‘Days of Our Lives’ actor and acting coach was 75
Maria O’Brien, an acting coach and actor known for roles in films such as 1975’s “Smile” and 1984’s “Protocol” and numerous TV appearances in the 1980s and 1990s, died on February 24. She was 75.
Over the course of her six-decade career, O’Brien has graced the small and big screens, appearing in films such as “The Incredible Shrinking Woman” and “Table for Five.” She also made guest appearances on a number of shows, including ‘Murder She Wrote’, ‘Magnum PI’, ‘The Love Boat’, ‘LA Law’ and ‘CHiPs’. She starred alongside stars such as Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck and Goldie Hawn.
O’Brien began her career as an acting coach in the late 1990s when she was hired for the daytime dramas “Sunset Beach” and “Passions.” She also held a 15-year position as acting coach on the beloved drama series “Days of Our Lives” until her retirement in 2022. In 1990, O’Brien won a Drama-Logue award for Jean Genet’s “The Maids,” performed at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
Born on August 14, 1950 in Los Angeles, O’Brien was part of a family of actors; her father, Edmund O’Brien, won the 1954 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in “The Barefoot Contessa,” while her mother was musical comedy star Olga San Juan, who appeared in a number of films, including “Are You with It?”, “The Countess of Monte Cristo” and “One Touch of Venus.”
In addition to appearances, O’Brien was also an advocate who was instrumental in securing government funding for Alzheimer’s disease research. In 1983, O’Brien testified before Congress about the devastating disease, with her father being one of the first celebrities to be diagnosed.
O’Brien is survived by her three children, Thomas Anderson, Danica Anderson and Sean Anderson, and her sister Bridget O’Brien Adelman. O’Brien was preceded in death by her brother, actor Brendan O’Brien.
