Actress Maria O’Brien, who portrayed many roles on iconic shows, as well as had a distinguished career as an acting coach on “Days of Our Lives,” passed away on February 24 at the age of 75, Deadline reports.
“She will be remembered for her vivacious personality, her passion for acting, and her exceptional talent as an artist and teacher,” the outlet states.
O’Brien is survived by her three children as well as her sister Bridget O’Brien Adelman
Maria O’Brien’s Legacy
GettyHollywood was inevitable for Maria, as her father was Oscar-winning actor Edmond O’Brien, while her mother was actress and comedian Olga San Juan. She began her career in 1963 when she earned her first onscreen credit in the show “Sam Benedict,” which was an American legal drama that aired on NBC.
Her experience just continued to grow from there, as she appeared in films such as “Smile,” “Good Luck,” “Promised a Miracle,” “The Incredible Shrinking Woman,” “Table for Five,” “False Arrest,” and “In Sickness and in Health.” Among the most notable of her credits was an appearance in the 1984 film “Protocol,” which starred Goldie Hawn and Chris Sarandon.
She also had a lot of roles in different television shows over the years, including “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.”
Along with this, O’Brien worked as an acting coach, beginning on “Sunset Beach” and “Passions,” before going on to serve as an acting coach on Days of Our Lives for 15 years. She officially retired in 2022.
She was also an advocate for Alzheimer’s disease, as her father Edmond was one of the first celebrities to be diagnosed publicly with it. In 1983, she testified in front of Congress, helping to secure government funding for Alzheimer’s research at the time.
The Hollywood Reporter contributed to this report.
Tributes Pour In For Maria O’Brien
Getty“Very sorry to hear of the passing of Maria O’Brien, who had a long and successful career,” one person shared.
“Rest in peace, Mary O’Brien,” another person wrote.
“She made TV better and taught us to act like pros,” someone posted.
I don’t remember her on Matlock. Was she on the real one with Andy Griffith or the remake they just started making this year?
I admired her fight for funding for Alzheimer’s research at the time it was definitely an uphill battle to get people on board. I had many relatives pass from that horrible disease. So rest in peace and thank you!
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