The Consummate Irish Actor, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        For my generation, the phrase "Irish actor" meant only one name--Milo O' Shea!!!!!!!!   This past Tuesday, at 86, Mr. O' Shea left this world, leaving behind a theatrical and screen legacy to be proud of.  Those of  us with a theatrical bent, certainly recognized him, but, with his bristling eyebrows and commanding presence, I daresay those not attuned might not have known his name, but
would recognize him on sight, from having seen him "somewhere," and, when pointed out his name, would say, "Oh, yeah! That guy!"

                                          I had the good fortune to see Milo O' Shea on stage twice--in the Bill C. Davis play "Mass Appeal," which was a two character square off between a pastor and his  young associate, played by a then young Michael O' Keefe.  Church drama, darlings!!!!!!!!  And this was a good twenty years before "Doubt.!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                           Several years before, in 1977, I saw Milo O'Shea in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's "A Touch Of The Poet," a theatrical memory I cherished, since it featured a cast which also included Jason Robards, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Kathryn Walker, (what ever happened to her????) whom I knew best, then, for playing Dr. Rogers' mentally disturbed daughter, Emily Hunter!!!!!!!!!!  It would be hard for me to see another production of this play, after this one!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             During my student days at NYU, I attended a lecture he gave on acting. He was charismatic and gracious, and spoke of things which get sadly neglected today, darlings, like training and craft!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              There was a revival of "My Fair Lady," done around this time, which I did not see, where he played Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza's father.  I would have loved to see him pull that off.  Though known for his dramatic and comedic talents, he had some musical ones, as can be heard on the Original Cast recording of the Angela Lansbury show, "Dear World," with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                Who could forget him as the con artist with a conscience on "The Golden Girls?????"  Or the Judge, in  "The Verdict?"

                                                    Yes, darlings, the theater has lost one of its true Renaissance Men, the like of which, as time goes on, we can't be expected to see again.

                                                      I haven't heard anything about the Broadway lights being doused in Milo O' Shea's honor, but I, for one, think it a good idea if they were.

                                                        You can bet he never missed a "Half Hour!" call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!