Chester O'Brien

Chester Lee O'Brien
O'Brien as Mr. Macintosh
Born	June 28, 1909 New York
Died	July 14, 1996 (aged 87) Nassau, NY
Nationality	American
Occupation	Dancer, Stage Manager
Known for	"Mr. Macinstosh" on Sesame Street

Chester Lee O'Brien (Chet O'Brien) (June 28, 1909 – July 14, 1996 ^{[1] [2] [lower-alpha 1]}) was an American chorus dancer in the 1930s who became a stage manager. He worked on Oh! Calcutta! and on Sesame Street, where he also performed as "Mr. Macinstosh".

As a young man, Chet O'Brien and his twin brother, Mortimer "Snooks" O'Brien, performed together in a vaudeville dance act.^[4] He was an ensemble performer in Jonica in 1930, a performer in Fine and Dandy (1930-1931) and a performer in Who's Who (1938).^[5] On 1 September 1934 he married the tap dancer Marilyn Miller, her third marriage.^[6] The marriage does not seem to have been happy.^[7] Miller died on 7 April 1936 from complications after nasal surgery.

Chet O'Brien was stage manager on Keep Off the Grass (1940).^[5] In the early 1950s O'Brien worked for CBS as a stage manager on the Arthur Godfrey shows. In December 1954, it was reported that he was leaving Columbia due to a pay cut.^[3] He was stage manager on Rumple (1957), The Most Happy Fella (1959), Finian's Rainbow (1960) and Brigadoon (1963).^[5] In 1967 he was stage manager on the TV show Mark Twain Tonight!. In 1972 he was stage manager on Oh! Calcutta!.^[8] Chet O'Brien appeared as "Mr Macintosh", a fruit and vegetable vendor, on Sesame Street in various episodes between 1975 and 1992. He was also floor manager on that show for over ten years while his twin brother, Mortimer, was stage manager.^[4]

Chet O'Brien is listed among the 2010 Permanent Memorials of the Actors Fund of America.^[9]

References

Notes

1. A 31 December 1954 news article gve O'Brien's age as 45, which (if accurate) would mean he was born around 1909.^[3]

Citations

1. "Chester L Obrien, "United States Social Security Death Index"". U.S. Social Security Death Index. FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
2. "Chester L O'Brien in household of Jay C O'Brien, "United States Census, 1910"". U.S. Census 1910. Familysearch.org. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
3. O'Brien Says Pay Reduction...
4. Additional Cast: Sesame Street.
5. Chet O'Brien: Playbill Vault.
6. Watson 2010.
7. Charge of Support By Wife Irked O'Brien.
8. Chet O'Brien: IMDB.
9. 2010 Permanent Memorials: Actors Fund.

Sources

• "Additional Cast". Sesame Street. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• Browning, John Edgar; Picart, Caroline Joan (2011). Dracula In Visual Media: Film, Television, Comic Book and Electronic Game Appearances, 1921-2010. McFarland. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-7864-6201-8. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• "Charge of Support By Wife Irked O'Brien: Marilyn Miller's Sister Says He Resented Talk -- Neglect of Her Denied in Court". The New York Times. 20 April 1937.
• "Chet O'Brien". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• "Chet O'Brien > Filmography by year". IMDB. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• "O'Brien Says Pay Reduction, Not Godfrey Forced Him Out". Reading Eagle. 31 December 1954. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• Watson, Sonny (28 January 2010). "Marilyn Miller". Streetswing.com. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
• "2010 Permanent Memorials". Actors Fund. Retrieved 2013-05-17.