  edmond o'brien (september 10, 1915 â may 9, 1985) was an american actor who appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s to the 1970s, often playing character parts. he received an academy award for his supporting role in the barefoot contessa (1954). his other notable films include the killers (1946), white heat (1949), d.o.a. (1950), julius caesar (1953), 1984 (1956), the man who shot liberty valance (1961), seven days in may (1964) â for which he received an oscar nomination â and the wild bunch (1969). ==career== o'brien was born was in new york, new york of english and irish stock. after majoring in drama at columbia university, he made his first broadway appearance at age 21 in daughters of atreus.edmond o'brien profile, new york times. by staff. retrieved february 5, 2013. o'brien made his film debut in 1938, and gradually built a career as a highly regarded supporting actor. during world war ii, he served in the u.s. army air forces and appeared in the air forces' broadway play and film winged victory. he won an academy award for best supporting actor for his role as a harried publicity agent in the barefoot contessa (1954) and was also nominated for his role as an alcoholic u.s. senator in seven days in may (1964). prior to that, o'brien had an acclaimed role in 1950's film noir drama d.o.a. as a poisoned man who sets out to find his own murderer before he dies. his other notable films include the killers (1946), "an act of murder" (1948) white heat (1949), "backfire" (1950),the girl can't help it (1956), the man who shot liberty valance (1962), birdman of alcatraz (1962), the longest day (1962), fantastic voyage (1966), and the wild bunch (1969). from
1915_births 1985_deaths 20th-century_American_male_actors American_male_film_actors American_male_radio_actors American_male_stage_actors American_male_television_actors American_military_personnel_of_World_War_II American_people_of_English_descent American_people_of_Irish_descent Best_Supporting_Actor_Academy_Award_winners Best_Supporting_Actor_Golden_Globe_(film)_winners Burials_at_Holy_Cross_Cemetery,_Culver_City Columbia_University_alumni Deaths_from_Alzheimer\'s_disease First_Motion_Picture_Unit_personnel Male_Western_(genre)_film_actors People_from_New_York_City People_from_the_Greater_Los_Angeles_Area