HUGH O'BRIAN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Hugh O'Brian was born on April 19th, 1925 in Rochester, New York.  He was the son of Hugh John Krampe who was a United States Marine Corps Officer.  O'Brian attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois and then he went to military school at Kemper in Boonsville, Missouri.  He was very athletic in school, involved in such sports as football, basketball, wrestling and track.  Hugh went on to attend college at the University of Cincinnati, however, only one semester after enrolling, he dropped out to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II.
 
After leaving the military, O'Brian decided to relocate to Los Angeles, California ultimately to earn money to fund his education at Yale to study law.  While in Los Angeles, he met two female actresses, Ruth Roman and Linda Christian who introduced him to a theatre group called, 'Little Theatre'.  He was cast in a stage play and received such good reviews that he decided to continue working as a stage actor but also continue his college education at the University of Los Angeles.  He was soon discovered by Ida Lupino.  She was a director and chose O'Brian to work on a film called, "Never Fear" (1949).  After his appearance, Universal decided to sign him to a contract.
 
Adamant to still continue his education he continued working as an actor but also enrolled at Los Angeles City College completing a total of 17 credits while at the same time filming with Universal.  O'Brian stayed under contract with Universal completing a total of twenty films before he decided to sign with 20th Century.  Under his new contract he starred in three films, "Broken Lance" (1954), "White Feather" (1955) and "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954).
 
In 1955, even though he was having quite a successful acting career, O'Brian's big break finally came.  He was cast as  U.S. Marshall, Wyatt Earp on a television series, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955).  The series ran for seven years and was placed in the top five television shows in the nation.
 
O'Brian continued to work on television appearing on other programs along side "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" such as, "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1960), "Password" and "What's My Line".  His career spanned from film, to television to stage acting.  Some of the theatrical with Broadway that he starred in were, "Cactus Flower", "First Love", "Guys and Dolls" and "The Music Man".  His more well known film roles were on, "The Lawless Breed" (1953), "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954), "White Feather" (1955), "Come Fly with Me" (1963), "Love Has Many Faces" (1965), "In Harm's Way" (1965) and "Ambush Bay" (1966).
 
Not only was Hugh O'Brian a major television, film and stage actor he was also highly involved in using his popularity to help others in need.  O'Brian was the founder of the Executive Committee of High O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) where they take students in the 10th grade and help them develop leadership skills.  He donates 70 hours a week to this organization and seminars are offered to youth all over the nation.  He also started the High O'Brian Acting Awards Competition at the University Of Los Angeles to bring recognition to the student actors at the University.  O'Brian has been honored in many ways such as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry as well as being inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 

High O'Brian worked well into the 90's with two roles in which he brought back his Wyatt Earp character on, "Guns of Paradise" (1990) and "The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw" (1991).  
 
Hugh O'Brian currently resides in Beverly Hills with his only wife, Virginia Barber whom he married on June 25th, 2006 at the age of eighty one.  
 

Filmography

1993   L.A. Law  
1991   The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw 
1990   Murder, She Wrote
1990   Gunsmoke: The Last Apache 
1989   Guns of Paradise
1988   I Twins
1988   Doin' Time on Planet Earth  
1982   Matt Houston  
1982   The Love Boat
1977-1982  Fantasy Island
1982   Bush Doctor
1979   The Seekers
1978   Greatest Heroes of the Bible
1978   The Game of Death 
1978   Cruise Into Terror
1977   Murder at the World Series
1973-1977  Police Story
1977   Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover
1976   Charlie's Angels   
1976   The Shootist
1976   Good Heavens
1976   Killer Force 
1975   Murder on Flight 502
1972-1973  Search 
1972   Probe
1971   Harpy 
1970   Swing Out, Sweet Land
1970   Wild Women
1969   Strategy of Terror 
1954-1968  Hallmark Hall of Fame 
1967   Dial M for Murder
1967   Africa: Texas Style 
1966   Preview Tonight
1966   Ambush Bay 
1965   Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians'
1965   Assassination in Rome 
1965   In Harm's Way 
1965   I Love Has Many Faces 
1965   The Red Skelton Hour 
1964-1965  Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1965   Kraft Suspense Theatre  
1964   Vacation Playhouse  
1963   The Greatest Show on Earth  
1963   Come Fly with Me 
1963   Perry Mason  
1962   The Alfred Hitchcock Hour  
1962   The Virginian  
1962   Alcoa Premiere
1961   The Dick Powell Theatre
1961   Feathertop
1955-1961  The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp  
1961   Play of the Week 
1961   Sunday Showcase  
1960   G.E. True Theater  
1960   The Secret World of Eddie Hodges 
1959-1960  Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse  
1959   Alias Jesse James
1958   The Fiend Who Walked the West 
1957-1958  Playhouse 90 
1957   The Christophers 
1957   The Ford Television Theatre 
1956   The Brass Legend
1956   The Star and the Story  
1955   Celebrity Playhouse 
1955   The Twinkle in God's Eye
1955   Damon Runyon Theater
1955   Stage 7  
1955   The Millionaire 
1954-1955  The Loretta Young Show
1954-1955  Studio 57
1955   White Feather
1954   There's No Business Like Show Business 
1954   Broken Lance 
1954   Drums Across the River
1954   Fireman Save My Child 
1954   Saskatchewan 
1954   Taza, Son of Cochise  
1953   Back to God's Country 
1953   The Stand at Apache River 
1953   The Man from the Alamo 
1953   Seminole 
1953   The Lawless Breed 
1953   Meet Me at the Fair  
1952   The Raiders
1952   Yankee Buccaneer
1952   Son of Ali Baba
1952   Sally and Saint Anne
1952   Red Ball Express 
1952   The Battle at Apache Pass 
1952   The Cimarron Kid
1951   Cave of Outlaws 
1951   On the Loose 
1951   Little Big Horn 
1951   Fighting Coast Guard
1951   Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas
1950-1951  Fireside Theatre 
1951   Vengeance Valley
1950   The Return of Jesse James 
1950   Beyond the Purple Hills 
1950   Rocketship X-M
1950   D.O.A. 
1949   Never Fear
1949   Oboler Comedy Theatre 
1948   Kidnapped