
Versatile Irish character actor Derrick O’Connor died from pneumonia on June 29 in Santa Barbara, Calif. He was 77.
O’Connor was born in Dublin and raised in London. He had lived in the U.S. since 1990 and was most recently living in the Santa Ynez Valley, north of Santa Barbara with his wife, Mimi.
The actor starred in three of director Terry Gilliam’s films: “Time Bandits,” “Brazil,” and “Jabberwocky.” He played the villain Pieter Vorstedt in “Lethal Weapon 2” and worked opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in “End of Days.”
He also appeared in John Boorman’s “Hope and Glory and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” One of his first movie roles came in the 1973 British science-fiction film “The Final Programme.”
His notable U.S. television appearances include “Alias,” “Carnivale,” “Tracey Takes On,” “Monk,” “Murder, She Wrote,” and “Ghost.” In the U.K. and Australia, he was best known for starring roles in “Stringer,” “Fox,” “The Sweeney” and “Knockback.”
O’Connor was a member of both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Scottish National Theatre, with multiple lead stage roles in Edinburgh, Stratford-on-Avon and London’s West End. He starred in U.K. productions of plays including “The Knack,” “The Dumb Waiter,” and “Born Yesterday.” He worked with directors Mike Leigh and Richard Eyre.
Popular on Variety
His work in theater also included directing and producing a presentation of Beckett’s “Krapp’s Last Tape” and directing “Rock Justice,” which was written by Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane. Both were staged in San Francisco. He also wrote and directed the Irish docudrama film “A Pint of Plain.”
O’Connor was known for often paring down –- or fully eliminating –- his lines in a scene in order to emphasize the physical aspects of his role.
O’Connor is survived by his widow, Mimi, and son, Max. A private celebration of life has been planned for close friends and family in San Francisco.
Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety

China Box Office: ‘Transformers One’ Takes Top Spot on Quietest Weekend of the Year

New Live Music Data Suggests Cautious Optimism

‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Sets Theatrical Release in China Ahead of U.S.

All ‘Harry Potter’ Movies to Get Theatrical Re-Releases in China (EXCLUSIVE)

Generative AI Fueling ‘Exponential’ Rise in Celebrity NIL Rip-Offs: Exclusive Data

China Box Office: ‘Stand By Me’ Wins Muddled-up Mid-Autumn Holiday Weekend
Most Popular
Luke Bryan Reacts to Beyoncé’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘If You’re Gonna Make Country Albums, Come Into Our World and Be Country With…

Donald Glover Cancels 2024 Childish Gambino Tour Dates After Hospitalization: ‘I Have Surgery Scheduled and Need Time Out to Heal’

‘Joker 2’ Ending: Was That a ‘Dark Knight’ Connection? Explaining What’s Next for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker

‘Love Is Blind' Creator Reveals Why They Didn’t Follow Leo and Brittany After Pods, if They'll Be at Reunion (EXCLUSIVE)

Coldplay’s Chris Martin Says Playing With Michael J. Fox at Glastonbury Was ‘So Trippy’: ‘Like Being 7 and Being in Heaven…

Rosie O'Donnell on Becoming a 'Big Sister' to the Menendez Brothers, Believes They Could Be Released From Prison in the ‘Next 30 Days’

‘That ’90s Show’ Canceled After Two Seasons on Netflix, Kurtwood Smith Says: ‘We Will Shop the Show’

Why Critically Panned ‘Joker 2’ Could Still Be in the Awards Race for Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix

Charli XCX Reveals Features for ‘Brat’ Remix Album Include Ariana Grande, Julian Casablancas, Tinashe and More

Indian King of Comedy Kapil Sharma, Star of Busan Film ‘Zwigato,’ Takes On Global Streaming With Hit Netflix Show (EXCLUSIVE)

Must Read
- Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 2 weeks
- TV
Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyke Is Repulsive…

- TV
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut

- TV
50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)

- Shopping
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKEjp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46omaKspZa%2FunnIq6CsoF2YtaK%2BwJyrnqpdlrC1u9Fmm56qop6wrHnOnKanpp%2BnenJ%2Bj2tvb2xnbYBw