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{{short description|Anglo-Irish actor and playwright}}
{{short description|Anglo-Irish actor and playwright}}
{{distinguish|Joseph O'Connor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
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| birth_name  =
| birth_name  =
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1916|2|14|df=yes}}
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1916|2|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Dublin]], [[County Dublin]], Ireland
| birth_place = [[w:Dublin|Dublin]], [[w:County Dublin|County Dublin]], Ireland
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2001|1|21|1916|2|14|df=yes}}
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2001|1|21|1916|2|14|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[London]], England
| death_place = [[w:London|London]], England
| occupation  = [[Actor]]
| occupation  = [[w:Actor|Actor]]
| yearsactive = 1947–2001
| yearsactive = 1947–2001
| spouse      = Naita Moore (1939–1977) (her death) (2 children)<br>Lizann Rodger (1979–2001) (his death) (2 children)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=39384372|title=Joseph O'Conor (1910–2001) - Find A Grave-gedenkplek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/26/guardianobituaries1|title=Obituary: Joseph O'Conor|first=Stephen|last=Gilbert|date=26 January 2001|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>
| spouse      = Naita Moore (1939–1977) (her death) (2 children)<br>Lizann Rodger (1979–2001) (his death) (2 children)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=39384372|title=Joseph O'Conor (1910–2001) - Find A Grave-gedenkplek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/26/guardianobituaries1|title=Obituary: Joseph O'Conor|first=Stephen|last=Gilbert|date=26 January 2001|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>
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== Early years ==
== Early years ==
O'Conor was born in Dublin<ref name=independent>Alan Strachan, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/joseph-oconor-728823.html Obituary]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Independent'', 2 February 2001</ref><ref name=filmref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/43/Joseph-O-Conor.html|title=Joseph O'Conor Biography (1916-)|website=www.filmreference.com}}</ref><ref name=guardian>Stephen Gilbert, [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/26/guardianobituaries1 Obituary], ''The Guardian'', 25 January 2001</ref> on 14 February 1916, the son of Frances (née Call) and Daniel O'Conor.<ref name=filmref/> His family moved to London, where he attended the [[Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School]], the [[University of London]] and [[RADA]].<ref name=independent/><ref name=guardian/> He made his professional stage debut in 1939 playing Flavius, Trebonius, and Titinius in a modern-dress production of ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' at the [[Embassy Theatre (London)|Embassy Theatre]], and subsequently at [[Her Majesty's Theatre|His Majesty's Theatre]].<ref name=filmref/> Also in 1939 he married Naita Moore; they had two children.<ref name=independent/>
O'Conor was born in Dublin<ref name=independent>Alan Strachan, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/joseph-oconor-728823.html Obituary]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Independent'', 2 February 2001</ref><ref name=filmref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/43/Joseph-O-Conor.html|title=Joseph O'Conor Biography (1916-)|website=www.filmreference.com}}</ref><ref name=guardian>Stephen Gilbert, [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/26/guardianobituaries1 Obituary], ''The Guardian'', 25 January 2001</ref> on 14 February 1916, the son of Frances (née Call) and Daniel O'Conor.<ref name=filmref/> His family moved to London, where he attended the [[w:Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School|Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School]], the [[w:University of London|University of London]] and [[w:RADA|RADA]].<ref name=independent/><ref name=guardian/> He made his professional stage debut in 1939 playing Flavius, Trebonius, and Titinius in a modern-dress production of ''[[w:Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' at the [[w:Embassy Theatre (London)|Embassy Theatre]], and subsequently at [[w:Her Majesty's Theatre|His Majesty's Theatre]].<ref name=filmref/> Also in 1939 he married Naita Moore; they had two children.<ref name=independent/>


== After the war ==
== After the war ==
Returning to the stage in 1946, he played a wide variety of roles in London, but with an emphasis on Shakespeare.<ref name=independent/><ref name=filmref/> He spent a season under [[Donald Wolfit]] at the Bedford, Camden Town, alternating Iago and Othello with him in ''[[Othello]]'' (1949) and taking the title role in ''[[Hamlet]]'' (1949), with Wolfit as the Gravedigger.<ref name=independent/><ref name=guardian/>
Returning to the stage in 1946, he played a wide variety of roles in London, but with an emphasis on Shakespeare.<ref name=independent/><ref name=filmref/> He spent a season under [[w:Donald Wolfit|Donald Wolfit]] at the Bedford, Camden Town, alternating Iago and Othello with him in ''[[w:Othello|Othello]]'' (1949) and taking the title role in ''[[w:Hamlet|Hamlet]]'' (1949), with Wolfit as the Gravedigger.<ref name=independent/><ref name=guardian/>


O'Conor had a strong spiritual side which found expression in a series of productions at religious-drama festivals and as Christ in the [[York Mystery Plays]] (1951 and 1954).<ref name=independent/> A prohibition on the representation of God or Christ on the public stage still existed in England at that time, so his name for the 1951 production was kept a secret.<ref name=york>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yorkmysteryplays.org/index_highres.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430081519/http://www.yorkmysteryplays.org/index_highres.htm|url-status=dead|title=York Mystery Plays Archive|archivedate=30 April 2009}}</ref>
O'Conor had a strong spiritual side which found expression in a series of productions at religious-drama festivals and as Christ in the [[w:York Mystery Plays|York Mystery Plays]] (1951 and 1954).<ref name=independent/> A prohibition on the representation of God or Christ on the public stage still existed in England at that time, so his name for the 1951 production was kept a secret.<ref name=york>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yorkmysteryplays.org/index_highres.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430081519/http://www.yorkmysteryplays.org/index_highres.htm|url-status=dead|title=York Mystery Plays Archive|archivedate=30 April 2009}}</ref>


Seeking a change from London he played two seasons at the [[Citizens Theatre]] in Glasgow where his roles included Benedick in ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'' (1954).<ref name=independent/> This he followed with three seasons (1956–1958) at the [[Bristol Old Vic]]. Bristol acted in several [[George Bernard Shaw|Bernard Shaw]] classics. O'Conor played Higgins in ''[[Pygmalion (play)|Pygmalion]]'' and Undershaft in ''[[Major Barbara (play)|Major Barbara]]''.<ref name=independent/> There was also a production of his own early play, ''The Iron Harp'', set in his Ireland. O'Conor wrote five others.<ref name=guardian/>
Seeking a change from London he played two seasons at the [[w:Citizens Theatre|Citizens Theatre]] in Glasgow where his roles included Benedick in ''[[w:Much Ado About Nothing|Much Ado About Nothing]]'' (1954).<ref name=independent/> This he followed with three seasons (1956–1958) at the [[w:Bristol Old Vic|Bristol Old Vic]]. Bristol acted in several [[w:George Bernard Shaw|Bernard Shaw]] classics. O'Conor played Higgins in ''[[w:Pygmalion (play)|Pygmalion]]'' and Undershaft in ''[[w:Major Barbara (play)|Major Barbara]]''.<ref name=independent/> There was also a production of his own early play, ''The Iron Harp'', set in his Ireland. O'Conor wrote five others.<ref name=guardian/>


He continued his theatre work, including major roles in several productions at [[the Old Vic]], but meanwhile he had been building up his television and film activities. In 1967 he played Old Jolyon Forsyte in the television series ''[[The Forsyte Saga (1967 series)|The Forsyte Saga]]''<ref name=filmref/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1071033/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Forsyte Saga, The (1967) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> and in 1968 Mr Brownlow in the film ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]''.<ref name=filmref/>
He continued his theatre work, including major roles in several productions at [[w:the Old Vic|the Old Vic]], but meanwhile he had been building up his television and film activities. In 1967 he played Old Jolyon Forsyte in the television series ''[[w:The Forsyte Saga (1967 series)|The Forsyte Saga]]''<ref name=filmref/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1071033/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Forsyte Saga, The (1967) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> and in 1968 Mr Brownlow in the film ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]''.<ref name=filmref/>


He spent a season with the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] under [[Peter Hall (director)|Peter Hall]] for ''[[The Tempest]]'' (1974) playing Alonso to [[John Gielgud]]'s Prospero and, with a frightening sense of moral rectitude, Herr Gabor in [[Frank Wedekind]]'s ''[[Spring Awakening (play)|Spring Awakening]]'' (1974).<ref name=independent/> In a season in [[Greenwich Theatre|Greenwich]] (1975) under [[Jonathan Miller]], he played the King of France in ''[[All's Well That Ends Well]]''. He played the Duke in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', set in Freud's Vienna. In the BBC serial ''[[The Barchester Chronicles]]'' (1982) he played Bunce.
He spent a season with the [[w:Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] under [[w:Peter Hall (director)|Peter Hall]] for ''[[w:The Tempest|The Tempest]]'' (1974) playing Alonso to [[w:John Gielgud|John Gielgud]]'s Prospero and, with a frightening sense of moral rectitude, Herr Gabor in [[w:Frank Wedekind|Frank Wedekind]]'s ''[[w:Spring Awakening (play)|Spring Awakening]]'' (1974).<ref name=independent/> In a season in [[w:Greenwich Theatre|Greenwich]] (1975) under [[w:Jonathan Miller|Jonathan Miller]], he played the King of France in ''[[w:All's Well That Ends Well|All's Well That Ends Well]]''. He played the Duke in ''[[w:Measure for Measure|Measure for Measure]]'', set in Freud's Vienna. In the BBC serial ''[[w:The Barchester Chronicles|The Barchester Chronicles]]'' (1982) he played Bunce.


== Later life ==
== Later life ==
Following his wife's death in 1977, he married the much younger actress Lizann Rodger. They had two children.<ref name=independent/> He continued to take part in numerous plays, particularly Shakespeare, in the theatre and for television. In 1982 he took the part of the narrator and the voice of the urSkeks in the puppet film ''[[The Dark Crystal]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e73d281|title=The Dark Crystal (1982)|website=BFI}}</ref>
Following his wife's death in 1977, he married the much younger actress Lizann Rodger. They had two children.<ref name=independent/> He continued to take part in numerous plays, particularly Shakespeare, in the theatre and for television. In 1982 he took the part of the narrator and the voice of the urSkeks in the puppet film ''[[w:The Dark Crystal|The Dark Crystal]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e73d281|title=The Dark Crystal (1982)|website=BFI}}</ref>


In the 1990s he appeared in several cinema productions. A highlight was the role of J. C. Sullivan in ''[[The Forbidden Quest]]'' (1993), directed by [[Peter Delpeut]], which gave O'Conor a role as a polar survivor.<ref name=guardian/> His subsequent work included the Bishop of Oxford in the film of ''[[Tom & Viv]]'' (1994) and Mr. Nancarrow in ''[[The Wisdom of Crocodiles]]'' (1998).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9eeb096e|title=Joseph O&#039;Conor|website=BFI}}</ref>
In the 1990s he appeared in several cinema productions. A highlight was the role of J. C. Sullivan in ''[[w:The Forbidden Quest|The Forbidden Quest]]'' (1993), directed by [[w:Peter Delpeut|Peter Delpeut]], which gave O'Conor a role as a polar survivor.<ref name=guardian/> His subsequent work included the Bishop of Oxford in the film of ''[[w:Tom & Viv|Tom & Viv]]'' (1994) and Mr. Nancarrow in ''[[w:The Wisdom of Crocodiles|The Wisdom of Crocodiles]]'' (1998).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9eeb096e|title=Joseph O&#039;Conor|website=BFI}}</ref>


Today he is remembered chiefly by younger viewers for his appearance as Mr Brownlow in ''Oliver!''
Today he is remembered chiefly by younger viewers for his appearance as Mr Brownlow in ''Oliver!''
Line 42: Line 41:


==Selected filmography==
==Selected filmography==
* ''[[Paul Temple's Triumph]]'' (1950) - (uncredited)
* ''[[w:Paul Temple's Triumph|Paul Temple's Triumph]]'' (1950) - (uncredited)
* ''Stranger at My Door'' (1950) - Michael Foley
* ''Stranger at My Door'' (1950) - Michael Foley
* ''[[Gorgo (film)|Gorgo]]'' (1961) - Prof. Hendricks
* ''[[w:Gorgo (film)|Gorgo]]'' (1961) - Prof. Hendricks
* ''[[The Devil-Ship Pirates]]'' (1964) - Don Jose Margella (uncredited)
* ''[[w:The Devil-Ship Pirates|The Devil-Ship Pirates]]'' (1964) - Don Jose Margella (uncredited)
* ''[[Crooks in Cloisters]]'' (1964) - Father Septimus
* ''[[w:Crooks in Cloisters|Crooks in Cloisters]]'' (1964) - Father Septimus
* ''[[The Gorgon]]'' (1964) - Coroner
* ''[[w:The Gorgon|The Gorgon]]'' (1964) - Coroner
* ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968) - Mr. Brownlow
* ''[[w:Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968) - Mr. Brownlow
* ''[[A Walk with Love and Death]]'' (1969) - Pierre of St. Jean
* ''[[w:A Walk with Love and Death|A Walk with Love and Death]]'' (1969) - Pierre of St. Jean
* ''[[Anne of the Thousand Days]]'' (1969) - Bishop Fisher
* ''[[w:Anne of the Thousand Days|Anne of the Thousand Days]]'' (1969) - Bishop Fisher
* ''[[Doomwatch (film)|Doomwatch]]'' (1972) - Vicar
* ''[[w:Doomwatch (film)|Doomwatch]]'' (1972) - Vicar
* ''[[Father, Dear Father (film)|Father, Dear Father]]'' (1973) - Vicar
* ''[[Father, Dear Father (film)|Father, Dear Father]]'' (1973) - Vicar
* ''[[Penny Gold]]'' (1973) - Blachford
* ''[[w:Penny Gold|Penny Gold]]'' (1973) - Blachford
* ''[[Yellow Dog (film)|Yellow Dog]]'' (1973) - Dover
* ''[[w:Yellow Dog (film)|Yellow Dog]]'' (1973) - Dover
* ''[[The Black Windmill]]'' (1974) - Sir Edward Julyan
* ''[[w:The Black Windmill|The Black Windmill]]'' (1974) - Sir Edward Julyan
* ''[[The Barchester Chronicles]]'' (1982) - Bunce
* ''[[w:The Barchester Chronicles|The Barchester Chronicles]]'' (1982) - Bunce
* ''[[The Dark Crystal]]'' (1982) - Narrator / urSkeks (voice)
* ''[[w:The Dark Crystal|The Dark Crystal]]'' (1982) - Narrator / urSkeks (voice)
* ''[[The Forbidden Quest]]'' (1993) - J.C. Sullivan
* ''[[w:The Forbidden Quest|The Forbidden Quest]]'' (1993) - J.C. Sullivan
* ''[[Tom & Viv]]'' (1994) - Bishop of Oxford
* ''[[w:Tom & Viv|Tom & Viv]]'' (1994) - Bishop of Oxford
* ''[[Elizabeth (film)|Elizabeth]]'' (1998) - Earl of Derby  
* ''[[w:Elizabeth (film)|Elizabeth]]'' (1998) - Earl of Derby  
* ''[[The Wisdom of Crocodiles]]'' (1998) - Mr. Nancarrow
* ''[[w:The Wisdom of Crocodiles|The Wisdom of Crocodiles]]'' (1998) - Mr. Nancarrow
* ''[[The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc]]'' (1999) - Poitiers' Chief Inquisitor
* ''[[w:The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc|The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc]]'' (1999) - Poitiers' Chief Inquisitor


== Writings ==
== Writings ==

Revision as of 16:06, 17 August 2022

Joseph O'Conor
Joseph O'Conor.jpg
Born(1916-02-14)14 February 1916
Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
Died21 January 2001(2001-01-21) (aged 84)
London, England
OccupationActor
Years active1947–2001
Spouse(s)Naita Moore (1939–1977) (her death) (2 children)
Lizann Rodger (1979–2001) (his death) (2 children)[1][2]
Children4

Joseph O'Conor (14 February 1916 – 21 January 2001) was an Irish actor and playwright.

Early years

O'Conor was born in Dublin[3][4][5] on 14 February 1916, the son of Frances (née Call) and Daniel O'Conor.[4] His family moved to London, where he attended the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, the University of London and RADA.[3][5] He made his professional stage debut in 1939 playing Flavius, Trebonius, and Titinius in a modern-dress production of Julius Caesar at the Embassy Theatre, and subsequently at His Majesty's Theatre.[4] Also in 1939 he married Naita Moore; they had two children.[3]

After the war

Returning to the stage in 1946, he played a wide variety of roles in London, but with an emphasis on Shakespeare.[3][4] He spent a season under Donald Wolfit at the Bedford, Camden Town, alternating Iago and Othello with him in Othello (1949) and taking the title role in Hamlet (1949), with Wolfit as the Gravedigger.[3][5]

O'Conor had a strong spiritual side which found expression in a series of productions at religious-drama festivals and as Christ in the York Mystery Plays (1951 and 1954).[3] A prohibition on the representation of God or Christ on the public stage still existed in England at that time, so his name for the 1951 production was kept a secret.[6]

Seeking a change from London he played two seasons at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow where his roles included Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (1954).[3] This he followed with three seasons (1956–1958) at the Bristol Old Vic. Bristol acted in several Bernard Shaw classics. O'Conor played Higgins in Pygmalion and Undershaft in Major Barbara.[3] There was also a production of his own early play, The Iron Harp, set in his Ireland. O'Conor wrote five others.[5]

He continued his theatre work, including major roles in several productions at the Old Vic, but meanwhile he had been building up his television and film activities. In 1967 he played Old Jolyon Forsyte in the television series The Forsyte Saga[4][7] and in 1968 Mr Brownlow in the film Oliver!.[4]

He spent a season with the National Theatre under Peter Hall for The Tempest (1974) playing Alonso to John Gielgud's Prospero and, with a frightening sense of moral rectitude, Herr Gabor in Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening (1974).[3] In a season in Greenwich (1975) under Jonathan Miller, he played the King of France in All's Well That Ends Well. He played the Duke in Measure for Measure, set in Freud's Vienna. In the BBC serial The Barchester Chronicles (1982) he played Bunce.

Later life

Following his wife's death in 1977, he married the much younger actress Lizann Rodger. They had two children.[3] He continued to take part in numerous plays, particularly Shakespeare, in the theatre and for television. In 1982 he took the part of the narrator and the voice of the urSkeks in the puppet film The Dark Crystal.[8]

In the 1990s he appeared in several cinema productions. A highlight was the role of J. C. Sullivan in The Forbidden Quest (1993), directed by Peter Delpeut, which gave O'Conor a role as a polar survivor.[5] His subsequent work included the Bishop of Oxford in the film of Tom & Viv (1994) and Mr. Nancarrow in The Wisdom of Crocodiles (1998).[9]

Today he is remembered chiefly by younger viewers for his appearance as Mr Brownlow in Oliver!

As well as his extensive work as an actor, he also directed, and wrote six plays. He died in London on 21 January 2001.[3]

Selected filmography

Writings

  • The Iron Harp, 1955 (published by Penguin in Three Irish Plays, 1959)
  • Inca, 1961 (play, published by Hutchinson, 1968)
  • The Tumble Stone, 1962
  • A Lion Trap, 1963 (historical adventure, based on the life of Sir Walter Raleigh, published Hutchinson 1969)
  • The Third Picture, 1964
  • The Heiress, 1971
  • King Canoodlum and the Great Horned Cheese (children's story, published BBC 1979)

References

  1. ^ "Joseph O'Conor (1910–2001) - Find A Grave-gedenkplek".
  2. ^ Gilbert, Stephen (26 January 2001). "Obituary: Joseph O'Conor" – via www.theguardian.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Alan Strachan, Obituary[dead link], The Independent, 2 February 2001
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Joseph O'Conor Biography (1916-)". www.filmreference.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e Stephen Gilbert, Obituary, The Guardian, 25 January 2001
  6. ^ "York Mystery Plays Archive". Archived from the original on 30 April 2009.
  7. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Forsyte Saga, The (1967) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  8. ^ "The Dark Crystal (1982)". BFI.
  9. ^ "Joseph O'Conor". BFI.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph O'Conor.

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