Maria O’Brien, ‘Protocol’ and ‘Matlock’ Actress, Dies at 75
#Maria O'Brien #Protocol #Matlock #Days of Our Lives #Alzheimer's advocacy #Hollywood family #Acting coach #Film and television
📌 Key Takeaways
- Maria O'Brien, known for 'Protocol' and 'Matlock,' died at age 75 on February 24
- She was born to Hollywood royalty, with Oscar-winning father Edmond O'Brien and actress mother Olga San Juan
- Beyond acting, she served as an acting coach on 'Days of Our Lives' for 15 years until 2022
- She was an Alzheimer's advocate, testifying before Congress after her father's diagnosis
📖 Full Retelling
Maria O'Brien, the actress known for her roles in 'Protocol' and 'Matlock' who also served as an acting coach on 'Days of Our Lives' for 15 years, died on February 24 at the age of 75. Born in Los Angeles on August 14, 1950, to Oscar-winning father Edmond O'Brien and musical comedy star mother Olga San Juan, O'Brien followed in her parents' Hollywood footsteps. While her cause of death wasn't immediately available, her passing marks the end of a career that spanned six decades across film, television, and acting education.
O'Brien began her acting career in 1963 with a role on the TV series 'Sam Benedict' and went on to appear in numerous films including 'Protocol' (1984) alongside Goldie Hawn and Chris Sarandon, as well as 'Smile,' 'The Incredible Shrinking Woman,' and 'Table for Five.' Her television credits spanned multiple genres with appearances on 'The Love Boat,' 'Magnum, P.I.,' 'Matlock,' 'Murder, She Wrote,' and 'Nash Bridges,' among others. Throughout her career, she had the opportunity to act alongside notable stars including Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, and Tom Selleck.
Beyond her on-screen work, O'Brien made significant contributions to acting education, serving as a coach on 'Sunset Beach,' 'Passions,' and notably on 'Days of Our Lives' for 15 years until her retirement in 2022. She also won a Drama-Logue Award for her performance in 'The Maids' by Jean Genet at the Mark Taper Forum. O'Brien's commitment to advocacy was equally notable, particularly in the field of Alzheimer's research. Following her father's public diagnosis with the disease, she testified before Congress in 1983, helping secure government funding for Alzheimer's research. She is survived by her brother actor Brendan O'Brien, her three children Thomas, Danica, and Sean Anderson, and her sister Bridget O'Brien Adelman.
🏷️ Themes
Hollywood Legacy, Acting Career, Advocacy Work
📚 Related People & Topics
Days of Our Lives
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...
Acting coach
Teacher who trains performers
Acting coach is a crew member in film, television and theatre giving the cast an advice and advising to enable them to improve their acting skills, preparing them for auditions and better for roles.
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Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Maria O’Brien, an actress in Protocol and Matlock , who also worked as an acting coach on Days of Our Lives , died on Feb. 24. She was 75. Her cause of death wasn’t immediately available. Born on Aug. 14, 1950, in Los Angeles, O’Brien grew up in a Hollywood family, as her father was Oscar winner Edmond O’Brien and her mother was musical comedy star Olga San Juan. After following in her parents’ footsteps, she landed her first onscreen credit in 1963 on the TV series Sam Benedict . Related Stories TV Annabel Schofield, 'Dallas' Actress and '80s Fashion Icon, Dies at 62 Music News Neil Sedaka, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Laughter in the Rain" Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 86 She also appeared in the 1984 film Protocol , starring Goldie Hawn and Chris Sarandon, as well as Smile , Good Luck , Promised a Miracle , The Incredible Shrinking Woman , Table for Five , False Arrest and In Sickness and in Health . O’Brien’s television credits included Viva Valdez , The Love Boat , How the West Was Won , The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts , CHiPs , Quincy, M.E. , Magnum, P.I. , Good Morning, Miss Bliss , L.A. Law , Matlock , Jake and the Fatman , Murder, She Wrote , Nash Bridges , Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction , Suddenly Susan , Jack & Jill , Spyder Games and For the People . Throughout her time in the industry, she acted alongside Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck and many others. Aside from her time onscreen, O’Brien also worked as an acting coach on the daytime dramas Sunset Beach and Passions . This led her to serve as an acting coach on Days of Our Lives for 15 years, a job she held until her retirement in 2022. O’Brien also won a Drama-Logue award for The Maids by Jean Genet, which was performed at the Mark Taper Foru...
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