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Brendan O'Brien
Born	Brendan James O'Brien (1962-05-09)May 9, 1962 Hollywood, California, U.S.
Died	March 23, 2023(2023-03-23) (aged 60) California, U.S.
Alma mater	Loyola Marymount University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1972–2003 2020–2021
Spouse	Ingrid K. Behrens ​(m. 2000)​
Parents	Olga San Juan Edmond O'Brien
Website	brendanobrien.com

Brendan James O'Brien (May 9, 1962 – March 23, 2023) was an American actor. He served as the original voice of Crash Bandicoot and various other character voices for the Crash Bandicoot video games during the Naughty Dog years.

Early life

Brendan James O'Brien was born in Hollywood, California, on May 9, 1962. He was the son of actor Edmond O'Brien (1915–1985) and actress Olga San Juan (1927–2009). His two sisters are television producer Bridget O'Brien Adelman and actress Maria O'Brien.

He attended Loyola High School in East Los Angeles where he played guitar in various high school bands throughout his early years. He was also a graduate of the Loyola Marymount University.

Career

O'Brien began his acting career in 1972 at ten years old, he was discovered by director Bernard L. Kowalski who cast him in his first acting role in the first episode of the television series The Streets of San Francisco, along with his father. His other live Acton credits was in the television film Honor Thy Father. He also acted in 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain, P.U.N.K.S., Race to Space, and Grindhouse.

He got the role of Crash Bandicoot after Joe Pearson suggested that he call Jason Rubin (who was looking for a voice artist). After going to the studio for the call (where his parents used to work), he got the role. The recordings that O'Brien did for Crash Bandicoot were done in an intimate setting at the Alfred Hitchcock Theater.

O'Brien also performed additional voices for the animated series adaptation of Spawn and Ralph Bakshi's Spicy City. He has also acted in several live action television shows such as Candid Camera and The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys.

He went on a hiatus from acting in 2003; he returned to acting sixteen years later and appear in an episode of Riverdale as a math teacher and also had a small part in the TV mini-series The Slowest Show as a Male Millionaire. He was also in talks to have a role in Antonblast, a video game partly inspired by Crash Bandicoot; however, O'Brien passed away before this could occur.

Personal life

Brendan O'Brien met his wife Ingrid K. Behrens in 1995; they married five years later in 2000 and remained married until his death.

Death

He died on March 23, 2023, at his home in California at the age of 60.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Crew work

References

1. ^ "Brendan James O'Brien". Legacy.com. May 9, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
2. ^ "Crash Bandicoot an Oral History". Polygon. June 22, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
3. "Edmond O'Brien, Actor, Dies at 69". The New York Times. May 10, 1985. p. D22. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
4. ^ "Olga San Juan dies at 81; actress sang and danced with Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
5. "Antonblast director's tweet about Brendan O'Brien's death". Twitter. May 14, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
6. Beckwith, Michael (May 15, 2023). "Original Crash Bandicoot voice actor dies aged 60". Metro. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
7. ^ "Brendan O'Brien - 19 Character Images". Behind The Voice Actors.
8. Willis, John; Monush, Barry (February 2004). Screen World 2003. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 447. ISBN 1557835284.
9. ^ "Brendan O'Brien". Retrieved August 21, 2020.

External links

• Official site
• Brendan O'Brien at IMDb

• 1962 births
• 2023 deaths
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• American male video game actors
• American male voice actors
• Male actors from Hollywood, Los Angeles
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• Loyola High School (Los Angeles) alumni