Pat O'Brien
1899-1983
Theatre,
Film
Born into an Irish-American
family in Milwaukee,  Pat
O'Brien went on to a distinguished career in film and theatre.
William Joseph Patrick O'Brien was born on November 11, 1899.
His parents were Margaret McGovern and Bill (Tip) O'Brien.
The McGoverns emigrated from Galway, Ireland and the O'Briens
from Co. Cork. The young family moved in above O'Donnell's
Saloon on 13th & Clybourn. Pat attended parochial school
and the family belonged to Gesu Parish were Pat served as
an alter boy.
Later they moved across the valley to 15th
& Sycamore where 2 more sons were born, Edward & Robert.
Pat won a scholarship to go to Marquette Academy by writing
a paper on the turmoiled history of Ireland; the A.O.H. (Ancient
Order of Hibernians) gave him the scholarship. While at Marquette
he met his lifelong friend and fellow actor, Spencer Tracy.
 Unfortunately
with World War I under way, both Pat & Spence joined the
Navy in 1917. They ended up serving all their time at the
Great Lakes Naval Station along side other future greats such
as Jack Benny and Walter Winchell until being discharged in
November 1918. With a bug for acting in 1920 Pat secured a
trip to New York to stay with his Uncle Charlie. At his casting
calls he would do an Irish Jig and sing. Eventually Pat &
Spence joined Sargent's Academy, an acting school in the Carnegie
Hall building.
For years Pat played in a variety of theatre
companies, and in 1927 he met Eloise Taylor, an actress who
would become his wife of over 50 years. Together they had
four children, three of them adopted: Sean, Terry, Brigid
& Mavourneen.
Pat made 3 films before being cast in the
Howard Hughes film The Front Page. It  was
a hit and launched his career. He would appear in over 100
films with his most famous role being that of Knute Rockne
in Knute Rockne, All American (1940). He probably played
more Irish roles than any other actor in Hollywood. During
WWII he joined the USO, but after the war his career declined.
Even with roles diminishing Pat continued acting until the
end. He put together a nightclub act and also returned to
the theatre. His last film was with his longtime friend James
Cagney in Ragtime (1981).
Pat made many trips back to Milwaukee and
Marquette throughout his life and was always proud of his
hometown and roots.
Filmography:
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* Compliments
of the Season (1930)
* Personal Maid (1931)
* Honor Among Lovers (1931)
* The Front Page (1931)
* Flying High (1931)
* Consolation Marriage (1931)
* The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932)
* Hollywood Speaks (1932)
* Final Edition (1932)
* Hell's House (1932)
* Scandal for Sale (1932)
* American Madness (1932)
* Virtue (1932)
* Air Mail (1932)
* The World Gone Mad (1933)
* Destination Unknown (1933)
* Bombshell (1933)
* Bureau of Missing Persons (1933)
* Flaming Gold (1933)
* College Coach (1933)
* Laughter in Hell (1933)
* Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934)
* The Personality Kid (1934)
* I've Got Your Number (1934)
* I Sell Anything (1934)
* Gambling Lady (1934)
* Flirtation Walk (1934)
* Here Comes the Navy (1934)
* Stars Over Broadway (1935)
* The Roaring West (1935)
* Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
* In Caliente (1935) (1935)
* The Great Air Mystery (1935)
* A Dream Comes True (1935)
* Devil Dogs of the Air (1935)
* Ceiling Zero (1935)
* The Irish in Us (1935)
* Page Miss Glory (1935)
* Stars on Parade (1936)
* Public Enemy's Wife (1936)
* I Married a Docor (1936)
* China Clipper (1936)
* Tim Tyler's Luck (1937)
* Submarine D-1 (1937)
* Slim (1937) as Red Blayd
* The Great O'Malley (1937)
* Back in Circulation (1937)
* San Quentin (1937)
* Women Are Like That (1938)
* Swingtime in the Movies (1938)
* Panamint's Bad Man (1938)
* Hawaiian Buckaroo (1938)
* Bar 20 Justice (1938)
* The Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938)
* Boy Meets Girl (1938)
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* Garden of the
Moon (1938)
* Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
* Off the Record (1939)
* The Night of Nights (1939)
* The Kid from Kokomo (1939
* Indianapolis Speedway (1939)
* Torrid Zone (1940)
* Knute Rockne, All American (1940)
* The Fighting 69th (1940)
* Escape to Glory (1940)
* 'Til We Meet Again (1940)
* Slightly Honorable (1940)
* Castle on the Hudson (1940)
* Flowing Gold (1940)
* Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941)
* Two Yanks in Trinidad (1942)
* The Navy Comes Through (1942)
* Flight Lieutenant (1942)
* Broadway (1942)
* The Iron Magor (1943)
* His Butler's Sister (1943)
* Bombardier (1943)
* Secret Command (1944)
* Marine Raiders (1944)
* Man Alive (1945)
* Having Wonderful Crime (1945)
* Perilous Holiday (1946)
* Crack-Up (1946)
* Riffraff (1947)
* Fighting Father Dunne (1948)
* The Boy with Green Hair (1948)
* A Dangerous Profession (1949)
* Johnny One-Eye (1950)
* The Fireball (1950)
* Criminal Lawyer (1951)
* The People Against O'Hara (1951)
* Okinawa (1952)
* Ring of Fear (1954)
* Jubilee Trail (1954)
* Inside Detroit (1955)
* Kill Me Tomorrow (1957)
* The Last Hurrah (1958)
* Some Like It Hot (1959)
* Town Tamer (1965)
* The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969)
* The Phynx (1970)
* Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol -TV- (1971)
* Adventures of Nick Carter -TV- (1972)
* The Sky's the Limit (1975)
* Kiss Me...Kill Me -TV- (1976)
* Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977)
* The End (1978)
* Scout's Honor -TV- (1980)
* Ragtime (1981)
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External Links
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