The 1980s new wave band Duran Duran was named after his character in the cult movie Barbarella (1968).
Found little theatrical employment during his first stint in the United States and was forced to make ends meet working as an elevator operator at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. He consequently returned to Ireland where he found critical success on stage as Leopold Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses (1967).
Married to Irish actress Kitty Sullivan, with whom he appeared in a production of "My Fair Lady". Father of Steven O'Shea.
Full-time actor from the age of seventeen after being heavily involved in school theatrical productions.
Educated by the Christian Brothers at Synge Street CBS in Dublin, Ireland.
His mother was a harpist and ballet dancer, his father half of a singing duo.
Was twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award: as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "Staircase" (1968) and as Best Actor (Play) for "Mass Appeal" (1982).
Classmates with actor Donal Donnelly at Synge Street CBS.
Following his death, he was interred at Deans Grange Cemetery in Deansgrange, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. He passed away on April 2, 2013, two months from what would have been his 87th birthday on June 2.
Received an honorary degree from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, New Haven County, Connecticut (2010).