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)
Details The Desperados Are in Town
1956
Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
Details The Kettles in the Ozarks
1956
Conductor
Details The Fall Guy
1955
Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)
Details Just What I Needed
1955
Harry Horseknuckle
Details The Man Around the House
1955
Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)
Details Out for Fun
1954
Businessman Seeking Relaxation
Details Do Someone a Favor!
1954
George Dibson
Details Tennessee Champ
1954
Luke MacWade
Details Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954
Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead
Details Things We Can Do Without
1953
Thaddeus E. Thud III
Details Cash Stashers
1953
A Shmoe Named Joe
Details T.V. of Tomorrow
1953
Man on TV
Details I Love Children, But!
1952
The Daddy
Details Reducing
1952
Man on Bench (uncredited)
Details A Wife's Life
1950
George T. Hardnose (uncredited)
Details Did'ja Know?
1950
Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant
Details Those Good Old Days
1949
Character TBA
Details Let's Cogitate
1948
Oliver T. Aseltafel
Details Just Suppose
1948
Husband (uncredited)
Details You Can't Win
1948
Harried Homeowner
Details I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948
The Son-In-Law / Husband
Details Have You Ever Wondered?
1947
Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer
Details Neighbor Pests
1947
Character TBA
Details I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
The Husband
Details I Love My Husband, But!
1946
The Husband
Details Sure Cures
1946
Xavier T. Schneckendorf
Details Treasures from Trash
1946
Alonzo T. Mousebrain
Details Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
Horace
Details Flaming Bullets
1945
Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson
Details Frontier Fugitives
1945
Dave Wyatt
Details Three in the Saddle
1945
Dave Wyatt
Details Enemy of the Law
1945
Dave Wyatt
Details The Phantom of 42nd Street
1945
Tony Woolrich
Details The Man Who Walked Alone
1945
Marion Scott
Details Marked for Murder
1945
Dave Wyatt
Details The Whispering Skull
1944
Dave Wyatt
Details Safety Sleuth
1944
Careless Man
Details Dead or Alive
1944
Dave Wyatt
Details Gangsters of the Frontier
1944
Dave Wyatt
Details Brand of the Devil
1944
Tex Wyatt
Details Movie Pests
1944
Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
Details The Pinto Bandit
1944
Tex Wyatt
Details Sportsman's Memories
1944
Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)
Details Guns of the Law
1944
Tex Wyatt
Details Outlaw Roundup
1944
Tex Wyatt
Details Boss of Rawhide
1943
Tex Wyatt
Details The Return of the Rangers
1943
Tex Wyatt
Details Trail of Terror
1943
Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt
Details Fighting Valley
1943
Tex Wyatt
Details Seventh Column
1943
Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man
Details Border Buckaroos
1943
Tex Wyatt
Details Bad Men of Thunder Gap
1943
Tex Wyatt
Details The Rangers Take Over
1942
Tex Wyatt
Details 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
1942
Sgt. Phil Lyons
Details The Yanks Are Coming
1942
Sgt. Callahan
Details Bowery at Midnight
1942
Det. Pete Crawford
Details Calling All Pa's
1942
Joe Thunderstruck
Details King of the Stallions
1942
Character TBA
Details Carry Harry
1942
Arthur - Harry's Friend
Details Sheriff of Sage Valley
1942
Jeff
Details Law and Order
1942
Jeff Travis
Details Prisoner of Japan
1942
U. S. Marine
Details Down Texas Way
1942
Dave Dodge
Details Victory Quiz
1942
Character TBA
Details Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns
1942
Jeff
Details What About Daddy?
1942
The Husband
Details Captain Midnight
1942
Captain Albright / Captain Midnight
Details Forbidden Trails
1941
Jim Cramer
Details Double Trouble
1941
Sparky Barton
Details Spooks Run Wild
1941
Jeff Dixon
Details Billy the Kid Wanted
1941
Jeff
Details The Gunman From Bodie
1941
Joe Martin
Details The Deadly Game
1941
Ralph Spencer
Details The Texas Marshal
1941
Buzz Weston
Details Billy the Kid in Santa Fe
1941
Texas Joe
Details Murder by Invitation
1941
Michael, the chauffeur
Details The Spider Returns
1941
Jackson, Wentworth's Aide
Details Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto
1941
Jim Dana
Details The Devil Bat
1940
Johnny Layton
Details That Gang of Mine
1940
Knuckles Dolan
Details The Cowboy from Sundown
1940
Steve Davis
Details Queen of the Yukon
1940
Bob Adams
Details Boys of the City
1940
Knuckles Dolan
Details Sky Bandits
1940
Constable Kelly
Details Hold That Woman!
1940
Miles Hanover
Details Phantom Rancher
1940
Henchman Lucke
Details Isle Of Destiny
1940
Whitey - Navy Radio Man
Details Murder on the Yukon
1940
Constable Kelly
Details East Side Kids
1940
Knuckles Dolan
Details Danger Ahead
1940
Corporal Kelly
Details Yukon Flight
1940
Constable Kelly
Details Crashing Thru
1939
Fred Chambers
Details Fighting Mad
1939
Constable Kelly
Details Flaming Lead
1939
Frank Gordon
Details Mutiny in the Big House
1939
Daniels
Details On Your Toes
1939
Man in Audience
Details The Fighting Renegade
1939
Dr. Jerry Leonard
Details Daughter of the Tong
1939
Jerry Morgan
Details New Frontier
1939
Jason Braddock
Details Riders of the Sage
1939
Tom Martin
Details Wyoming Outlaw
1939
Acacia Park Game Warden
Details Undercover Agent
1939
Billiards Player
Details Outlaws' Paradise
1939
Henchman Meggs
Details Rollin' Westward
1939
Ranch hand Red
Details Code of the Cactus
1939
Bob Swane
Details Drifting Westward
1939
Henchman Trigger
Details Water Rustlers
1939
Bob Lawson
Details Song of the Buckaroo
1938
Tex Alden
Details Gun Packer
1938
Red Baker - Henchman
Details Where the Buffalo Roam
1938
Jeff Gray
Details Frontier Scout
1938
Steve Norris
Details Starlight Over Texas
1938
Henchman
Details Utah Trail
1938
Mason - Bookkeeper
Details Tell Your Children
1938
Ralph
Details The Singing Cowgirl
1938
Dick Williams
Details Whirlwind Horseman
1938
Henchman Slade
Details The Secret of Treasure Island
1938
Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]
Details Born to Be Wild
1938
Trucker (uncredited)
Details Million Dollar Racket
1937
Johnny Henessey
Details Rough Riding Rhythm
1937
Detective Waters
Details Brothers of the West
1937
Bart
Details Lightnin' Crandall
1937
Tommy Shannon
Details Wanted - A Master
1936
Dog's Master (uncredited)
Details The Girl on the Front Page
1936
Nightclub Patron
Details The Black Coin
1936
Terry Navarro
Details The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
1936
George Baldwin
Details Ship Cafe
1935
Young Man (uncredited)
Details She Married Her Boss
1935
Shopper
Details Welcome Home
1935
Stanley Phillips
Details Woman Wanted
1935
Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)
Details Doubting Thomas
1935
Member of Audience
Details No More Ladies
1935
Party Guest (uncredited)
Details Gift of Gab
1934
Dancer (uncredited)
Details We're Rich Again
1934
Pete (uncredited)
Details Tomorrow's Children
1934
Interne (uncredited)
Details Murder at the Vanities
1934
Character TBA
Details Wonder Bar
1934
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Details Search for Beauty
1934
Talent Contestant (uncredited)
Details Sitting Pretty
1933
Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
Details College Coach
1933
Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
Details One Man's Journey
1933
Dance Extra (uncredited)
Details Pick-up
1933
Party Boy (uncredited)
Details Rasputin and the Empress
1932
Soldier (uncredited)
Details The Sign of the Cross
1932
Christian on Stairway (uncredited)
Details Hot Saturday
1932
Party Guest (Uncredited)
Details 70,000 Witnesses
1932
Football Player (uncredited)
Details Roar of the Dragon
1932
Submarine Crewman
Details Is My Face Red?
1932
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Details Consolation Marriage
1931
Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)
Details Flying High
1931
Dancer (uncredited)
Details Madam Satan
1930
Zeppelin Reveler
Details The Dawn Patrol
1930
Pilot (uncredited)
Details