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 (25 titles)
5.5MovieEsther and the King
Mordecai · 1960
10.0MovieCradle of Genius
Self · 1960
6.7MovieDarby O'Gill and the Little People
Father Murphy · 1959
9.0MovieI Captured the King of the Leprechauns
Father Murphy · 1959
7.0MovieThe Story of Esther Costello
Father Devlin · 1957
6.8MovieThe Rising of the Moon
Police Sergeant Tom O'Hara (segment '1921') · 1957
6.4MovieCaptain Lightfoot
Regis Donnell · 1955
6.4MovieMogambo
Father Josef · 1953
5.9MovieSea Devils
Lethierry · 1953
6.8MovieNiagara
Inspector Starkey · 1953
6.3MovieNever Take No for an Answer
Father Damico · 1951
6.9MovieCaptain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton · 1951
6.7MovieThe Long Dark Hall
Sir Charles Morton · 1951
6.6MovieTreasure Island
Dr. Livesy · 1950
7.6MovieLandfall
Captain Burnaby · 1949
6.0MovieUnder Capricorn
Mr. Corrigan · 1949
5.8MovieMarry Me
George Saunders · 1949
The Bad Lord Byron
Prosecuting Counsel · 1949
7.2MovieThe Fallen Idol
Inspector Crowe · 1948
6.2MovieThe Mark of Cain
Sir William Godgrey · 1947
7.3MovieOdd Man Out
Inspector · 1947
5.7MovieThe Plough and the Stars
The Covey · 1936
6.3MovieBeloved Enemy
Sean's I.R.A. Friend (Uncredited) · 1936
6.8MovieThe Informer
Street Singer · 1935
5.0MovieGuests of The Nation
1935