Dave O'Brien1912 - 1969

usually

Actor

Popularity

2.1

Famous

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.

Credits

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

2006

Documentary

as Self (archive footage)

6
0.2
That's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

Documentary • Music

as (archive footage)

6.9
0.6
The Big Parade of Comedy
The Big Parade of Comedy

1964

Comedy • Documentary

as Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)

6.3
0.3
The Desperados Are in Town
The Desperados Are in Town

1956

Western

as Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown

0
0.1
The Kettles in the Ozarks
The Kettles in the Ozarks

1956

Comedy

as Conductor

6.4
0.2
The Fall Guy
The Fall Guy

1955

Comedy

as Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)

6
0.1
Just What I Needed
Just What I Needed

1955

Comedy

as Harry Horseknuckle

0
0
The Man Around the House
The Man Around the House

1955

Comedy

as Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)

0
0.1
Out for Fun
Out for Fun

1954

as Businessman Seeking Relaxation

0
0
Do Someone a Favor!
Do Someone a Favor!

1954

Comedy

as George Dibson

0
0
Tennessee Champ
Tennessee Champ

1954

Drama

as Luke MacWade

5.8
0.2
Ain't It Aggravatin'
Ain't It Aggravatin'

1954

Comedy

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

6
0.1
Things We Can Do Without
Things We Can Do Without

1953

Comedy

as Thaddeus E. Thud III

8
0.1
Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate

1953

Comedy • Music • Romance

as Ralph

6.4
1
Cash Stashers
Cash Stashers

1953

Comedy

as A Shmoe Named Joe

6
0.1
T.V. of Tomorrow
T.V. of Tomorrow

1953

Animation • Comedy

as Man on TV

6.4
0.1
I Love Children, But!
I Love Children, But!

1952

as The Daddy

0
0
Reducing
Reducing

1952

Comedy

as Man on Bench (uncredited)

2
0.2
Wrong Way Butch
Wrong Way Butch

1950

Comedy

as Butch

5.8
0.1
A Wife's Life
A Wife's Life

1950

Comedy

as George T. Hardnose (uncredited)

6
0.1
Did'ja Know?
Did'ja Know?

1950

Comedy

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

6
0.1
Those Good Old Days
0
0
Let's Cogitate
Let's Cogitate

1948

Comedy

as Oliver T. Aseltafel

5
0
Just Suppose
Just Suppose

1948

Comedy

as Husband (uncredited)

6
0.1
You Can't Win
You Can't Win

1948

Comedy

as Harried Homeowner

4.3
0
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

1948

Comedy

as The Son-In-Law / Husband

7.3
0.1
Have You Ever Wondered?
Have You Ever Wondered?

1947

Comedy

as Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer

0
0.1
Neighbor Pests
Neighbor Pests

1947

Comedy

0
0.1
I Love My Wife BUT!
I Love My Wife BUT!

1947

Comedy

as The Husband

7.5
0.1
I Love My Husband, But!
I Love My Husband, But!

1946

Comedy

as The Husband

0
0.1
Sure Cures
Sure Cures

1946

Comedy

as Xavier T. Schneckendorf

5
0.1
Treasures from Trash
Treasures from Trash

1946

Comedy • Documentary

as Alonzo T. Mousebrain

8
0
Studio Visit
Studio Visit

1946

Comedy

as O'Brien

3.5
0.1
Flaming Bullets
Flaming Bullets

1945

Western

as Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson

5
0.1
Frontier Fugitives
Frontier Fugitives

1945

Western

as Dave Wyatt

0
0.1
Three in the Saddle
Three in the Saddle

1945

Western

as Dave Wyatt

0
0.1
Enemy of the Law
Enemy of the Law

1945

Western

as Dave Wyatt

5
0.2
The Phantom of 42nd Street
The Phantom of 42nd Street

1945

Mystery • Thriller

as Tony Woolrich

4.5
0.9
The Man Who Walked Alone
The Man Who Walked Alone

1945

Comedy • Drama

as Marion Scott

5.5
0.2
Marked for Murder
Marked for Murder

1945

Western

as Dave Wyatt

4.2
0.1
The Whispering Skull
The Whispering Skull

1944

Western

as Dave Wyatt

4.7
0.7
Tahiti Nights
Tahiti Nights

1944

Comedy • Music • Romance

as Jack

0
0.2
Safety Sleuth
Safety Sleuth

1944

Comedy

as Careless Man

0
0.1
Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive

1944

Western

as Dave Wyatt

4.3
0.2
Gangsters of the Frontier
Gangsters of the Frontier

1944

Western

as Dave Wyatt

3.8
0.1
Gunsmoke Mesa
Gunsmoke Mesa

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

1
0.2
Brand of the Devil
Brand of the Devil

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

5
0.2
Movie Pests
Movie Pests

1944

Comedy

as Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest

5.6
0.2
Spook Town
Spook Town

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.7
The Pinto Bandit
The Pinto Bandit

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.2
Sportsman's Memories
Sportsman's Memories

1944

Comedy

as Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)

0
0.1
Guns of the Law
Guns of the Law

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

5
0.1
Outlaw Roundup
Outlaw Roundup

1944

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.2
Boss of Rawhide
Boss of Rawhide

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

5.5
0.2
The Return of the Rangers
The Return of the Rangers

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.1
Trail of Terror
Trail of Terror

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt

0
0.2
Fighting Valley
Fighting Valley

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.1
Seventh Column
Seventh Column

1943

Comedy

as Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man

0
0.1
Border Buckaroos
Border Buckaroos

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.1
West of Texas
West of Texas

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.2
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
Bad Men of Thunder Gap

1943

Western

as Tex Wyatt

0
0.1
The Rangers Take Over
The Rangers Take Over

1942

Western

as Tex Wyatt

6
0.3
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

1942

Comedy • Drama • Romance • War

as Sgt. Phil Lyons

6.4
0.2
The Yanks Are Coming
The Yanks Are Coming

1942

Comedy • Music

as Sgt. Callahan

4.5
0.1
Bowery at Midnight
Bowery at Midnight

1942

Action • Crime • Horror

as Det. Pete Crawford

5.1
0.9
Calling All Pa's
Calling All Pa's

1942

Comedy

as Joe Thunderstruck

6
0.1
King of the Stallions
6
0.8
Carry Harry
Carry Harry

1942

Comedy

as Arthur - Harry's Friend

0
0.1
Sheriff of Sage Valley
Sheriff of Sage Valley

1942

Western

as Jeff

5.6
0.2
Law and Order
Law and Order

1942

Western

as Jeff Travis

6
0.1
Prisoner of Japan
Prisoner of Japan

1942

War

as U. S. Marine

4.3
0.1
Down Texas Way
Down Texas Way

1942

Western

as Dave Dodge

0
0.7
Victory Quiz
Victory Quiz

1942

Documentary

6
0.1
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns
4.5
0.1
What About Daddy?
What About Daddy?

1942

Comedy

as The Husband

0
0
Captain Midnight
Captain Midnight

1942

Action • Adventure

as Captain Albright / Captain Midnight

5
0.1
Forbidden Trails
Forbidden Trails

1941

Action • Western

as Jim Cramer

5.4
0.2
Double Trouble
Double Trouble

1941

Comedy

as Sparky Barton

0
0.1
Spooks Run Wild
Spooks Run Wild

1941

Comedy • Horror

as Jeff Dixon

4.8
0.1
Billy the Kid Wanted
Billy the Kid Wanted

1941

Western

as Jeff

5.7
0.2
The Gunman From Bodie
The Gunman From Bodie

1941

Western

as Joe Martin

7
0.6
The Deadly Game
The Deadly Game

1941

Crime • Drama • Thriller

as Ralph Spencer

6
0.1
The Texas Marshal
The Texas Marshal

1941

Western

as Buzz Weston

0
0.2
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe

1941

Western

as Texas Joe

4
0.2
Murder by Invitation
Murder by Invitation

1941

Comedy • Crime • Mystery

as Michael, the chauffeur

5.6
0.2
The Spider Returns
The Spider Returns

1941

Action • Adventure • Crime

as Jackson, Wentworth's Aide

8.7
0.3
Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto
Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto

1941

Action • Mystery • Western

as Jim Dana

0
0.1
Flying Wild
Flying Wild

1941

Action • Comedy • Drama • Thriller

as Tom Lawson

5.9
0.3
The Devil Bat
The Devil Bat

1940

Crime • Horror • Science Fiction

as Johnny Layton

5.3
1
That Gang of Mine
That Gang of Mine

1940

Comedy • Drama

as Knuckles Dolan

5.6
0.2
The Cowboy from Sundown
The Cowboy from Sundown

1940

Western

as Steve Davis

0
0.1
Queen of the Yukon
Queen of the Yukon

1940

Western

as Bob Adams

5
0.1
Gun Code
Gun Code

1940

Western

as Henchman Gale

0
0.2
Boys of the City
Boys of the City

1940

Comedy • Mystery • Thriller

as Knuckles Dolan

5
0.2
Sky Bandits
Sky Bandits

1940

Action • Adventure • Comedy • Western

as Constable Kelly

5
0.2
Hold That Woman!
Hold That Woman!

1940

Comedy • Crime

as Miles Hanover

5
0.1
On the Spot
On the Spot

1940

Comedy • Mystery

as Charlie

5.5
0.2
Phantom Rancher
Phantom Rancher

1940

Romance • Western

as Henchman Lucke

3.5
0.2
Son of the Navy
Son of the Navy

1940

as Nelson

5.5
0.2
Isle Of Destiny
Isle Of Destiny

1940

Adventure • Drama

as Whitey - Navy Radio Man

5
1
Murder on the Yukon
Murder on the Yukon

1940

Action • Adventure • Mystery • Western

as Constable Kelly

3.5
0.1
East Side Kids
East Side Kids

1940

Comedy • Drama • Thriller

as Knuckles Dolan

6.7
0.6
Danger Ahead
Danger Ahead

1940

Action • Adventure • Crime • Western

as Corporal Kelly

0
0.2
Yukon Flight
Yukon Flight

1940

Action • Adventure • Mystery • Romance • Western

as Constable Kelly

3.9
0.2
Crashing Thru
Crashing Thru

1939

Western

as Fred Chambers

6
0.2
Buried Alive
Buried Alive

1939

Crime • Drama • Romance

as Carson

4.7
0.4
Fighting Mad
Fighting Mad

1939

Action • Adventure • Drama • Western

as Constable Kelly

3
0.6
Flaming Lead
Flaming Lead

1939

Western

as Frank Gordon

4
0.2
Mutiny in the Big House
Mutiny in the Big House

1939

Crime • Drama

as Daniels

4.4
0.3
On Your Toes
On Your Toes

1939

Comedy

as Man in Audience

3.9
0.3
The Arizona Kid
The Arizona Kid

1939

Western

as Soldier

5.8
0.1
The Fighting Renegade
The Fighting Renegade

1939

Western

as Dr. Jerry Leonard

5.7
0.2
Daughter of the Tong
Daughter of the Tong

1939

as Jerry Morgan

4.2
0.2
New Frontier
New Frontier

1939

Western

as Jason Braddock

5.5
0.2
Riders of the Sage
Riders of the Sage

1939

Western

as Tom Martin

5
0.2
Wyoming Outlaw
Wyoming Outlaw

1939

Western

as Acacia Park Game Warden

5.6
0.1
Undercover Agent
Undercover Agent

1939

Crime • Drama

as Billiards Player

3.9
0.2
Outlaws' Paradise
Outlaws' Paradise

1939

Western

as Henchman Meggs

0
0.1
Texas Wildcats
Texas Wildcats

1939

Western

as Ed Arden

0
0.2
Trigger Smith
Trigger Smith

1939

Western

as Duke

0
0.1
Rollin' Westward
Rollin' Westward

1939

Western

as Ranch hand Red

5
0.1
Code of the Cactus
Code of the Cactus

1939

Action • Western

as Bob Swane

5.5
0.1
Drifting Westward
Drifting Westward

1939

Western

as Henchman Trigger

0
0.1
Water Rustlers
Water Rustlers

1939

as Bob Lawson

2.5
0.2
Song of the Buckaroo
Song of the Buckaroo

1938

Western

as Tex Alden

0
0.2
Gun Packer
Gun Packer

1938

Western

as Red Baker - Henchman

0
0.2
Where the Buffalo Roam
Where the Buffalo Roam

1938

Western

as Jeff Gray

5
0.1
Frontier Scout
Frontier Scout

1938

Action • Western

as Steve Norris

4.5
0.2
Starlight Over Texas
Starlight Over Texas

1938

Action • Adventure • Music • Romance • Western

as Henchman

0
0.1
Utah Trail
Utah Trail

1938

Western

as Mason - Bookkeeper

5
0.1
Man's Country
Man's Country

1938

Western

as Bat

0
0.1
Tell Your Children
Tell Your Children

1938

Drama

as Ralph

4.2
1
The Singing Cowgirl
The Singing Cowgirl

1938

as Dick Williams

5
0.1
Whirlwind Horseman
Whirlwind Horseman

1938

Western

as Henchman Slade

4
0.1
The Secret of Treasure Island
The Secret of Treasure Island

1938

Action • Mystery • Science Fiction

as Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]

4
0.1
Born to Be Wild
Born to Be Wild

1938

Action • Drama

as Trucker (uncredited)

7
0.1
Million Dollar Racket
Million Dollar Racket

1937

Crime • Drama

as Johnny Henessey

6
0.1
Rough Riding Rhythm
Rough Riding Rhythm

1937

Western

as Detective Waters

0
0.1
Brothers of the West
Brothers of the West

1937

Western

as Bart

6
0.1
Lightnin' Crandall
Lightnin' Crandall

1937

Romance • Western

as Tommy Shannon

2
0.2
Wanted - A Master
Wanted - A Master

1936

Drama • Family

as Dog's Master (uncredited)

6.4
0.1
The Girl on the Front Page
The Girl on the Front Page

1936

Comedy • Drama

as Nightclub Patron

0
0.2
The Black Coin
The Black Coin

1936

Action • Adventure

as Terry Navarro

6
0.1
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

1936

Adventure

as George Baldwin

4
0.2
Ship Cafe
Ship Cafe

1935

Music

as Young Man (uncredited)

0
0.3
She Married Her Boss
She Married Her Boss

1935

Comedy

as Shopper

7
0.2
Welcome Home
Welcome Home

1935

Comedy • Crime • Romance

as Stanley Phillips

0
0.1
Woman Wanted
Woman Wanted

1935

Comedy • Crime • Drama

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

6.3
0.3
Doubting Thomas
Doubting Thomas

1935

Comedy

as Member of Audience

7
0.2
No More Ladies
No More Ladies

1935

Comedy • Romance

as Party Guest (uncredited)

5.1
0.3
Student Tour
Student Tour

1934

Music

as Student

5
0.3
Gift of Gab
Gift of Gab

1934

Comedy • Music

as Dancer (uncredited)

1
0.2
We're Rich Again
We're Rich Again

1934

Comedy

as Pete (uncredited)

4
0.1
Tomorrow's Children
Tomorrow's Children

1934

Drama

as Interne (uncredited)

4.6
0.1
Murder at the Vanities
Murder at the Vanities

1934

Comedy • Music • Mystery

5.4
0.3
Wonder Bar
Wonder Bar

1934

Crime • Drama • Music • Romance

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

6.1
0.3
Search for Beauty
Search for Beauty

1934

Comedy • Crime

as Talent Contestant (uncredited)

5.9
0.3
Sitting Pretty
Sitting Pretty

1933

Music

as Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)

7.5
0.2
College Coach
College Coach

1933

Drama

as Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)

4.2
0.3
One Man's Journey
One Man's Journey

1933

Drama

as Dance Extra (uncredited)

7.1
0.4
College Humor
College Humor

1933

Action • Comedy • Music

as Student

5.6
0.2
Pick-up
Pick-up

1933

Crime • Drama

as Party Boy (uncredited)

4.8
0.2
Rasputin and the Empress
Rasputin and the Empress

1932

Drama • History

as Soldier (uncredited)

5.3
0.4
The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross

1932

Drama • History

as Christian on Stairway (uncredited)

6.2
0.4
Hot Saturday
Hot Saturday

1932

Drama • Romance

as Party Guest (Uncredited)

6.5
0.4
70,000 Witnesses
70,000 Witnesses

1932

Mystery

as Football Player (uncredited)

4.8
0.1
Roar of the Dragon
Roar of the Dragon

1932

Adventure • Romance

as Submarine Crewman

6
0.2
Is My Face Red?
Is My Face Red?

1932

Action • Crime • Drama • Romance

as Chorus Boy (uncredited)

5
1.1
Consolation Marriage
Consolation Marriage

1931

Drama • Romance

as Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)

6.1
0.2
Flying High
Flying High

1931

Comedy • Music • Romance

as Dancer (uncredited)

4.8
0.3
Madam Satan
Madam Satan

1930

Comedy • Music • Romance

as Zeppelin Reveler

5.9
0.7
Good News
Good News

1930

Comedy • Music

as Student

5
0.4
The Dawn Patrol
The Dawn Patrol

1930

Action • Drama • War

as Pilot (uncredited)

6.7
0.2

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