Dennis O'Keefe (March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor. He was the son of Irish vaudevillians working in the United States. As a small child he joined his parents' act and later wrote skits for the stage.
O'Keefe started in films as an extra in the early 1930s. After a small but impressive role in Saratoga, Clark Gable recommended O'Keefe to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which signed him to a contract in 1937. His film roles were bigger after that, starting with The Bad Man of Brimstone and Burn 'Em Up O'Connor.
O'Keefe left MGM around 1940 but continued to work in mostly lower budget productions. In the 1950s he did some directing, wrote mystery stories and by the mid-1950s found work on television shows such as Justice, The Martha Raye Show, The Ford Show as well as his own series The Dennis O'Keefe Show.
Known For
Top Hat
(1935)
Elevator Passenger / Hotel Guest / Dancer (uncredited)
Scarface
(1932)
Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Theatregoer (uncredited)
T-Men
(1947)
Dennis O'Brien / Vannie Harrigan
42nd Street
(1933)
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
(1937)
Burke's Party Guest (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Café Chateau Dancer (uncredited)
Duck Soup
(1933)
Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
Captains Courageous
(1937)
Bit Role (uncredited)
Cimarron
(1931)
(uncredited)
Blonde Venus
(1932)
(uncredited)
Fury
(1936)
Reporter (uncredited)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
(1936)
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Imitation of Life
(1934)
Party Guest (uncredited)
San Francisco
(1936)
New Year's Celebrant (uncredited)
Hangmen Also Die!
(1943)
Jan Horak
Full Filmography
Acting
Reaching for the Moon
(1930)
Ship's Party Guest (uncredited)
Cimarron
(1931)
(uncredited)
Working Girls
(1931)
Dance Extra
The Miracle Woman
(1931)
Man in Audience (uncredited)
Laugh and Get Rich
(1931)
Young Man at Dance (uncredited)
Honeymoon Trio
(1931)
Wedding Guest
Blonde Venus
(1932)
(uncredited)
Under Eighteen
(1932)
Penthouse Party Guest (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Café Chateau Dancer (uncredited)
Scarface
(1932)
Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Huddle
(1932)
Dancer (uncredited)
The Man from Yesterday
(1932)
Cafe Patron
The Cabin in the Cotton
(1932)
Dance Floor Extra at Madge's Party (uncredited)
Big City Blues
(1932)
Dice Spectator (uncredited)
Love Affair
(1932)
One of Carol's Friends at Party (uncredited)
A Bill of Divorcement
(1932)
Party Guest
Central Park
(1932)
Casino Diner (uncredited)
Merrily We Go to Hell
(1932)
Wedding Usher (uncredited)
Bachelor's Affairs
(1932)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Night After Night
(1932)
Drunk Sleeping on a Table (uncredited)
Girl Missing
(1933)
Casino Patron (Uncredited)
Too Much Harmony
(1933)
Cafe Patron
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
(1933)
Nightclub Dance Extra
The Eagle and the Hawk
(1933)
Flier (uncredited)
Duck Soup
(1933)
Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Theatregoer (uncredited)
From Hell to Heaven
(1933)
Louie - Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Blood Money
(1933)
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
She Had to Say Yes
(1933)
Cabaret Patron (uncredited)
The Phantom of the Air
(1933)
Party Guest (uncredited)
Torch Singer
(1933)
Nightclub Patron
42nd Street
(1933)
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Only Yesterday
(1933)
New Year's Eve Reveler (Uncredited)
Hello, Everybody!
(1933)
Casino Patron (uncredited)
Bombshell
(1933)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Lady Killer
(1933)
I'm No Angel
(1933)
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
The Prizefighter and the Lady
(1933)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Broadway Bill
(1934)
(uncredited)
Wonder Bar
(1934)
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
He Was Her Man
(1934)
Man Leaving Courtroom
Smarty
(1934)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
A Lost Lady
(1934)
Dance Extra (uncredited)
Two Heads on a Pillow
(1934)
Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Desirable
(1934)
Party Guest
Jimmy the Gent
(1934)
Chester Coote (uncredited)
Kid Millions
(1934)
Chorus Boy in Ship's Show (uncredited)
The Red Rider
(1934)
Minor Role
Everything's Ducky
(1934)
Party Guest
Gift of Gab
(1934)
Dancer (uncredited)
We're Rich Again
(1934)
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
All of Me
(1934)
Policeman (uncredited)
Lady by Choice
(1934)
Dance Extra (uncredited)
College Rhythm
(1934)
Department Store Doorman
Coming Out Party
(1934)
Party Guest
Imitation of Life
(1934)
Party Guest (uncredited)
Fog Over Frisco
(1934)
Van Brugh, Reporter (Uncredited)
The Gilded Lily
(1935)
Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
One New York Night
(1935)
Extra
The Wedding Night
(1935)
Party Guest (uncredited)
The Misses Stooge
(1935)
Party Guest (uncredited)
Baby Face Harrington
(1935)
Country Club Patron
Broadway Hostess
(1935)
Donald Ross - Ronnie's Friend (uncredited)
Personal Maid's Secret
(1935)
Dinner Guest
Here Comes the Band
(1935)
Party Guest at Reunion (uncredited)
The Daring Young Man
(1935)
Wedding Participant
It's in the Air
(1935)
Announcer / Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Doubting Thomas
(1935)
Member of Audience
Top Hat
(1935)
Elevator Passenger / Hotel Guest / Dancer (uncredited)
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
(1935)
Dancer (uncredited)
A Feather in Her Hat
(1935)
Theatergoer (uncredited)
Every Night at Eight
(1935)
Huxley Employee (uncredited)
Small Town Girl
(1936)
Man Dancing in Tavern (uncredited)
Beloved Enemy
(1936)
Reception Guest (Uncredited)
Colleen
(1936)
Extra on Dance Floor (uncredited)
Strike Me Pink
(1936)
Club Lido Patron (uncredited)
Sworn Enemy
(1936)
Bandleader (uncredited)
Fury
(1936)
Reporter (uncredited)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
(1936)
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Libeled Lady
(1936)
Barker at Charity Affair (uncredited)
Burning Gold
(1936)
Derrick Worker
The Singing Kid
(1936)
Bud (uncredited)
Piccadilly Jim
(1936)
Petie McGregor (uncredited)
Rhythm on the Range
(1936)
Sidewalk Heckler
The Big Broadcast of 1937
(1936)
Sound Technician (uncredited)
Sinner Take All
(1936)
Night Club Guest (uncredited)
San Francisco
(1936)
New Year's Celebrant (uncredited)
13 Hours by Air
(1936)
Baker-Co-Pilot
Three Smart Girls
(1936)
Nightclub Extra
The Accusing Finger
(1936)
Reporter
Private Number
(1936)
Gambler (Uncredited)
Great Guy
(1936)
Party Guest (Uncredited)
Theodora Goes Wild
(1936)
Man (uncredited)
Show Boat
(1936)
Love Before Breakfast
(1936)
College Boy (uncredited)
Rose Bowl
(1936)
Jones
A Star Is Born
(1937)
Burke's Party Guest (uncredited)
History Is Made at Night
(1937)
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Saratoga
(1937)
Party guest
The Bad Man of Brimstone
(1937)
Jeffrey Burton
Easy Living
(1937)
Office Manager (uncredited)
Swing High, Swing Low
(1937)
Purser (uncredited)
Vogues of 1938
(1937)
Nightclub Patron
Make Way for Tomorrow
(1937)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Mama Steps Out
(1937)
Dance Extra
The Great Gambini
(1937)
Nightclub Patron
The Girl from Scotland Yard
(1937)
John
Captains Courageous
(1937)
Bit Role (uncredited)
One Mile from Heaven
(1937)
Party Guest
Champagne Waltz
(1937)
Dance Extra at Blue Danube Room
Top of the Town
(1937)
Frank
Riding on Air
(1937)
Radium Plane 23 Co-Pilot (uncredited)
The Firefly
(1937)
French Soldier Admirer (uncredited)
Hold That Kiss
(1938)
Tommy Bradford
Vacation from Love
(1938)
Bill Blair
The Chaser
(1938)
Tom Brandon
A Yank at Oxford
(1938)
Racetrack Handler (uncredited)
That's Right - You're Wrong
(1939)
Chuck Deems
The Kid From Texas
(1939)
William Quincy
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
(1939)
Jerry O'Connor
Unexpected Father
(1939)
Jimmy Hanley
You'll Find Out
(1940)
Chuck Deems
Arise, My Love
(1940)
Joe 'Shep' Shepard
Pop Always Pays
(1940)
Jeff Thompson
Bowery Boy
(1940)
Dr. Tom O'Hara
Alias the Deacon
(1940)
Johnny Sloan
Girl from Havana
(1940)
Woody Davis
La Conga Nights
(1940)
Steve Collins
I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now
(1940)
Tod Lowell
Topper Returns
(1941)
Bob
Lady Scarface
(1941)
Lieutenant Bill Mason
Mr. District Attorney
(1941)
P. Cadwallader Jones
Broadway Limited
(1941)
Dr. Harvey North
Weekend for Three
(1941)
Jim 'Jimbo' Craig
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
(1942)
Mike Jason
Moonlight Masquerade
(1942)
John Bennett Jr.
Hangmen Also Die!
(1943)
Jan Horak
The Leopard Man
(1943)
Jerry Manning
Tahiti Honey
(1943)
Mickey Monroe
Good Morning, Judge
(1943)
David Barton
Hi Diddle Diddle
(1943)
Sonny Phyffe
The Fighting Seabees
(1944)
Lt. Cmdr. Robert Yarrow
The Story of Dr. Wassell
(1944)
Benjamin 'Hoppy' Hopkins
Up in Mabel's Room
(1944)
Boris
Abroad with Two Yanks
(1944)
Jeff Reardon
Sensations of 1945
(1944)
Junior Crane
Brewster's Millions
(1945)
Montague L. 'Monty' Brewster
Doll Face
(1945)
Michael Francis 'Mike' Hannegan
The Affairs of Susan
(1945)
Bill Anthony
Getting Gertie's Garter
(1945)
Kenneth B. Ford
Earl Carroll Vanities
(1945)
Danny Baldwin
Her Adventurous Night
(1946)
Bill Fry
T-Men
(1947)
Dennis O'Brien / Vannie Harrigan
Dishonored Lady
(1947)
Dr. David Cousins
Mr. District Attorney
(1947)
Steve Bennett
Raw Deal
(1948)
Joe Sullivan
Walk a Crooked Mile
(1948)
Daniel F. O'Hara
Siren of Atlantis
(1949)
Jean Morhange
Abandoned
(1949)
Mark Sitko
Cover Up
(1949)
Sam Donovan
The Great Dan Patch
(1949)
David Palmer
Woman on the Run
(1950)
Dan Legget
The Eagle and the Hawk
(1950)
Whitney Randolph
The Company She Keeps
(1951)
Larry Collins
Follow the Sun
(1951)
Chuck Williams
Passage West
(1951)
Jacob Karns
One Big Affair
(1952)
Jimmy Donovan
Everything I Have Is Yours
(1952)
Alec Tacksbury
The Fake
(1953)
Paul Mitchell
The Lady Wants Mink
(1953)
Jim Connors
The Diamond Wizard
(1954)
Joe Dennison
Drums of Tahiti
(1954)
Mike Macklin
Angela
(1954)
Steve Catlett
Las Vegas Shakedown
(1955)
Joe Barnes
Chicago Syndicate
(1955)
Barry Amsterdam
Inside Detroit
(1956)
Blair Vickers
Dragoon Wells Massacre
(1957)
Capt. Matt Riordan
Lady of Vengeance
(1957)
William T. Marshall
Sail Into Danger
(1957)
Steve Ryman
All Hands on Deck
(1961)
Brian O'Gara
The Naked Flame
(1964)
Paul Ashley
Writing
The Kid Comes Back
(1938)
Story
Cover Up
(1949)
Screenplay
The Black Knight
(1954)
Dialogue
Angela
(1954)
Screenplay
The Naked Flame
(1964)
Writer
Directing