George O'Brien

Acting

George O'Brien

Born — Died

1899-04-18 — 1985-09-04

Place of birth

San Francisco, California, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

63 titles

George O'Brien (April 19, 1899 – September 4, 1985) was an American actor, popular during the silent film era and into the talkie era of the 1930s, best known today as the lead actor in F. W. Murnau's 1927 film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. He also starred in East Side, West Side (1927), The Johnstown Floor (1926), and John Ford's The Iron Horse (1924). The day before his seventh birthday the Great Earthquake of 1906 hit San Francisco. He and his family nearly died and were homeless for months. He served in World War I and World War II.

Known for

Studio 57 poster
7.5

Studio 57 is an American anthology series that was broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network from September 1954 to September 1955, and in syndication from 1955 to 1956.

Studio 57

1954

This Is Your Life poster
6.5

This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience, including special guest appearances by colleagues, friends and family. Edwards revived the show in 1971-72, while Joseph Campanella hosted a version in 1983. Edwards returned for some specials in the late 1980s, before his death in 2005. The show originated as a radio show on NBC Radio airing from 1948 to 1952.

This Is Your Life

1952

Fort Apache poster
7.0

Owen Thursday sees his new posting to the desolate Fort Apache as a chance to claim the military honour which he believes is rightfully his. Arrogant, obsessed with military form and ultimately self-destructive, he attempts to destroy the Apache chief Cochise after luring him across the border from Mexico, against the advice of his subordinates.

Fort Apache

1948

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans poster
7.8

A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

1927

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon poster
6.9

On the eve of retirement, Captain Nathan Brittles takes out a last patrol to stop an impending massive Indian attack. Encumbered by women who must be evacuated, Brittles finds his mission imperiled.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

1949

Hollywood poster
8.4

A 1980 documentary series exploring the establishment and development of the Hollywood studios and its impact on 1920s culture.

Hollywood

1980

Film credits

1940s · 6 titles

Fort Apache poster
7.0

Owen Thursday sees his new posting to the desolate Fort Apache as a chance to claim the military honour which he believes is rightfully his. Arrogant, obsessed with military form and ultimately self-destructive, he attempts to destroy the Apache chief Cochise after luring him across the border from Mexico, against the advice of his subordinates.

Fort Apache

1948

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon poster
6.9

On the eve of retirement, Captain Nathan Brittles takes out a last patrol to stop an impending massive Indian attack. Encumbered by women who must be evacuated, Brittles finds his mission imperiled.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

1949

My Wild Irish Rose poster
6.0

Musical biography of Irish 19th century tenor Chauncey Olcott.

My Wild Irish Rose

1947

December 7th poster
5.8

"Docudrama" about the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and its results, the recovering of the ships, the improving of defense in Hawaii and the US efforts to beat back the Japanese reinforcements.

December 7th

1943

Legion of the Lawless poster
6.2

Residents of a small frontier town take up arms when vigilantes try to block a railroad right-of-way.

Legion of the Lawless

1940

Bullet Code poster
5.8

Protecting himself in an attack by rustlers, Rancher Steve Holden believes he has killed one of the attackers, young Bud Mathews, who in reality has warned Holden of the rustlers' approach. Unaware that Mathews was actually killed by rustler boss Cass Barton, Holden heads out to Mathews' home town where he plans to tell the boy's family of his death but instead uncovers a plan by a local businessman to force Mathews' father out of his ranch.

Bullet Code

1940

1930s · 25 titles

The Renegade Ranger poster
6.0

Two Texas Rangers have their worlds rocked by a wrongfully accused female bandit.

The Renegade Ranger

1938

Hollywood Studios poster
NR

Filmed during Rogge’s stay in the United States between 1927 and 1928, the film moves through the streets of Hollywood, Los Angeles, aiming to reveal to Brazilian audiences the inner workings of the major studios, as well as famous actors and actresses, local culture, and curiosities. With the flavor of a cinematic newsreel, this nearly century-old “Paranaense” film reveals, behind its informative intertitles and peculiar portraits, the interest of businessman-turned-filmmaker Arthur Rogge in the development of a local film industry.

Hollywood Studios

1930

Riders of the Purple Sage poster
8.0

Lassiter's sister was killed and her young daughter taken and raised by outlaws. Years later Lassiter arrives at the Withersteen ranch looking for the now grown daughter. He immediately gets caught up in the ranch's struggle against rustlers. Trailing a rustled herd of horses leads him to the rustler's hideout and the missing daughter.

Riders of the Purple Sage

1931

The Lone Star Ranger poster
7.0

After shooting a man in self-defense, Buck Duane finds himself accused of many crimes, none of which he committed. In order to prove his innocence, he joins the Texas Rangers, and also hopes to win the approval and hand of Mary Aldridge, a girl from the East. He is assigned to round up a gang of cattle rustlers who are, unknown by Mary. led by her father.

The Lone Star Ranger

1930

Hollywood Cowboy poster
5.5

Just after Kramer goes to Wyoming to start his protection racket, cowboy actor Jeff Carson finishes a picture and goes camping. Attracted to Joyce Butler, he hires on at her ranch and quickly gets caught up in Butler's conflict with Kramer. When the Butlers refuse to buy his service, he has their cattle stampeded.

Hollywood Cowboy

1937

Arizona Legion poster
5.5

A federal agent infiltrates an outlaw band that's taken over a western town.

Arizona Legion

1939

Racketeers of the Range poster
6.7

A large packing company is trying to obtain a monopoly by taking over the last small independent meat packer. Barney O'Dell, owner of the largest ranch, is trying to stop them. When the owner agrees to sell, Barney get a delay by forcing the small company to declare bankruptcy and having himself made receiver. Now the large company has to deal with Larry and when he refuses they resort to rustling.

Racketeers of the Range

1939

Daniel Boone poster
4.9

In 1775, Daniel Boone settles Kentucky, despite menacing Indians and renegade whites.

Daniel Boone

1936

Rough Romance poster
5.8

Love and logging in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon.

Rough Romance

1930

Mystery Ranch poster
7.0

Megalomaniacal rancher is a law unto himself, until a Ranger is called-upon to bring him to justice.

Mystery Ranch

1932

When a Man's a Man poster
5.5

A landslide has diverted water from the Baldwin ranch to Cambert's. With their cattle dying, Cambert refuses to let them have any water. Easterner Larry Knight takes a job with the Baldwins and he has a plan to divert the water back to the Baldwin ranch. But Phil, jealous of Kitty's attraction to Larry, lets Cambert know of the scheme.

When a Man's a Man

1935

Seas Beneath poster
5.3

In the waning days of WWI, a U.S. "Mystery Ship," sets sail for the coast of Spain towing a submarine. Their mission is to find and sink a U-boat that has been especially effective in attacking Allied shipping. Posing as a harmless schooner, the mystery ship is in fact fitted with a formidable gun capable of sinking a U-boat. Stopping in the Canary Islands to refuel, the crew interacts with locals involved with Germans, and with Germans themselves, including the sister of the U-Boat commander, who is lurking offshore waiting for the coming battle.

Seas Beneath

1931

Frontier Marshal poster
7.0

Thinly veiled reworking of the Wyatt Earp story with the renamed Michael Wyatt rolling into Tombstone, becoming acquainted, teaming up, and cleaning up the town with the help of “Doc” Warren and saloon singer Queenie La Verne, while sweet young maiden Mary Reid waits patiently on the sidelines.

Frontier Marshal

1934

Windjammer poster
5.7

The fourth and last of the George A. Hirliman-produced films starring George O'Brien (preceded by "Daniel Boone", "Park Avenue Logger" and "Hollywood Cowboy") that were distributed by RKO Radio. Hirliman sold O'Brien's contract to RKO, which then produced 18 series westerns starring O'Brien that ended when O'Brien went into the Navy at the outbreak of WW II. Long-time (past and future) O'Brien director David Howard served as Hirliman's Associate Producer on this film. "Windjammer" finds O'Brien as a subpoena server ordered to serve a subpoena on Brandon Evans (The Commondore) for a senate inquiry or lose his job. Posing as a playboy, he boards the Commodore's yacht during a yacht race, and the yacht is wrecked by a gun-running windjammer commanded by Captain Morgan (William Hall.) All hands are picked up by the windjammer, including the Commodore's daughter (played by Constance Worth) and put to work as galley slaves.

Windjammer

1937

Lawless Valley poster
6.5

After doing time for a crime he didn't commit, a cowboy tries to find the men who framed him.

Lawless Valley

1938

Park Avenue Logger poster
8.0

Millioniare Curran, thinking his son too intellectual, sends him west to learn logging at one of his lumber camps. Unknown to his father, Grant Curan is a professional wrestler and easily able to handle the thugs that attack him at the lumber camp. This enables him to stay on the job and he soon undercovers how his father is being cheated by the local boss.

Park Avenue Logger

1937

The Cowboy Millionaire poster
7.0

Englishwoman falls for dude ranch cowboy but goes back to England when she thinks he's only pretending. But he follows her to England.

The Cowboy Millionaire

1935

Border G-Man poster
5.6

A federal agent goes undercover in order to capture a gang that's been smuggling munitions and horses near the Texas border.

Border G-Man

1938

The Last of the Duanes poster
6.0

Buck Duane avenges his father's murder by gunning down the killer, but must flee from the law. He finds Ruth, whom he once loved, in the clutches of the outlaw Bland. In rescuing Ruth, he becomes entangled with Bland's amorous wife.

The Last of the Duanes

1930

O'Malley of the Mounted poster
7.0

O'Malley pretends to be an outlaw in order to join a gang terrorizing towns along the American border.

O'Malley of the Mounted

1936

Timber Stampede poster
9.0

Cattlemen fight corrupt railroad men out to destroy the forest.

Timber Stampede

1939

Smoke Lightning poster
5.3

After Smoke wins the Blake ranch in a poker game, Blake commits suicide and Smoke deeds the ranch to Blake’s young daughter. But the Sheriff is after the ranch and has Smoke arrested for the murder of Blake and then brings in an impostor to pose as the girl’s relative.

Smoke Lightning

1933

The Gay Caballero poster
10.0

Football star Ted Radcliffe goes west to manage an inherited cattle ranch. Empire builder and cattle thief Don Paco is hounded by El Coyote (who is really Don Bob) who now has a partner in Ted. Unfortunately Ted is also falling love with Don Paco's daughter Adela.

The Gay Caballero

1932

The Marshal Of Mesa City poster
7.5

A retired lawman gets back into action to fight political corruption.

The Marshal Of Mesa City

1939

The Dude Ranger poster
6.0

An Easterner Inherits a cattle ranch, only to discover that thousands of cattle have been stolen. He secretly signs on as a hired hand at his own ranch to discover who's stealing them.

The Dude Ranger

1934

1920s · 23 titles

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans poster
7.8

A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

1927

3 Bad Men poster
6.9

Three outlaws come to the aid of a young girl after her father is killed.

3 Bad Men

1926

The Iron Horse poster
6.8

Brandon, a surveyor, dreams of building a railway to the west. He sets off with his son, Davy, to survey a route. They discover a new pass which will shave 200 miles off the expected distance, but they are set upon by a party of Cheyenne. One of them, a white renegade with only two fingers on his right hand, kills Brandon and scalps him. Davy is all alone now.

The Iron Horse

1925

Noah's Ark poster
6.4

The Biblical story of Noah and the Great Flood, with a parallel story of soldiers in the First World War.

Noah's Ark

1928

Salute poster
5.8

A comedy-romance about rival brothers attending a military academy.

Salute

1929

The Ne'er-Do-Well poster
10.0

Disgusted with his spendthrift son, Kirk Anthony's father has Kirk shanghaied and taken to Panama, where he attracts the attention of Mrs. Edith Cortlandt. He subsequently falls in love with Chiquita, the daughter of a Panamanian general, gets a railroad job through Stephen Cortlandt and decides to make something of himself when he meets Allen Allan, a black mercenary. Stephen Cortlandt's death is blamed on Kirk until Edith produces a suicide note. He succeeds in his railroad position and returns to the United States with Chiquita to ask his father's forgiveness. A lost film.

The Ne'er-Do-Well

1923

Honor Bound poster
9.0

When a woman accidentally kills her detested husband, a selfless young man takes the blame and goes to prison. Complications ensue when he is provisionally released.

Honor Bound

1928

East Side, West Side poster
7.2

Director Allan Dwan’s excellent use of New York locations enlivens a rags-to-riches tale that fully exploits star George O’Brien’s championship boxing prowess.

East Side, West Side

1927

The Fighting Heart poster
6.0

This film is the story of a small-town boy and girl. The hero, Denny Bolton, thrashes the town bully only to meet him later in the boxing ring in New York City. Ambition has swept him to Broadway, but the search for love brings him back to the Main Street of his home town.

The Fighting Heart

1925

The Ghost Breaker poster
10.0

A young man and his manservant, escaping from a backwoods family feud, are persuaded by a beautiful young heiress to help her rid her newly-gained Spanish castle of ghosts.

The Ghost Breaker

1922

Moran of the Lady Letty poster
6.7

Wealthy young man Ramon Laredo is abducted and put into service aboard a ship commanded by a none-too-scrupulous smuggler. When the ship encounters the foundering "Lady Letty," some of the Letty's crew is brought aboard, including Letty 'Moran' Sternerson, feisty daughter of the Letty's captain. Moran and Ramon have little use for each other, but when trouble erupts and the smuggler Captain Kitchell turns his evil eye on Moran, it is Ramon who comes to her rescue.

Moran of the Lady Letty

1922

True Heaven poster
7.0

Phillip Gresson is in the employ of the British secret service, while heroine Judith is a spy for the Enemy. Hoping to gain possession of the usual Secret Plans, Judith pretends to be in love with Phillip. Only after nursing the seriously wounded Phillip back to health does Judith come to the realization that she genuinely loves him.

True Heaven

1929

Havoc poster
7.0

A war drama produced only 7 years after the end of World War I. Based on the play by Henry Wallace it chronicles two Englishmen, Dick Chappell (George O'Brien) and Roddy Dunton (Walter McGrail) at the dawn of The Great War. Both men are in love with the same woman, Violet Deering (Margaret Livingston). Chappell, whose proposal has been accepted by Violet, enlists for the war in Europe hoping to distinguish himself and make his fiancé proud of him.

Havoc

1925

Sharp Shooters poster
7.0

A "love-'em-and-leave-'em" sailor hooks up with a dance-hall girl in Paris while waiting for his ship to sail. She falls in love with him, and when his ship leaves port she decides to show up at its next stop and reunite with her lover. However, when she arrives at the ship's next destination, she discovers that her "lover" has already found another local girl to spend his time with. Complications ensue.

Sharp Shooters

1928

Masked Emotions poster
8.0

Set on the Maine coast, a young sloop skipper Bramdlet Dickery discovers a plot to smuggle alien Chinese into the United States. Bramdlet's younger brother Thad is enamored with daughter of the captain of the smuggling ship. A struggle over the smuggling ensues. Masked Emotions is a 1929 American sound adventure crime drama film produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation starring George O'Brien and Nora Lane. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process.

Masked Emotions

1929

Paid to Love poster
6.5

An American banker goes to a small Balkan country looking to invest his bank's money and shore up the country's weak economy in order to maximize the return on their investment. Towards that end he befriends the country's king and they come up with a scheme to get the Crown Prince married, a prospect not particularly appealing to the Crown Prince--until he sees the beautiful cabaret dancer the pair has picked for him to marry.

Paid to Love

1927

Fig Leaves poster
5.9

Adam, a plumber, is happily married to Eve, a wardrobe-obsessed housewife, until she accidentally meets a supercilious fashion designer. At the prompting of her neighbor, who has secret designs on Adam, Eve secretly becomes a fashion model by day, knowing that her husband would disapprove.

Fig Leaves

1926

The Man Who Came Back poster
10.0

Henry Potter is the irresponsible playboy son of a New York millionaire. Fearing he will disgrace the family name if he stays in New York, the father sends him to San Francisco to work in the family shipyards and, to make a man out of him, he is told he will have to start at the bottom and work his way up. Henry decides this is not a good idea and resents it to the point he will indeed start at the bottom but will work his way down from there, and disgrace the family name in San Francisco.

The Man Who Came Back

1924

The Sea Hawk poster
6.8

The adventures of Oliver Tressilian, who goes from English gentry to galley slave to captain of a Moorish fighting ship.

The Sea Hawk

1924

The Johnstown Flood poster
7.0

A dramatic recreation of the Johnstown Flood of 1889.

The Johnstown Flood

1926

Woman-Proof poster
8.0

At sight of a woman, he got a ticket for speeding.

Woman-Proof

1923

Ebb Tide poster
8.0

An old skipper, Captain Davis, has as his companions two derelicts -- one, Huish, is a Cockney, and the other, Robert Herrick was once a gentleman. In Tahiti they board a schooner and a storm takes them to an uncharted island. Living there is pearl broker Richard Attwater, and his daughter Ruth. Attwater is bitter because a supposed friend stole his wife and he has sworn to wreak vengeance on any white man he happens to encounter. Davis and Huish want to get their hands on his pearls, while, Herrick falls in love with the man's daughter.

Ebb Tide

1922

The Dancers poster
7.5

Young Tony, unable to make a living in crowded and fast-paced London, goes to South America in search of his fortune. He soon becomes the owner of a saloon and dance hall. One of the dancers in his place, Maxine, falls in love with him, but Tony is still in love with his childhood sweetheart Una, although Una is now a "party girl" back in London and has forgotten about Tony. However, Tony comes into an unexpected inheritance, along with a title, and returns to London for Una. Although disappointed with Una's current lifestyle, he asks her to marry him despite her "indiscretions". However, the night before they are to be married Una confesses a deep, dark secret to Tony that could change their lives forever.

The Dancers

1925

Series credits