Oscar-winning actor Edmond O'Brien was a highly respected character actor in American cinema, with a career spanning from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s. Born on September 10, 1915, in Brooklyn, New York, O'Brien's early interest in performance was sparked by his neighbor Harry Houdini, who reportedly tutored him in the art of magic.
O'Brien's early years were marked by his participation in student theatrics in high school and his decision to major in drama at Fordham University, although he dropped out after just six months. He made his Broadway debut at the age of 21 in 1936 and went on to appear in numerous productions, including a 1937 production of "Hamlet" directed by John Gielgud and a 1940 production of "Romeo & Juliet" alongside Laurence Olivier.
O'Brien's work on stage caught the attention of Orson Welles, with whom he collaborated on the Mercury Theater's production of "Julius Caesar" in the 1930s. He later appeared in the film adaptation of the play, "Julius Caesar" (1953),playing the role of Casca.
Although it has been reported that O'Brien made his film debut in the 1938 movie "Prison Break", it is actually true that his stage work impressed RKO boss Pandro S. Berman, who brought him to Hollywood to appear in the 1939 film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".
After serving in the Army Air Force during World War II, O'Brien built a distinguished career as a supporting actor in major films, including "D.O.A." (1949) and "The Barefoot Contessa" (1954),for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role in "Seven Days in May" (1964).
O'Brien continued to work in film and television throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in classics such as "The Wild Bunch" (1969) and "The Other Side of the Wind" (2018). He was married twice, first to actress Nancy Kelly and then to Olga San Juan, with whom he had three children, including actors Maria O'Brien and Brendan O'Brien.
Tragically, O'Brien died in May 1985 in Inglewood, California, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
