
Dave O'Brien
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.
Acting (159 movies)

Welcome Home
1935

The Devil Bat
1940

Million Dollar Racket
1937

Spooks Run Wild
1941

Song of the Buckaroo
1938

Tell Your Children
1938

Man's Country
1938

Bowery at Midnight
1942

Born to Be Wild
1938

The Sign of the Cross
1932

The Secret of Treasure Island
1938

Let's Cogitate
1948

Trigger Smith
1939

The Kettles in the Ozarks
1956

Buzzy and the Phantom Pinto
1941

Flying Wild
1941

On the Spot
1940

Forbidden Trails
1941

Frontier Scout
1938

Riders of the Sage
1939

Whirlwind Horseman
1938

Wonder Bar
1934

Crashing Thru
1939

Enemy of the Law
1945

Gangsters of the Frontier
1944

Frontier Fugitives
1945

The Phantom of 42nd Street
1945

Consolation Marriage
1931

Down Texas Way
1942

The Man Who Walked Alone
1945

Queen of the Yukon
1940

The Black Coin
1936

Law and Order
1942

Brothers of the West
1937

Daughter of the Tong
1939

Utah Trail
1938

Where the Buffalo Roam
1938

The Singing Cowgirl
1938

One Man's Journey
1933

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006

Gun Packer
1938

Phantom Rancher
1940

Drifting Westward
1939

Flaming Lead
1939

Captain Midnight
1942

Good News
1930

T.V. of Tomorrow
1953

Hot Saturday
1932

Buried Alive
1939

Water Rustlers
1939

Flying High
1931

Woman Wanted
1935

College Humor
1933

The Whispering Skull
1944

On Your Toes
1939

Roar of the Dragon
1932

Guns of the Law
1944

Code of the Cactus
1939

Outlaws' Paradise
1939

Undercover Agent
1939

Wyoming Outlaw
1939

New Frontier
1939

Fighting Mad
1939

The Fighting Renegade
1939

The Arizona Kid
1939

Mutiny in the Big House
1939

Billy the Kid Wanted
1941

The Pinto Bandit
1944

Double Trouble
1941

Texas Wildcats
1939

Danger Ahead
1940

Murder on the Yukon
1940

The Texas Marshal
1941

Yukon Flight
1940

Sky Bandits
1940

Rollin' Westward
1939

Trail of Terror
1943

Tahiti Nights
1944

Bad Men of Thunder Gap
1943

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
1936

Things We Can Do Without
1953

That Gang of Mine
1940

Boys of the City
1940

Search for Beauty
1934

East Side Kids
1940

Prisoner of Japan
1942

'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
1942

Did'ja Know?
1950

The Rangers Take Over
1942

The Gunman From Bodie
1941

Rough Riding Rhythm
1937

The Cowboy from Sundown
1940

Student Tour
1934

Sitting Pretty
1933

Tomorrow's Children
1934

Gift of Gab
1934

College Coach
1933

Son of the Navy
1940

Isle Of Destiny
1940

Movie Pests
1944
Directing (40 movies)

Bowling Tricks
1948

Did'ja Know?
1950

Diamond Demon
1947
Super Cue Men
1949

Reducing
1952
Out for Fun
1954
Those Good Old Days
1949

Things We Can Do Without
1953
Neighbor Pests
1947
Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954

Crashing the Movies
1950
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
The Fall Guy
1955

Wrong Way Butch
1950

You Can't Win
1948

Sure Cures
1946

Let's Cogitate
1948
A Wife's Life
1950
We Can Dream, Can't We?
1949
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948

Cash Stashers
1953

Camera Sleuth
1951

I Love Children, But!
1952
The Man Around the House
1955
Just What I Needed
1955

Film Antics
1954
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
Early Sports Quiz: What's Your I.Q. No. 13
1947
Pest Control
1950

Just Suppose
1948

Bargain Madness
1951
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947

Ice Aces
1948
Musiquiz
1952

Treasures from Trash
1946
The Mosconi Story
1953
Football Thrills No. 10
1947
Surfboard Rhythm
1947
| Title | Year | Job | 
|---|---|---|
| Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 | 1946 | Writer | 
| Treasures from Trash | 1946 | Screenplay | 
| Sure Cures | 1946 | Writer | 
| I Love My Husband, But! | 1946 | Screenplay | 
| Diamond Demon | 1947 | Writer | 
| I Love My Wife BUT! | 1947 | Screenplay | 
| Have You Ever Wondered? | 1947 | Writer | 
| I Love My Mother-In-Law But... | 1948 | Screenplay | 
| You Can't Win | 1948 | Writer | 
| Just Suppose | 1948 | Writer | 
| Ice Aces | 1948 | Writer | 
| Did'ja Know? | 1950 | Screenplay | 
| A Wife's Life | 1950 | Screenplay | 
| Wrong Way Butch | 1950 | Screenplay | 
| Camera Sleuth | 1951 | Writer | 
| Bargain Madness | 1951 | Writer | 
| Reducing | 1952 | Screenplay | 
| I Love Children, But! | 1952 | Writer | 
| Dogs 'n Ducks | 1953 | Screenplay | 
| Cash Stashers | 1953 | Screenplay | 
| Things We Can Do Without | 1953 | Screenplay | 
| Do Someone a Favor! | 1954 | Screenplay | 
| Out for Fun | 1954 | Writer | 
| The Man Around the House | 1955 | Screenplay | 
| Just What I Needed | 1955 | Screenplay |