Actor. Born Eamon Joseph O'Brien in Brooklyn, New York, he was a major Hollywood motion picture star for nearly four decades. A graduate of Columbia University, he began his early career honing his skills to become a magician, before deciding to pursue a career in motion pictures. He made his screen debut as an extra in the 1938 film "The Prisoner." The following year, he received his first major on-screen acting credit as 'Gringoire' in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." In 1954, he was honored by the Motion Picture Academy with an Academy Award (Oscar) as Best Supporting Actor for his work in "The Barefoot Contessa." Ten years later, he received a second Best Supporting Oscar nomination from the academy for his role as United States Senator Raymond Clark, in the 1964 political thriller "Seven Days in May." His notable film works include: "Parachute Battalion" (1941), "The Amazing Mrs. Holiday" (1943), "Winged Victory" (1944), "The Killers" (1946), "The Web" (1947), "A Double Life" (1947), "Fighter Squadron" (1948), "White Heat" (1949), "D.O.A." (1950), "711 Ocean Drive" (1950), "Two of a Kind" (1950), "The Turning Point" (1952), "Man in the Dark" (1953), "China Venture" (1953), "The Bigamist" (1953), "The Hitch-Hiker" (1953), "Julius Caesar" (1953), "Shield for Murder" (1954), "Pete Kelly's Blues" (1955), "1984" (1956), "D-Day the Sixth of June" (1956), "The Girl Can't Help It" (1956), "Stopover Tokyo" (1957), "Up Periscope" (1959), "The Last Voyage" (1960), "Moon Pilot" (1962), "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962), "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962), "The Longest Day" (1962), "Fantastic Voyage" (1966), "The Wild Bunch" (1969), "The Love God?" (1969), "They Only Kill Their Masters" (1972) and "99 and 44/100% Dead" (1974). His television credits include: "The Ford Playhouse Theatre," "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars," "Playhouse 90," "The Virginian," "Mission: Impossible," "It Takes a Thief," "The Streets of San Francisco," "McMillan & Wife" and "Police Story." He died in Inglewood, California at the age of 69, as a result of combined Alzheimer's and heart disease.
Actor. Born Eamon Joseph O'Brien in Brooklyn, New York, he was a major Hollywood motion picture star for nearly four decades. A graduate of Columbia University, he began his early career honing his skills to become a magician, before deciding to pursue a career in motion pictures. He made his screen debut as an extra in the 1938 film "The Prisoner." The following year, he received his first major on-screen acting credit as 'Gringoire' in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." In 1954, he was honored by the Motion Picture Academy with an Academy Award (Oscar) as Best Supporting Actor for his work in "The Barefoot Contessa." Ten years later, he received a second Best Supporting Oscar nomination from the academy for his role as United States Senator Raymond Clark, in the 1964 political thriller "Seven Days in May." His notable film works include: "Parachute Battalion" (1941), "The Amazing Mrs. Holiday" (1943), "Winged Victory" (1944), "The Killers" (1946), "The Web" (1947), "A Double Life" (1947), "Fighter Squadron" (1948), "White Heat" (1949), "D.O.A." (1950), "711 Ocean Drive" (1950), "Two of a Kind" (1950), "The Turning Point" (1952), "Man in the Dark" (1953), "China Venture" (1953), "The Bigamist" (1953), "The Hitch-Hiker" (1953), "Julius Caesar" (1953), "Shield for Murder" (1954), "Pete Kelly's Blues" (1955), "1984" (1956), "D-Day the Sixth of June" (1956), "The Girl Can't Help It" (1956), "Stopover Tokyo" (1957), "Up Periscope" (1959), "The Last Voyage" (1960), "Moon Pilot" (1962), "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962), "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962), "The Longest Day" (1962), "Fantastic Voyage" (1966), "The Wild Bunch" (1969), "The Love God?" (1969), "They Only Kill Their Masters" (1972) and "99 and 44/100% Dead" (1974). His television credits include: "The Ford Playhouse Theatre," "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars," "Playhouse 90," "The Virginian," "Mission: Impossible," "It Takes a Thief," "The Streets of San Francisco," "McMillan & Wife" and "Police Story." He died in Inglewood, California at the age of 69, as a result of combined Alzheimer's and heart disease.
Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.
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