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