Wikipedia

Michael O'Hare

For the British chef, seeMichael O'Hare (chef).

Robert Michael O'Hare Jr.(May 6, 1952 – September 28, 2012) was an American actor who performed on stage and television. He was best known for playing the lead role of space station CommanderJeffrey Sinclairin the first season of the acclaimed science fiction television seriesBabylon 5.

Michael O'Hare
O'Hare as Jeffrey Sinclair inBabylon 5
Born
Robert Michael O'Hare Jr.

(1952-05-06)May 6, 1952
Chicago, Illinois,U.S.
DiedSeptember 28, 2012(2012-09-28)(aged 60)
New York City, New York,U.S.
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1972–2000
Spouse
Ruth O'Hare
​
(m.1998)​
[citation needed]

Early life and education

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Robert Michael O'Hare Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Chicago Heights. His father, Robert Michael O’Hare Sr., was of Irish descent while his mother, Sally O’Hare (née Crisanti) was of Italian descent. He attended Chicago's Mendel Catholic Preparatory High School,[1][2]where he playedfootball,to defy his doctor who told him he would never be in athletics because of his asthma.[3][4][5]He received several awards and scholarship offers based on his football ability and scholastic performance.[6][7][8][9][10]

Coming from a career military family,[11]he considered joining theUS Navyor having a career in professional football but attended Harvard University, where he studied English literature[6]and played on theHarvard Crimson football team.[12][13][14]He joined the university's drama groups[15]and was a performer in “The Wrongway Inn”,[16][17]theHasty Pudding Theatricals’ production for 1972.[18][19]That same year, he went for an “acting tryout” to theNew Yorkarea, and was cast as Beef Saunders inGood News!atGoodspeed Musicals.[20]He was a member of theHarvard Glee Clubduring its 1973 World Tour.[21][22]He left Harvard in 1974 to study at theJuilliard Schoolof Drama. He later took lessons fromSanford Meisnerin the mid-1980s.[23][24]

Career

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O'Hare appeared in a number of theatrical productions on Broadway and in regional theaters, including an acclaimed revival of Shaw'sMan and Superman[25]withPhilip Bosco;in the role of Col. Jessup in the original stage version ofA Few Good Men;[26]as Captain Solyony inChekhov’sThree Sisters.[27]Other notable roles included Alfred in a 1986 stage revival ofLittle Murders;[23][28]Jake inA Lie of the Mind[29][30]and John inLips Together, Teeth Apart.[31][32]

He was the first white actor nominated by the African-American theater community of New York for theAUDELCO Awardfor Best Actor, for his performance as Captain Jaap van Tonder[33]in Michael Picardie's playShades of Brown,aboutapartheidin South Africa.[34][35]

He co-starred in the biographical TV movieMarciano[36]and an unsold TV pilotKeeferwithWilliam Conradin the late 1970s. In the 1980s, he appeared mainly as guest on a range of television shows, includingTrapper John, M.D.;T.J. Hooker;Kate & Allie;The Equalizer;Tales from the Darkside;andRage of Angels:The Story Continues.[37]

He was the lead character in Michael Lengsfield'sCINE-award-winning short filmShort Term Bondsin 1988,[38][39][40]screened at the 1989Sundance festival.

In 1992, he was cast in the lead role of CommanderJeffrey Sinclairin the science fiction television seriesBabylon 5.He appeared in the pilot and throughout the show's first season in 1994. He left the cast for mental health reasons that were not disclosed at the time, but made guest appearances in the second and third seasons.

Subsequently, he had one guest role onThe Cosby Mysteriesand appeared twice onLaw & Order,the last time in 2000. He did some voiceover work for commercials and read a radio adaptation of the science fiction novellaThink Like a DinosaurforSeeing Ear Theater.[41][42]

After 2000, he retired from acting and rarely made public appearances.

Illness and death

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Babylon 5creatorJ. Michael Straczynskirevealed after O'Hare's death that the actor had had severe mental illness.[43][44][45]During the filming of the first season ofBabylon 5,O'Hare began havingparanoid delusions,and, halfway through, hishallucinationsworsened. It became increasingly difficult for O'Hare to continue working, his behavior was becoming increasingly erratic, and he was often at odds with his colleagues. Straczynski offered to suspend production for several months to accommodate treatment; however, O'Hare feared that such a hiatus would put the series at risk, and he did not want to jeopardize others' jobs. Straczynski agreed to keep O'Hare's condition secret to protect his career, and O'Hare agreed to complete the first season, but would be written out of the second season so that he could seek treatment. His departure from the cast was announced without explanation, except that it was mutual and amicable.[46][47]

His treatments were only partially successful. He reappeared in a cameo appearance early in season two ( "The Coming of Shadows") and returned in season three for a two-part episode ("War Without End") which closed hischaracter's story arc.At that time, Straczynski promised O'Hare to keep his condition secret "to my grave". O'Hare told him to instead "keep the secret tomygrave ", arguing that fans deserved to eventually learn the real reason for his departure, and that his experience could raise awareness and understanding for people with mental illness. He made no further appearances onBabylon 5,but continued to support the show and appeared at conventions and signing events until his retirement from public appearances in 2000.

On September 28, 2012, Straczynski posted that O'Hare had had a heart attack in New York City five days earlier, and had remained in a coma until his death that day.[48]Eight months later, Straczynski revealed the circumstances of O'Hare's departure fromBabylon 5at a presentation about the series at thePhoenix Comicon.[43][45]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Promise Ben Avery
1981 The Pursuit of DB Cooper Car Owner
1982 C.H.U.D. Fuller
1989 Last Exit to Brooklyn Riot Police Officer
1990 The Ambulance Hal

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 McClain's Law Robert Mellie 1 episode
1981 Jessica Novak Eddie Danova 1 episode
1982 TJ Hooker Cal Jastrow 1 episode
1982 Trapper John M.D. Jensen 1 episode
1982 Kate & Allie Richard Curtis 1 episode
1986 The Equalizer Alex 1 episode
1986 Tales from the Darkside Jimmy 1 episode
1987 One Life to Live George Vasquez 1 episode
1985–1990 Another World Fire Captain/Pilot 3 episodes
1991 LA Law Dr. Michael Lattimer 1 episode
1993–1996 Babylon 5 Jeffrey Sinclair
1997–2000 Law and Order Mr. Tobin / Roy Lawlor 2 episodes

Broadway

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References

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  1. ^"Mendel CHS of Chicago, Illinois - News".www.mendelchs.com.RetrievedJanuary 26,2020.
  2. ^"Mendel Catholic Prep High School Alumni Home Page".December 17, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 26,2020.
  3. ^"Hope Star from Hope, Arkansas on November 30, 1973 · Page 4".Newspapers.com.November 30, 1973.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  4. ^"The Robesonian from Lumberton, North Carolina on September 5, 1973 · Page 3".Newspapers.com.September 5, 1973.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  5. ^"Chicago South End Reporter Archives, Dec 14, 1969, p. 9".NewspaperArchive.com.December 14, 1969.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  6. ^abAll Hands.Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1995.
  7. ^"Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois on July 2, 1970 · 92".Newspapers.com.July 2, 1970.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  8. ^"Chicago South End Reporter Archives, Nov 9, 1969, p. 1".NewspaperArchive.com.November 9, 1969.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  9. ^"Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois on February 5, 1970 · 88".Newspapers.com.February 5, 1970.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  10. ^"Park Forest Star Newspaper Archives, Dec 5, 1971, p. 89".NewspaperArchive.com.December 5, 1971.RetrievedSeptember 22,2020.
  11. ^"VMH: RAYMOND E. O'HARE, LCDR, USN".usnamemorialhall.org.RetrievedMay 6,2022.
  12. ^"The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts on November 21, 1972 · 28".Newspapers.com.November 21, 1972.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  13. ^"Harvard".Harvard.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  14. ^"Media Center: Harvard Crimson Football All-Time Letterwinners".Harvard.RetrievedMay 6,2020.
  15. ^""Beware of O'Hare" - Interview, 1973 ".
  16. ^The Wrongway Inn - 1972 Original Cast,retrievedMay 5,2020
  17. ^"Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 | Hasty Pudding Songs".hastypudding.org.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  18. ^"The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts on March 9, 1972 · 39".Newspapers.com.March 9, 1972.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  19. ^"The Wrongway Inn | News | The Harvard Crimson".www.thecrimson.com.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  20. ^"Chicago South End Reporter Archives, Aug 16, 1972, p. 11".NewspaperArchive.com.August 16, 1972.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  21. ^"Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search".news.google.com.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  22. ^"Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia on October 7, 1973 · Page 35".Newspapers.com.October 7, 1973.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  23. ^ab"The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey on November 22, 1986 · Page 27".Newspapers.com.November 22, 1986.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  24. ^babylon5 1995 an audience with the commander (Michael O'Hare),archivedfrom the original on December 12, 2021,retrievedJune 2,2020;Mentioning Sandy Meisner 24:51-25:15.
  25. ^"Search results -" man and superman 1978 "- NYPL Digital Collections".digitalcollections.nypl.org.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  26. ^Klein, Alvin (August 18, 1991)."THEATER; 'A Few Good Men' on Westport Stage".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  27. ^"Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut on April 15, 1984 · 135".Newspapers.com.April 15, 1984.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  28. ^"Town Topics 15 October 1986 — Princeton Periodicals".papersofprinceton.princeton.edu.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  29. ^"The Star-Democrat from Easton, Maryland on March 17, 1989 · Page 45".Newspapers.com.March 17, 1989.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  30. ^"The Evening Sun from Baltimore, Maryland on March 15, 1989 · 23".Newspapers.com.March 15, 1989.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  31. ^Sun-Sentinel, BILL VON MAURER, Special to the (January 29, 1993)."'LIPS TOGETHER' ONSTAGE AT GROVE ".Sun-Sentinel.com.RetrievedMay 5,2020.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^Writer, JACK ZINK, Theater (January 22, 1993)."FINE ART OF SHUFFLING AROUND STARTS THEATER SEASON".Sun-Sentinel.com.RetrievedMay 5,2020.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^Freedman, Samuel G. (October 28, 1983)."A SOUTH AFRICAN DASH OF HOPE (Published 1983)".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedDecember 25,2020.
  34. ^Communications, Emmis (October 1984).Cincinnati Magazine.Emmis Communications.
  35. ^Gussow, Mel (October 21, 1983)."Stage: Two-Man 'Shades of Brown'".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedJanuary 29,2020.
  36. ^"Courier express. (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1964-1982, October 20, 1979, Image 11"(1979/10/20). October 20, 1979: 11.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  37. ^"Michael O'Hare".IMDb.RetrievedMay 6,2020.
  38. ^Columbia University; Short the Film Company (1988),Short-term bonds,Short the Film Company,OCLC24539605
  39. ^"Michael Lengsfield - Research Database, The University of East Anglia".people.uea.ac.uk.RetrievedMay 5,2020.
  40. ^Short-Term Bonds,retrievedMay 5,2020
  41. ^"Seeing Ear Theatre – SFFaudio".May 13, 2010.RetrievedMay 6,2020.
  42. ^SETheater,retrievedMay 6,2020
  43. ^abJ. Michael Straczynski Panel at Phoenix ComicCon 2013onYouTube(explanation begins at 10:50)
  44. ^"J. Michael Straczynski on Michael O'Hare's battle with mental illness".YouTube.February 25, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on December 12, 2021.RetrievedJune 23,2014.
  45. ^abRoth, Dan (May 28, 2013)."Straczynski reveals moving story of why Michael O'Hare left Babylon 5".Blastr.Archived fromthe originalon June 1, 2013.RetrievedDecember 28,2023.
  46. ^Straczynski, J. Michael (May 1994)."About Michael O'Hare's Departure".The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5.As a result of these discussions, it has been agreed that we will have a separation, in the role of the commander. Let me emphasize this very clearly, so there is no chance of miscommunication: this is a mutual, amicable, and friendly separation.
  47. ^Original GEnie post Message 560 by Straczynski on Fri May 20, 1994[permanent dead link‍]
  48. ^Glenn Hauman (September 28, 2012)."Michael O'Hare: 1952–2012".ComicMix.RetrievedSeptember 29,2012.
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