Arthur O`Connell: Biography, Career, Personal Life

2024 Author: Mabel Warren | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 16:20

Arthur Joseph O'Connell is an American film and theater actor. Twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in Picnic (1955) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959). In his last film, 1975, Shelter played the role of a watchmaker sheltering Jews during World War II. O'Connell's appearance was strikingly similar to that of fellow actor Jack Albertson.

Biography

Arthur O'Connell was born on March 29, 1908 in Manhattan, New York. His father is Michael O'Connell, his mother is Julia née Byrne. In the family, Arthur was the youngest of four children. His siblings were William, Kathleen, and Juliet.

Career

As a stage actor, O'Connell made his debut in the mid-1930s when he took on the role of Orson Welles at the Mercury Theater.

In 1941, O'Connell played the tiny role of a reporter in the closing scenes of Citizen Kane. The film is considered O'Connell's debut, although he had previously starred in the 1938 motion picture Freshman and also starred in two Leon Errol shorts as Errol's cunning son-in-law.

In the 1950s, after numerous small roles in various films, O'Connell returned to Broadway, where he acted as a middle-aged schoolteacher in Picnic. O'Connell played the same role in the film of the same name based on this play and received an Oscar nomination for it.

Subsequently, Arthur was offered the role of life-worn 40-year-old losers and alcoholics. The same type went to O'Connell when he played the mentor of lawyer James Stewart in the film "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) and unexpectedly got the second Oscar nomination in his life.

Also in 1959, O'Connell played the elderly junior officer Sam Tustin, the engine room chief of the fictional US Navy Sea Tiger submarine during the Second World War in the film Operation Petticott. The film also stars such stars as Carrie Grant and Tony Curtis.

In 1961, O'Connell played the role of Clarence Beebe's grandfather in the children's film Misty, which was a screen version of Marguerite Henry's story Misty of the Chincoteague.

In 1962, Arthur got the role of the father of Elvis Presley, the main character in the movie "Follow Your Dream." And in 1964 he portrayed exactly the same character in the film "The Kiss of Cousins and Sisters." In the same 1964 he played the role of the idealistic antagonist Clint Stark in "The Seven Facets of Dr. Lao." The film went on to become a cult classic and O'Connell's character is the only character other than star Tony Randall to appear as one of 7 faces or facets.

Throughout the 1960s, O'Connell tried to avoid regular serials and only star in select film and television roles. He held on as long as he could be sure that these roles would be able to feed him.

In 1962, Arthur O'Connell was cast as Clayton Dodd in the Green, Green Hills episode of the Western television series Empire, starring Richard Egan. The episode was filmed at Jim Redigo's ranch. It also stars Dayton Lummis as Jason Simms and Joanna Moore as Althea Dodd.

In 1966, the actor starred as a visiting scientist in Voyage to the Seabed. According to the plot, O'Connell's character regretfully realizes that he created an all-powerful android called "Mechanical Man".

In the February 1967 episode of Lassie, the actor played Luther Jennings, an elderly ranger who watches over the observation tower at Strawberry Peak and is disappointed when he loses his job because the tower is being demolished.

In the 1972 film The Adventures of Poseidon, Arthur O'Connell starred opposite his "double" Jack Albertson

last years of life

In the mid-1970s, O'Connell's health worsened and he was forced to leave his acting career. He began to make a living playing the role of a friendly pharmacist in advertising campaigns for toothpaste manufacturer Crest.

In the early 1980s, the actor contracted Alzheimer's disease and died on May 18, 1981. Arthur O'Connell was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York.

Acting creativity

Arthur O'Connell has starred in over 50 films during his career:

1. "Freshman" (1938) - the role of a student without mention in the credits.
2. Murder in Soho (1939) - the role of the left-hander.
3. Citizen Kane (1941) - uncredited reporter.
4. "The Man from Headquarters" (1942) - the role of Goldie Shores.
5. Law of the Jungle (1942) - the role of Simmons.
6. "Open Secret" (1948) - the role of the driver.
7. The Countess of Monte Cristo (1948) - Assistant Director Jensen.
8. "Whistle at Eaton Falls" (1951) - the role of Jim Brewster.
9. Picnic (1955) - the role of Howard Bevans.
10. "The Man in a Gray Flannel Suit" (1956) - the role of Gordon Walker.
11. The Proud (1956) - the role of Jim Dexter.
12. "Solid Gold Cadillac" (1956) - the role of Mark Jenkins.
13. "Bus Stop" (1956) - the role of the blessing Virgil.
14. The History of Monte Cristo (1956) - the role of Homer Hinckley.
15. "Operation Mad Ball" (1957) - the role of Colonel Rusch.
16. Violators (1957) - the role of Solomon Baumgarden.
17. April Love (1957) - the role of Jay Bruce's uncle.
18. Voice in the Mirror (1958) - the role of William "Bill" Tobin.
19. "Man of the West" (1958) - the role of Sam Beasley.
20. "Gidget" (1959) - the role of Russell Lawrence.
21. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - the role of Parnell Emmet McCarthy.
22. "Operation Petticoat" (1959) - the role of assistant chief engineer Sam Tustin.
23. Simmarong (1960) as Tom Wyatt.
24. "The Great Impostor" (1961) - the role of Warden Chandler.
25. "Foggy" (1961) - the role of Clarence Beebe.
26. Drum Thunder (1961) - the role of Sergeant Karl Rodermill.
27. "Pocket of Miracles" (1961) - the role of Count Alfonso Romero.
28. "Follow the Dream" (1962) - the role of Pop Quimper.
29. "Kiss of Cousins" (1964) - the role of Pappy Tatum.
30. "7 Faces of Dr. Lao" (1964) - the role of Clint Stark.
31. "Your Deceiving Heart" (1964) - the role of Fred Rose.
32. Nightmare in the Sun (1965) - the role of Sam Wilson.
33. "Uncle of the Monkey" (1965) - the role of Dirius Green III.
34. The Great Race (1965) - the role of Henry Goodbody.
35. "The third day" (1965) - the role of Dr. Wheeler.
36. A Journey Beyond Vengeance (1966) - the role of the narrator.
37. Mufflers (1966) - the role of Joe Wigman.
38. Fantastic Voyage (1966) - the role of Colonel Donald Reid.
39. Birds Do It (1966) - the role of Professor Wald.
40. "Covenant with Death" (1967) - the role of Judge Hockstader.
41. The Reluctant Astronaut (1967) - the role of Arbuckle Fleming.
42. TV series "The Second Hundred Years" (1967-1968) - the role of Edwin Carpenter.
43. "The Force" (1968) - the role of Professor Henry Holloson.
44. "If he screams, let him go!" (1968) - the role of the prosecutor.
45. “Suppose they gave war and nobody came” (1970) - the role of Mr. Cruft.
46. "There was a crooked man" (1970) - the role of Mr. Lomax.
47. Don't Throw Pillows in the Ring (1970) - the role of a business agent.
48. "The Last Valley" (1971) - the role of Hoffman.
49. Ben (1972) as Billy Hatfield.
50. "They only kill their masters" (1972) - the role of Ernie.
51. "The Adventures of Poseidon" (1972) - the role of chaplain John.
52. Angry, Angry (1973) - the role of Mr. Fenley.
53. Huckleberry Finn (1974) - the role of Colonel Grangerford.
54. "The Secret" (1975) - the role of Caspar Ten Boom.

A family

In 1962, O'Connell married Anne Hall Dunlop. His wife was 11 years younger than him and for her it was her second marriage. Her first husband was William Laird Dunlop, and her maiden name was Anne Bird Hall. The wedding took place in Washington DC.

The couple had no children. The husband and wife divorced in 1972 in Los Angeles. Anne outlived her husband by 19 years and died in 2000.