Jimmy O’Dea was one of Ireland’s best-known actors, the
Brendan O’connor of his day. O’Dea featured in several TV shows, such as The
Signal Box with David Kelly, and spearheaded many Gaiety pantomines. His most
popular character was Biddy Mulligan, an inner Dublin city market trader who
was perhaps part of the inspiration behind Mrs Brown.
 |
| Jimmy O'Dea beside a poster for one of his Gaiety performances 17 December 1952 |
O’Dea was a regular customer at Neary’s, a pub in Chatham St
just off Grafton Street in Dublin. He would often pop around from the Gaiety
for a drink, so much so that he had a favourite seat. Trinity students would
often take fresher students to Neary’s, place them in O’Dea’s seat and wait for
the man himself to make his appearance and turf the innocent trespassers out.
 |
| Maureen Potter and Jimmy O'Dea 3 July 1957 |
O’Dea appeared often with Maureen Potter, another much-loved
Irish comedian. When O’Dea married Ursula Doyle, another actress, Potter was
the bridesmaid. Interestingly, Seán Lemass was O’Dea’s best man, having been a
classmate of his at the Christian Brothers’ school in Richmond Street Dublin.
Lemass also gave the oration at O’Dea’s funeral in 1965.
 |
| Jimmy with his wife Ursula at the world premier of Darby O'Gill and the Little People 24 June 1959 |
But internationally, O’Dea will instantly be recognized as
Darby O’Gill from the Hollywood film, DarbyO’Gill and the Little People. It’s not a film that is regularly shown any
more, on Irish TV at least, and is often derided for its stage ‘Oirishness’,
but was well received by critics on its release. It was also the film that
brought Sean Connery to the attention to the Hollywood directors, and helped
him on his way to the James Bond role.
It’s not often you find James Bond linked to the Gaiety
pantomines, now, is it?
How did jimmy o dea die ...what was the cause of his death.?
ReplyDelete