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Hugh O'Brian

Highest Rated: 100% The Man From the Alamo (1953)

Lowest Rated: 42% Twins (1988)

Birthday: Apr 19, 1925

Birthplace: Rochester, New York, USA

A handsome action star of TV and the occasional feature film, Hugh O'Brian is best recalled for playing the title role in "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp" (ABC, 1955-61), which was more a serialized drama than a standard Western. He later reprised the role in the 1991 NBC miniseries "Luck of the Draw: The Gambler Returns" and in "Wyatt Earp Returns to Tombstone" (CBS, 1994). Educated at a military school, O'Brian was reportedly the youngest drill instructor in the history of the Marine Corps when he assumed those duties at age 18. After attending the University of Cincinnati and UCLA, O'Brian broke into films in 1950 in the song-and-dance feature "No Fear" and as a Western desperado in "The Return of Jesse James." Usually cast in supporting roles, he continued in action films, like "Battle at Apache Pass" (1952) and "The Man From the Alamo" (1953). Voted the most promising male newcomer of 1953 by the Hollywood Foreign Press, O'Brian moved to more substantial roles like the lyricist who wins Mitzi Gaynor's heart in "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954) and the antagonist of Native Americans in "White Feather" (1955). He turned to comedy, playing off his good looks (not unlike Rock Hudson), in "Come Fly With Me" (1963) as the object of a flight attendant's glances on a transatlantic flight. O'Brian was a cowboy hired to create a ranch in Africa in "Africa - Texas Style!" (1967), and, more recently, had a supporting role in "Doing Time on Planet Earth" (1988). The actor became a bona fide star, however, on the small screen. He began appearing in anthology series in the 50s like "Fireside Theatre" and "The Loretta Young Theatre" before landing his signature role as Earp. O'Brian later appeared on panel shows and in guest shots, returning to the series grind as a secret agent with a transmitter in his ear for constant contact with command central in "Search" (NBC, 1972-73). He continued to make the occasional guest appearance into the 90s on shows such as "Murder, She Wrote" and "L.A. Law." The actor has also made several TV-movies, ranging from "Wild Women" (ABC, 1970) to the pilot for "Fantasy Island" (ABC, 1977). Later, he played a member of the establishment in need of Marshall Dillon in "Gunsmoke: The Last Apache" (CBS, 1990) and performed his final screen role in the pilot episode of the Jack London adaptation "Call of the Wild" (Animal Planet 2000). After he found TV stardom, O'Brian also discovered the theater. He made his Broadway debut in the musical "Destry Rides Again" (1959) and appeared again on Broadway in "First Love" (1963). Equally at home in light comedy or musicals, he headed national tours of "Cactus Flower" (1967-68), "1776" (1972) and "Guys and Dolls" (1979). Hugh O'Brian died on September 5, 2016, at his Beverly Hills home. He was 91.

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Highest rated movies

100% 65% The Man From the Alamo
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100% Meet Me at the Fair
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100% 24% Vengeance Valley
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86% 62% Broken Lance
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81% 88% The Shootist
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73% 58% There's No Business Like Show Business Watchlist
60% 56% The Cimarron Kid
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42% 39% Twins
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42% 63% Game of Death
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Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 65% Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone Wyatt Earp (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 46% Gunsmoke: The Last Apache Gen. Nelson Miles (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Paradise: A Gathering of Guns Wyatt Earp (Character) - 1989
42% 39% Twins Granger (Character) $107.4M 1988
No Score Yet 79% Bruce Lee: The Legend Self - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bush Doctor Dr. Robert Maxell (Character) - 1981
42% 63% Game of Death Steiner (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cruise Into Terror Andy (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murder at the World Series The Governor (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover Jack Davis (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 83% Fantasy Island Alan Colshaw (Character) - 1977
81% 88% The Shootist Jack Pulford (faro dealer at Metropole Saloon) (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 8% Killer Force Lewis (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet 31% Murder on Flight 502 Detective Daniel Myerson (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Probe Hugh Lockwood (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Harpy Peter Clune (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wild Women Killian (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet Strategy of Terror Matt Lacey (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 0% Africa, Texas Style! Jim Sinclair (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet 38% Ambush Bay 1st Sgt. Steve Corey (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Assassination in Rome Dick Sherman (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet 63% Ten Little Indians Hugh Lombard (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet 38% Love Has Many Faces Hank Walker (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet 56% Come Fly With Me First Officer Ray Winsley (Character) - 1963
No Score Yet 37% Alias Jesse James Wyatt Earp (Character) - 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fiend Who Walked the West Daniel Slade Hardy (Character) - 1958
No Score Yet No Score Yet Brass Legend Sheriff Wade Addams (Character) - 1956
No Score Yet 62% White Feather American Horse (Character) - 1955
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Twinkle in God's Eye Marty Callahan (Character) - 1955
No Score Yet 69% Saskatchewan Carl Smith (Character) - 1954
No Score Yet No Score Yet Drums Across the River Morgan (Character) - 1954
86% 62% Broken Lance Mike Devereaux (Character) - 1954
73% 58% There's No Business Like Show Business Charles Biggs (Character) - 1954
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fireman Save My Child Smitty (Character) - 1954
No Score Yet No Score Yet Back to God's Country Frank Hudson (Character) - 1953
No Score Yet 40% Seminole Kajeck (Character) - 1953
100% 65% The Man From the Alamo Lt. Lamar (Character) - 1953
No Score Yet 67% The Lawless Breed Ike Hanley (Character) - 1953
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Stand at Apache River Tom Kenyon (Character) - 1953
100% No Score Yet Meet Me at the Fair Chilton Corr (Character) - 1953
No Score Yet 27% Son of Ali Baba Hussein (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet 33% The Battle at Apache Pass Lt. Robert Harley (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Raiders Hank Purvis (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sally and Saint Anne Danny O'Moyne (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet 42% Red Ball Express Pvt. Wilson (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cave of Outlaws Garth (Character) - 1951
60% 56% The Cimarron Kid Red Buck (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Big Horn Pvt. Al DeWalt (Character) - 1951
100% 24% Vengeance Valley Dick Fasken (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fighting Coast Guard Tom Peterson (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet On the Loose Dr. Phillips (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Young Lovers Len Randall (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beyond the Purple Hills Jack Beaumont (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet 17% Rocketship X-M Harry Chamberlain/Voice on loudspeaker (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet No Score Yet Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas Ted Gately (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Return of Jesse James Lem Younger (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet 33% Never Fear Len Randall (Character) - 1950

TV

Credit
93% 89% Parks and Recreation Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Playhouse Presents Sound Engineer (Character) 2013
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Fred Keppard (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Guns of Paradise Unknown (Character) 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1979-1980 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Charlie's Angels Unknown (Guest Star) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Heavens Unknown (Guest Star) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Police Story Vincent LaSorda (Character) 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's My Line? Guest 1961 1966-1967 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Guest 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Search Hugh Lockwood (Character) 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet I've Got a Secret Guest 1959 1962-1963 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Perry Mason Bruce Jason / Conrad Bucola (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alfred Hitchcock Hour Unknown (Character) 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Virginian Paul Taylor (Guest Star) 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Wyatt Earp (Character) 1955-1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet G.E. Theater Sam Sharp (Character) 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet Showcase 39 Unknown (Character) 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Star and the Story Unknown (Character) 1956
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Danny Thomas Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1956
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stage 7 Billy the Kid (Character) 1955
No Score Yet No Score Yet Letter to Loretta Larry Brown (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1954-1955