Dennis O'Keefe

Born: 1908-03-29 in Fort Madison, Iowa, USA

Died: 1968-08-31

Known For: Acting

Biography

Dennis O'Keefe (March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor. He was the son of Irish vaudevillians working in the United States. As a small child he joined his parents' act and later wrote skits for the stage. O'Keefe started in films as an extra in the early 1930s. After a small but impressive role in Saratoga, Clark Gable recommended O'Keefe to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which signed him to a contract in 1937. His film roles were bigger after that, starting with The Bad Man of Brimstone and Burn 'Em Up O'Connor. O'Keefe left MGM around 1940 but continued to work in mostly lower budget productions. In the 1950s he did some directing, wrote mystery stories and by the mid-1950s found work on television shows such as Justice, The Martha Raye Show, The Ford Show as well as his own series The Dennis O'Keefe Show.

Filmography

1964

The Naked Flame as Paul Ashley

1963

Petticoat Junction as Walter O'Connor

1961

All Hands on Deck as Brian O'Gara

1959

Riverboat as Dan Muldoon
The Dennis O'Keefe Show as Hal Towne

1957

Suspicion as Self - Host
Lady of Vengeance as William T. Marshall
Dragoon Wells Massacre as Capt. Matt Riordan
Sail Into Danger as Steve Ryman

1956

The Steve Allen Show as Self - Singer
Confession as Ben Birch

1955

Screen Director's Playhouse as Reverend Charles Parker
Chicago Syndicate as Barry Amsterdam
Inside Detroit as Blair Vickers
Las Vegas Shakedown as Joe Barnes

1954

Climax! as Inspector Marney
The Black Knight ... (Dialogue)
Angela as Steve Catlett
Drums of Tahiti as Mike Macklin
The Diamond Wizard as Joe Dennison

1953

The Lady Wants Mink as Jim Connors
The Fake as Paul Mitchell

1952

The Gulf Playhouse
Everything I Have Is Yours as Alec Tacksbury
One Big Affair as Jimmy Donovan

1951

The Company She Keeps as Larry
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Prof. Stephen Bolt
Follow the Sun as Chuck Williams
Passage West as Jacob Karns

1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Your Show of Shows
Lux Video Theatre as Second Man
Woman on the Run as Dan Legget
The Eagle and the Hawk as Whitney Randolph

1949

Suspense
Cover Up as Sam Donovan
Siren of Atlantis as Jean Morhange
Abandoned as Mark Sitko
The Great Dan Patch as David Palmer

1948

Studio One as Will
Raw Deal as Joe Sullivan
Walk a Crooked Mile as Daniel F. O'Hara

1947

T-Men as Dennis O'Brien / Vannie Harrigan
Dishonored Lady as Dr. David Cousins
Mr. District Attorney as Steve Bennett

1946

Her Adventurous Night as Bill Fry

1945

The Affairs of Susan as Bill Anthony
Earl Carroll Vanities as Danny Baldwin
Brewster's Millions as Montague L. 'Monty' Brewster
Doll Face as Michael Francis 'Mike' Hannegan
Getting Gertie's Garter as Kenneth B. Ford

1944

The Fighting Seabees as Lt. Cmdr. Robert Yarrow
The Story of Dr. Wassell as Benjamin 'Hoppy' Hopkins
Sensations of 1945 as Junior Crane
Up in Mabel's Room as Boris
Abroad with Two Yanks as Jeff Reardon

1943

Hangmen Also Die! as Jan Horak
The Leopard Man as Jerry Manning
Tahiti Honey as Mickey Monroe
Hi Diddle Diddle as Sonny Phyffe
Good Morning, Judge as David Barton

1942

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine as Mike Jason
Moonlight Masquerade as John Bennett Jr.

1941

Topper Returns as Bob
Lady Scarface as Lieutenant Bill Mason
Mr. District Attorney as P. Cadwallader Jones
Broadway Limited as Dr. Harvey North
Weekend for Three as Jim 'Jimbo' Craig

1940

Arise, My Love as Shep
Bowery Boy as Dr. Tom O'Hara
You'll Find Out as Chuck Deems
La Conga Nights as Steve Collins
Girl from Havana as Woody Davis
Alias the Deacon as Johnny Sloan
I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now as Tod Lowell
Pop Always Pays as Jeff Thompson

1939

The Kid From Texas as William Quincy
That's Right – You're Wrong as Chuck Deems
Unexpected Father as Jimmy Hanley
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor as Jerry O'Connor

1938

A Yank at Oxford as Racetrack Handler (uncredited)
The Chaser as Tom Brandon
Hold That Kiss as Tommy Bradford
Vacation from Love as Bill Blair
The Kid Comes Back ... (Story)

1937

A Star Is Born as Burke's Party Guest (uncredited)
Captains Courageous as Bit Role (uncredited)
Easy Living as Office Manager (uncredited)
Make Way for Tomorrow as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
History Is Made at Night as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938 as Nightclub Patron
Saratoga as Party guest
Swing High, Swing Low as Purser (uncredited)
The Bad Man of Brimstone as Jeffrey Burton
Champagne Waltz as Dance Extra at Blue Danube Room
The Girl from Scotland Yard as John
Mama Steps Out as Dance Extra
The Firefly as French Soldier Admirer (uncredited)
Top of the Town as Frank
Riding on Air as Radium Plane 23 Co-Pilot (uncredited)
One Mile from Heaven as Party Guest
The Great Gambini as Nightclub Patron

1936

Libeled Lady as Barker at Charity Affair (uncredited)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Fury as Reporter (uncredited)
San Francisco as New Year's Celebrant (uncredited)
Show Boat
Sinner Take All as Night Club Guest (uncredited)
Small Town Girl as Man Dancing in Tavern (uncredited)
Three Smart Girls as Nightclub Extra
Great Guy as Party Guest (Uncredited)
Theodora Goes Wild as Man (uncredited)
Private Number as Gambler (Uncredited)
Rhythm on the Range as Sidewalk Heckler
The Accusing Finger as Reporter
Sworn Enemy as Bandleader (uncredited)
Strike Me Pink as Club Lido Patron (uncredited)
Beloved Enemy as Reception Guest (Uncredited)
The Singing Kid as Bud (uncredited)
Yours for the Asking as Man (uncredited)
Love Before Breakfast as College Boy (uncredited)
Rose Bowl as Jones
Colleen as Extra on Dance Floor (uncredited)
13 Hours by Air as Baker-Co-Pilot
Piccadilly Jim as Petie McGregor (uncredited)
The Big Broadcast of 1937 as Sound Technician (uncredited)
Burning Gold as Derrick Worker

1935

Top Hat as Elevator Passenger / Hotel Guest / Dancer (uncredited)
The Wedding Night as Party Guest (uncredited)
The Gilded Lily as Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
It's in the Air as Announcer / Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Mississippi as Party Guest (uncredited)
The Daring Young Man as Wedding Participant
Here Comes the Band as Party Guest at Reunion (uncredited)
Baby Face Harrington as Country Club Patron (uncredited)
One New York Night as Extra
Doubting Thomas as Member of Audience
Broadway Hostess as Donald Ross - Ronnie's Friend (uncredited)
Personal Maid's Secret as Dinner Guest
White Lies as Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Every Night at Eight as Huxley Employee (uncredited)
A Feather in Her Hat as Theatergoer (uncredited)
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl as Dancer (uncredited)
The Misses Stooge as Party Guest (uncredited)

1934

A Lost Lady as Dance Extra (uncredited)
Imitation of Life as Party Guest (uncredited)
Broadway Bill as (uncredited)
Wonder Bar as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Jimmy the Gent as Chester Coote (uncredited)
He Was Her Man as Man Leaving Courtroom
Fog Over Frisco as Van Brugh, Reporter (Uncredited)
The Red Rider as Minor Role
Murder at the Vanities as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Upperworld as Police Photographer (uncredited)
Kid Millions as Chorus Boy in Ship's Show (uncredited)
We're Rich Again as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Smarty as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Desirable as Party Guest
Gift of Gab as Dancer (uncredited)
College Rhythm as Department Store Doorman
Coming Out Party as Party Guest
All of Me as Policeman (uncredited)
Two Heads on a Pillow as Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Lady by Choice as Dance Extra (uncredited)
Everything's Ducky as Party Guest

1933

Duck Soup as Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933 as Theatregoer (uncredited)
I'm No Angel as Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
42nd Street as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
The Eagle and the Hawk as Flier (uncredited)
Bombshell as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Only Yesterday as New Year's Eve Reveler (Uncredited)
Lady Killer as Casino Patron (uncredited)
Hello, Everybody! as Casino Patron (uncredited)
Blood Money as Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
The Woman Accused as Party Extra (uncredited)
Torch Singer as Nightclub Patron
Cocktail Hour as Party Guest (uncredited)
Ann Carver's Profession as Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)
Too Much Harmony as Cafe Patron
She Had to Say Yes as Cabaret Patron (uncredited)
From Hell to Heaven as Louie - Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Broadway Thru a Keyhole as Nightclub Dance Extra
The Prizefighter and the Lady as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
The Phantom of the Air as Party Guest (uncredited)
Girl Missing as Casino Patron (Uncredited)

1932

Scarface as Night Club Patron (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as Café Chateau Dancer (uncredited)
Blonde Venus as (uncredited)
Merrily We Go to Hell as Wedding Usher (uncredited)
Huddle as Dancer (uncredited)
Skyscraper Souls as Stock Brokerage Clerk (Uncredited)
A Bill of Divorcement as Party Guest
Big City Blues as Dice Spectator (uncredited)
Central Park as Casino Diner (uncredited)
Night After Night as Drunk Sleeping on a Table (uncredited)
The Man from Yesterday as Cafe Patron
Love Affair as One of Carol's Friends at Party (uncredited)
Under Eighteen as Penthouse Party Guest (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton as Dance Floor Extra at Madge's Party (uncredited)
Bachelor's Affairs as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

1931

Cimarron as (uncredited)
Working Girls as Dance Extra (uncredited)
The Miracle Woman as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Laugh and Get Rich as Young Man at Dance (uncredited)
West of Broadway as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Honeymoon Trio as Wedding Guest

1930

Reaching for the Moon as Ship's Party Guest (uncredited)