10 Facts About Joseph O'Conor

Joseph O'Conor was an Irish actor and playwright.

Joseph O'Conor's family moved to London, where he attended the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, the University of London and RADA.

Joseph O'Conor made his professional stage debut in 1939 playing Flavius, Trebonius, and Titinius in a modern-dress production of Julius Caesar at the Embassy Theatre, and subsequently at His Majesty's Theatre.

Joseph O'Conor spent a season under Donald Wolfit at the Bedford, Camden Town, alternating Iago and Othello with him in Othello and taking the title role in Hamlet, with Wolfit as the Gravedigger.

Joseph O'Conor had a strong spiritual side which found expression in a series of productions at religious-drama festivals and as Christ in the York Mystery Plays.

Joseph O'Conor played Higgins in Pygmalion and Undershaft in Major Barbara.

Joseph O'Conor continued his theatre work, including major roles in several productions at the Old Vic, but meanwhile he had been building up his television and film activities.

Joseph O'Conor spent a season with the National Theatre under Peter Hall for The Tempest playing Alonso to John Gielgud's Prospero and, with a frightening sense of moral rectitude, Herr Gabor in Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening.

Joseph O'Conor played the Duke in Measure for Measure, set in Freud's Vienna.

Joseph O'Conor continued to take part in numerous plays, particularly Shakespeare, in the theatre and for television.