Ronan O'Casey (18 August 1922 – 12 April 2012) was a Canadian actor and film producer, who worked principally in the United Kingdom and later the United States.Obituary, The Guardian, 9 May 2012.
Early life O'Casey was born in Montreal, Quebec to immigrant parents from Ireland. His father, Michael Casey, was a poet. His mother, actress Margaret Sheehy Culhane, was a Dubliner who had had co-starred with the young James Joyce in his first stage role.
At the age of eight, O'Casey began acting in his mother's Montreal theatre company and, after tours in theatre and vaudeville, he moved to Dublin and then to London.
Career O'Casey found early success in post-war films such as The Mudlark (1950), Talk of a Million (1951) and Norman Wisdom's Trouble in Store (1953), going on to play the prisoner of Room 101 in 1984 and the sergeant in Nicholas Ray's war film Bitter Victory (1957). While starring in the West End play Detective Story he met actress and singer Louie Ramsay, whom he married in 1956.The Stage, 30 January 1958The Stage, 30 December 1955
O'Casey's comedy talents brought him his best known role, as Jeff Rogers, Canadian son-in-law of Peggy Mount, in the TV sitcom The Larkins (1958–64). He was host of ITV's charades gameshow Don't Say a Word (1963),The British Television Pilot Episodes Research Guide 1936-2015, Christopher Perry, Kaleidoscope Publishing, 2015, (p.69) a panel game with two teams led by Libby Morris and Kenneth Connor.The Stage, 6 June 1963 and co-host of Rediffusion's Sing A Song of Sixpence show.The Stage, 29 July 1965 In 1966 he was cast as Vanessa Redgrave's lover, the "blow-up" of Antonioni's Blow-Up (1966). In 1976, he wrote, produced and starred in (in a non-sexual role) the adult film The Double Exposure of Holly., directed by artist Bob Gill.
O'Casey also appeared on stage, in plays such as Forever April at the Nottingham Playhouse, in which he co-starred with Kenneth Connor in 1966.The Stage, 15 September 1966 and Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms at London's Embassy Theatre in 1955.The Stage, 24 March 1955
As literary head of the production company Commonwealth United, O'Casey was an associate producer on Terry Southern's The Magic Christian (1969) with Ringo Starr, Peter Sellers and a soundtrack by Badfinger. After moving to the United States in 1980, he had roles in many US television shows, including L.A. Law, Easy Street, Falcon Crest and Dallas and Santa Barbara. In later years, he wrote and staged a one-man play in Los Angeles on the poetry of Yeats.
Personal life O'Casey married actress Louie Ramsay in 1956, with whom he had a son, Matt. They divorced in 1979, and O'Casey and, after moving to the United States in 1980, he married the writer Carol Tavris.
O'Casey was at one time a leading ice hockey player in his native Montreal, skills which he was able to put to use during the filming of children's adventure serial The New Forest Rustlers, in which he played the leader of a gang planning to steal a priceless Rembrandt.The Stage, 29 September 1966
Death O'Casey died in Los Angeles on April 12, 2012, aged 89.
Partial stage credits Year Play Role Theatre 1950 Detective Story Warren Stanhope Prince's Theatre The Tatler, 12 April 1950 Louise The Q The Stage, 2 February 1950 1951 Kiss Me Kate Ralph New Theatre, OxfordColiseum, London The Stage, 1 March 1951The Stage, 15 March 1951 1953 The Shrike Don Gregory Theatre Royal, Brighton The Stage, 22 January 1953 1954 Queen of Hearts Knave of Hearts Bournemouth Ice Rink The Stage, 7 January 1954 1955 Desire Under the Elms Simeon Embassy Theatre 1957 The Kidders Steve Bucknell Arts Theatre The Stage, 14 November 1957Illustrated London News, 23 November 1957 1964 The First Fish Savoy The Stage, 9 July 1964The Tatler, 22 July 1964 1965 Harvey Palace Theatre, Southend The Stage, 15 April 1965 The Rivals Sir Lucius Theatre Royal, Windsor The Stage, 24 June 1965 1970 They Shoot Actors, Don't They? EQUITY Charity Event Roundhouse, London The Stage, 5 November 1970
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1949 Give Us This Day BastianWaterford Standard, 22 April 1950 1950 The Mudlark Slattery Uncredited 1951 Talk of a Million Derry MurnahanWaterford Standard, 21 July 1951Falkirk Herald, 18 July 1951 1953 Three Steps to the Gallows Crawson Top of the Form Brother Trouble in Store Eddie Escape by Night Pietro 1954 Double Exposure Trickson Happy Ever After Reporter Tiger by the Tail NickBritish Film Noir Guide, Michael F. Keaney, 2011, McFarland & Co., 2011. (p.204) 1955 The Gilded Cage Charles Liddell Barbados Quest Stefan Gordoni 1956 1984 RutherfordColumbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1982, Michael R. Pitts. McFarland, 2010 Reach For the Sky Canadian Pilot / Coltishall II Uncredited Satellite in the Sky Reporter The Big Money Gang Member Uncredited 1957 Bitter Victory Sergeant Dunnigan 1958 Blind Spot Rushford 1960 Inn For Trouble Jeff Roberts1965DarlingParty GuestUncredited 1966 Blowup Jane's LoverMichelangelo Red Antonioni Blue: Eight Reflections on Cinema, Murray Pomerance, University of California Press, 20111968The Magic ChristianAssociate producer1971The Night DiggerDevelopment executive1971FreelanceExecutive producer 1974 Feelings John Roberts1976 The Double Exposure of Holly LeeAlso writer and producer 1985 The Protector NYPD Commissioner 1993 The Beverly Hillbillies Man at Party
Television Year Title Role Notes1947The Man Who Came To DinnerRichard StanleyTV movieRotten RowCaptain CollinsThe Soul of Anthony NeroJimmy1948Death at NewtonstewartMoncrieffThe Monkey's PawHerbert WrightTV ShortThe Front PageBesingerTV movie1954 Willie the Squouse Richard TV movie 1954-56 The Vise Archie / Thompson / Paul / Dillon 4 episodes 1955 BBC Sunday Night Theatre McAllister Episode: "The Voices" 1956-57 The Trollenberg Terror Albert 6 episodes 1956-58 ITV Play of the Week Frank Lubey / Glenn / Private O'Hara / Philip Gadney 4 episodesThe Stage, 1 May 1958 1957 The Buccaneers Understandable Perkins Episode: "Indian Fighters" 1958 Alf's Button TV movieThe Stage, 4 December 1958 1958-59 Armchair Theatre Slim Murray, William R. Rush 3 episodes 1958-63 The Larkins Jeff Rogers 27 episodes 1959-60 The Four Just Men Dexter, Joe 2 episodesThe Stage, 11 June 1959 1960 BBC Sunday-Night Play Hannify Episode: "A Town Has Turned to Dust"The Stage, 16 June 1960 1961 Danger Man Pilot Episode: "The Island" 1966 The New Forest Rustlers The Chief 6 episodesThe Stage, 13 October 1966 1980-81 Ryan's Hope Chip Willard 2 episodes 1986 The A-Team Ambassador Moo Episode: "The Spy Who Mugged Me" L.A. Law Gregory Northrop Episode: "Sidney, the Dead-Nosed Reindeer" 1986, 1989 Santa Barbara Psychiatrist, Bishop 10 episodes 1987 Shell Game Nathan Thayer Episode: "Norman's Parking Ticket" Easy Street Ross Chamberlain Episode: "The Country Club" Sledge Hammer! Milo Tieup Episode: "Sledge in Toyland" 1987, 1989 Falcon Crest Ambassador, Elroy Higgins 2 episodes
References
External links
Ronan O'Casey at Theatricalia Ronan O'Casey at the BFI