Pat O'Brien

Pat O'Brien
Los Angeles Times

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Pat O'Brien
TV: South side of the 6200 block of Hollywood Boulevard
Pat O'Brien
Film: West side of the 1500 block of Vine Street
Actor
Born William J.P. O'Brien on Nov. 11, 1899 in Milwaukee, WI
Died Oct. 15, 1983 in St. John's Hospital, CA

Pat O'Brien was the prototype of the smiling, charming Irish-American in more than 110 movies. He began his career on Broadway and ended it on the dinner-theater circuit in Texas.

He played so many Irish priests that he once quipped, "One more and they will have to ordain me."

But he was best remembered for his portrayal of Norwegian football coach Knute Rockne.
He co-starred with Ronald Reagan in "Knute Rockne — All-American."

Another longtime friend was actor James Cagney, who had co-starred in several films with O'Brien over the decades including "Angels With Dirty Faces" (1938) and "The Fighting 69th" (1940).

In 1974, O'Brien won two Emmy Awards as best actor in a daytime special and for the television special "The Other Woman." He received other honors for his charitable and film work from West Point, the University of Notre Dame and the Vatican.

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