Edmond OBrien

What is it about Edmond OBrien that is so darn appealing? He's kind of pudgy and not particularly good looking. Maybe it's his troubled expression, his ever present exasperation that makes you want to help. He possesses a certain kind of charm, even when he's being a heel, as in "711 Ocean Drive".

He has been in a ton of films, but here is a short list of the ones that can be considered film noir:

The Killers (1946)
He plays Riordan, an insurance investigator obsessed with solving a crime involving a young Burt Lancaster.
"The Killers" on VHS

A Double Life (1948)
Here he's Bill Friend, a press agent of a play and suspected by the lead actor of having an affair with his wife.
"A Double Life" on DVD

White Heat (1949)
In this one he plays Vic Pardo/Hank Fallon, an undercover police detective who befriends and betrays a fellow inmate in jail.
"White Heat" on DVD
"White Heat" VIDEO ON DEMAND

D.O.A. (1950)
OBrien plays Frank Bigelow, an accountant searching for his own murderer.
"DOA" on DVD
"D.O.A." VIDEO ON DEMAND

711 Ocean Drive (1950)
He's Mal Granger, a smart and savvy telephone repairman who gets ambitious, helping the bookies run a wire service, then getting sucked into the Syndicate's operation. Great final scene gets played out at Boulder Dam. (Arguably one of OBrien's best roles)

The Turning Point (1952)
OBrien is John Conroy, a lawyer/politician going after the syndicate.

The Hitch-Hiker (1953), as Ray Collins, a man on a fishing trip held hostage by a hitch-hiker.
"The Hitch-Hiker" on DVD

The Shield For Murder (1954)
In this one, he's Barney Nolan, a corrupt policeman.

What's Your Favorite Edmond Obrien Film Noir?

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