# Dick O'Neill

Richard Francis O'Neill (August 29, 1928 – November 17, 1998) was an American stage, film and television character actor best known for playing Irish cops, fathers, judges and army generals. He began his acting career as an original company member of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

## Biography
### Early life and television roles

O'Neill studied at Syracuse University. He served in the Navy then returned to the theater. In the late 1950s, he began appearing on television. His television credits include Car 54, Where Are You?, The Honeymooners, Barney Miller, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Kaz, M*A*S*H, The Feather and Father Gang, The Facts of Life, Family Matters, Mad About You, Murder, She Wrote, Father Dowling Mysteries, Three's Company, Wonder Woman, One Day at a Time, Magnum, P.I., A Man Called Intrepid, Growing Pains, Dark Justice, Cheers, Dharma & Greg, Cybill, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Home Improvement. He was probably best known for his role as Charlie Cagney in the television series Cagney & Lacey. Before moving to California, he appeared on the Broadway stage in such plays as Promises, Promises, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Skyscraper.

### Film roles

His film credits include The Mugger (1958), To the Shores of Hell (1966), Gammera the Invincible (1966), Pretty Poison (1968), Some of My Best Friends Are... (1971), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), The Front Page (1974), Posse (1975), St. Ives (1976), American Raspberry (1977), MacArthur (1977), The Buddy Holly Story (1978), House Calls (1978), The Jerk (1979), Wolfen (1981), Chiller (1985), Prizzi's Honor (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986), She's Out of Control (1989) and Loose Cannons (1990).

## Personal life

He met his wife Jackie Shaw O'Neill when they appeared together in a production of The Sound of Music. He and Jackie have three daughters, Meghan, Gillian and Caitlin. On November 17, 1998, O'Neill died of heart failure at the age of 70 at St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1958 | The Mugger | Sergeant Cassidy | |
| 1961 | Capture That Capsule | Al | |
| 1962 | Fallguy | | |
| 1966 | To the Shores of Hell | Major Fred Howard | |
| 1966 | Gamera, the Giant Monster | General O'Neill | |
| 1967 | Soldier in Love | Footman | TV film |
| 1968 | Pretty Poison | Bud Munsch | |
| 1971 | Some of My Best Friends Are... | Tim Holland | |
| 1972 | Hail! | Attorney General | |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Frank Correll | |
| 1974 | The Front Page | McHugh | |
| 1975 | Hustling | Keogh | TV film |
| 1975 | Posse | Wiley | |
| 1975 | The UFO Incident | General James Davison | TV film |
| 1975 | The Entertainer | Charlie | TV film |
| 1976 | Woman of the Year | Phil Whitaker | TV film |
| 1976 | St. Ives | Hesh | |
| 1977 | MacArthur | General Courtney Whitney | |
| 1977 | It Happened One Christmas | Mr. Gower | TV film |
| 1977 | American Raspberry | General Andrews | |
| 1978 | Perfect Gentlemen | Mr. Appleton | TV film |
| 1978 | House Calls | Irwin Owett | |
| 1978 | The Buddy Holly Story | Sol Gittler | |
| 1979 | The Jerk | 'Frosty' | |
| 1980 | The Comeback Kid | Phil | TV film |
| 1980 | The Ghosts of Buxley Hall | General Eulace C. Buxley | TV film |
| 1981 | Wolfen | Captain Warren | |
| 1982 | Family in Blue | Chester Malone | TV film |
| 1984 | Flashpoint | Hinshaw | Uncredited |
| 1984 | A Touch of Scandal | Lieutenant Halquist | TV film |
| 1985 | Lots of Luck | Wilson | TV film |
| 1985 | Turk 182 | Powerhouse Chief | |
| 1985 | Wes Craven's Chiller | Clarence Beeson | TV film |
| 1985 | Prizzi's Honor | Bluestone | |
| 1986 | Passion Flower | Martin Churit | TV film |
| 1986 | There Must Be a Pony | Chief Investigator Roy Clymer | TV film |
| 1986 | The Mosquito Coast | Mr. Polski | |
| 1988 | The Secret Life of Kathy McCormick | Ray | TV film |
| 1988 | The Diamond Trap | Lieutenant Barnett | TV film |
| 1989 | She's Out of Control | Chuck Pearson | |
| 1990 | Loose Cannons | Captain | |
| 1992 | Highway Heartbreaker | Alex's Father | TV film |
| 1993 | The American Clock | Ryan | TV film |
| 1994 | My Summer Story | Pulaski | |
| 1995 | The Unspoken Truth | Thomas Cleary | TV film |
| 1997 | Ellen Foster | Judge | TV film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Producers' Showcase | | Episode: "The Skin of Our Teeth", uncredited |
| 1956 | Telephone Time | | Episode: "Vicksburg, 5:35 PM" |
| 1959 | The DuPont Show of the Month | Policeman | Episode: "Oliver Twist" |
| 1959-1964 | Brenner | Detective Steve Mason | TV series |
| 1961 | 'Way Out | | Episode: "Button, Button" |
| 1961 | The Defenders | Police Sergeant | Episode: "The Accident" |
| 1961 | Car 54, Where Are You? | Bank Security Guard | Episode: "Get Well, Officer Schnauser" |
| 1962 | The Doctors and the Nurses | Fred Lawson | Episode: "Night Shift" |
| 1963 | The Doctors and the Nurses | Mel Bennet | Episode: "You Could Die Laughing" |
| 1966 | The Jackie Gleason Show | Danny, Counterfeiter | Episode: "The Honeymooners: The Curse of the Kramdens" |
| 1966 | Hawk | Mr. Conway | Episode: "Blind Man's Bluff" |
| 1972 | Sanford and Son | Mr. Sanderson | Episode: "Whiplash" |
| 1974 | Get Christie Love! | Alex Dawson | Episode: "Pawn Ticket for Murder" |
| 1974 | Good Times | Lynn Bridges | Episode: "Florida's Big Gig" |
| 1975 | Kojak | Augustine Pataki | Episode: "Two-Four-Six for Two Hundred" |
| 1975 | Joe and Sons | Ryan | Episode: "Joe and Sons" |
| 1975 | Barney Miller | Inspector Kelly | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Doc | Benson Hedges | Episode: "Benson Hedges" |
| 1975 | Insight | Garro | Episode: "Hunger Knows My Name" |
| 1976 | Sanford and Son | Commissioner | Episode: "The Oddfather" |
| 1976 | Rhoda | Mr. Guthrie | Episode: "Rhoda's Sellout" |
| 1976 | Bronk | Warden Connally | Episode: "Jailbreak" |
| 1976 | Phyllis | Julius 'Sonny' Dexter | Episode: "Sonny Boy" |
| 1976 | Baretta | Bentley | Episode: "Death on the Run" |
| 1976 | Insight | Norman Grady | Episode: "Rehearsal" |
| 1976-1982 | One Day at a Time | Orville | 3 episodes |
| 1977 | Maude | Ed Walsh | Episode: "Maude's Reunion" |
| 1977 | The Feather and Father Gang | Murphy | Episode: "The Mayan Connection" |
| 1977 | Hollywood High | Blaine | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Rafferty | Byron Murray | Episode: "The Narrow Thread" |
| 1977 | Rosetti and Ryan | Judge Proctor Hardcastle | Recurring role |
| 1977 | M*A*S*H | Admiral Cox | Episode: "38 Across" |
| 1978 | Operation Petticoat | General Houghton | Episode: "Matt on a Hot Pink Sub" |
| 1978 | Wonder Woman | Pat O'Hanlon | Episode: "Pot of Gold" |
| 1978-1979 | Kaz | Malloy | Recurring role |
| 1979 | Three's Company | Walter Nessle | Episode: "Jack on the Lam" |
| 1979 | CHiPs | McNabb | Episode: "Drive, Lady, Drive" |
| 1979 | Young Maverick | Hobbs | Episode: "Clancy" |
| 1979 | A Man Called Intrepid | Bill Donovan | Miniseries |
| 1979 | M*A*S*H | Brigadier General Marion Prescott | Episode: "B. J. Papa San" |
| 1980 | The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo | Walter Cruickshank | Episode: "Hail! Hail! The Gang's All Here" |
| 1980 | Diff'rent Strokes | Captain Burns | Episode: "The Bank Job" |
| 1980 | Disneyland | General Eulace C. Buxley | Episode: "The Ghosts of Buxley Hall" |
| 1980 | The Facts of Life | Henry Douglas | Episode: "Shoplifting" |
| 1981 | I'm a Big Girl Now | Burnham | Episode: "Hangers, No Starch" |
| 1981 | The Incredible Hulk | Cyrus T. McCormack | Episode: "The Phenom" |
| 1981 | Shannon | | Episode: "Gotham Swansong" |
| 1981 | Jessica Novak | Jim Donnelly | Episode: "Silent Night" |
| 1982 | M*A*S*H | Colonel Pitts | Episode: "Sons and Bowlers" |
| 1982 | The Fall Guy | Captain Max Finley | Episode: "A Piece of Cake" |
| 1982 | Hart to Hart | Lieutenant Warren | 2 episodes |
| 1982 | Trapper John, M.D. | Ed Renquist | Episode: "John's Other Life" |
| 1982-1987 | Cagney & Lacey | Charlie Fitzgerald Cagney | Recurring role |
| 1983 | Magnum, P.I. | Harry MacKenzie | Episode: "I Do?" |
| 1983 | St. Elsewhere | Mr O'Connor | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Empire | Arthur Broderick | Recurring role |
| 1984 | The Master | Leo Fairchild | Episode: "The Java Tiger" |
| 1984 | Partners in Crime | Bennie Rivers | Episode: "Fantasyland" |
| 1985 | The Facts of Life | Ted Metcalf | Episode: "Two Guys from Appleton" |
| 1985 | Charles in Charge | Grandpa Harry | Episode: "Meet Grandpa" |
| 1985 | Trapper John, M.D. | Wade Ralston | Episode: "All of Me" |
| 1985 | Cheers | Mr. Clavin | Episode: "The Bar Stoolie" |
| 1986 | Crazy Like a Fox | 'Tip' Maloney | Episode: "Hyde-And-Seek" |
| 1986 | Better Days | Harry Clooney | Recurring role |
| 1987 | Falcon Crest | Fred Wilkinson | Recurring role |
| 1987 | Simon & Simon | Jake Boyle | Episode: "New Cop in Town" |
| 1987 | The Law & Harry McGraw | Victor Udovic | Episode: "Old Heroes Never Lie" |
| 1988 | The Garry Shandling Show | Mr. Sparks | Episode: "Mr. Sparks" |
| 1988 | Night Court | Detective Costas | Episode: "Chrizzi's Honor" |
| 1988 | Murder, She Wrote | Benny Tibbles | Episode: "Benedict Arnold Slipped Here" |
| 1988 | Hotel | Van Lambert | Episode: "Contest of Wills" |
| 1988 | Mama's Boy | Father Pat | Episode: "Mickey's Song" |
| 1988 | Knots Landing | Tom Daugherty | Episode: "The Perfect Crime" |
| 1988 | Growing Pains | Chris | Episode: "Birth of a Seaver" |
| 1989 | Top of the Hill | Pat Bell | Recurring role |
| 1990 | Island Son | | Episode: "Separations" |
| 1990 | L.A. Law | Father Walter McNamara | Episode: "Forgive Me Father, for I Have Sued" |
| 1990 | Singer & Sons | Floyd Patterson | Episode: "The Boxer Rebellion" |
| 1990-1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Lieutenant Foster | Recurring role |
| 1991-1993 | Dark Justice | Arnold 'Moon' Willis | Recurring role |
| 1992 | Reasonable Doubts | Mayor DeVan | Episode: "The Discomfort Zone" |
| 1992 | Sibs | Lou Berman | Episode: "I'll Take Manhattan" |
| 1994 | Mad About You | Manny Barton | Episode: "Love Letters" |
| 1994 | Good Advice | Jackie Harold | Episode: "Roll Out the Barrel" |
| 1994 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Santa Claus | Episode: "Reality Bites" |
| 1994-1996 | Home Improvement | Art Leonard | Recurring role |
| 1995 | Something Wilder | Hank | Episode: "The Ex Files" |
| 1995 | The Commish | Charlie Wolfe | Episode: "Cry Wolfe" |
| 1995 | Pig Sty | Mory | Episode: "Erin Go Barf" |
| 1995 | Diagnosis: Murder | Wade Phelps | Episode: "Murder in the Courthouse" |
| 1996-1998 | Cybill | Roy | Recurring role |
| 1996-1998 | Family Matters | Commissioner Geiss | Recurring role |
| 1996 | The Sentinel | Warren Brackley | Episode: "Deep Water" |
| 1996 | Boy Meets World | Mr. Kimball | Episode: "I Ain't Gonna Spray Lettuce No More" |
| 1996 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Sheriff | Episode: "Merry Christmas, Y'All" |
| 1997 | Timecop | Bert | Episode: "Public Enemy" |
| 1998 | Dharma & Greg | Mr. Waring | Episode: "Do You Want Fries with That?" |
| 1998 | City Guys | Walter | Episode: "Big Brothers" |