Gavan O'Herlihy

Gavan O'Herlihy
Cast of Happy Days (1974). Back, L-R:
Gavan O'Herlihy, Tom Bosley. Front: Ron Howard, Marion Ross, and Erin Moran
Born (1951-07-29) July 29, 1951
Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupation Actor
Years active 1973–present

Gavan O'Herlihy (born July 29, 1951)[1] is an Irish-American actor. He is best known for his role as the first Chuck Cunningham on Happy Days.

Early life

O'Herlihy was born in Los Angeles, the son of Irish parents, actor Dan O'Herlihy and his wife, Sandymount native Elsie Bennett.[1]

He attended Trinity College, Dublin[1] and as an avid tennis player, he became Irish National Tennis Champion.[2]

Career

He has over thirty screen credits to his name, most of them in villainous or antagonistic roles such as Never Say Never Again, Superman III,[1] Death Wish 3 and The Last Outlaw. His role as Airk Thaughbaer in the 1988 fantasy Willow is one of the few heroic roles that the burly, fair-haired Gavan has managed to get, as well as that of the dashing British officer from Virginia Captain Leroy in Sharpe's Eagle.

He appeared in Rich Man, Poor Man and Tales From The Crypt. In 1994, he starred as John Garrideb in "The Mazarin Stone" from Granada TV's Sherlock Holmes series. The events of the story were rewritten and merged with The Adventure of the Three Garridebs.

He was cast as the eldest sibling, Chuck Cunningham, on Happy Days.[2][3] He was eventually replaced by Randolph Roberts until the episode "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas". O'Herlihy did not want to become stuck in television roles, preferring films. Gavan appeared in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager, "Caretaker", as the Kazon First Maje, Jabin. He also appeared in The Six Million Dollar Man[2] and The Bionic Woman television series.

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

Preceded by
Ric Carrott		 Charles "Chuck" Cunningham Actor
January 15 – March 26, 1974		 Succeeded by
Randolph Roberts
Preceded by
Brad Flock		 Brad Wilson Actor
(from Superman III)
1983		 None
Preceded by
Paul Stassino
as Major François Derval		 Jack Petachi Actor
(from Never Say Never Again)
1983		 Succeeded by
Matthew Wolf
(In a radio play)
as Giuseppe Petacchi

Selected filmography

homem aranha (série 1978)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lynch, Donal (2013-09-16). "happy daYS in dublin: Gavan O'Herlihy talks about 'Waiting For Godot' and why he passed up the chance of being a millionaire by 24". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  2. 1 2 3 Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days: Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard Books. p. 32. ISBN 9780823089338.
  3. ↑ What happened to Richie's brother "Chuck" from "Happy Days?"
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