Eugene O’Brien — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

Eugene O’Brien, idol of the “picture fans,” is just a little different from most other leading men — hence his charm. Like “Young Lochinvar,” he came out of the West, the first of our “Before They Were Stars” people to hail from there.

Boulder, his birthplace, is not far from Denver, Colo., and is noted chiefly for its summer chautauqua, where learned ones from all parts of the country gather to exchange brilliant ideas. Quite appropriate that a college man should be born in such a typical town.

After leaving college, he studied to become a doctor, hoping all the time that something would prevent him from realizing the ambition, which was wished on him by his family. His idea of a career was to go on the stage, but in a family of professional men this was not to be considered for a moment. So he studied a little and went in for athletics. At last, after the family saw that he would never succeed as a surgeon, they permitted him to switch to civil engineering. He took that up, vowing that it would be but a temporary avocation.

He then went to New York, and after much difficulty and searching among the theatrical producers, a small opening presented itself. It was in the chorus, where many great people in the theatrical game had their start. For a couple of years he played in musical comedy with Fritzi Scheff and Elsie Janis, singing small roles, and working hard all the time. His patience was rewarded at last, and good luck drew him out of musical comedy forever.

It was the late Charles Frohman who discovered in him a “find” for dramatic roles, and gave him a number of good parts, incidentally starting him on the upward climb toward success.

It was Lewis J. Selznick who introduced O’Brien to the screen. At that time Selznick was the executive head of the World Film Corporation. Eugene O’Brien’s first picture was called “The Moonstone,” and had an interesting history. The Hippodrome, during the summer, decided to run pictures, and The Moonstone was booked for a week. Before the building of the Capitol it was the largest playhouse in the world (so say its slogans), so it was a large and appreciative audience that gathered at O’Brien’s screen debut.

As leading man for Norma Talmadge he had some excellent roles, and laid the foundation for picture stardom, which followed as a matter of course. As with his association with Miss Barrymore [Ethel Barrymore], he had wonderful opportunities. Miss Talmadge has always appeared in plays based upon strong dramatic themes, and so Mr. O’Brien had plenty of chances to demonstrate his versatility, and build up a strong following.

He is six feet tall, weighs 160 pounds, has light brown hair and blue eyes.

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When Norma Talmadge was first starred in her own company, Eugene O’Brien was her leading man. After supporting Miss Talmadge in many films, Mr. O’Brien was starred in his own company. Now they are working before the camera together again.

Portrait by Seeley • Los Angeles

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)