Actor
Pat O'Brien
Born 10 November 1899 · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA — died 15 October 1983
Pat O'Brien (1899–1983) was an American actor from Milwaukee, best known for Warner Bros. films of the 1930s and 1940s. He often played tough, fast-talking Irish-American types, including priests, cops and reporters. He was frequently paired with James Cagney, and his career continued on screen into the 1980s.
Key films
The Front Page (1931)
Early major screen role as a newspaper reporter in the classic newsroom comedy-drama.
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
Played Father Jerry Connolly opposite James Cagney in a defining gangster drama.
Knute Rockne All American (1940)
Starred as the legendary Notre Dame football coach, one of his best-known roles.
The Fighting 69th (1940)
Another Cagney pairing, a World War I drama showcasing his Irish-American screen persona.
Some Like It Hot (1959)On Cinespective
Late-career supporting role in Billy Wilder's celebrated comedy.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 130
- 1930Compliments of the Season · as Police Detective (uncredited)Actor
- 1930My MistakeActor
- 1930The Voice of Hollywood · as Self/HostActor
- 1931The Front Page · as Hildy JohnsonActor
- 1931Honor Among Lovers · as Conroy (uncredited)Actor
- 1931Consolation Marriage · as Steve PorterActor
- 1931Flying High · as Sport WardellActor
- 1931Personal Maid · as Peter SheaActor
- 1931Crimes Square · as MartyActor
- 1932American Madness · as Matt BrownActor
- 1932Hell's House · as Matt KellyActor
- 1932Virtue · as Jimmy DoyleActor
- 1932Air Mail · as Duke TalbotActor
- 1932Flaming Gold · as Ben LearActor
- 1932The Final Edition · as Sam BradshawActor
- 1932The Strange Case of Clara Deane · as Frank DeaneActor
- 1932Scandal for Sale · as WaddellActor
- 1932Hollywood Speaks · as Jimmy ReedActor
- 1933Bombshell · as Jim BroganActor
- 1933Bureau of Missing Persons · as Detective Butch SaundersActor
- 1933The World Gone Mad · as Andy TerrellActor
- 1933College Coach · as Coach GoreActor
- 1933Laughter in Hell · as Barney SlaneyActor
- 1933Destination Unknown · as Matt BrennanActor
- 1934Here Comes the Navy · as Biff MartinActor
- 1934Gambling Lady · as Charlie LangActor
- 1934Flirtation Walk · as "Scrapper" ThornhhillActor
- 1934I've Got Your Number · as Terry RileyActor
- 1934The Personality Kid · as RitzyActor
- 1934Twenty Million Sweethearts · as Rush BlakeActor
- 1934I Sell Anything · as "Spot Cash" CutlerActor
- 1934Screen Snapshots No. 11 · as HimselfActor
- 1934Studio Highlights · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1935The Irish in Us · as Pat O'HaraActor
- 1935In Caliente · as Larry MacArthurActor
- 1935Oil for the Lamps of China · as Stephen ChaseActor
- 1935Page Miss Glory · as Click WileyActor
- 1935A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio · as Himself (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Devil Dogs of the Air · as Lieut. BranniganActor
- 1935Stars Over Broadway · as Al McGillevrayActor
- 1935A Dream Comes True · as Himself (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Things You Never See on the Screen · as SelfActor
- 1936Ceiling Zero · as Jake L. LeeActor
- 1936China Clipper · as Dave LoganActor
- 1936Public Enemy's Wife · as Lee LairdActor
- 1936I Married a Doctor · as Dr. William P. KennicottActor
- 1936Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) · as SelfActor
- 1936Breakdowns of 1936 · as SelfActor
- 1937San Quentin · as Capt. Stephen JamesonActor
- 1937The Great O'Malley · as James Aloysius 'Jim' / 'Jimmy' O'MalleyActor
- 1937Submarine D-1 · as Butch RogersActor
- 1937Slim · as Red BlaydActor
- 1937Back in Circulation · as Bill MorganActor
- 1937Breakdowns of 1937 · as SelfActor
- 1938Angels with Dirty Faces · as Jerry ConnollyActor
- 1938Swingtime in the Movies · as Himself (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Boy Meets Girl · as J. Carlyle 'J.C.' BensonActor
- 1938Garden of the Moon · as John QuinnActor
- 1938Out Where the Stars Begin · as Pat O'BrienActor
- 1938Women Are Like That · as Bill LandinActor
- 1938Breakdowns of 1938 · as Pat O'Brien (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Cowboy from Brooklyn · as Roy ChadwickActor
- 1939Slightly Honorable · as John WebbActor
- 1939Indianapolis Speedway · as Joe GreerActor
- 1939Off the Record · as Thomas "Breezy" ElliottActor
- 1939Breakdowns of 1939 · as SelfActor
- 1939The Kid from Kokomo · as William Jennings 'Billy / 'Square Shooting Murph' MurphyActor
- 1939The Night of Nights · as Dan O'FarrellActor
- 1940The Fighting 69th · as Father DuffyActor
- 1940Knute Rockne All American · as Knute RockneActor
- 1940Castle on the Hudson · as Warden Walter LongActor
- 1940Torrid Zone · as Steve CaseActor
- 1940'Til We Meet Again · as Steve BurkeActor
- 1940Flowing Gold · as Ian 'Hap' O'ConnorActor
- 1940Escape to Glory · as Mike FarroughActor
- 1940Breakdowns of 1940 · as SelfActor
- 1941Breakdowns of 1941 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1942The Navy Comes Through · as Chief Michael 'Mike' MalloryActor
- 1942Two Yanks in Trinidad · as Tim ReardonActor
- 1942Broadway · as Dan McCornActor
- 1942Flight Lieutenant · as Samuel J. 'Sam' DoyleActor
- 1943Bombardier · as Chick DavisActor
- 1943His Butler's Sister · as Martin MurphyActor
- 1943The Iron Major · as Francis William 'Frank' / 'Cav' CavanaughActor
- 1944Secret Command · as Sam GallagherActor
- 1944Marine Raiders · as Maj. Steve LockhartActor
- 1945Having Wonderful Crime · as Michael J. MaloneActor
- 1945Man Alive · as Michael O'Flaherty 'Speed' McBrideActor
- 1946Crack-Up · as George SteeleActor
- 1946Perilous Holiday · as Patrick NevilActor
- 1947Riff-Raff · as Dan HammerActor
- 1947Blow-Ups of 1947 · as SelfActor
- 1948The Boy with Green Hair · as Gramp FryActor
- 1948Fighting Father Dunne · as Father Peter J. DunneActor
- 1949A Dangerous Profession · as Joe FarleyActor
- 1950The Fireball · as Father O'HaraActor
- 1950Johnny One-Eye · as Martin MartinActor
- 1951The People Against O'Hara · as Det. Vincent RicksActor
- 1951Criminal Lawyer · as James 'Jimmy' ReganActor
- 1951The Hills of Ireland · as Self - NarratorActor
- 1952Okinawa · as Lt. Cmdr. HaleActor
- 1954Jubilee Trail · as Ernest 'Texas' ConwayActor
- 1954Ring of Fear · as Frank WallaceActor
- 1955Inside Detroit · as Gus LindenActor
- 1957Kill Me Tomorrow · as Bart CrosbieActor
- 1957Invitation to a Gunfighter · as Sheriff Kyle BickfordActor
- 1958The Last Hurrah · as John GormanActor
- 1959Some Like It Hot · as Detective MulliganActor
- 1959I Captured the King of the Leprechauns · as SelfActor
- 1962The Road to Hong Kong · as Chinese Restaurateur (uncredited)Actor
- 1962Babe Ruth Story: That Ever Livin' Babe · as NarratorActor
- 1965Town Tamer · as Judge MurcottActor
- 1969The Over the Hill Gang · as Captain Oren HayesActor
- 1970The Phynx · as Pat O’BrienActor
- 1972The Adventures of Nick Carter · as Hallelujah HarryActor
- 1972Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol · as Sgt. McGllActor
- 1973Amanda Fallon · as EmoryActor
- 1975The Sky's the Limit · as Abner ThermanActor
- 1976Kiss Me... Kill Me · as Jimmy, the morgue attendantActor
- 1977Billy Jack Goes to Washington · as President of the SenateActor
- 1978The End · as Ben LawsonActor
- 1980Scout's Honor · as Mr. CabooseActor
- 1981Ragtime · as DelmasActor
- 1981James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy · as SelfActor
- 1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Dill Scallion · as SelfActor
- 2005Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say? · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2008You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.