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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
May 31, 1912
Died
November 8, 1969
Place of Birth
Big Spring, Texas, USA
Also Known As
- David Poole Fronabarger
- David Fronabarger
- David O'Brien
- Dave O'Brian
- Dave Tex O'Brien
- Dave 'Tex' O'Brien
- Tex O'Brien
- Tex Coe
- David Barclay
- Dave Barclay
Dave O'Brien
0.4 Popularity
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.
Known For
6.0
Self (archive footage)
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006
6.9
(archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
6.3
Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy
1964
0.0
Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
The Desperados Are in Town
1956
6.4
Conductor
The Kettles in the Ozarks
1956
🎬
6.0
Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)
The Fall Guy
1955
🎬
0.0
Harry Horseknuckle
Just What I Needed
1955
🎬
0.0
Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)
The Man Around the House
1955
🎬
0.0
Businessman Seeking Relaxation
Out for Fun
1954
🎬
6.0
George Dibson
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
Credits
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
as Self (archive footage)
2006
6.0
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
1976
6.9
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
1964
6.3
The Desperados Are in Town
as Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
1956
0.0
The Kettles in the Ozarks
as Conductor
1956
6.4
🎬
The Fall Guy
as Himself as Various Characters (archive footage)
1955
6.0
🎬
Just What I Needed
as Harry Horseknuckle
1955
0.0
🎬
The Man Around the House
as Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited)
1955
0.0
🎬
Out for Fun
as Businessman Seeking Relaxation
1954
0.0
🎬
Do Someone a Favor!
as George Dibson
1954
6.0
Tennessee Champ
as Luke MacWade
1954
5.8
🎬
Ain't It Aggravatin'
as Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead
1954
6.0
Things We Can Do Without
as Thaddeus E. Thud III
1953
6.0
Kiss Me Kate
as Ralph
1953
6.4
Cash Stashers
as A Shmoe Named Joe
1953
6.0
T.V. of Tomorrow
as Man on TV
1953
6.5
I Love Children, But!
as The Daddy
1952
0.0
Reducing
as Man on Bench (uncredited)
1952
2.0
Wrong Way Butch
as Butch
1950
5.8
🎬
A Wife's Life
as George T. Hardnose (uncredited)
1950
6.0
Did'ja Know?
as Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant
1950
4.3
🎬
Those Good Old Days
1949
0.0
Let's Cogitate
as Oliver T. Aseltafel
1948
5.0
Just Suppose
as Husband (uncredited)
1948
6.0
You Can't Win
as Harried Homeowner
1948
4.3
🎬
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
as The Son-In-Law / Husband
1948
7.3
🎬
Have You Ever Wondered?
as Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer
1947
0.0
🎬
Neighbor Pests
1947
0.0
🎬
I Love My Wife BUT!
as The Husband
1947
7.5
🎬
I Love My Husband, But!
as The Husband
1946
0.0
Sure Cures
as Xavier T. Schneckendorf
1946
5.2
Treasures from Trash
as Alonzo T. Mousebrain
1946
8.0
🎬
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
as Horace
1946
0.0
Studio Visit
as O'Brien
1946
3.5
Flaming Bullets
as Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson
1945
5.0
Frontier Fugitives
as Dave Wyatt
1945
0.0
Three in the Saddle
as Dave Wyatt
1945
0.0
Enemy of the Law
as Dave Wyatt
1945
5.0
The Phantom of 42nd Street
as Tony Woolrich
1945
4.5
The Man Who Walked Alone
as Marion Scott
1945
5.6
Marked for Murder
as Dave Wyatt
1945
4.2
The Whispering Skull
as Dave Wyatt
1944
4.7
Tahiti Nights
as Jack
1944
0.0
🎬
Safety Sleuth
as Careless Man
1944
0.0
Dead or Alive
as Dave Wyatt
1944
4.2
Gangsters of the Frontier
as Dave Wyatt
1944
3.8
Gunsmoke Mesa
as Tex Wyatt
1944
1.0
Brand of the Devil
as Tex Wyatt
1944
5.0
Movie Pests
as Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
1944
5.6
Spook Town
as Tex Wyatt
1944
0.0
The Pinto Bandit
as Tex Wyatt
1944
0.0
🎬
Sportsman's Memories
as Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)
1944
0.0
Guns of the Law
as Tex Wyatt
1944
5.0
Outlaw Roundup
as Tex Wyatt
1944
0.0
Boss of Rawhide
as Tex Wyatt
1943
5.5
The Return of the Rangers
as Tex Wyatt
1943
0.0
Trail of Terror
as Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt
1943
0.0
Fighting Valley
as Tex Wyatt
1943
0.0
Seventh Column
as Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man
1943
0.0
Border Buckaroos
as Tex Wyatt
1943
0.0
West of Texas
as Tex Wyatt
1943
0.0
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
as Tex Wyatt
1943
0.0
The Rangers Take Over
as Tex Wyatt
1942
6.0
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
as Sgt. Phil Lyons
1942
6.1
The Yanks Are Coming
as Sgt. Callahan
1942
4.5
Bowery at Midnight
as Det. Pete Crawford
1942
5.0
Calling All Pa's
as Joe Thunderstruck
1942
6.0
King of the Stallions
1942
6.5
🎬
Carry Harry
as Arthur - Harry's Friend
1942
2.0
Sheriff of Sage Valley
as Jeff
1942
5.6
Law and Order
as Jeff Travis
1942
6.0
Prisoner of Japan
as U. S. Marine
1942
4.3
Down Texas Way
as Dave Dodge
1942
0.0
Victory Quiz
1942
6.0
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns
as Jeff
1942
4.5
What About Daddy?
as The Husband
1942
0.0
Captain Midnight
as Captain Albright / Captain Midnight
1942
5.0
Forbidden Trails
as Jim Cramer
1941
5.4
Double Trouble
as Sparky Barton
1941
0.0
Spooks Run Wild
as Jeff Dixon
1941
4.9
Billy the Kid Wanted
as Jeff
1941
5.7
The Gunman From Bodie
as Joe Martin
1941
4.0
The Deadly Game
as Ralph Spencer
1941
6.0
The Texas Marshal
as Buzz Weston
1941
0.0
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe
as Texas Joe
1941
4.0
Murder by Invitation
as Michael, the chauffeur
1941
5.7
The Spider Returns
as Jackson, Wentworth's Aide
1941
8.7
Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto
as Jim Dana
1941
0.0
Flying Wild
as Tom Lawson
1941
5.8
The Devil Bat
as Johnny Layton
1940
5.3
That Gang of Mine
as Knuckles Dolan
1940
5.5
The Cowboy from Sundown
as Steve Davis
1940
0.0
Queen of the Yukon
as Bob Adams
1940
5.0
Gun Code
as Henchman Gale
1940
0.0
Boys of the City
as Knuckles Dolan
1940
5.0
Sky Bandits
as Constable Kelly
1940
5.0
Hold That Woman!
as Miles Hanover
1940
5.0
On the Spot
as Charlie
1940
5.5
Phantom Rancher
as Henchman Lucke
1940
3.5
Son of the Navy
as Nelson
1940
5.5
Isle Of Destiny
as Whitey - Navy Radio Man
1940
5.0
Murder on the Yukon
as Constable Kelly
1940
3.5
East Side Kids
as Knuckles Dolan
1940
6.3
Danger Ahead
as Corporal Kelly
1940
0.0
Yukon Flight
as Constable Kelly
1940
3.9
Crashing Thru
as Fred Chambers
1939
6.0
Buried Alive
as Carson
1939
4.7
Fighting Mad
as Constable Kelly
1939
3.0
Flaming Lead
as Frank Gordon
1939
4.0
Mutiny in the Big House
as Daniels
1939
4.4
On Your Toes
as Man in Audience
1939
3.9
The Arizona Kid
as Soldier
1939
5.8
The Fighting Renegade
as Dr. Jerry Leonard
1939
5.7
Daughter of the Tong
as Jerry Morgan
1939
4.2
New Frontier
as Jason Braddock
1939
5.5
Riders of the Sage
as Tom Martin
1939
5.0
Wyoming Outlaw
as Acacia Park Game Warden
1939
5.6
Undercover Agent
as Billiards Player
1939
3.7
Outlaws' Paradise
as Henchman Meggs
1939
0.0
Texas Wildcats
as Ed Arden
1939
0.0
Trigger Smith
as Duke
1939
0.0
Rollin' Westward
as Ranch hand Red
1939
5.0
Code of the Cactus
as Bob Swane
1939
5.5
Drifting Westward
as Henchman Trigger
1939
0.0
Water Rustlers
as Bob Lawson
1939
2.5
Song of the Buckaroo
as Tex Alden
1938
0.0
Gun Packer
as Red Baker - Henchman
1938
0.0
Where the Buffalo Roam
as Jeff Gray
1938
5.0
Frontier Scout
as Steve Norris
1938
4.5
Starlight Over Texas
as Henchman
1938
0.0
Utah Trail
as Mason - Bookkeeper
1938
5.0
Man's Country
as Bat
1938
0.0
Tell Your Children
as Ralph
1938
4.3
The Singing Cowgirl
as Dick Williams
1938
5.0
Whirlwind Horseman
as Henchman Slade
1938
4.0
The Secret of Treasure Island
as Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]
1938
3.7
Born to Be Wild
as Trucker (uncredited)
1938
7.0
Million Dollar Racket
as Johnny Henessey
1937
6.0
Rough Riding Rhythm
as Detective Waters
1937
0.0
Brothers of the West
as Bart
1937
6.0
Lightnin' Crandall
as Tommy Shannon
1937
2.0
Wanted - A Master
as Dog's Master (uncredited)
1936
6.4
The Girl on the Front Page
as Nightclub Patron
1936
0.0
The Black Coin
as Terry Navarro
1936
6.0
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as George Baldwin
1936
4.0
Ship Cafe
as Young Man (uncredited)
1935
0.0
She Married Her Boss
as Shopper
1935
7.0
Welcome Home
as Stanley Phillips
1935
0.0
Woman Wanted
as Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)
1935
6.3
Doubting Thomas
as Member of Audience
1935
7.0
No More Ladies
as Party Guest (uncredited)
1935
4.6
Music in the Air
as Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)
1934
4.8
Student Tour
as Student
1934
5.0
Gift of Gab
as Dancer (uncredited)
1934
1.0
We're Rich Again
as Pete (uncredited)
1934
5.2
Tomorrow's Children
as Interne (uncredited)
1934
4.6
Murder at the Vanities
as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
1934
5.5
Wonder Bar
as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
1934
5.9
Search for Beauty
as Talent Contestant (uncredited)
1934
5.3
The World Changes
as Otto Peterson (uncredited)
1933
4.3
Sitting Pretty
as Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
1933
7.5
College Coach
as Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
1933
4.1
One Man's Journey
as Dance Extra (uncredited)
1933
6.5
College Humor
as Student
1933
5.3
Pick-up
as Party Boy (uncredited)
1933
4.0
The Sign of the Cross
as Christian on Stairway (uncredited)
1932
6.1
Rasputin and the Empress
as Soldier (uncredited)
1932
5.1
Hot Saturday
as Party Guest (Uncredited)
1932
6.4
70,000 Witnesses
as Football Player (uncredited)
1932
5.0
Devil and the Deep
as Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
1932
4.8
Roar of the Dragon
as Submarine Crewman
1932
6.0
Is My Face Red?
as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
1932
4.7
Consolation Marriage
as Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)
1931
6.1
Flying High
as Dancer (uncredited)
1931
4.8
Madam Satan
as Zeppelin Reveler
1930
5.6
Good News
as Student
1930
5.0
The Dawn Patrol
as Pilot (uncredited)
1930
6.7