Gavan O'Herlihy
Acting • Born 1951-07-29 – Died 2021-09-15
Biography
Gavan O'Herlihy (6' 2½" | 1.89 m) an Irish actor, was born on April 29, 1954 (Taurus) in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Elsa Bennett and Irish actor Dan O'Herlihy. He has a Brother, Cormac O'Herlihy and a sister, Patricia O'Herlihy. He is the brother-in-law of Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy, nephew of Michael O'Herlihy, and Uncle of Micaela O'Herlihy and Colin O'Herlihy. In his youth, he was an avid tennis player, and even became Irish National Tennis Champion. He is known for Willow (1988), Never Say Never Again (1983) and The Descent: Part 2 (2009), but has over thirty screen credits to his name, most of them having cast him in villainous or antagonistic roles such as Death Wish 3, Never Say Never Again, Superman III, and Tales From The Crypt. His role as Airk Thaughbaer in the 1988 fantasy Willow is one of the few heroic roles the burly, fair-haired Gavan has managed to get, as well as the dashing American officer Captain Leroy in Sharpe's Eagle. He also played the lost jock son "Chuck Cunningham" in the first season of Happy Days (1974). Is actually younger (by about two months) than Ron Howard, who played his "younger" brother on the show, but it was not a very big part and he was eventually written out by being sent to college and then disappeared with no mention. He did not want to get stuck in television, preferring the film medium. Gavan appeared in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager entitled "Caretaker" as the Kazon First Maje, Jabin. He has a son named Rogan and a daughter named Misty.
Filmography
47 credits
Willow
Movie • 1988
Airk
The Last Outlaw
Movie • 1993
Marshal Sharp
Prince Valiant
Movie • 1997
King Thane
Space Riders
Movie • 1984
Ron Harris
Death Wish 3
Movie • 1985
Manny Fraker
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
Movie • 1978
Art Stinson
Mark Twain: Beneath the Laughter
Movie • 1979
Young Clemens
The Descent: Part 2
Movie • 2009
Vaines
The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission
Movie • 1985
Conrad E. Perkins
Conagher
Movie • 1991
Chris Mahler, Cowboy
The Shooter
Movie • 1995
Dick Powell
Superman III
Movie • 1983
Brad
A Wedding
Movie • 1978
Wilson Briggs
Sharpe's Eagle
Movie • 1993
Captain Leroy
Sharpe: The Legend
Movie • 1997
Leroy
Cruise of the Gods
Movie • 2002
Mickey
Butterfly Man
Movie • 2002
Bill Kincaid
Red King, White Knight
Movie • 1989
Clancy
The Secret Adversary
Movie • 1983
Julius P. Hersheimmer
Never Say Never Again
Movie • 1983
Jack Petachi
A Death in Canaan
Movie • 1978
Father Mark
The Ghost of Cypress Swamp
Movie • 1977
Big Bob Landers
The California Kid
Movie • 1974
Tom
Top of the World
Movie • 1997
Lieutenant Logan
The Healers
Movie • 1974
Call to Danger
Movie • 1973
Mechanic
Star Trek: Voyager
TV • 1995
Maje Jabin
The Bionic Woman
TV • 1976
Jonathan Creek
TV • 1997
Hal Drucker
China Beach
TV • 1988
Twin Peaks
TV • 1990
Officer Preston King
Tales from the Crypt
TV • 1989
Richard
Happy Days
TV • 1974
Chuck Cunningham
Sherlock Holmes
TV • 1984
John Garrideb / James Winter
Cover Up
TV • 1984
18 Wheels of Justice
TV • 2000
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
TV • 1970
Josh McBride (as Gavin O'Herlihy)
Midsomer Murders
TV • 1997
George Arlington
The Six Million Dollar Man
TV • 1974
Dan
Lonesome Dove
TV • 1989
Dan Suggs
Marcus Welby, M.D.
TV • 1969
Herb Frane
A Rumor of War
TV • 1980
Stanton
Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
TV • 1983
Julius P. Hersheimmer
The Amazing Spider-Man
TV • 1978
David
Police Woman
TV • 1974
Gordon Stuart
A Killing on the Exchange
TV • 1987
Dan Maitland
Matt Houston
TV • 1982
Michael Sheridan