Denis O'Dea
Denis O'Dea (26 April 1905 – 5 November 1978) was an Irish stage and film actor. He was born in Dublin and attended Synge Street CBS. When very young he and his mother Kathleen (from County Kerry) moved in with her sister, who kept a boarding house at 54 South Richmond Street. He worked in insurance until taking up acting. O'Dea was a leading member of Dublin's Abbey Theatre where he had a great acting career from 1929 to 1953; a list of his performances can be found in the Abbey archives. He also appeared in numerous plays by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy, some of which toured New York and England. His work led to a number of notable film roles, including two mid-1930s John Ford films, The Informer and The Plough and the Stars (1936), and the part of the police inspector in pursuit of IRA man James Mason in Carol Reed's Odd Man Out (1947).
Filmography
Esther and the King
as Mordecai
Esther and the King
as Mordecai
Cradle of Genius
as Self
Cradle of Genius
as Self
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
as Father Murphy
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
as Father Murphy
I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
as Father Murphy
I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
as Father Murphy
The Story of Esther Costello
as Father Devlin
The Story of Esther Costello
as Father Devlin
The Rising of the Moon
as Police Sergeant Tom O'Hara (segment '1921')
The Rising of the Moon
as Police Sergeant Tom O'Hara (segment '1921')
Captain Lightfoot
as Regis Donnell
Captain Lightfoot
as Regis Donnell
Mogambo
as Father Josef
Mogambo
as Father Josef
Sea Devils
as Lethierry
Sea Devils
as Lethierry
Niagara
as Inspector Starkey
Niagara
as Inspector Starkey
Never Take No for an Answer
as Father Damico
Never Take No for an Answer
as Father Damico
Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
as RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
as RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
The Long Dark Hall
as Sir Charles Morton
The Long Dark Hall
as Sir Charles Morton
Treasure Island
as Dr. Livesy
Treasure Island
as Dr. Livesy
Landfall
as Captain Burnaby
Landfall
as Captain Burnaby
Under Capricorn
as Mr. Corrigan
Under Capricorn
as Mr. Corrigan
Marry Me
as George Saunders
Marry Me
as George Saunders
The Bad Lord Byron
as Prosecuting Counsel
The Bad Lord Byron
as Prosecuting Counsel
The Fallen Idol
as Inspector Crowe
The Fallen Idol
as Inspector Crowe
The Mark of Cain
as Sir William Godgrey
The Mark of Cain
as Sir William Godgrey
Odd Man Out
as Inspector
Odd Man Out
as Inspector
The Plough and the Stars
as The Covey
The Plough and the Stars
as The Covey
Beloved Enemy
as Sean's I.R.A. Friend (Uncredited)
Beloved Enemy
as Sean's I.R.A. Friend (Uncredited)
The Informer
as Street Singer
The Informer
as Street Singer
Guests of The Nation
Guests of The Nation