Maria O’Brien, ‘Days of Our Lives’ Acting Coach and Actor, Dies at 75
#Maria O'Brien#acting coach#Days of Our Lives#actress death#1970s-1990s entertainment#film and television career#veteran performer
📌 Key Takeaways
Maria O'Brien died at age 75 on February 24, 2026
She had a six-decade career as both an actor and acting coach
She appeared in numerous films and TV shows from the 1970s-1990s
She worked as an acting coach for 'Days of Our Lives'
📖 Full Retelling
Maria O'Brien, a veteran acting coach and performer known for her work on 'Days of Our Lives' and roles in films such as 'Smile' and 'Protocol,' passed away on February 24 at the age of 75 after a six-decade career in entertainment. Throughout her extensive career spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s, O'Brien appeared in numerous films and television shows. Her film credits included 'The Incredible Shrinking Woman' and 'Table for Five,' while she made memorable guest appearances on popular TV series such as 'Murder She Wrote,' 'Magnum PI,' 'The Love Boat,' 'LA Law,' and 'CHiPs.' O'Brien had the privilege of acting alongside notable stars including Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck, and Goldie Hawn. In addition to her acting roles, O'Brien made significant contributions as an acting coach for 'Days of Her Life,' helping shape the performances of many actors on the long-running soap opera.
🏷️ Themes
Entertainment industry, Acting career, Television and film history
Our Lives: Canada's First Black Women's Newspaper was the first newspaper in Canada written by and about Black women. Founded in 1986 by the Black Women's Collective, Our Lives sought to represent the lives, achievements, and struggles of Black women in Canada.
American daytime television soap opera (since 1965)
Days of Our Lives (also stylized as Days of our Lives; simply referred to as Days or DOOL) is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed new episodes on Peacock since September 12, 2022. The soap is one of the lo...
Mar 3, 2026 5:46pm PT Maria O’Brien, ‘Days of Our Lives’ Acting Coach and Actor, Dies at 75 By Payton Turkeltaub Plus Icon Payton Turkeltaub Latest ‘Zootopia 2’ Sets Disney+ Release Date 11 hours ago Wildlight Entertainment’s ‘Highguard’ to Shut Down After Just Two Months (Gaming News Roundup) 11 hours ago ‘Sinners,’ ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ Among Guild of Music Supervisors Award Winners 3 days ago See All Maria O’Brien , an acting coach and actor known for roles in films including 1975’s “Smile” and 1984’s “Protocol” and numerous TV appearances in the 1980s and ’90s, died on Feb. 24. She was 75. Over the course of her six-decade career, O’Brien graced screens small and large, appearing in films including “The Incredible Shrinking Woman” and “Table for Five.” She also made guest appearances on a number of shows including “Murder She Wrote,” “Magnum PI,” “The Love Boat,” “LA Law” and “CHiPs,” amongst others. She acted alongside stars like Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck and Goldie Hawn. Related Stories Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’