Dave O'Brien

Acting

Dave O'Brien

Born — Died

1912-05-31 — 1969-11-08

Place of birth

Big Spring, Texas, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

102 titles

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 un…

Known for

Film credits

1950s · 5 titles

1940s · 20 titles

The Devil Bat poster
5.3

Dr. Paul Carruthers is frustrated because he thinks his employers, Mary Heath and Henry Morton, have cheated him out of the company's profits. He decides to get revenge by altering bats to grow twice their normal size and training them to attack when they smell a perfume of his own making. He mixes the perfume into a lotion, which he offers as a gift to Mary and Henry. When they turn up dead, a newspaper reporter decides to investigate.

The Devil Bat

1940

Flaming Bullets poster
6.0

Bullets fly as the Texas rangers fight an outlaw gang.

Flaming Bullets

1945

Bowery at Midnight poster
5.0

A seemingly charitable soup kitchen operator (who moonlights as a criminology professor) uses his Bowery mission as a front for his criminal gang. Police attempt to close in on the gang as they commit a series of robberies, murders and bizarre experiments on corpses.

Bowery at Midnight

1942

The Man Who Walked Alone poster
5.9

A war hero returns home following a medical discharge and ends up entangled with a young woman speeding away from her wedding day in her fiance's car. Seeing the soldier, she gives him a ride and explains her predicament. Things get sticky when the cops capture them and accuse the soldier of desertion.

The Man Who Walked Alone

1945

Spooks Run Wild poster
5.1

A group of delinquents on their way to summer camp get stuck in a haunted house.

Spooks Run Wild

1941

Boys of the City poster
5.3

Street kids get sent to the country, where they get mixed up in murder and a haunted house.

Boys of the City

1940

The Phantom of 42nd Street poster
4.8

A theatre critic teams up with a cop to investigate the murder of a Broadway actor.

The Phantom of 42nd Street

1945

Forbidden Trails poster
5.6

Two ex-cons plan to kill the range rider marshal who sent them to prison and, when their plan fails, join forces with their former boss, a crooked saloon owner who has the same idea.

Forbidden Trails

1941

The Return of the Rangers poster
7.0

The Texas Rangers round up rustlers by masquerading as the same. Trouble ensues when while in disguise one of the Rangers is accused of a killing.

The Return of the Rangers

1943

Flying Wild poster
6.1

A group of young men who work at an aviation factory begin to suspect that a doctor who runs an air ambulance service is secretly a spy transporting secret information from the plant to enemy agents.

Flying Wild

1941

Down Texas Way poster
6.5

"The Rough Riders", has U. S. Marshals Buck Roberts (Buck Jones) and Tim McCall (Tim McCoy) coming to a Texas town to visit their friend, U. S. Marshal Sandy Hopkins (Raymond Hatton), only to learn that he has disappeared, and is suspected of the murder of John Dodge (Jack Daley), owner of practically the whole town, except the hotel Sandy owns and runs when he isn't on an assignment as a Marshal. The murder has been committed by the henchmen of Bart Logan (Harry Woods), who intends to take over the dead man's property and whose men are holding Sandy prisoner to make it appear that he fled after arguing with and killing Dodge. Just before the murder, Logan sent a letter to Dodge with the news that the latter's long-missing wife is returning, and in a short while, Stella (Lois Austin), a Logan accomplice, arrives posing as the missing Ann Dodge, thus establishing her right to the Dodge property. Sandy, allowed to escape, returns ... Written by Les Adams

Down Texas Way

1942

The Cowboy from Sundown poster
9.0

The drought-plagued ranchers of Sundown have to market their cattle at a loss in order to meet mortgage payments held by banker Cylus Cuttler. Then, Sheriff Tex Rockett is forced to quarantine all the cattle on the local ranches because of a hoof-and-mouth disease outbreak. Steve Davis herds his cattle to the railhead anyway, and Tex is forced to arrest him. Urged on by the banker's son, Nick Cuttler, the angry ranchers storm the jail, but Steve's sister Bee persuades them to await the trial. Steve, with Nick's help, breaks jail and is told he must kill Tex to aid the ranchers. Meanwhile, government man Bret Stockton and Tex see Nick and his men treating cattle in an unusual way. Tex finally proves that the Cuttlers have been treating the cattle with acid to give a false impression of the hoof-and-mouth disease.

The Cowboy from Sundown

1940

Fighting Valley poster
NR

Someone has been stealing ore from a valuable smelting mine. One of the independent mine-owners victimized by the crooks is pretty Joan Manning, making the Rangers' mission a bit more pleasant.

Fighting Valley

1943

The Gunman From Bodie poster
5.3

The Rough Riders are after a gang of rustlers. Marshal Roberts is posing as a wanted outlaw, McCall is the Marshal supposedly after him, and Sandy is on hand as a cook. Roberts hopes his joining the gang will help bring them in.

The Gunman From Bodie

1941

Hold That Woman! poster
7.0

A skip tracer--someone who collects late payments from people who've purchased appliances, etc., or takes them back them when they don't pay--repossesses a small radio from a deadbeat who's skipped payments. What he doesn't know is that a gang that has stolen diamonds from a Hollywood movie star has stashed them inside the radio, and they start hunting for him.

Hold That Woman!

1940

Son of the Navy poster
6.2

A runaway boy pretends to be the son of a Navy man, only to turn both their lives upside down.

Son of the Navy

1940

No artwork available
NR

Demonstrates how accidents happen when proper safety devices are neglected.

Safety Sleuth

1944

Victory Quiz poster
6.2

A short film where viewers are given 10 or 15 seconds to answer questions about the United States and its involvement in World War II.

Victory Quiz

1942

Enemy of the Law poster
6.0

Charley Gray is about to be released from the state penitentiary after serving a long term for the robbery of a government gold shipment. The gold was never recovered, so the Texas Ranger chief has Ranger Panhandle Perkins planted in the prison as Charley's cell-mate in the hopes Charley will tell him where the loot is buried. Charley has a map of the location but is afraid it may be discovered so, while Panhandle is asleep, he draws a copy of it on the sole of Panhandle's foot. Charley then destroys the map but intends to keep "Panhandle" close to him upon their release from prison. Charley makes Panhandle accompany him back to the town where the rest of the hold-up gang is holed up. They go to the saloon owned by Steve Martin, also a member of the hold-up gang, but Charley was the one who buried the loot before he was captured and Charley has no intentions of divulging the location of the gold. Written by Les Adams

Enemy of the Law

1945

Gangsters of the Frontier poster
4.3

Tex put the Kern gang away once but they have returned with reinforcements and have take over the town of Red Rock capturing the townsmen and forcing them to work for them in the gold mines. Dave and Tex then organize the ranchers into the Territorial Rangers. After blowing up the mines to keep the gang from getting the gold, they are ready for the showdown between the two sides. Written by Maurice VanAuken

Gangsters of the Frontier

1944

1930s · 33 titles

The Sign of the Cross poster
6.4

A Roman soldier becomes torn between his love for a Christian woman and his loyalty to Emperor Nero.

The Sign of the Cross

1932

Madam Satan poster
5.9

A socialite masquerades as a notorious femme fatale to win back her straying husband during a costume party aboard a doomed dirigible.

Madam Satan

1930

42nd Street poster
6.9

Broadway director Julian Marsh needs just one more hit show so he can retire and recover his health. It looks like he just may pull it off until temperamental star Dorthy Brock breaks her ankle on the eve of the show's premiere and has to be replaced by her understudy Peggy.

42nd Street

1933

Devil and the Deep poster
5.1

Naval commander Charles Sturm has made life miserable for his wife Diana due to his insane jealousy over every man she speaks to. His obsessive behavior soon drives her to the arms of a handsome lieutenant. When Charles learns of their affair, he plots revenge.

Devil and the Deep

1932

New Frontier poster
5.7

The Three Mesquiteers convince a group of settlers to exchange their present property for some which, unbeknownst to our goodguys, is going to be worthless. They are captured before they can warn the ranchers.

New Frontier

1939

Born to Be Wild poster
7.5

Truck drivers Steve Hackett and Bill Purvis are fired from their jobs with the West Coast Trucking company for not using second-gear going down steep grades. Davis, the company vice-president, surprisingly asks them to carry a load of merchandise to Arrowhead and offers a $1000 bonus. He tells them it is a load of lettuce. Several miles out of Los Angelese, they are stopped by a mob of lettuce-farm workers on strike. When the first crate is tossed off the truck, it explodes and the two pals learn their merchandise is a cargo of dynamite. The workers let them proceed and they crash into a car driven by Mary Stevens, whom they had met at a restaurant. She and her dog, "Butch" (played by a Credited dog named Stooge), join them and they deliver their cargo, and learn unscrupulous real-estate operators have jammed the locks on the dam in order to ruin the ranchers and farmers and take over their property.

Born to Be Wild

1938

Wonder Bar poster
6.0

Harry and Inez are a dance team at the Wonder Bar. Inez loves Harry, but he is in love with Liane, the wife of a wealthy business man. Al Wonder and the conductor/singer Tommy are in love with Inez. When Inez finds out that Harry wants to leave Paris and is going to the USA with Liane, she kills him.

Wonder Bar

1934

Rasputin and the Empress poster
5.5

The story of corrupt, power-hungry, manipulative Grigori Rasputin's influence on members of the Russian Imperial family and others, and what resulted.

Rasputin and the Empress

1932

We're Rich Again poster
6.2

A polo-playing grandmother and her broke brood get back in the money with a Wall Street bet.

We're Rich Again

1934

College Humor poster
5.6

A college professor and the school's star football player are both rivals for the same beautiful coed.

College Humor

1933

Water Rustlers poster
4.7

Shirley Martin finds that Weylan has diverted the water from the valley and her cattle are dying. First she and her foreman Bob Lawson go to court. This fails when Weylan's men keep the ranchers from testifying. But Shirley has a second plan to return water to the valley.

Water Rustlers

1939

Lightnin' Crandall poster
4.0

Cowboy with a reputation as the fastest gun in Texas heads to Arizona to leave his past behind, but it keeps catching up to him.

Lightnin' Crandall

1937

The Dawn Patrol poster
6.6

World War I ace Dick Courtney derides the leadership of his superior officer, but he soon is promoted to squadron commander and learns harsh lessons about sending subordinates to their deaths.

The Dawn Patrol

1930

The Secret of Treasure Island poster
4.5

A variety of people are searching for a long-hidden treasure somewhere on an island. Chapters: 1. The Isle of Fear, 2. The Ghost Talks, 3. The Phantom Duel, 4. Buried Alive, 5. The Girl Who Vanished, 6. Trapped by the Flood, 7. The Cannon Roars, 8. The Circle of Death, 9. The Pirate's Revenge, 10. The Crash, 11. Dynamite, 12. The Bridge of Doom, 13. The Mad Flight, 14. The Jaws of Destruction, 15. Justice

The Secret of Treasure Island

1938

She Married Her Boss poster
7.3

A super-efficient secretary at a department store falls for and marries her boss, but finds out that taking care of him at home (and especially his spoiled-brat daughter) is a lot different than taking care of him at work.

She Married Her Boss

1935

Murder at the Vanities poster
5.7

Shortly before the curtain goes up the first time at the latest performance of Earl Carroll's Vanities, someone is attempting to injure the leading lady Ann Ware, who wants to marry leading man Eric Lander. Stage manager Jack Ellery calls in his friend, policeman Bill Murdock, to help him investigate. Bill thinks Jack is offering to let him see the show from an unusual viewpoint after he forgot to get him tickets for the performance, but then they find the corpse of a murdered woman and Bill immediately suspects Eric of the crime.

Murder at the Vanities

1934

Mutiny in the Big House poster
5.3

A young man forges a check in order to help his mother, but is caught and sentenced to 14 years in prison...

Mutiny in the Big House

1939

Woman Wanted poster
6.8

Just after a jury finds Ann Grey guilty of murder, the car carrying her to prison crashes into another car. Ann escapes and ends up in lawyer Tony Baxter's car. Tony realizes Ann is innocent, so he vows to help her prove it, risking his neck in the process. Tony and Ann are pursued by the police and by Smiley Gordon, a mob boss who engineered Ann's escape thinking that she can lead him to a $250,000 stash.

Woman Wanted

1935

The World Changes poster
4.8

Generational saga tracing the events in the lives of the midwest pioneering Nordholm family, as seen through the eyes of businessman Orin Nordholm Jr., who ages from a youth to an elderly grandfather.

The World Changes

1933

Code of the Cactus poster
6.2

When Blackton outbids Bill Carson. Bill suspects he will have to rustle cattle to fulfill the contract. So Bill arrives posing as an Mexican. When he rustles the cattle from the rustlers, it gets him into the gang. Hoping to bring them all to justice, he is in trouble when his true identity is revealed.

Code of the Cactus

1939

Buried Alive poster
5.1

A prison trustee rescues a despondent executioner from a bar-room brawl, and is blamed for the fight by a tabloid reporter who actually started it, and loses parole, becomes embittered, and gets blamed for murder of guard.

Buried Alive

1939

Music in the Air poster
5.6

A songwriter's young daughter (June Lang) begins to dream of stardom when she's offered the lead role in a new operetta.

Music in the Air

1934

Student Tour poster
6.7

A philosophy professor accompanies his school's rowing team on a worldwide tour.

Student Tour

1934

Pick-up poster
5.1

The scheme of a pair of married con artists goes awry when their victim dies, and they are both caught and imprisoned. When she gets out of prison, she tries to put her life back together.

Pick-up

1933

The Girl on the Front Page poster
7.0

The heiress to a powerful newspaper owner gets a job at the paper under an assumed name and helps break up a blackmail racket.

The Girl on the Front Page

1936

Roar of the Dragon poster
6.5

A boatload of Westerners is trapped in Manchuria as bandits led by Russian renegade Voronsky ravage the area. Seeking refuge in a fortified inn, the group is led by the boat's Captain Carson, who becomes involved with a woman who "belongs" to Voronsky. Carson must contend with the bandits outside and the conflicting personalities of those trapped inside the inn, as well as dealing with spies among the inn's personnel.

Roar of the Dragon

1932

Gift of Gab poster
5.2

Conceited radio announcer irritates everyone else at the station.

Gift of Gab

1934

On Your Toes poster
4.5

A Russian dance company agrees to stage the new ballet written by a vaudeville hoofer.

On Your Toes

1939

Frontier Scout poster
6.0

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant has a job for Wild Bill Hickok (George Houston) and his sidekick (Al St. John).

Frontier Scout

1938

Good News poster
6.2

A college football star falls for his mousy French tutor.

Good News

1930

Where the Buffalo Roam poster
5.5

Tex returns to Santa Fe to find his Mother murdered. Foster runs the town and all crimes committed by his gang are blamed on Rogel and his men. He makes Tex Marshal but this backfires when Tex enlists Rogel and his men and goes after Foster who he now knows is responsible for his Mother's death.

Where the Buffalo Roam

1938

Is My Face Red? poster
5.0

William Poster writes a gossip column for the Morning Gazette. He will write about anyone and everyone as long as he gets the credit. He gets most of his information from his showgirl gal-pal, Peggy. Eventually Bill's reckless tattling gets him in deep trouble with friends and enemies, putting his career and life in jeopardy.

Is My Face Red?

1932

Tell Your Children poster
4.4

High-school principal Dr. Alfred Carroll relates to an audience of parents that marijuana can have devastating effects on teens: a drug supplier entices several restless teens, Mary and Jimmy Lane, sister and brother, and Bill, Mary's boyfriend, into frequenting a reefer house. Gradually, Bill and Jimmy are drawn into smoking dope, which affects their family lives.

Tell Your Children

1938

Series credits

Behind the camera

No artwork available
NR

In this "Pete Smith Specialty Short," advice is given on how to deal with certain common pests.

Pest Control

1950

Camera Sleuth poster
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, we see how real-life investigator Jo Goggin used a motion picture surveillance camera to gather evidence and disprove a fraudulent insurance claim.

Camera Sleuth

1951

Camera Sleuth poster
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, we see how real-life investigator Jo Goggin used a motion picture surveillance camera to gather evidence and disprove a fraudulent insurance claim.

Camera Sleuth

1951

Ice Aces poster
7.0

This Pete Smith Specialty short provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Ice Capades practices with ice skating favorites of the time.

Ice Aces

1948

Ice Aces poster
7.0

This Pete Smith Specialty short provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Ice Capades practices with ice skating favorites of the time.

Ice Aces

1948

Film Antics poster
6.0

An amusing short film that looks at human and animal babies.

Film Antics

1954

Meet the O'Briens poster
NR

An unsold pilot about a clumsy, unemployed dopey guy with a wife living with his in-laws.

Meet the O'Briens

1954

Bowling Tricks poster
6.5

A demonstration of trick shots by champion bowler Andy Varipapa.

Bowling Tricks

1948

Just Suppose poster
7.0

An off-camera narrator takes us through various scenarios of "just suppose". First we watch what would happen if a private detective behaved at home as he does in the movies; it's a ticket to a domestic disturbance. Next, a son gets to treat his father the way his father treats him. In the third episode, to a shopkeeper's chagrin, a man shops for a hat the way a woman does. In the final sketch, we suppose a household in which the man gets pregnant and has a baby, while the mom, clueless about little children, is the one with the career.

Just Suppose

1948

Just Suppose poster
7.0

An off-camera narrator takes us through various scenarios of "just suppose". First we watch what would happen if a private detective behaved at home as he does in the movies; it's a ticket to a domestic disturbance. Next, a son gets to treat his father the way his father treats him. In the third episode, to a shopkeeper's chagrin, a man shops for a hat the way a woman does. In the final sketch, we suppose a household in which the man gets pregnant and has a baby, while the mom, clueless about little children, is the one with the career.

Just Suppose

1948

Ain't It Aggravatin' poster
6.0

This comedic short looks at human foibles that lead to major aggravations.

Ain't It Aggravatin'

1954

No artwork available
6.5

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, answers are sought regarding some things people may have wondered about.

Have You Ever Wondered?

1947

No artwork available
6.5

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, answers are sought regarding some things people may have wondered about.

Have You Ever Wondered?

1947

No artwork available
8.0

A Pete Smith Specialty. The annual compendium of highlights from last season's major intercollegiate gridiron classics.

Football Thrills No. 10

1947

No artwork available
6.0

In this comedic Pete Smith Specialty short, average housewife Mrs. George T. Hardnose's day is recalled.

A Wife's Life

1950

No artwork available
6.0

In this comedic Pete Smith Specialty short, average housewife Mrs. George T. Hardnose's day is recalled.

A Wife's Life

1950

No artwork available
NR

A humorous look at some typical housework troubles that may arise. A Pete Smith Specialty short.

The Man Around the House

1955

No artwork available
NR

A humorous look at some typical housework troubles that may arise. A Pete Smith Specialty short.

The Man Around the House

1955

Diamond Demon poster
7.6

The unusual talents of Johnny Price, a minor league baseball pitcher and trick artist, are showcased in this Pete Smith Specialty. Among other talents, Mr. Price can throw two (and, in certain situations three) baseballs simultaneously to different people. The catchers can be side by side, with one high and one low, or standing on the pitcher's mound and second base while Price throws the ball from the catcher's position. He can even perform these feats while suspended upside-down.

Diamond Demon

1947

Diamond Demon poster
7.6

The unusual talents of Johnny Price, a minor league baseball pitcher and trick artist, are showcased in this Pete Smith Specialty. Among other talents, Mr. Price can throw two (and, in certain situations three) baseballs simultaneously to different people. The catchers can be side by side, with one high and one low, or standing on the pitcher's mound and second base while Price throws the ball from the catcher's position. He can even perform these feats while suspended upside-down.

Diamond Demon

1947

No artwork available
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a husband endures the trials of being married to a wife with irritating traits.

I Love My Wife BUT!

1947

No artwork available
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a husband endures the trials of being married to a wife with irritating traits.

I Love My Wife BUT!

1947

No artwork available
8.0

Life in mid-century America is humorously compared to life at the turn of the century. Subject covered are keeping accurate time, proposing marriage, waking up in the morning, and going to the movies.

Those Good Old Days

1949

No artwork available
8.0

Pete Smith special about billiard.

Super Cue Men

1949

No artwork available
NR

Humorous look at fantasy gadgets like ketchup in a tube, tilting book shelves, etc.

We Can Dream, Can't We?

1949

No artwork available
NR

Narrator Pete Smith talks about the different kinds of neighbors that can be pests, and how to deal with them.

Neighbor Pests

1947

No artwork available
10.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty, the audience is asked multiple-choice questions about various sports. Depending on the question, the correct answer is revealed after 5 or 10 seconds.

Early Sports Quiz: What's Your I.Q. No. 13

1947

No artwork available
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a friendly do-gooder's good deeds backfire.

Do Someone a Favor!

1954

No artwork available
7.0

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a friendly do-gooder's good deeds backfire.

Do Someone a Favor!

1954

No artwork available
7.2

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a series of vignettes illustrate some ways that mothers-in-law irritate, and/or cause problems for, their son-in-law.

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

1948

No artwork available
7.2

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a series of vignettes illustrate some ways that mothers-in-law irritate, and/or cause problems for, their son-in-law.

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

1948

Did'ja Know? poster
5.0

This short looks at the following questions: How would you act as an expectant father? How many greeting cards are sold in the USA each year? Why do indoor radiators make that pounding noise? Why do mammals yawn?

Did'ja Know?

1950

Did'ja Know? poster
5.0

This short looks at the following questions: How would you act as an expectant father? How many greeting cards are sold in the USA each year? Why do indoor radiators make that pounding noise? Why do mammals yawn?

Did'ja Know?

1950

No artwork available
5.5

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, we take a music quiz, plus survey various unusual musical instruments.

Musiquiz

1952

Things We Can Do Without poster
7.3

A Pete Smith Specialty shorts series entry. Dave demonstrates a variety of household items and furniture which, while modern, is much more trouble than the progress is worth.

Things We Can Do Without

1953

Things We Can Do Without poster
7.3

A Pete Smith Specialty shorts series entry. Dave demonstrates a variety of household items and furniture which, while modern, is much more trouble than the progress is worth.

Things We Can Do Without

1953

You Can't Win poster
4.9

In this comedic Pete Smith Specialty short film, a homeowner experiences a series of mishaps while taking a day off from the office.

You Can't Win

1948

You Can't Win poster
4.9

In this comedic Pete Smith Specialty short film, a homeowner experiences a series of mishaps while taking a day off from the office.

You Can't Win

1948

No artwork available
NR

Tells the story of young Willie Mosconi. From growing up with his father's pool hall downstairs to his first US Championship.

The Mosconi Story

1953

No artwork available
6.5

A series of questions testing one's knowledge of fun facts about horses and equestrian in general are asked. The questions deal with horse age and size measuring terms and protocols, race track gambling lingo, harness racing lingo and training techniques, Lipizzan stallions, and non-horse terminology using horse words. In-between the questions, other horse facts are presented and shown, including hapless novice equestrian Horace trying to saddle, mount and ride a horse.

Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11

1946