Sean McClory

Born

March 8, 1924

Died

December 10, 2003 (79 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Dublin, Ireland

Sean McClory was born in Dublin, Ireland, but spent his early life in Galway. He was the son of Hugh Patrick, an architect and civil engineer, and Mary Margaret Ball, who had been a model.

Sean decided to become an actor and joined Dublin's renowned Abbey Theater (also known as the National Theater of Ireland, opened in 1904). He rose through the ranks playing in productions of the works of such authors as William Butler Yeats and George Bernard Shaw, and soon began to play leads mostly in comedies (popular through most of the 1940s and into the 1950s).

When comedies began to fade from the theater after World War II, McClory turned an eye toward film. In early 1947 he decided to make the jump to America and break into Hollywood. His first roles were that of a staple in American films: the Irish cop, which he played in two of the Dick Tracy series in 1947. In 1949 he signed a short contract with 20th Century-Fox. By 1950 he was showing up in more notable films - though uncredited, particularly in The Glass Menagerie (1950).

Within a year McClory's talents were being showcased in various small feature roles. John Ford finally began casting - a painstaking process for the finicky director - for his long conceived The Quiet Man (1952) and chose McClory for a small but showy part, in which he was seen throughout the film feature with Charles B. Fitzsimons, the younger brother of the film's star, Maureen O'Hara, playing an Irish villager. Although some of the cast were familiar members of the "John Ford Stock Company", many roles were filled by actual Irish villagers (the film was shot on location) and included a generous helping of Abbey Theater alumni: the Shields brothers (Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields) and Jack MacGowran, in addition to O'Hara McClory. Ford wanted him for roles in several of his subsequent films, however McClory's busy film and TV schedule only allowed him to accept roles in two other Ford films, The Long Gray Line and Cheyenne Autumn.

McClory had a cultured, neutral Irish brogue that fit well in small- or big-screen performances, unlike such Irish actors as Barry Fitzgerald who, though very effective and beloved, had a thick brogue that kept him forever cast as an Irishman. As a result, McClory was much more at home in American TV and had many memorable roles from 1953 onward, appearing in a gamut of episodic TV in addition to his feature film work. However, it was his frequent appearances on the small screen that enabled McClory to stand out in viewers' memories, especially in a range of western and adventure series (in which he played a good sprinkling of Irish characters) well into the 1970s.

Though not as busy in the 1980s as he was in the '70s, one role in which he truly stood out was in an adaptation by John Huston of Irish writer James Joyce's famous 1907 short story "The Dead" made in 1987 (The Dead (1987)), his final film appearance. McClory's role as Mr. Grace was not a character in the original story but was created by Huston and his son Tony Huston to provide McClory with a reading of the medieval Irish poem "Young Donal", which was very effective to the mood of this look at Irish family remembrance.

Body Bags

Body Bags

Minister

6.1

1993

The Dead

The Dead

Mr. Grace

6.8

1987

Young Harry Houdini

Young Harry Houdini

Sean O'Casey

6.0

1987

My Chauffeur

My Chauffeur

O'Brien

5.9

1986

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

Ross Barber · (1 episode)

7.5

1984

Bring 'Em Back Alive

Bring 'Em Back Alive

(17 episodes)

5.7

1982

Falcon Crest

Falcon Crest

Frank O'Neal · (1 episode)

5.5

1981

Roller Boogie

Roller Boogie

Jammer Delany

5.6

1979

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

Assault 9 · (1 episode)

7.1

1978

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Codge Collier

0.0

1976

Kate McShane

Kate McShane

Pat McShane · (10 episodes)

5.0

1975

Kate McShane

Kate McShane

Pat McShane

0.0

1975

S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.

(1 episode)

7.0

1975

The Day of the Wolves

The Day of the Wolves

The Sheriff

6.7

1971

Columbo

Columbo

Captain · (1 episode)

8.1

1971

Lancer

Lancer

(1 episode)

4.7

1968

The Outcasts

The Outcasts

(1 episode)

5.3

1968

Bandolero!

Bandolero!

Robbie O'Hare

6.5

1968

The Happiest Millionaire

The Happiest Millionaire

Police Sgt.

6.8

1967

Mannix

Mannix

(1 episode)

6.7

1967

The High Chaparral

The High Chaparral

Sandy McIntire · (1 episode)

6.5

1967

The Guns of Will Sonnett

The Guns of Will Sonnett

(2 episodes)

6.2

1967

The King's Pirate

The King's Pirate

Sparkes

5.8

1967

The Gnome-Mobile

The Gnome-Mobile

Horatio Quaxton

6.2

1967

Follow Me, Boys!

Follow Me, Boys!

Edward White, Sr.

6.6

1966

Family Affair

Family Affair

(1 episode)

6.6

1966

Tarzan

Tarzan

(1 episode)

6.7

1966

Honey West

Honey West

Insurance Investigator Booth · (1 episode)

7.0

1965

Lost in Space

Lost in Space

Hamish · (1 episode)

7.1

1965

Cheyenne Autumn

Cheyenne Autumn

Dr. O'Carberry

6.7

1964

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone

Liam O'Hara · (1 episode)

6.9

1964

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone

Bartender · (1 episode)

6.9

1964

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone

Ephron Marsh · (1 episode)

6.9

1964

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

(1 episode)

5.7

1963

The Great Adventure

The Great Adventure

Major Carlton · (1 episode)

0.0

1963

The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

Karl Emmet · (1 episode)

7.8

1963

The Dakotas

The Dakotas

(1 episode)

5.7

1963

General Electric True

(1 episode)

0.0

1962

The Beverly Hillbillies

The Beverly Hillbillies

(1 episode)

6.9

1962

The Virginian

The Virginian

Cobb · (1 episode)

6.5

1962

Valley of the Dragons

Valley of the Dragons

Michael Denning

5.5

1961

Surfside 6

Surfside 6

(1 episode)

5.0

1960

The Islanders

The Islanders

Quinn · (1 episode)

8.0

1960

Checkmate

Checkmate

Stamper · (1 episode)

4.1

1960

Thriller

Thriller

Sean O'Danagh · (1 episode)

6.4

1960

Thriller

Thriller

Patrick Galt · (1 episode)

6.4

1960

The Swamp Fox

The Swamp Fox

(8 episodes)

6.7

1959

The Detectives

The Detectives

(1 episode)

5.6

1959

Adventures in Paradise

Adventures in Paradise

Mike Milligan · (1 episode)

5.7

1959

Adventures in Paradise

Adventures in Paradise

Shay · (1 episode)

5.7

1959

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

Father Ray · (1 episode)

6.3

1959

One Step Beyond

One Step Beyond

Michael Barry · (1 episode)

5.6

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Finn · (2 episodes)

7.2

1959

The Rifleman

The Rifleman

(2 episodes)

7.1

1958

Bronco

Bronco

(1 episode)

5.2

1958

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive

'Doc' Phillips · (1 episode)

6.9

1958

The Californians

The Californians

Jack McGivern · (69 episodes)

5.3

1957

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Fred Wenzel · (1 episode)

7.7

1957

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Harry Fothergill · (1 episode)

7.7

1957

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Hannibal Harvey · (1 episode)

7.7

1957

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel

(1 episode)

7.4

1957

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Ted O'Malley · (1 episode)

6.2

1957

The Guns of Fort Petticoat

The Guns of Fort Petticoat

Emmett Kettle

6.3

1957

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers

(1 episode)

5.0

1956

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Graham Clague · (1 episode)

5.5

1956

The Adventures of Jim Bowie

The Adventures of Jim Bowie

(2 episodes)

4.5

1956

Telephone Time

Telephone Time

(1 episode)

6.3

1956

Diane

Diane

Count Michel Montgomery

5.8

1956

Matinee Theater

Matinee Theater

(1 episode)

5.0

1955

The 20th Century Fox Hour

The 20th Century Fox Hour

(1 episode)

5.4

1955

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Brother Gerard · (1 episode)

7.7

1955

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Irish Bar Patron · (1 episode)

7.7

1955

Frontier

Frontier

(1 episode)

5.0

1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Clete Bolden · (1 episode)

6.6

1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Sham · (1 episode)

6.6

1955

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

(1 episode)

6.8

1955

The King's Thief

The King's Thief

Sheldon

6.2

1955

Moonfleet

Moonfleet

Elzevir Block

6.5

1955

I Cover the Underworld

I Cover the Underworld

Gunner O'Hara / John O'Hara

6.0

1955

The Long Gray Line

The Long Gray Line

Dinny Maher

7.0

1955

Climax!

Climax!

Mark Yorke · (1 episode)

3.3

1954

Lassie

Lassie

(1 episode)

6.1

1954

Ring of Fear

Ring of Fear

Dublin O'Malley

5.0

1954

Them!

Them!

Maj. Kibbee

6.8

1954

The Child

Reverend Smith

0.0

1954

Man in the Attic

Man in the Attic

Constable #1

5.5

1953

Charade

Charade

Jack Stuydevant

5.5

1953

Island in the Sky

Island in the Sky

Frank Lovatt, Dooley's co-pilot

6.2

1953

Plunder of the Sun

Plunder of the Sun

Jefferson

6.1

1953

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater

(2 episodes)

6.3

1953

Niagara

Niagara

Sam (uncredited)

6.8

1953

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

Andrew Johnson · (1 episode)

3.5

1952

Four Star Playhouse

Robert Upton · (1 episode)

6.3

1952

Les Miserables

Les Miserables

Bamtasbois (uncredited)

5.4

1952

The Quiet Man

The Quiet Man

Owen Glynn

7.3

1952

Anne of the Indies

Anne of the Indies

Hackett

6.4

1951

The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

Jock

6.7

1951

Lorna Doone

Lorna Doone

Charleworth Doone

4.6

1951

Storm Warning

Storm Warning

Shore

6.6

1951

Lux Video Theatre

Albert · (1 episode)

6.3

1950

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

James Moore

5.0

1950

Roughshod

Roughshod

Fowler (as Shawn McGlory)

5.3

1949

Beyond Glory

Beyond Glory

Barney

7.3

1948

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

Officer Carney (uncredited)

5.4

1947

Dick Tracy's Dilemma

Dick Tracy's Dilemma

Officer Dillon (uncredited)

5.4

1947