spider Returns

1941

Jackson, Wentworth's Aide

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Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto

1941

Jim Dana

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Flying Wild

1941

Tom Lawson

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The Devil Bat

1940

Johnny Layton

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That Gang of Mine

1940

Knuckles Dolan

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The Cowboy from Sundown

1940

Steve Davis

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Queen of the Yukon

1940

Bob Adams

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Gun Code

1940

Henchman Gale

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Boys of the City

1940

Knuckles Dolan

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Sky Bandits

1940

Constable Kelly

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Hold That Woman!

1940

Miles Hanover

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On the Spot

1940

Charlie

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Phantom Rancher

1940

Henchman Lucke

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Son of the Navy

1940

Nelson

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Isle Of Destiny

1940

Whitey - Navy Radio Man

Details

Murder on the Yukon

1940

Constable Kelly

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East Side Kids

1940

Knuckles Dolan

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Danger Ahead

1940

Corporal Kelly

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Yukon Flight

1940

Constable Kelly

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Crashing Thru

1939

Fred Chambers

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Buried Alive

1939

Carson

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Fighting Mad

1939

Constable Kelly

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Flaming Lead

1939

Frank Gordon

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Mutiny in the Big House

1939

Daniels

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On Your Toes

1939

Man in Audience

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The Arizona Kid

1939

Soldier

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The Fighting Renegade

1939

Dr. Jerry Leonard

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Daughter of the Tong

1939

Jerry Morgan

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New Frontier

1939

Jason Braddock

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Riders of the Sage

1939

Tom Martin

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Wyoming Outlaw

1939

Acacia Park Game Warden

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Undercover Agent

1939

Billiards Player

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Outlaws' Paradise

1939

Henchman Meggs

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Texas Wildcats

1939

Ed Arden

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Trigger Smith

1939

Duke

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Rollin' Westward

1939

Ranch hand Red

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Code of the Cactus

1939

Bob Swane

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Drifting Westward

1939

Henchman Trigger

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Water Rustlers

1939

Bob Lawson

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Song of the Buckaroo

1938

Tex Alden

Details

Gun Packer

1938

Red Baker - Henchman

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Where the Buffalo Roam

1938

Jeff Gray

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Frontier Scout

1938

Steve Norris

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Starlight Over Texas

1938

Henchman

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Utah Trail

1938

Mason - Bookkeeper

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Man's Country

1938

Bat

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Tell Your Children

1938

Ralph

Details

The Singing Cowgirl

1938

Dick Williams

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Whirlwind Horseman

1938

Henchman Slade

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The Secret of Treasure Island

1938

Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]

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Born to Be Wild

1938

Trucker (uncredited)

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Million Dollar Racket

1937

Johnny Henessey

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Rough Riding Rhythm

1937

Detective Waters

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Brothers of the West

1937

Bart

Details

Lightnin' Crandall

1937

Tommy Shannon

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Wanted - A Master

1936

Dog's Master (uncredited)

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The Girl on the Front Page

1936

Nightclub Patron

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The Black Coin

1936

Terry Navarro

Details

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

1936

George Baldwin

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Ship Cafe

1935

Young Man (uncredited)

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She Married Her Boss

1935

Shopper

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Welcome Home

1935

Stanley Phillips

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Woman Wanted

1935

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

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Doubting Thomas

1935

Member of Audience

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No More Ladies

1935

Party Guest (uncredited)

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Student Tour

1934

Student

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Gift of Gab

1934

Dancer (uncredited)

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We're Rich Again

1934

Pete (uncredited)

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Tomorrow's Children

1934

Interne (uncredited)

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Murder at the Vanities

1934

Character TBA

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Wonder Bar

1934

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

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Search for Beauty

1934

Talent Contestant (uncredited)

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Sitting Pretty

1933

Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)

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College Coach

1933

Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

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One Man's Journey

1933

Dance Extra (uncredited)

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College Humor

1933

Student

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Pick-up

1933

Party Boy (uncredited)

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Rasputin and the Empress

1932

Soldier (uncredited)

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The Sign of the Cross

1932

Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

Details

Hot Saturday

1932

Party Guest (Uncredited)

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70,000 Witnesses

1932

Football Player (uncredited)

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Roar of the Dragon

1932

Submarine Crewman

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Is My Face Red?

1932

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

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Consolation Marriage

1931

Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)

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Flying High

1931

Dancer (uncredited)

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Madam Satan

1930

Zeppelin Reveler

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Good News

1930

Student

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The Dawn Patrol

1930

Pilot (uncredited)

Details