
Denis O'Dea
Known for Acting · 25 credits
- Born
- 1905-04-26
- Died
- 1978-11-05
- Place of birth
- Dublin, Ireland
- Also known as
- Dennis O'Dea
Biography
Denis O'Dea (26 April 1905 – 5 November 1978) was an Irish stage and film actor.
He was born in Dublin and attended Synge Street CBS. When very young he and his mother Kathleen (from County Kerry) moved in with her sister, who kept a boarding house at 54 South Richmond Street. He worked in insurance until taking up acting. O'Dea was a leading member of Dublin's Abbey Theatre where he had a great acting career from 1929 to 1953; a list of his performances can be found in the Abbey archives. He also appeared in numerous plays by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy, some of which toured New York and England. His work led to a number of notable film roles, including two mid-1930s John Ford films, The Informer and The Plough and the Stars (1936), and the part of the police inspector in pursuit of IRA man James Mason in Carol Reed's Odd Man Out (1947).
Known For
Movies (25)

Niagara
1953
as Inspector Starkey

Treasure Island
1950
as Dr. Livesy

Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
1951
as RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton

The Fallen Idol
1948
as Inspector Crowe

Mogambo
1953
as Father Josef

Darby O'Gill and the Little People
1959
as Father Murphy

Odd Man Out
1947
as Inspector

The Informer
1935
as Street Singer

Beloved Enemy
1936
as Sean's I.R.A. Friend (Uncredited)

Under Capricorn
1949
as Mr. Corrigan

I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
1959
as Father Murphy

Sea Devils
1953
as Lethierry

Esther and the King
1960
as Mordecai

Captain Lightfoot
1955
as Regis Donnell

The Rising of the Moon
1957
as Police Sergeant Tom O'Hara (segment '1921')

Marry Me
1949
as George Saunders

The Long Dark Hall
1951
as Sir Charles Morton

The Plough and the Stars
1936
as The Covey

Landfall
1949
as Captain Burnaby

Never Take No for an Answer
1951
as Father Damico
The Bad Lord Byron
1949
as Prosecuting Counsel

The Story of Esther Costello
1957
as Father Devlin

The Mark of Cain
1947
as Sir William Godgrey

Guests of The Nation
1935

Cradle of Genius
1960
as Self
About Denis O'Dea
Denis O'Dea (26 April 1905 – 5 November 1978) was an Irish stage and film actor. He was born in Dublin and attended Synge Street CBS. When very young he and his mother Kathleen (from County Kerry) moved in with her sister, who kept a boarding house at 54 South Richmond Street. He worked in insurance until taking up acting. O'Dea was a leading member of Dublin's Abbey Theatre where he had a great acting career from 1929 to 1953; a list of his performances can be found in the Abbey archives. He also appeared in numerous plays by Irish playwright… With 25 credits spanning from 1935 to 1960, Denis O'Dea has appeared in 25 films and 0 TV shows.
Fans searching for Denis O'Dea movies, Denis O'Dea filmography, or the latest projects starring Denis O'Dea can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Denis O'Dea Movies
- Niagara (1953) — as Inspector Starkey
- Treasure Island (1950) — as Dr. Livesy
- Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951) — as RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
- The Fallen Idol (1948) — as Inspector Crowe
- Mogambo (1953) — as Father Josef
Where to Watch Denis O'Dea Films
Most Denis O'Dea movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Denis O'Dea, check our movies catalogue and browse page.