Maria O’Brien obit

Maria O’Brien Dies: ‘Protocol’ & ‘Matlock’ Actress, ‘Days Of Our Lives’ Acting Coach Was 75

 

She was not on the list.

Maria O’Brien, a film and television actress and acting coach, has died. She was 75.

The daughter of an acting family, her father was Oscar-winner Edmund O’Brien, and her mother was musical comedy star Olga San Juan.

Born on August 14, 1950, O’Brien’s first film credit was in 1975’s Smile as Maria. She would take on film roles in other films like Shell Game (1975), The Choirboys (1977), Prime Time (1977), PSI Factor (1980), and The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1980). In 1984, she was part of the cast of Protocol, starring alongside Goldie Hawn, Richard Romanus, Jean Smart, and more.

Over the years, O’Brien appeared alongside actors such as Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck, and many others.

Throughout her more than 5-year career, O’Brien made guest appearances in television shows like Murder, She Wrote, Magnum P.I., Good Morning, Miss Bliss, The Love Boat, LA Law, CHiPs, Matlock, Nash Bridges, Suddenly Susan, Jack & Jill, For the People and dozens of episodes of the soap-spoofing web series Ave 43.

In the late ’90s, O’Brien was hired as an acting coach on daytime dramas, Sunset Beach and Passions, which led to a 15-year position as acting coach on Days of our Lives, a job she held until her retirement in 2022.

O’Brien’s father was one of the first celebrities to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, and in 1983, she testified before Congress about the devastation of the disease. She was instrumental in securing government funding for Alzheimer’s research.

In 1990, she won a Drama-Logue award for The Maids by Jean Genet, performed at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

O’Brien was preceded in death by her brother, actor Brendan O’Brien, and is survived by three children, Thomas Anderson, Danica Anderson, and Sean Anderson, and her sister Bridget O’Brien Adelman.

She will be remembered for her vivacious personality, her passion for acting, and her exceptional talent as an artist and teacher.

Actress

D.B. Sweeney, Lillo Brancato, Chris Mulkey, Christa B. Allen, Stephen Cyrus Sepher, Scottie Thompson, Tyson Sullivan, Nazo Bravo, Billy Flynn, and Rory Fradella in Dead on Arrival (2017)

Dead on Arrival

4.9

Neighbor

2017

 

Ave 43 (2009)

Ave 43

8.3

TV Series

Michelle

2011–2017

34 episodes

 

For the People (2002)

For the People

5.9

TV Series

Judge

2002

1 episode

 

Shawn Batten, J.R. Cacia, and Christina Chambers in Spyder Games (2001)

Spyder Games

7.9

TV Series

Gina

2001

2 episodes

 

Michael Chomiak and Teresa Churcher in The Sexy Mysterious Murders (2000)

The Sexy Mysterious Murders

5.8

Imogen

2000

 

Amanda Peet, Ivan Sergei, Justin Kirk, Sarah Paulson, Jaime Pressly, and Simon Rex in Jack & Jill (1999)

Jack & Jill

7.2

TV Series

Fortune Teller

1999

1 episode

 

Brooke Shields, Judd Nelson, Eric Idle, Nestor Carbonell, Rob Estes, Kathy Griffin, Barbara Barrie, Currie Graham, and Sherri Shepherd in Suddenly Susan (1996)

Suddenly Susan

5.9

TV Series

Maria

1998

1 episode

 

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997)

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

7.9

TV Series

Paranormal Investigator (segment "The Chess Game")

1998

1 episode

 

Don Johnson and Cheech Marin in Nash Bridges (1996)

Nash Bridges

6.8

TV Series

Sunshine

1996

1 episode

 

Vincent D'Onofrio and Gregory Hines in Good Luck (1996)

Good Luck

6.1

Peggy

1996

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.3

TV Series

Lt. Abbe Esposito

1996

1 episode

 

Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story (1993)

Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story

5.8

TV Movie

1993

 

In Sickness and in Health (1992)

In Sickness and in Health

6.3

TV Movie

Nancy

1992

 

Robert Wagner and Donna Mills in False Arrest (1991)

False Arrest

6.4

TV Movie

Marie

1991

 

...And Then She Was Gone (1991)

...And Then She Was Gone

6.1

TV Movie

Mary

1991

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

Marcie ThompsonDog Owner

1989–1990

2 episodes

 

The World According to Straw

7.6

TV Movie

Muriel

1990

 

Meg Tilly in In the Best Interest of the Child (1990)

In the Best Interest of the Child

6.1

TV Movie

Carla

1990

 

1st & Ten (1984)

1st & Ten

6.6

TV Series

Sister Regina

1990

1 episode

 

Barbara Eden and David Kaufman in Your Mother Wears Combat Boots (1989)

Your Mother Wears Combat Boots

5.3

TV Movie

Carla

1989

 

Promised a Miracle (1988)

Promised a Miracle

6.2

TV Movie

Donna

1988

 

Andy Griffith in Matlock (1986)

Matlock

7.2

TV Series

Juanita Martinez

1988

2 episodes

 

L.A. Law (1986)

L.A. Law

7.1

TV Series

Carmen Carillo

1987

1 episode

 

Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1987)

Good Morning, Miss Bliss

6.8

TV Series

Tina Paladrino

1987

1 episode

 

Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. (1980)

Magnum, P.I.

7.5

TV Series

King Kamehameha Club Manager Applicant

1987

1 episode

 

Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies (1987)

Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies

5.7

TV Movie

Sandra

1987

 

Goldie Hawn in Protocol (1984)

Protocol

5.5

Donna

1984

 

Table for Five (1983)

Table for Five

6.1

Mandy

1983

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Jean TaggartJudyEthel Rainier

1980–1982

3 episodes

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Patti Poncherello

1982

1 episode

 

Rick Baker and Lily Tomlin in The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

5.5

Neighbor

1981

 

PSI Factor (1980)

PSI Factor

3.9

1980

 

Number 96 (1980)

Number 96

3.8

TV Series

Ginny Ramirez

1980

1 episode

 

The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts (1980)

The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts

5.4

TV Series

Chiquita Zamora

1980

13 episodes

 

James Arness in How the West Was Won (1976)

How the West Was Won

8.2

TV Series

Luisa

1979

1 episode

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

6.3

TV Series

Rita Almerez

1978

1 episode

 

Prime Time (1977)

Prime Time

4.9

Air Puerto Rico Stewardess (as Maria O'Brian)

1977

 

The Choirboys (1977)

The Choirboys

5.6

Carrier 2's wife

1977

 

Jack Albertson and Freddie Prinze in Chico and the Man (1974)

Chico and the Man

6.9

TV Series

Anita Gomez

1976

1 episode

 

Father O Father

TV Movie

1976

 

Viva Valdez (1976)

Viva Valdez

5.0

TV Series

Inez

1976

2 episodes

 

Tabitha (1976)

Tabitha

5.7

TV Series

Leslie

1976

1 episode

 

Joan Van Ark and John Davidson in Shell Game (1975)

Shell Game

5.4

TV Movie

Lola Ramirez

1975

 

Smile (1975)

Smile

7.1

Maria - Young American Miss

1975

 

Angie Dickinson in Police Woman (1974)

Police Woman

6.6

TV Series

Judy

1974

1 episode

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

6.9

TV Series

Cindy

1974

1 episode

 

Sam Benedict (1962)

Sam Benedict

7.7

TV Series

Mary

1963

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Bruce Lee in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999)

Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2

7.4

TV Special

Self (archive footage, uncredited)

1999