Image of Robert Emmett O'Connor

Robert Emmett O'Connor

Stalwart Irish-American character actor Robert Emmet O'Connor, who was born on March 18, 1885, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He made his bones performing in circuses and in vaudeville. He made his Broadway debut in the musical "Fritz in Tammany Hall" at the Herald Square Theatre on October 16, 1905, ultimately appearing in 13 musical comedies and operettas on the Great White Way through 1930 (he also appeared in four straight plays during that period, mostly comedies such as "The Old Soak" during the 1922-23 season). After 1930, he never appeared on Broadway again, focusing instead on his movie career. He made his movie debut in 1920 in the Harold Lloyd comedy short His Royal Slyness (1920), directed by Hal Roach. He made six comedies for the Hal Roach Studios in the years 1920-21, including one more Harold Lloyd vehicle, Never Weaken (1921), before taking a five-year hiatus from films. He returned in the Thomas Meighan drama, Tin Gods (1926), directed by Allan Dwan, then spent the next 24 years acting in movies. In 1930, he went back to the Roach Studio to support Laurel and Hardy in two Spanish language shorts, then moved over to Warner Bros. as a bit player. He played the Irish bootlegger Paddy Ryan in the classic The Public Enemy (1931) in support of fellow Irish-American James Cagney, and appeared in another classic, Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). He then settled into being typecast as Irish cops. After he moved on to MGM, the typecasting led to one of his most famous roles: the plain-clothes detective in pursuit of the Marx Brothers in A Night at the Opera (1935). During the 1940s, still under contract player to MGM, he was kept busy, appearing in every genre, including the "Our Gang" comedies. His last film role was as the Paramount Studios' guard who remembers Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (1950). He virtually retired from his acting career at the age of 65, though he made some television appearances in the 1950s. Robert Emmett O'Connor died on September 4, 1962, of injuries sustained in a fire. He was 77 years old.


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Born:
Mar 18, 1885 In Milwaukee, WI
Movie/TV Credits:
120
First Appeared:
In the movie His Royal Slyness 1920-02-08
Latest Project:
Movie Sunset Boulevard 1950-08-10
Known For
Poster of The Big Timer
Poster of Alias French Gertie
Poster of The Singing Fool
Poster of The Noose
Filmography
Movie Sunset Boulevard Older Paramount Gate Guard Jonesy (uncredited) 1950-08-10
Movie Tenth Avenue Angel Mr. O'Callan (uncredited) 1948-02-20
Movie Easter Parade Policeman (uncredited) 1948-07-08
Movie The Hucksters Frank - Hotel Doorman (uncredited) 1947-07-17
Movie The Romance of Rosy Ridge Southerner 1947-08-04
Movie Merton of the Movies Mac - Restaurant Counterman (uncredited) 1947-10-11
Movie Up Goes Maisie Rose Bowl Watchman (Uncredited) 1946-02-01
Movie The Harvey Girls Conductor (uncredited) 1946-01-18
Movie The Hoodlum Saint Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited) 1946-04-04
Movie Undercurrent Stationmaster (uncredited) 1946-11-11
Movie Till the Clouds Roll By Ed (uncredited) 1946-12-05
Movie Boys' Ranch Druggist 1946-07-18
Movie Courage of Lassie Deputy (uncredited) 1946-11-08
Movie Anchors Aweigh Cop (uncredited) 1945-08-13
Movie A Gun in His Hand Veteran Policeman McGuinnes (uncredited) 1945-09-15
Movie The Clock Policeman (uncredited) 1945-05-25
Movie Adventure Man in Cantina (uncredited) 1945-12-28
Movie They Were Expendable Silver Dollar Bartender (uncredited) 1945-12-07
Movie The Great American Mug Laughing Man (uncredited) 1945-10-06
Movie Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood 2nd Studio Guard (uncredited) 1945-10-05
Movie Rationing Sheriff (uncredited) 1944-03-24
Movie Barbary Coast Gent Joe the Bartender (uncredited) 1944-09-01
Movie Meet Me in St. Louis Motorman (uncredited) 1944-11-28
Movie Gentle Annie Childers the Bartender (as Robert Emmet O'Connor) 1944-12-05
Movie Air Raid Wardens Charlie Beaugart 1943-04-04
Movie Slightly Dangerous Reporter (uncredited) 1943-04-01
Movie Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case Samson (uncredited) 1943-05-08
Movie The Human Comedy Bartender (uncredited) 1943-03-02
Movie Swing Shift Maisie Proprietor (Uncredited) 1943-10-01
Movie Who Killed Who? Host (uncredited) 1943-06-19
Movie Best Foot Forward Train Conductor 1943-10-08
Movie Whistling in Brooklyn Detective Leo Finnigan 1943-12-01
Movie Inflation Joe's Co-worker (uncredited) 1942-01-01
Movie Maisie Gets Her Man Benefit Stage Manager (Uncredited) 1942-06-01
Movie Jackass Mail Peter Lawson 1942-07-01
Movie The Omaha Trail Oxen Owner (uncredited) 1942-09-01
Movie I Take This Oath Police Car Driver 1940-05-20
Movie The Lone Wolf Strikes House Detective 1940-01-26
Movie Hot Steel Police Inspector 1940-05-24
Movie Double Alibi Patrolman Delaney 1940-03-01
Movie A Fugitive from Justice Murphy 1940-06-15
Movie No Time for Comedy Desk Sergeant (uncredited) 1940-09-14
Movie Dance, Girl, Dance Plainclothesman (uncredited) 1940-08-30
Movie Sergeant Madden Capt. Crane 1939-03-24
Movie Made for Each Other Harry (Elevator Starter) (uncredited) 1939-02-10
Movie Streets of New York Police Officer Burke 1939-04-12
Movie Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President Pat Donegan 1939-12-01
Movie Boy of the Streets Police Officer Rourke 1938-01-08
Movie Professor Beware Cop at Estate 1938-07-29
Movie Waikiki Wedding Policeman (uncredited) 1937-03-23
Movie Park Avenue Logger Police Sergeant 1937-03-16
Movie A Star Is Born Santa Anita Clubhouse Bartender (uncredited) 1937-04-27
Movie Girl Overboard Sergeant Hatton 1937-02-01
Movie The Crime Nobody Saw Tim Burke 1937-03-12
Movie We Who Are About to Die Detective Mitchell 1937-01-08
Movie The Frame-Up Larry Mann 1937-05-02
Movie Wells Fargo Sea Captain 1937-12-31
Movie Trapped by G-Men Federal Agent Jim 1937-09-09
Movie New Faces of 1937 Policeman 1937-07-02
Movie Super-Sleuth Casey 1937-07-16
Movie At Sea Ashore First Immigration Officer 1936-04-04
Movie Desire Customs Official 1936-04-11
Movie Little Lord Fauntleroy Policeman 1936-03-06
Movie Jailbreak Policeman 1936-08-05
Movie Sinner Take All Police Capt. Greenwood (uncredited) 1936-12-18
Movie Stolen Harmony Warden Clark (uncredited) 1935-04-20
Movie The Mysterious Mr. Wong Officer 'Mac' McGillicuddy 1935-01-25
Movie Star of Midnight Police Sergeant Cleary 1935-04-19
Movie Diamond Jim Brady's Father 1935-09-01
Movie Waterfront Lady Police Lieutenant 1935-10-04
Movie The Lone Wolf Returns Detective Benson 1935-12-31
Movie A Night at the Opera Henderson 1935-11-15
Movie The Big Shakedown Regan 1934-01-06
Movie Bottoms Up Detective Rooney 1934-04-12
Movie A Wicked Woman Dugan (uncredited) 1934-12-07
Movie Return of the Terror Inspector Bradley 1934-07-07
Movie Picture Snatcher Lieutenant Casey Nolan 1933-05-06
Movie Mystery of the Wax Museum Police Sergeant by Christmas tree 1933-02-18
Movie Frisco Jenny Jim Sandoval 1933-01-14
Movie Bed of Roses River Boat Captain Scroggins (uncredited) 1933-06-29
Movie Gabriel Over the White House Corrupt Police Inspector (uncredited) 1933-03-31
Movie Midnight Mary Charlie the Cop 1933-06-30
Movie Penthouse Police Lt. 'Steve' Stevens 1933-09-08
Movie Lady for a Day Inspector MacCreary 1933-09-13
Movie Don't Bet on Love Edward Shelton 1933-06-30
Movie Play Girl Police Sergeant (uncredited) 1932-03-12
Movie The Arm of the Law Chief of Detectives Capt. Blake 1932-04-19
Movie The Big Timer Dan Wilson 1932-03-10
Movie Two Kinds of Women Tim Gohagen 1932-01-16
Movie The Beast of the City Booking Policeman (uncredited) 1932-02-13
Movie Night World The Policeman 1932-05-04
Movie Blessed Event Jim 1932-09-10
Movie The Dark Horse Sheriff 1932-06-16
Movie The Kid from Spain Detective Crawford 1932-11-17
Movie Blonde Venus Dan O'Connor 1932-09-23
Movie American Madness Police Inspector 1932-08-15
Movie Week-End Marriage Police Desk Clerk Eddie (uncredited) 1932-06-18
Movie The Public Enemy Paddy Ryan 1931-04-23
Movie The Single Sin Detective 1931-02-23
Movie Three Who Loved Police Lt. Tom Rooney 1931-07-03
Movie The Public Defender Detective Brady 1931-08-01
Movie Taxi! Cop with Jewish Man (uncredited) 1931-12-29
Movie Fanny Foley Herself Burns 1931-10-09
Movie The Big Fight Detective 1930-05-11
Movie Framed Sergeant Schultze 1930-03-16
Movie The Big House Donlin 1930-06-14
Movie Alias French Gertie Detective Kelcey 1930-04-20
Movie Up the River Prison Warden (uncredited) 1930-10-10
Movie Our Blushing Brides The Detective 1930-07-19
Movie Man to Man Sheriff 1930-12-05
Movie Paid Police Sgt. Cassidy 1930-12-30
Movie Shooting Straight Detective Regan 1930-07-20
Movie Weary River Police Sergeant (uncredited) 1929-02-10
Movie The Noose Jim Conley 1928-01-29
Movie Dressed to Kill Detective Gilroy 1928-03-17
Movie The Singing Fool Cafe Owner Bill 1928-09-19
Movie Four Walls Sullivan 1928-08-11
Movie Tin Gods Second Foreman 1926-09-19
Movie His Royal Slyness (uncredited) 1920-02-08
Movie Drink Hearty 1920-05-02