Michael O'Shea

Michael O'Shea (born Edward Francis Michael Patrick Joseph O'Shea; March 17, 1906 – 1973) was known as an American actor who appeared in feature films and later in television and whose career spanned the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Early life O'Shea dropped out of school at 12 and began his acting career in vaudeville by touring with boxing idol Jack Johnson's show. He did a variety of jobs including soda jerk, bricklayer, private detective and bodyguard. Career O'Shea played drums and the banjo. Much like his character from Lady of Burlesque (1943), Biff Brannigan, O'Shea was a comedian and emcee at speakeasies. He put together his own dance band, "Michael O'Shea and His Stationary Gypsies", and later broke into radio and the "legitimate" stage, where he was billed for a time as "Eddie O'Shea". He worked on radio shows such as Superman, Mr District Attorney, The March of Time and Gangbuster. O'Shea received acclaim for his performance in the 1942 play The Eve of St. Mark on Broadway. The play was a hit and film producers began approaching O'Shea to do screen tests.