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.

Filmography

• 1976That's Entertainment, Part II — (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1964The Big Parade of Comedy — Actor in the Pete Smith Shorts (archive footage)
• 1956The Desperados Are in Town — Dock Lapman / Mr. Brown
• 1956The Kettles in the Ozarks — Conductor
• 1955Just What I Needed — Harry Horseknuckle, Screenplay, Director
• 1955The Fall Guy — Himself as Various Characters (archive footage), Director
• 1955The Man Around the House — Hugo Hightonsil (uncredited), Screenplay, Director, Story
• 1954Ain't It Aggravatin' — Parking Space Hog / Apartment House Manager / Frugal Man / Harry Hollowhead, Story, Director
• 1954Do Someone a Favor! — George Dibson, Director, Screenplay
• 1954Film Antics — Director
• 1954Meet the O'Briens — Dave, Teleplay, Producer
• 1954Out for Fun — Businessman Seeking Relaxation, Director, Writer
• 1954Tennessee Champ — Luke MacWade
• 1953Cash Stashers — A Shmoe Named Joe, Story, Director, Screenplay
• 1953Dogs 'n Ducks — Screenplay, Original Story
• 1953Kiss Me Kate — Ralph
• 1953T.V. of Tomorrow — Man on TV
• 1953The Mosconi Story — Director
• 1953Things We Can Do Without — Thaddeus E. Thud III, Story, Director, Screenplay
• 1952I Love Children, But! — The Daddy, Director, Writer
• 1952Musiquiz — Director
• 1952Reducing — Man on Bench (uncredited), Director, Screenplay, Original Story
• 1951Bargain Madness — Director, Writer
• 1951Camera Sleuth — Writer, Director
• The Red Skelton Show — Writer
• 1950A Wife's Life — George T. Hardnose (uncredited), Screenplay, Director, Story
• 1950Crashing the Movies — Director
• 1950Did'ja Know? — Expectant Father / Greeting Card Shopper / Hospital Patient / Job Applicant, Director, Screenplay
• 1950Pest Control — Cruising Wolf, Director
• 1950Wrong Way Butch — Butch, Director, Original Story, Screenplay
• 1949Super Cue Men — Director
• 1949Those Good Old Days — Director
• 1949We Can Dream, Can't We? — Director
• 1948Bowling Tricks — Director
• 1948I Love My Mother-In-Law But... — The Son-In-Law / Husband, Director, Original Story, Screenplay
• 1948Ice Aces — Writer, Director
• 1948Just Suppose — Husband (uncredited), Director, Writer
• 1948Let's Cogitate — Oliver T. Aseltafel, Director
• 1948You Can't Win — Harried Homeowner, Writer, Director
• 1947Diamond Demon — Director, Writer
• 1947Early Sports Quiz: What's Your I.Q. No. 13 — Director
• 1947Football Thrills No. 10 — Director
• 1947Have You Ever Wondered? — Husband / Driver / Man at Gumball Machine / Toupee Wearer, Writer, Director
• 1947I Love My Wife BUT! — The Husband, Story, Director, Screenplay
• 1947Neighbor Pests — Director
• 1947Surfboard Rhythm — Director
• 1946Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 — Horace, Writer, Director
• 1946I Love My Husband, But! — The Husband, Director, Story, Screenplay
• 1946Studio Visit — O'Brien
• 1946Sure Cures — Xavier T. Schneckendorf, Writer, Director
• 1946Treasures from Trash — Alonzo T. Mousebrain, Screenplay, Director
• 1945Enemy of the Law — Dave Wyatt
• 1945Flaming Bullets — Dave Wyatt / Steve Carson
• 1945Frontier Fugitives — Dave Wyatt
• 1945Marked for Murder — Dave Wyatt
• 1945The Man Who Walked Alone — Marion Scott
• 1945The Phantom of 42nd Street — Tony Woolrich
• 1945Three in the Saddle — Dave Wyatt
• 1944Brand of the Devil — Tex Wyatt
• 1944Dead or Alive — Dave Wyatt
• 1944Gangsters of the Frontier — Dave Wyatt
• 1944Guns of the Law — Tex Wyatt
• 1944Gunsmoke Mesa — Tex Wyatt
• 1944Movie Pests — Feet-in-the-Aisle Pest
• 1944Outlaw Roundup — Tex Wyatt
• 1944Safety Sleuth — Careless Man
• 1944Spook Town — Tex Wyatt
• 1944Sportsman's Memories — Fabian Tecumseh 'Joe' Funk (uncredited)
• 1944Tahiti Nights — Jack
• 1944The Pinto Bandit — Tex Wyatt
• 1944The Whispering Skull — Dave Wyatt
• 1943Bad Men of Thunder Gap — Tex Wyatt
• 1943Border Buckaroos — Tex Wyatt
• 1943Boss of Rawhide — Tex Wyatt
• 1943Fighting Valley — Tex Wyatt
• 1943Seventh Column — Falstaff Pratt the Indestructible Man
• 1943The Return of the Rangers — Tex Wyatt
• 1943Trail of Terror — Tex Wyatt / Curly Wyatt
• 1943West of Texas — Tex Wyatt
• 1942'Neath Brooklyn Bridge — Sgt. Phil Lyons
• 1942Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns — Jeff
• 1942Bowery at Midnight — Det. Pete Crawford
• 1942Calling All Pa's — Joe Thunderstruck
• 1942Captain Midnight — Captain Albright / Captain Midnight
• 1942Carry Harry — Arthur - Harry's Friend
• 1942Down Texas Way — Dave Dodge
• 1942King of the Stallions
• 1942Law and Order — Jeff Travis
• 1942Prisoner of Japan — U. S. Marine
• 1942Sheriff of Sage Valley — Jeff
• 1942The Rangers Take Over — Tex Wyatt
• 1942The Yanks Are Coming — Sgt. Callahan
• 1942Victory Quiz
• 1942What About Daddy? — The Husband
• 1941Billy the Kid Wanted — Jeff
• 1941Billy the Kid in Santa Fe — Texas Joe
• 1941Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto — Jim Dana
• 1941Double Trouble — Sparky Barton
• 1941Flying Wild — Tom Lawson
• 1941Forbidden Trails — Jim Cramer
• 1941Murder by Invitation — Michael, the chauffeur
• 1941Sky Raiders — Stunts
• 1941Spooks Run Wild — Jeff Dixon
• 1941The Deadly Game — Ralph Spencer
• 1941The Gunman From Bodie — Joe Martin
• 1941The Iron Claw — Stunts
• 1941The Spider Returns — Jackson, Wentworth's Aide
• 1941The Texas Marshal — Buzz Weston
• 1940Boys of the City — Knuckles Dolan
• 1940Danger Ahead — Corporal Kelly
• 1940East Side Kids — Knuckles Dolan
• 1940Gun Code — Henchman Gale
• 1940Hold That Woman! — Miles Hanover
• 1940Isle Of Destiny — Whitey - Navy Radio Man
• 1940Murder on the Yukon — Constable Kelly
• 1940On the Spot — Charlie
• 1940Phantom Rancher — Henchman Lucke
• 1940Queen of the Yukon — Bob Adams
• 1940Sky Bandits — Constable Kelly
• 1940Son of the Navy — Nelson
• 1940That Gang of Mine — Knuckles Dolan
• 1940The Cowboy from Sundown — Steve Davis
• 1940The Devil Bat — Johnny Layton
• 1940Yukon Flight — Constable Kelly
• 1939Buried Alive — Carson
• 1939Code of the Cactus — Bob Swane
• 1939Crashing Thru — Fred Chambers
• 1939Daughter of the Tong — Jerry Morgan
• 1939Drifting Westward — Henchman Trigger
• 1939Fighting Mad — Constable Kelly
• 1939Flaming Lead — Frank Gordon
• 1939Mutiny in the Big House — Daniels
• 1939New Frontier — Jason Braddock
• 1939On Your Toes — Man in Audience
• 1939Outlaws' Paradise — Henchman Meggs
• 1939Riders of the Sage — Tom Martin
• 1939Rollin' Westward — Ranch hand Red
• 1939Texas Wildcats — Ed Arden
• 1939The Arizona Kid — Soldier
• 1939The Fighting Renegade — Dr. Jerry Leonard
• 1939Trigger Smith — Duke
• 1939Undercover Agent — Billiards Player
• 1939Water Rustlers — Bob Lawson
• 1939Wyoming Outlaw — Acacia Park Game Warden
• 1938Born to Be Wild — Trucker (uncredited)
• 1938Frontier Scout — Steve Norris
• 1938Gun Packer — Red Baker - Henchman
• 1938Man's Country — Bat
• 1938Song of the Buckaroo — Tex Alden
• 1938Starlight Over Texas — Henchman
• 1938Tell Your Children — Ralph
• 1938The Secret of Treasure Island — Det. Jameson [Chs. 4-7]
• 1938The Singing Cowgirl — Dick Williams
• 1938The Spider's Web — Stunts
• 1938Utah Trail — Mason - Bookkeeper
• 1938Where the Buffalo Roam — Jeff Gray
• 1938Whirlwind Horseman — Henchman Slade
• 1937Brothers of the West — Bart
• 1937Lightnin' Crandall — Tommy Shannon
• 1937Million Dollar Racket — Johnny Henessey
• 1937Rough Riding Rhythm — Detective Waters
• 1936The Adventures of Frank Merriwell — George Baldwin
• 1936The Black Coin — Terry Navarro
• 1936The Girl on the Front Page — Nightclub Patron
• 1936Wanted - A Master — Dog's Master (uncredited)
• 1935Doubting Thomas — Member of Audience
• 1935No More Ladies — Party Guest (uncredited)
• 1935She Married Her Boss — Shopper
• 1935Ship Cafe — Young Man (uncredited)
• 1935Welcome Home — Stanley Phillips
• 1935Woman Wanted — Steve - Tap Dancer at Baxter's Party (uncredited)
• 1934Gift of Gab — Dancer (uncredited)
• 1934Murder at the Vanities — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
• 1934Music in the Air — Karl Roder (singing voice) (uncredited)
• 1934Search for Beauty — Talent Contestant (uncredited)
• 1934Student Tour — Student
• 1934Tomorrow's Children — Interne (uncredited)
• 1934We're Rich Again — Pete (uncredited)
• 1934Wonder Bar — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
• 193342nd Street — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
• 1933College Coach — Student on Tennis Court (uncredited)
• 1933College Humor — Student
• 1933One Man's Journey — Dance Extra (uncredited)
• 1933Pick-up — Party Boy (uncredited)
• 1933Sitting Pretty — Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
• 1933The World Changes — Otto Peterson (uncredited)
• 193270,000 Witnesses — Football Player (uncredited)
• 1932Devil and the Deep — Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
• 1932Hot Saturday — Party Guest (Uncredited)
• 1932Is My Face Red? — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
• 1932Rasputin and the Empress — Soldier (uncredited)
• 1932Roar of the Dragon — Submarine Crewman
• 1932The Sign of the Cross — Christian on Stairway (uncredited)
• 1931Consolation Marriage — Man Picking Up Stack of Newspapers (uncredited)
• 1931Flying High — Dancer (uncredited)
• 1931Lover Come Back — Pool Party Boy (uncredited)
• 1930Good News — Student
• 1930Madam Satan — Zeppelin Reveler
• 1930The Dawn Patrol — Pilot (uncredited)

Appearances as themselves (2)

• 200642nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage — Self (archive footage)
• MGM Parade — Self