Actor
George O'Brien
Born 18 April 1899 · San Francisco, California, USA — died 4 September 1985
George O'Brien was an American actor who became a leading man in silent films and kept working through the 1930s in sound-era Westerns and action pictures. He is best remembered as the star of F. W. Murnau's Sunrise and for his work with director John Ford.
Key films
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)On Cinespective
Murnau's acclaimed silent masterpiece, with O'Brien in the lead role, is his best-known work today.
The Iron Horse (1925)
John Ford's epic Western about the transcontinental railroad made O'Brien a star.
3 Bad Men (1926)
Another silent Western directed by Ford, showing their strong early partnership.
Fort Apache (1948)
A later-career return to Ford's world in a cavalry Western, in a supporting role.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
Another Ford cavalry Western, confirming his place in Ford's regular circle of actors.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 89
- 1922Moran of the Lady Letty · as Deck HandActor
- 1922The Ghost Breaker · as One of the Ghosts (uncredited)Actor
- 1922Ebb Tide · as Islander (uncredited)Actor
- 1922White Hands · as SailorActor
- 1923The Ne'er-Do-Well · as CliffordActor
- 1923Woman-Proof · as Bill BurleighActor
- 1924The Sea Hawk · as Galley Slave (uncredited)Actor
- 1924The Roughneck · as Jerry DelaneyActor
- 1924The Man Who Came Back · as Henry PotterActor
- 1924The Painted Lady · as Luther SmithActor
- 1924Shadows of Paris · as LouisActor
- 1925The Iron Horse · as Davy BrandonActor
- 1925Thank You · as Kenneth JamiesonActor
- 1925The Dancers · as TonyActor
- 1925The Fighting Heart · as Denny BoltonActor
- 1925Havoc · as Dick ChappelActor
- 19263 Bad Men · as Dan O'MalleyActor
- 1926Fig Leaves · as Adam SmithActor
- 1926The Johnstown Flood · as Tom O'DayActor
- 1926The Blue Eagle · as George DarcyActor
- 1926Rustlin' for Cupid · as Bradley BlatchfordActor
- 1926The Silver Treasure · as NostromoActor
- 1927Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans · as The Man (Anses)Actor
- 1927East Side, West Side · as John BreenActor
- 1927Paid to Love · as Crown Prince MichaeActor
- 1927Is Zat So? · as Ed 'Chick' CowanActor
- 1928Noah's Ark · as Travis / JaphethActor
- 1928Blindfold · as Robert KellyActor
- 1928Honor Bound · as John OglegreeActor
- 1928Sharp Shooters · as GeorgeActor
- 1929Salute · as Cadet John RandallActor
- 1929Masked Emotions · as Bramdlet DickeryActor
- 1929True Heaven · as Lieutenant Philip GressonActor
- 1930Rough Romance · as Billy WestActor
- 1930The Last of the Duanes · as Buck DuaneActor
- 1930The Lone Star Ranger · as Buck DuaneActor
- 1930Hollywood StudiosActor
- 1931Seas Beneath · as Cmdr. Robert 'Bob' KingsleyActor
- 1931A Holy Terror · as Tony Bard aka WoodburyActor
- 1931Fair Warning · as Whistlin' Dan BarryActor
- 1931Riders of the Purple Sage · as Jim LassiterActor
- 1932Mystery Ranch · as Bob SanbornActor
- 1932Robbers' Roost · as Jim WallActor
- 1932The Golden West · as David Lynch / MotanoActor
- 1932The Gay Caballero · as Ted RadcliffeActor
- 1932The Rainbow Trail · as John SheffordActor
- 1933Smoke Lightning · as Smoke MasonActor
- 1933The Last Trail · as Tom DaleyActor
- 1933Life in the Raw · as Jim BarryActor
- 1934The Dude Ranger · as Ernest 'Dude' SelbyActor
- 1934Frontier Marshal · as Michael WyattActor
- 1934Ever Since Eve · as Neil RogersActor
- 1935When a Man's a Man · as Larry KnightActor
- 1935Hard Rock Harrigan · as Tim 'Hard Rock' HarriganActor
- 1935The Cowboy Millionaire · as Bob WalkerActor
- 1935Whispering Smith Speaks · as Gordon Harrington, Jr. aka John 'Whispering' SmithActor
- 1935Thunder Mountain · as Kal EmersonActor
- 1936Daniel Boone · as Daniel BooneActor
- 1936The Border Patrolman · as Bob WallaceActor
- 1936O'Malley of the Mounted · as Constable O'Malley aka Duke KinnardActor
- 1937Hollywood Cowboy · as Jeffery CarsonActor
- 1937Windjammer · as Bruce LaneActor
- 1937Park Avenue Logger · as Grant CurranActor
- 1938The Renegade Ranger · as Captain Jack SteeleActor
- 1938Painted Desert · as Bob McVeyActor
- 1938Border G-Man · as Jim GallowayActor
- 1938Gun Law · as Tom O'MalleyActor
- 1938Lawless Valley · as Larry RhodesActor
- 1939Racketeers of the Range · as Barney O'DellActor
- 1939Arizona Legion · as Boone YeagerActor
- 1939The Fighting Gringo · as Wade BartonActor
- 1939The Marshal Of Mesa City · as Cliff MasonActor
- 1939Timber Stampede · as Scott BaylorActor
- 1939Trouble in Sundown · as Clint BradfordActor
- 1940Legion of the Lawless · as Jeff TolandActor
- 1940Bullet Code · as Steve HoldenActor
- 1940Stage to Chino · as Dan ClarkActor
- 1940Prairie Law · as Brill AustinActor
- 1940Triple Justice · as Brad HendersonActor
- 1943December 7th · as Single Voice of the Dead Servicemen (voice)Actor
- 1947My Wild Irish Rose · as 'Duke' MuldoonActor
- 1948Fort Apache · as Capt. Sam CollingwoodActor
- 1949She Wore a Yellow Ribbon · as Maj. Mac AllshardActor
- 1951Gold Raiders · as George O'BrienActor
- 1959Korea · as NarratorActor
- 1961The 10 from Texas · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1964Cheyenne Autumn · as Major BradenActor
- 1976Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch · as (archive footage)Actor
- 2023The Only Girl in the Orchestra · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.