John O'Brien(VII)
- Actor
- Writer
Born in Manhattan to John Ernest and Patricia Ann OBrien, actor John OBrien was raised in Woodside, Queens until aged 10 when his parents moved the family upstate to Utica, NY. He and his sister Erin attended New Hartford High School, just outside of Utica. It was during these years when Mr. OBrien got involved in the drama club, as well as local theater groups and eventually graduated from State University at Oswego in 1985 with a theater degree, setting the stage for his parents' endless worrying. He appeared at the University in productions as varied as "School for Scandal", "The Glass Menagerie", "Sweet Charity" and "Miracle on 34th St".
After many years of summer stock, tours, and performing his one-man shows in downtown clubs in NYC (winning a "Best Musical Comedy Performance" award from the Manhattan Association of Cabaret), he made the move to Los Angeles, where he spent years appearing with West Coast Ensemble in productions of "Sylvia", "The Diary of Anne Frank", "A New Brain", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Music From a Sparkling Planet" and "Assassins" which won the LA Critics Award for Best Ensemble. Mr. OBrien also appeared on other LA stages in "Merrily We Roll Along", "The Odd Couple" and "The Poseidon Adventure--the Musical!". In the audience for "Poseidon" and laughing the loudest was the actress Stella Stevens, who had starred in the film and become his friend, a thrill for John as he had adored her since childhood. They remained pals until Stevens death in 2023.
Over the years, John has appeared in dozens of television episodes, as well as films and TV movies. He resides in Hollywood, gets back to visit his family and old friends in Central NY, and has been known to enjoy an occasional cocktail.
After many years of summer stock, tours, and performing his one-man shows in downtown clubs in NYC (winning a "Best Musical Comedy Performance" award from the Manhattan Association of Cabaret), he made the move to Los Angeles, where he spent years appearing with West Coast Ensemble in productions of "Sylvia", "The Diary of Anne Frank", "A New Brain", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Music From a Sparkling Planet" and "Assassins" which won the LA Critics Award for Best Ensemble. Mr. OBrien also appeared on other LA stages in "Merrily We Roll Along", "The Odd Couple" and "The Poseidon Adventure--the Musical!". In the audience for "Poseidon" and laughing the loudest was the actress Stella Stevens, who had starred in the film and become his friend, a thrill for John as he had adored her since childhood. They remained pals until Stevens death in 2023.
Over the years, John has appeared in dozens of television episodes, as well as films and TV movies. He resides in Hollywood, gets back to visit his family and old friends in Central NY, and has been known to enjoy an occasional cocktail.
