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==Career==
==Career==
===Early Career===
Much like his character from ''[[Lady of Burlesque]]'' (1943), Biff Brannigan, O'Shea was a comedian and emcee at speakeasies. He put together his own dance band, "Michael O'Shea and His Stationary Gypsies", and later broke into radio and the "legitimate" stage, where he was billed for a time as "Eddie O'Shea".
Much like his character from ''[[Lady of Burlesque]]'' (1943), Biff Brannigan, O'Shea was a comedian and emcee at speakeasies. He put together his own dance band, "Michael O'Shea and His Stationary Gypsies", and later broke into radio and the "legitimate" stage, where he was billed for a time as "Eddie O'Shea".


O'Shea received acclaim for his performance in in the 1942 play ''[[The Eve of St. Mark]]''.
His performance in the 1942 play ''[[The Eve of St. Mark]]'' led to a string of film roles in the '40s, which included a memorable performance as [[Barbara Stanwyck]]'s boyfriend comic in ''Lady of Burlesque''. He also received great reviews in 1944 when he reprised his stage role of Private Thomas Mulveray in the film version of ''The Eve of St. Mark''. O'Shea starred in ''Something for the Boys'' (1944), which showed off his Irish tenor voice and in ''[[It's a Pleasure (film)|It's a Pleasure!]]'', playing a hockey star who marries figure skater [[Sonja Henie]].
===Early Films===
O'Shea's work in ''Eve'' led to him being offered to play [[Barbara Stanwyck]]'s leading man in the film ''[[Lady of Burlesque]]'' (1943) for producer [[Hunt Stromberg]], released though [[United Artists]]. It was a sizeable hit.<ref name="scott">Scott Eyman, ''Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer'', Robson, 2005 p 339</ref>


[[Samuel Bronston]] offered him the title role in the biopic ''[[Jack London (film)|Jack London]]'' (1943), also released through United Artists. The cast included [[Virginia Mayo]] who would become O'Shea's wife.
⚫
After his career in film waned - he was largely out of films by 1952 — he took many roles in television. He acted in TV programs such as ''[[Ethel Barrymore Theatre (TV series)|Ethel Barrymore Theatre]]'', ''[[Damon Runyon|Damon Runyon Theater]]'', ''[[Schlitz Playhouse of Stars]]'', ''[[Revlon|The Revlon Mirror Theater]]'', and ''[[Daktari]]''. He also starred in the [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[It's a Great Life (TV series)|It's a Great Life]]'' from 1954-1956 as Denny Davis, a former GI trying to find a civilian job. [[Frances Bavier]] played his landlady.

O'Shea was asked to reprise his stage role in the film version of ''[[The Eve of St. Mark]]'' (1944), produced by [[20th Century Fox]]. That studio contracted him to make two more films.<ref>DRAMA AND FILM: Michael O'Shea May Portray Proxy Husband Edward Small Bids for Herbert Marshall to Appear Opposite Marlene Dietrich
Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 4 Dec 1943: 7. </ref>

He had the lead role in ''[[Man from Frisco]]'' (1944), a fictional account of the career of [[Henry Kaiser]] for [[Republic Pictures]], directed by [[Robert Florey]]. At Fox he made a musical, ''[[Something for the Boys (film)|Something for the Boys]]'' (1944), with [[Carmen Miranda]].

O'Shea then went into ''[[It's a Pleasure (film)|It's a Pleasure!]]'' (1945), playing a hockey star who marries figure skater [[Sonja Henie]], done for [[International Pictures]]. Back at Fox he had the lead in a B, ''[[Circumstantial Evidence (film)|Circumstantial Evidence]]'' (1945).
===Return to Broadway===
O'Shea returned to Broadway with a role in the revival of ''[[The Red Mill]]'' (1945-47), produced by [[Hunt Stromberg Jr.]] which ran for 531 performances.

When the show finished he returned to films. He had a support part with ''[[Mr. District Attorney (1947 film)|Mr. District Attorney]]'' (1947) at Columbia.

He was [[Nancy Coleman]]'s leading man in ''[[Violence (film)|Violence]]'' (1947) at [[Monogram Pictures]] and played [[Natty Bumpo]] in [[Sam Katzman]]'s version of ''[[Last of the Mohicans]]'', ''[[Last of the Redmen]]'' (1947), with Jon Hall at Columbia.

He had a support role in ''[[Smart Woman (1948 film)|Smart Woman]]'' (1948), at [[Allied Artists]], and the lead in ''[[Parole, Inc.]]'' (1949), for [[Eagle-Lion Films]].

He supported [[Mickey Rooney]] in ''[[The Big Wheel (film)|The Big Wheel]]'' (1949) at United Artists but had the lead in ''[[The Threat (1949 film)|The Threat]]'' (1949) a "B" for RKO.
===Supporting Actor===
O'Shea supported [[John Payne (actor)|John Payne]] in ''[[Captain China]]'' (1950) and [[Dan Duryea]] in ''[[The Underworld Story]]'' (1950). He had a support role in ''[[Disc Jockey (film)|Disc Jockey]]'' (1951), then did three films at Fox: ''[[Fixed Bayonets]]'' (1951) for [[Sam Fuller]], ''[[The Model and the Marriage Broker]]'' (1951) for [[George Cukor]], and ''[[Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952 film)|Bloodhounds of Broadway]]'' (1952).
===Television===
⚫
After his career in film waned - he was largely out of films by 1952 — he took many roles in television. He acted in TV programs such as ''[[The Revlon Mirror Theater]]'', ''[[Ethel Barrymore Theatre (TV series)|Ethel Barrymore Theatre]]'', ''[[Damon Runyon|Damon Runyon Theater]]'', and ''[[Schlitz Playhouse of Stars]]''.

He had a support part in ''[[It Should Happen to You]]'' (1954).

He also starred in the [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[It's a Great Life (TV series)|It's a Great Life]]'' from 1954-1956 as Denny Davis, a former GI trying to find a civilian job. [[Frances Bavier]] played his landlady.

He filmed a pilot for a TV sitcom with his wife [[Virginia Mayo]], ''McGarry and His Mouse'' (1060) but it was not picked up for a series. He guest starred on episodes of ''[[Adventures in Paradise (TV series)|Adventures in Paradise]]'', ''[[Daktari]]'' and ''[[Adam-12]]''.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Revision as of 01:38, 27 December 2018

Michael O'Shea
from the film Lady of Burlesque (1943)
Born(1906-03-17)March 17, 1906
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedDecember 4, 1973(1973-12-04) (aged 67)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Years active1930s-1971
Spouse(s)Grace Watts (m.1927-1947);[1] 2 children
Virginia Mayo (m. 1947–1973; his death); 1 child[2]
ChildrenBarbara Watts O'Shea
Catherine Mary O'Shea (b. 1953)[3]

Michael O'Shea (March 17, 1906 – December 4, 1973) was known as an American character actor who appeared in feature films and later in television and whose career spanned the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. O'Shea was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Unlike his five brothers who became policemen, he dropped out of school at 12 and began his acting career in vaudeville by touring with boxing idol Jack Johnson's show.

Career

Early Career

Much like his character from Lady of Burlesque (1943), Biff Brannigan, O'Shea was a comedian and emcee at speakeasies. He put together his own dance band, "Michael O'Shea and His Stationary Gypsies", and later broke into radio and the "legitimate" stage, where he was billed for a time as "Eddie O'Shea".

O'Shea received acclaim for his performance in in the 1942 play The Eve of St. Mark.

Early Films

O'Shea's work in Eve led to him being offered to play Barbara Stanwyck's leading man in the film Lady of Burlesque (1943) for producer Hunt Stromberg, released though United Artists. It was a sizeable hit.[4]

Samuel Bronston offered him the title role in the biopic Jack London (1943), also released through United Artists. The cast included Virginia Mayo who would become O'Shea's wife.

O'Shea was asked to reprise his stage role in the film version of The Eve of St. Mark (1944), produced by 20th Century Fox. That studio contracted him to make two more films.[5]

He had the lead role in Man from Frisco (1944), a fictional account of the career of Henry Kaiser for Republic Pictures, directed by Robert Florey. At Fox he made a musical, Something for the Boys (1944), with Carmen Miranda.

O'Shea then went into It's a Pleasure! (1945), playing a hockey star who marries figure skater Sonja Henie, done for International Pictures. Back at Fox he had the lead in a B, Circumstantial Evidence (1945).

Return to Broadway

O'Shea returned to Broadway with a role in the revival of The Red Mill (1945-47), produced by Hunt Stromberg Jr. which ran for 531 performances.

When the show finished he returned to films. He had a support part with Mr. District Attorney (1947) at Columbia.

He was Nancy Coleman's leading man in Violence (1947) at Monogram Pictures and played Natty Bumpo in Sam Katzman's version of Last of the Mohicans, Last of the Redmen (1947), with Jon Hall at Columbia.

He had a support role in Smart Woman (1948), at Allied Artists, and the lead in Parole, Inc. (1949), for Eagle-Lion Films.

He supported Mickey Rooney in The Big Wheel (1949) at United Artists but had the lead in The Threat (1949) a "B" for RKO.

Supporting Actor

O'Shea supported John Payne in Captain China (1950) and Dan Duryea in The Underworld Story (1950). He had a support role in Disc Jockey (1951), then did three films at Fox: Fixed Bayonets (1951) for Sam Fuller, The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951) for George Cukor, and Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952).

Television

After his career in film waned - he was largely out of films by 1952 — he took many roles in television. He acted in TV programs such as The Revlon Mirror Theater, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Damon Runyon Theater, and Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.

He had a support part in It Should Happen to You (1954).

He also starred in the NBC sitcom It's a Great Life from 1954-1956 as Denny Davis, a former GI trying to find a civilian job. Frances Bavier played his landlady.

He filmed a pilot for a TV sitcom with his wife Virginia Mayo, McGarry and His Mouse (1060) but it was not picked up for a series. He guest starred on episodes of Adventures in Paradise, Daktari and Adam-12.

Personal life

He was married twice. His first wife was Grace Watts, by whom he had two children. That marriage ended in divorce in 1947.

His second wife was actress Virginia Mayo, whom he married in 1947, and to whom he stayed married until his death from a heart attack in 1973. He met Mayo during the filming of Jack London in 1943. They subsequently appeared on the stock stage together in such productions as George Washington Slept Here, Tunnel of Love and Fiorello!. During their marriage, they had one child, Mary Catherine O'Shea, who was born in 1953.

A Republican, he supported Dwight Eisenhower's campaign in the 1952 presidential election.[6]

O'Shea was of the Roman Catholic faith.[7]

Other employment

O'Shea kept up his bricklayer's card and was a reserve deputy sheriff in the Ventura County Sheriff's Office[8]

O'Shea in Something for the Boys (1944)

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=WQwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=michael+o%27shea+actor+Grace+Watts&source=bl&ots=8reCqIDW2Y&sig=NZ4lePhZVAD_WEt2ocI4tAVs03Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYhO2Rp6fMAhUC8j4KHWiYDXAQ6AEIUjAM#v=onepage&q=michael%20o'shea%20actor%20Grace%20Watts&f=false
  2. ^ "Sunday Herald - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  3. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2229&dat=19550724&id=3WgmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HAAGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5930,7375929&hl=en
  4. ^ Scott Eyman, Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer, Robson, 2005 p 339
  5. ^ DRAMA AND FILM: Michael O'Shea May Portray Proxy Husband Edward Small Bids for Herbert Marshall to Appear Opposite Marlene Dietrich Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 4 Dec 1943: 7.
  6. ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine, December 1952, page 28, Ideal Publishers
  7. ^ Morning News, January 10, 1948, Who Was Who in America (Vol. 2).
  8. ^ p.7 Michael O'Shea is Claimed By Death Beaver County Times 5 Dec 1973

External links

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