Often confused with the British-born comic actor J. Pat O'Malley, who is the better remembered, silent dramatic film star Pat O'Malley had an enduring career that stands on its own. He was of solid Irish-American stock, born in Forest City, Pennsylvania, in 1890. A one-time railroad switchman, he also had circus experience by the time he discovered an interest in movie making. He began with the Kalem Studio in 1913 and appeared in a few Irish films before signing on with Thomas Edison's company in 1914. The following year, he married actress Lillian Wilkes, and three of their children, Eileen, Mary Katherine, and Sheila, would become actors as well. His brother Charles O'Malley was a sometime actor, appearing in westerns on occasion. His first identifiable film is The Alien (1913). He began freelancing in 1916 and from then on, appeared in scores of silents as both a rugged and romantic lead, some classic films being The Heart of Humanity (1918), My Wild Irish Rose (1922), and The Virginian (1923). He did not age well come sound pictures, and he was quickly relegated to supporting parts. He appeared in hundreds upon hundreds of bits (mostly unbilled) until 1956, when he retired. He died a decade later.
Known For
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Jailer (uncredited)
Gentleman Jim
(1942)
Detective (uncredited)
Batman
(1943)
Cop
The Wild One
(1953)
Sawyer (uncredited)
Dodge City
(1939)
Conductor (uncredited)
His Family Tree
(1935)
Seated Pub Sailor
Mission to Moscow
(1943)
Irish-American in Montage (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
(1954)
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
The Bad and the Beautiful
(1952)
Man Outside the Club (uncredited)
The Glass Key
(1942)
Politician (uncredited)
Days of Wine and Roses
(1963)
Tenant (uncredited)
All the King's Men
(1949)
Politician (uncredited)
The Reckless Moment
(1949)
Bank Guard (uncredited)
This Gun for Hire
(1942)
Conductor (uncredited)
Invisible Stripes
(1939)
Jailhouse Lieutenant with Capt. Johnson (uncredited)
Remember the Night
(1940)
Jury Member (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
All for Old Ireland
(1915)
McQuade of the Traffic Squad
(1915)
Pat McQuade
The Voice of the Violin
(1915)
Gladiola
(1915)
On Dangerous Paths
(1915)
Roger Sterritt
The Picture of Dorian Gray
(1916)
Sybil Vane
The Law of the North
(1917)
Cpl. John Emerson
The Love That Lives
(1917)
Jimmy
The Tell-Tale Step
(1917)
Hugh Graham
The Prussian Cur
(1918)
Jimmie O'Grady
The Heart of Humanity
(1918)
Clancy
The Red Glove
(1919)
Kern Thodes (early chapters)
False Evidence
(1919)
Richard MacTavish (as Patrick O'Malley)
The Blooming Angel
(1920)
Chester Framm
The Breath of the Gods
(1920)
T. Caraway Dodge
Dinty
(1920)
Jack North
Go and Get It
(1920)
Kirk Connelly
Bob Hampton of Placer
(1921)
Lt. Brant
False Kisses
(1921)
A Game Chicken
(1922)
Rush Thompson
The Eternal Struggle
(1923)
Bucky O'Harra
Brass
(1923)
Harry Baldwin
Cause for Divorce
(1923)
Howard Metcliffe
The Virginian
(1923)
Steve
The Last Hour
(1923)
Philip Logan
The Man from Brodney's
(1923)
Robert Browne
Slippy McGee
(1923)
Lawrence Mayne
Fools Highway
(1924)
Mike Kildare
The Beauty Prize
(1924)
George Brady
Happiness
(1924)
Fermoy MacDonough
The Mine with the Iron Door
(1924)
Hugh Edwards
The Fighting American
(1924)
Bill Pendleton
Bread
(1924)
Roy Beardsley
Proud Flesh
(1925)
Patrick O'Malley
The Fighting Cub
(1925)
Let Women Alone
(1925)
Tom Benham
Spangles
(1926)
Dick Hale
My Old Dutch
(1926)
Joe Brown
The Midnight Sun
(1926)
Grand Duke Sergius of Russia
Perch of the Devil
(1927)
Gregory Compton
Alibi
(1929)
Detective Sgt. Tommy Glennon
The Man I Love
(1929)
D.J. McCarthy
Mothers Cry
(1930)
Frank Williams
The Fall Guy
(1930)
Charles Newton
The Lightning Warrior
(1931)
Sheriff A. W. Brown
The Sky Spider
(1931)
Jim Morgan
The Costume Falls
(1931)
The Fighting Marshal
(1931)
Deputy Ed Myers
Night Life in Reno
(1931)
District Attorney
Homicide Squad
(1931)
Man
Anybody's Blonde
(1931)
Reporter
High Speed
(1932)
Paul Whipple
The Shadow of the Eagle
(1932)
Ames
Those We Love
(1932)
Daley
Attorney for the Defense
(1932)
Dr. Strong
Sundown Rider
(1932)
Lafe Armstrong
The Reckoning
(1932)
Bob
The Penal Code
(1932)
Sergeant Detective W. J. Bender
Klondike
(1932)
Burke
Exposure
(1932)
Van Avery - City Editor
American Madness
(1932)
Speed Madness
(1932)
McCarey
Call Her Savage
(1932)
Fireman (Uncredited)
Mystery of the Wax Museum
(1933)
Plainclothesman (Uncredited)
Laughing at Life
(1933)
Detective Agency Official
Before Dawn
(1933)
Detective Brady (uncredited)
Parachute Jumper
(1933)
Pilot (uncredited)
I Love That Man
(1933)
Prison Interne
The Whirlwind
(1933)
Pat Patrick
Frisco Jenny
(1933)
Policeman Pat O'Hoolihan
A Man of Sentiment
(1933)
Officer Ryan
Riot Squad
(1933)
Det. Bob Larkin
Perils of Pauline
(1933)
Tim Sullivan
Girl in Danger
(1934)
Police Sgt. Rollins (uncredited)
The Crime Doctor
(1934)
Detective (uncredited)
Love Past Thirty
(1934)
Lon Burt
Pirate Treasure
(1934)
John Craig
Public Hero Number 1
(1935)
Federal Agent (uncredited)
Special Agent
(1935)
Roark (uncredited)
His Family Tree
(1935)
Seated Pub Sailor
The Fighting Marines
(1935)
Capt. Grayson [Ch. 1]
The Drunkard
(1935)
First Drunk
We're Only Human
(1935)
Police Officer Jordan
Heir to Trouble
(1935)
Mining Engineer
The Perfect Clue
(1935)
Police Officer
High Tension
(1936)
Ship's Mate
Hollywood Boulevard
(1936)
Pat O'Malley - Pago Pago Patron
Paddy O'Day
(1936)
Immigration Officer Tom Wilson
Beloved Enemy
(1936)
Patrick Callahan
Champagne Charlie
(1936)
Ship's Officer
Wanted: Jane Turner
(1936)
Joe - Lansing's Assistant (uncredited)
36 Hours to Kill
(1936)
G-Man
The Big Noise
(1936)
Boyle, Policeman with Kerrigan (uncredited)
Crash Donovan
(1936)
Patrolman (uncredited)
Exclusive Story
(1936)
Third Officer (uncredited)
Trouble for Two
(1936)
Purser (Uncredited)
Ever Since Eve
(1937)
Police Officer (uncredited)
Alcatraz Island
(1937)
Prison Guard (uncredited)
The Great Hospital Mystery
(1937)
Detective
Music for Madame
(1937)
Policeman (Uncredited)
Love on a Budget
(1938)
Townsman
He Couldn't Say No
(1938)
Policeman in Car
Always Goodbye
(1938)
Cop (uncredited)
Wolf Call
(1939)
RCMP Sergeant
Persons in Hiding
(1939)
Deputy Driver (uncredited)
Romance of the Redwoods
(1939)
Yerkes
Five Came Back
(1939)
Mike Mulvaney (uncredited)
The Night of Nights
(1939)
Actor (uncredited)
The Escape
(1939)
Neighbor
Dust Be My Destiny
(1939)
Bailiff (uncredited)
Sergeant Madden
(1939)
Police Sergeant
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Jailer (uncredited)
The Housekeeper's Daughter
(1939)
Policeman
Let Us Live
(1939)
Captain (uncredited)
They Made Her a Spy
(1939)
Intelligence Service Man
Dodge City
(1939)
Conductor (uncredited)
Women in the Wind
(1939)
Cleveland Official (uncredited)
Stunt Pilot
(1939)
Sheehan
Secret Service of the Air
(1939)
Guard Cooper
The Phantom Creeps
(1939)
AMI Chief
Smashing the Money Ring
(1939)
Second Convict Custodian on Train (uncredited)
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
(1939)
Police Guard (uncredited)
Frontier Marshal
(1939)
Bar Patron
The Light That Failed
(1939)
Bullock
Invisible Stripes
(1939)
Jailhouse Lieutenant with Capt. Johnson (uncredited)
A Fugitive from Justice
(1940)
Policeman (uncredited)
Tear Gas Squad
(1940)
Patrolman
Girl in 313
(1940)
Bartender
A Dispatch from Reuters
(1940)
Laborer (uncredited)
Castle on the Hudson
(1940)
Guard (uncredited)
Rocky Mountain Rangers
(1940)
Captain Taylor
Little Nellie Kelly
(1940)
Mounted Policeman (uncredited)
The House Across the Bay
(1940)
Prison Guard
The Bank Dick
(1940)
Cop (uncredited)
East of the River
(1940)
Policeman (uncredited)
Remember the Night
(1940)
Jury Member (uncredited)
The Green Hornet Strikes Again!
(1940)
Editor Gunnigan
The Saint's Double Trouble
(1940)
Express Man (uncredited)
Emergency Squad
(1940)
Fire Captain
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
(1940)
Laboratory Technician
Lucky Cisco Kid
(1940)
Minor Role
Shooting High
(1940)
Lem Pritchard
The Great Mr. Nobody
(1941)
Policeman
Steel Against the Sky
(1941)
Construction Worker (uncredited)
Honky Tonk
(1941)
Party Guest
Blonde Inspiration
(1941)
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Cracked Nuts
(1941)
Officer #1
Pals of the Pecos
(1941)
Dan Burke
Reg'lar Fellers
(1941)
Mr. Dugan Sr.
Law of the Range
(1941)
Mr. Howard
Duck Soup
(1942)
Cop
Thru Different Eyes
(1942)
Coroner
Blue, White, and Perfect
(1942)
Police Sergeant
Deep in the Heart of Texas
(1942)
Jonathan Taylor
Gang Busters
(1942)
Police Chemist Crandall
Gentleman Jim
(1942)
Detective (uncredited)
Over My Dead Body
(1942)
Petie Stuyvesant (as J. Patrick O'Malley)
This Gun for Hire
(1942)
Conductor (uncredited)
The Great Man's Lady
(1942)
Officer Murphy (uncredited)
The Glass Key
(1942)
Politician (uncredited)
Double Up
(1943)
Jim Bowers
Batman
(1943)
Cop
Quiet Please, Murder
(1943)
Guard Killed in Library
Destroyer
(1943)
Postman
Redhead from Manhattan
(1943)
Cop
Mission to Moscow
(1943)
Irish-American in Montage (uncredited)
The Racket Man
(1944)
Postman
The Whistler
(1944)
Police Detective in Alley (Uncredited)
The Missing Juror
(1944)
Priest (Uncredited)
One Mysterious Night
(1944)
Police Sergeant (Uncredited)
Sailor's Holiday
(1944)
Key Witness
(1947)
Detective Norris (uncredited)
The Man from Colorado
(1948)
The Secret Of St. Ives
(1949)
Sergeant (uncredited)
The Reckless Moment
(1949)
Bank Guard (uncredited)
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
(1949)
Officer Jim
Alias Nick Beal
(1949)
Committee Man
All the King's Men
(1949)
Politician (uncredited)
The Killer That Stalked New York
(1950)
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
The Bad and the Beautiful
(1952)
Man Outside the Club (uncredited)
The Old West
(1952)
Townsman (uncredited)
Everything I Have Is Yours
(1952)
Conductor (Uncredited)
The Wild One
(1953)
Sawyer (uncredited)
Small Town Girl
(1953)
Doorman
A Star Is Born
(1954)
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Blackjack Ketchum Desperado
(1956)
Doc Blaine
Days of Wine and Roses
(1963)
Tenant (uncredited)
The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration
(2019)
Mr. Wilson (archive footage)