Gerald Stewart O'Loughlin, a renowned Irish-American character actor, was born on December 23, 1921, in New York City. Despite initially pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, he chose to follow his passion for the stage, attending the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Throughout the early 1950s, O'Loughlin regularly performed in stock and repertory plays, showcasing his talent in roles such as Stanley in the national tour of "A Streetcar Named Desire" opposite the legendary Tallulah Bankhead, and Cheswick opposite Kirk Douglas's Randle McMurphy in 1963's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" on Broadway.
In the early years of his film career, O'Loughlin appeared in offbeat romantic leads in low-budget films like "Lovers and Lollipops" (1956) and small roles in more notable films like "A Hatful of Rain" (1957). He later played sturdy parts in films such as "In Cold Blood" (1967),"Ice Station Zebra" (1968),and "Desperate Characters" (1971).
O'Loughlin's television career took off in the 1970s, when he landed the role of Lt. Ryker in the TV cop series "The Rookies" (1972),replacing Darren McGavin. He went on to play authoritarian roles in other TV series, including "Automan" (1983) and "Our House" (1986).
In addition to his television work, O'Loughlin appeared in numerous TV movies, including the tearjerker "Something for Joey" (1977) with Geraldine Page, and strong, authoritative roles in films like "A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story" (1978),"Women in White" (1979),"Child's Cry" (1986),and "Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun" (1986).
O'Loughlin also had notable roles in several acclaimed mini-series, including "Wheels" (1978),"Roots: The Next Generations" (1979),"Blind Ambition" (1979),and "A Matter of Life and Death" (1981). He made guest appearances on various established programming, such as "M*A*S*H," "Fame," "Matt Houston," "Riptide," "Murder, She Wrote," "Too Close for Comfort," "Highway to Heaven," "ER," "The Division," "Titans," and "Judging Amy."
In his later years, O'Loughlin appeared in the short film "Destinesia" (2008),portraying an elderly man desperate to escape his nursing home. He passed away on July 31, 2015, at the age of 86, due to natural causes. His wife, Meryl Abeles O'Loughlin, a casting agent, predeceased him in 2007. They had two children, including a son who was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic épée fencing team.
