Eugene O'Brien

From Wikipedia Eugene OBrien Birthname Louis OBrien b November 14 1880 in Boulder Colorado d April 29 1966 in Los Angeles California was a silent film star and stage actor He studied medicine at the University of Colorado at Boulder but was keener on the stage than becoming a doctor OBrien switched to civil engineering under his familys guidance but his heart was still set on becoming an actor He moved to New York City and was discovered by theatrical impresario Charles Frohman who signed OBrien to a threeyear contract and put him in The Builder of Bridges which opened on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre on October 26 1909 OBrien made his name playing opposite Ethel Barrymore in a revival of Sir Arthur Wing Pineros play Trelawny of the Wells which opened at the Empire Theatre on New Years Day 1911 OBriens first film Essanay Films The Lieutenant Governor in which he had the starring role played in Boulders Curran Theatre in February 1915 giving his family its first opportunity to see him act34 World Film Corp chief executive Lewis J Selznick made OBrien a screen star putting him in an adaptation of Wilkie Collins The Moonstone Subsequently he was leading man opposite some of the leading female stars of the day including Mary Pickford Norma Talmadge and Gloria Swanson and became a silent screen matinée idol He retired from acting when the talkies came in making his last film Faithless Lover in 1928 at 47 years old For his work on movies he received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame