Erin O'Brien (actress)

Erin O'Brien (born January 17, 1934) is an American actress, active during the mid-twentieth century and best known as the leading lady of arguably the first made-for-TV movie, Girl on the Run, which also served as the pilot for the television series 77 Sunset Strip written by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Not to be confused with Erin O'Brien-Moore.
Erin O'Brien
Erin O'Brien in 1959
Born (1934-01-17) January 17, 1934
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active1957-1967
Spouse(s)Jimmy Fitzgerald (1951-1963) (divorced) (3 sons)
Kanan A. Awni (1963-present) (2 daughters)

Early years

The oldest of 14 siblings,[1] O'Brien has seven sisters and six brothers.[2] The daughter of a milk delivery man, Vincent O'Brien, and his wife, Betty,[1] she grew up in Long Beach, California, after being born in Hollywood.[3] She is a graduate of St. Anthony High School.[1]

Career

Shortly after finishing high school, O'Brien sang with a choir directed by Walter Schumann.[1]

For three years, O'Brien appeared on a five-day-a-week television show hosted by Al Jarvis in Los Angeles. After that, she toured as a singer and eventually became a winner on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts on television.[3]

O'Brien was the leading lady in episodes of such television shows as: Bat Masterson with Gene Barry, Sugarfoot, Cheyenne with Clint Walker. Maverick with James Garner, episode: "Stage West" Colt .45, The Asphalt Jungle, Laramie, Tombstone Territory and Death Valley Days.

O'Brien was a singer on The Frank Sinatra Show[4]:363 on CBS-TV (1950-1952), The Eddie Fisher Show on NBC-TV (1957-1959),[4] and the syndicated The Liberace Show (1958-1959).[4]:598

According to the Internet Movie Database, O'Brien was a featured solo singer on The Steve Allen Show from 1956 to 1958.[note 1][5] Her films include Onionhead[6] (1958) and John Paul Jones (1959).

In 1958, O'Brien released an album, Songs From the Heart of Erin O'Brien on Coral Records.[6]

Personal life

On June 16, 1951, O'Brien married public relations practitioner James Fitzgerald. They had three sons and divorced on January 17, 1963.[7] She has two children by her current husband, Kanan Awni, whom she has married twice.

Notes
  1. An Associated Press article published on June 14, 1957, says, "Steve Allen put her on four programs."

References
  1. Shearer, Lloyd (February 23, 1958). "until she proved a hit on TV". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. Parade. p. 81. Retrieved July 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Erin O'Brien". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  3. Thomas, Bob (March 30, 1957). "Erin O'Brien Finds Fame In East After Los Angeles Toil". The Times. California, San Mateo. Associated Press. p. 15. Retrieved July 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  5. Boyle, Hal (June 14, 1957). "Pretty Erin O'Brien Got God's Call After Waiting". Denton Record-Chronicle. Texas, Denton. Associated Press. p. 4. Retrieved July 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Erin in Album". The Lincoln Star. Nebraska, Lincoln. 23 March 1958. p. 44. Retrieved July 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Actress' Marriage Dissolved". Independent. California, Long Beach. Associated Press. January 18, 1963. p. 24. Retrieved July 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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