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
Dragoon Wells Massacre as Capt. Matt Riordan
Lady of Vengeance as William T. Marshall
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
Inside Detroit as Blair Vickers
Chicago Syndicate as Barry Amsterdam
Las Vegas Shakedown as Joe Barnes

1954

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

1953

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

1952

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

1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Prof. Stephen Bolt
The Company She Keeps as Larry
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
The Great Dan Patch as David Palmer
Siren of Atlantis as Jean Morhange
Abandoned as Mark Sitko

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

1944

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

1943

Hangmen Also Die! as Jan Horak
The Leopard Man as Jerry Manning
Hi Diddle Diddle as Sonny Phyffe
Tahiti Honey as Mickey Monroe
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
Mr. District Attorney as P. Cadwallader Jones
Lady Scarface as Lieutenant Bill Mason
Broadway Limited as Dr. Harvey North
Weekend for Three as Jim 'Jimbo' Craig

1940

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

1939

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

1938

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

1937

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

1936

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

1935

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

1934

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

1933

Gold Diggers of 1933 as Theatregoer (uncredited)
42nd Street as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Duck Soup as Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
I'm No Angel as Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
The Eagle and the Hawk as Flier (uncredited)
The Prizefighter and the Lady as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
From Hell to Heaven as Louie - Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Only Yesterday as New Year's Eve Reveler (Uncredited)
Broadway Thru a Keyhole as Nightclub Dance Extra
The Phantom of the Air as Party Guest (uncredited)
She Had to Say Yes as Cabaret Patron (uncredited)
The Woman Accused as Party Extra (uncredited)
Ann Carver's Profession as Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)
Bombshell as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Torch Singer as Nightclub Patron
Girl Missing as Casino Patron (Uncredited)
Lady Killer as Casino Patron (uncredited)
Hello, Everybody! as Casino Patron (uncredited)
Blood Money as Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Too Much Harmony as Cafe Patron
Cocktail Hour as Party Guest (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)
The Cabin in the Cotton as Dance Floor Extra at Madge's Party (uncredited)
A Bill of Divorcement as Party Guest
Huddle as Dancer (uncredited)
The Man from Yesterday as Cafe Patron
Night After Night as Drunk Sleeping on a Table (uncredited)
Big City Blues as Dice Spectator (uncredited)
Skyscraper Souls as Stock Brokerage Clerk (Uncredited)
Under Eighteen as Penthouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Love Affair as One of Carol's Friends at Party (uncredited)
Central Park as Casino Diner (uncredited)
Bachelor's Affairs as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

1931

Working Girls as Dance Extra (uncredited)
Cimarron as (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)