13 Facts About Gavan O'Herlihy

Gavan John O'Herlihy was an Irish-American actor.

Gavan O'Herlihy was known for playing Chuck Cunningham in the first episodes of Happy Days, as well as his appearances in films such as Never Say Never Again, Death Wish 3, Willow, and Superman III.

Gavan O'Herlihy has over thirty screen credits to his name, most of them in villainous or antagonistic roles such as Never Say Never Again, Superman III, Death Wish 3 and The Last Outlaw.

Gavan O'Herlihy appeared in Rich Man, Poor Man and Tales From The Crypt.

Gavan O'Herlihy was cast as the eldest sibling, Chuck Cunningham, on Happy Days.

Gavan O'Herlihy played Chuck during season 1 until the episode "Give the Band a Hand" and was replaced for season 2 by Randolph Roberts until the episode "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas".

Gavan O'Herlihy did not want to become stuck in television roles, preferring films.

Gavan O'Herlihy played a warrior in the George Lucas production Willow, directed by his Happy Days brother, Ron Howard.

Gavan O'Herlihy appeared in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager, "Caretaker", as the Kazon First Maje, Jabin.

Gavan O'Herlihy appeared in The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman television series.

Gavan O'Herlihy was cast as sadistic killer Dan Suggs in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove.

In 2009, Gavan O'Herlihy returned to the big screen as Sheriff Vaines in the follow-up to Neil Marshall's cult horror film, The Descent Part 2, and over a decade later returned to the screen again to play the leading role of writer John Anderson for director Nic Saunders in Queen of the Redwood Mountains, a film inspired by the authors of the Beat Generation, and due for release in 2021.

Gavan O'Herlihy died in Bath, Somerset, on 15 September 2021, at the age of 70 of undisclosed causes.