Don O'Kelly
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Don O'Kelly, (born March 17, 1924, Sheepshead Bay, New York, died 1966) was an American actor prominent in the 1950s and 1960s.
He was born Donald Patrick Kelly, the son of Robert J. Kelly Irish-American father and Rachel Knudsen Norwegian-American mother. He did mostly television work on such series as 77 Sunset Strip and Maverick (TV series), but was in two movies. His last starring role was in The Hostage, made in 1966 and released in 1967, in which he received very favorable reviews. He died of stomach cancer shortly after the movie was completed.
Don O'Kelly began his career as Don Kelly starring in "Tank Battalion" with Marjorie Helen (later Leslie Parrish-Bach).
[edit] TV and film credits
- The Hostage (1967) ... Bull
- Shoot Out at Big Sag (1962) ... Fargo
- Frontier Uprising (1961) ... Kilpatrick
- Tank Battalion (1958) ... Sgt Brad Dunne aka Korean Attack
- The Notorious Mr. Monks (1958) ... Dan Flynn
- Bombers B-52 (1957) ... Master Sergent Darren McKind aka No Sleep Till Dawn (UK)
- The Crooked Circle (1957) ... Joe Kelly
- The Big Land (1957)... Billy Tyler aka Stampeded (UK)
- The Wild Wild West (1965) episode The Night of a Thousand Eyes ... Peavey
- Gunsmoke (1965) episode Eliab's Aim ... Dealer
- Ben Casey (1964) episode One Nation Indivisible ... George Zybsko
- Bonanza (1964) episode The Lila Conrad Story ...
- The Virginian (1963) episode The Evil That Men Do ... Deke
- The Dakotas (1963) episode Fargo ... Paul Young
- The Gallant Men (1963)episode The Leathernecks ... Captain Barlow
- 77 Sunset Strip (1963) episode Crashout ... Arnie Martin
- The Gallant Men (1962) episode One Moderately Peaceful Sunday ...
- 77 Sunset Strip (1962) episode Terror in a Small Town ... Sheriff Farger
- The Beachcomber (1962) episode The Fugitive ... Womack
- Ripcord (1961) episode High Jeopardy ... Johnny Grimes
- 77 Sunset Strip (1961) episode The Turning Point ... Nate Minton
- Bat Masterson (1961) episode Meeting at Mimbers ... Tom Smith
- Riverboat (1960) episode Zigzag ... Clyde
- The Deputy (1960) episode Lady for a Hanging ... Hunter
- Bat Masterson (1960) episode The Last of the Night Raiders ... Jack Doolin
- The Twilight Zone (1960) episode The Mighty Casey ... Monk
- Overland Trail (1960) episode Fire in the Hole ... Red
- Bourbon Street Beat (9160) episode Neon Nightmare ... George Johnson
- Lawman (1960) episode The Truce ...
- M Squad (1960) episode Race to Death ... Joe Calhoun
- Laramie (1960) episode Duel at Alta Mesa ...
- The Alaskans (1960) episode The Trial of Reno McKee ... Carl
- The Alaskans (1960) episode Black Sand ...
- Have Gun - Will Travel (1960) episode The Day of the Bad Man ... Amos Saint
- Bonanza (1960) episode El Toro Grande ...
- The Restless Gun (1959) episode A Very Special Inspector ... Blair Weeks
- Tales of Wells Fargo (1959)episode The Daltons ...Bob Dalton
- Black Saddle (1959) episode Client: Reynolds ... Harry Briggs
- Lawman (1959) episode The Souvenir ... Virgil Carey
- Disneyland (6 March 1959) episode The Slaughter Trail ... Jed
- Texas John Slaughter (1959) episode (#1.5) The Slaughter Trail ... Jed
- Disneyland (20 March 1959) episode Man from Bitter Creek ... Jed
- Texas John Slaughter (1959) (#1.6) Man from Bitter Creek ... Jed
- Sugarfoot (1959) episode The Giant Killer ... Tracy
- The Texan (1959) episode A Quart of Law ...
- Maverick (1958) episode Holiday at Hollow Rock ... Ira Swain
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) episode The Court Martial of Johnny Murdo ... Sergeant Bannock
- Lawman (1958)episode The Oath ... Lou Menke
- Broken Arrow (1958) episode War Trail ... Captain Baker
- Have Gun - Will Travel (1958) episode The Teacher ... Coley
- Maverick (1958) episode Trail West to Fury ... Jett
- Wire Service (1957) episode Misfire ...
- Frontier (1956) episode A Somewhere Voice ... Jim
- Death Valley Days (1956) episode The Sinbuster ...
- Frontier (1956) episode The Well ... Jim
[edit] Life
He was married to Ruth Kelly, now retired living in Central Florida. They had three sons, Michael David Kelly, Brent Robert Kelly and Raymond Joseph Kelly.
Don O'Kelly (nee Kelly) enlisted in the United States Navy prior to World War II (17 June 1941) and saw active duty aboard the USS Stanton and USS Palmer. He saw convoy duty at San Juan, Puerto Rico, Iceland, England, Scotland, Africa (Invasion), brief leave in States and back on convoy to European Theater, Africa, Italy (all phases of European campaign), convoy duty then to Scotland, Africa, Iceland, Southern France (Invasion) through Channel into Pacific and then onto Carolinas, Siapan, Tinian, Marshalls, Gilbert, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Sea of Japan (war ended) He saw active duty four years, three months and 17 days.
Don received an Honorable Discharge after the end of the war and upon separation joined his cousin's ice skating show. O'Kelly used his GI Bill of Rights to studying acting. He was a prolific painter. Some of his art work is at the U.S.S. Elizabeth C. Stanton, AP 69 Museum (affectionaly known as "The Lucky Lizzie.")
