Brian O'Connor (actor)

{{Infobox person

| birthname = Brian Edward O'Connor

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|2|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Lynnfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alias = Brian Brucker O'Connor

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|guidance counselor|musician}}

| yearsactive = 1986–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Jane Brucker|1986|1993|reason=divorced}}

| children = 1

}}

Brian Edward O'Connor (born February 14, 1953), known professionally as Brian Brucker O'Connor or Brian O'Connor, is an American actor, comedian, guidance counselor, and musician. His best known roles include Biddle in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Schemer on Shining Time Station (1989–1993).

Career

O'Connor graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1975 to pursue a career in acting. Arriving in Boston, he co-founded the comedy troupe Slap Happy, along with fellow UMass alum Allan Jacobs.{{cite web|url=http://qch.stparchive.com/Archive/QCH/QCH10291998p03.php|title=Quad City Herald|date=October 29, 1998|work=stparchive.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}} Joined by Jeff Ernstoff and Jan Kirschner, the group toured the nation and reached over 200 universities,{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/costa-mesa/article/La-Mirada-Theatre-to-Present-THE-GIZMO-GUYS-128-20131115|title=La Mirada Theatre to Present THE GIZMO GUYS, 12/8|author=BWW News Desk|work=broadwayworld.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}} receiving critical praise for performances in Boston, Cambridge and New York City.[http://worldcat.org/digitalarchive/content/server15982.contentdm.oclc.org/BSYMO/PROG/TRUSVolume15/Pub412_1983_TWD_HolidayGala.pdf 1983 Tanglewood], oclc.org; accessed February 25, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/26/theater/revue-slap-happy.html|title=REVUE: 'SLAP HAPPY'|date=January 26, 1983|work=The New York Times|accessdate=October 30, 2016}} During the Slap Happy tour, O'Connor participated in a Ford's Theatre production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.{{cite web|url=http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/272284-brian-oconnor|title=Brian O'Connor Theatre Credits and Profile|work=abouttheartists.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fords.org/home/about-fords/production-history/1978-1987|title=1978 - 1987 - Ford's Theatre|work=fords.org|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}

O'Connor made his onscreen debut with the recorded-live sketch comedy special National Lampoon's Class of '86 (1986). He followed this with a guest appearance on Miami Vice and his feature film debut in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) as Biddle. He returned to New York in 1988 to perform a one-man show ("One Hour Out of Your Life") at the Judith Anderson Theatre, earning praise from The New York Times' Stephen Holden.[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/22/arts/review-comedy-a-whimsical-grab-bag.html Review/Comedy; A Whimsical Grab Bag], nytimes.com, March 22, 1988.

In 1989, O'Connor was cast as Horace Schemer on Shining Time Station (1989–1993); the character, known commonly as "Schemer", proved to be his signature role. The roguish and clumsy, but still caring, character quickly grew in popularity with audiences. Since the show's cancellation, O'Connor has made numerous public appearances as Schemer.{{cite web|url=http://www.sodor-island.net/shiningtimestation/chars_main.html|title=Shining Time Station Character Guide|work=sodor-island.net|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20106243,00.html|title=Lovable Churl – Vol. 40 No. 11|date=September 13, 1993|work=people.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/01/03/gripe-tv/|title=Gripe TV|publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com|date=1995-01-03|access-date=2016-10-30}}

Following his appearance in the indie comedy film Terrorists (2004), Mr. O'Connor performed in the 2005 Geva Theatre Center production of the solo play The Race of the Ark Tattoo.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/expectations-overturned-in-a-triumph-of-the-old/Content?oid=2129877|title=Expectations overturned in a triumph of the old|first=Herbert M.|last=Simpson|work=rochestercitynewspaper.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E4vJbm67QQ0C&dq=brian+o%27connor+ark+tattoo&pg=PA270|title=Theatre World|first1=John|last1=Willis|first2=Ben|last2=Hodges|date=February 26, 2007|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9781557836854|accessdate=October 30, 2016|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=http://gevacomedyimprov.blogspot.com/2005/03/evening-with-brian-oconnor.html|title=GCI: An evening with BRIAN O'CONNOR|first=Geva Comedy|last=Improv|date=March 12, 2005|work=gevacomedyimprov.blogspot.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://wber.monroe.edu/site/html/modules.php?set_albumName=albuo34&id=Brian_O_Connor&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php|title=The Only Station That Matters|last=WBER|work=monroe.edu|accessdate=30 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226152010/http://wber.monroe.edu/site/html/modules.php?set_albumName=albuo34&id=Brian_O_Connor&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php|archive-date=26 February 2018|url-status=dead}} Shortly thereafter, he went back to school to become certified as a children's guidance counselor.{{cite web|url=https://www.sodor-island.com/sts-interview-rick-siggelkow|title=Rick Siggelkow|work=sodor-island.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}

In 2016, O'Connor became the vocalist and co-guitarist for independent band The 6660s.{{cite web|title=The 6660s|url=http://www.the6660s.com|website=The6660s.com|accessdate=30 April 2018}}

Personal life

O'Connor was born into a Roman Catholic family of Irish descent, the third of five children. He was married for seven years to actress Jane Brucker, best known for portraying Lisa Houseman in Dirty Dancing (1987); they have a daughter, Sally (born 1989). O'Connor and Brucker appeared in the same 1986 episode of Miami Vice ("Baby Blues"), although their characters did not share scenes.{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc.com/classic-tv/miami-vice/video/baby-blues/n30589|title=Baby Blues|date=November 21, 1986|work=nbc.com|accessdate=October 30, 2016}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1986 \| Class of '86 \| Various characters \| Direct-to-video
rowspan="3"\| 1987 \| Beverly Hills Cop II \| Biddle \|
Deadly Prey \| Soldier \|
Mankillers \| Special CIA Agen \|
rowspan="2"\| 1988 \| Death Chase \| Game Player \|
Night Wars \| Trent Matthews \|
rowspan="2"\| 1989 \| Order of the Eagle \| Robert Logan \|
Future Force \| Attacker #2 \|
2004 \| Terrorists \| Butch \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1986

| Class of '86

| Various characters

| Direct-to-video

rowspan="3"| 1987

| Beverly Hills Cop II

| Biddle

Deadly Prey

| Soldier

Mankillers

| Special CIA Agen

rowspan="2"| 1988

| Death Chase

| Game Player

Night Wars

| Trent Matthews

rowspan="2"| 1989

| Order of the Eagle

| Robert Logan

Future Force

| Attacker #2

2004

| Terrorists

| Butch

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1986 \| Miami Vice \| Detective Patterson \| Episode: "Baby Blues"
1987 \| Mike's Talent Show \| Stubby Malone \| Television film
1988 \| Tattinger's \| {{n/a}} \| Episode: "Two Men and a Baby"
1989 \| Starting Now \| Bing Taylor \| Television film
1989–1993 \| Shining Time Station \| Horace Schemer, Jebediah Schemer \| 64 episodes Also writer
rowspan="2"\| 1990 \| Random Acts of Variety \| Host, various roles \| 1 episode
Shining Time Station: 'Tis a Gift \| Schemer \| rowspan="2"\| Television film
1991 \| Real Mature \| Various characters
1993 \| Rumor Has It \| Himself (host)
1993–1994 \| Schemer Presents! \| rowspan="6"\| Schemer \| 10 episodes
1994 \| Schemer Presents: The World According to Me \| Direct-to-video
rowspan="5"\| 1995 \| Shining Time Station: Once Upon a Time \| rowspan="5"\| Television film
Shining Time Station: Second Chances
Shining Time Station: One of the Family
Shining Time Station: Queen for a Day
The Weinerville Chanukah Special \| Antidorkus
1997 \| Sports Kabob \| Various characters \| TV series short Also director

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1986

| Miami Vice

| Detective Patterson

| Episode: "Baby Blues"

1987

| Mike's Talent Show

| Stubby Malone