MovieChat Forums > The D.I. (1958) Discussion > WHAT HAPPENED TO O'NEIL??

WHAT HAPPENED TO O'NEIL??

posted 12 years ago by BG43214
7 replies | jump to latest

I must say that I was very surprised at how much I really enjoyed this movie!!!

NOT a Webb fan, by any means.....remember seeing "Dragnet" when it was first on TV and never understood the appeal!!...also don't care much for military-based movies, but this one really held my interest..

I was wondering why the character O'Neil - don't know his rank in the story - after about the first half of the movie, just disappeared!!!??

He was uncredited and only thanks to IMDB was I able to find out his real name......he seemed to be quite competent as an actor so I wonder whatever happened to him....anyone have any idea? Maybe he was one of those guys who just wanted to try his hand at the movies and then got out of it...hard to say..........

Anyway, I thought it was a little strange that he'd disappear and then another guy, in similar uniform, was in the rest of the movie as Webb's 'sidekick' or whatever it's called....

All in all, a good movie.....and coming from a non-Webb, fan, that's something!!

[–] pete2141 12 years ago

O'Neil was a Sergeant. When he was speaking to the recruit just prior to having him state his General Orders. The actor was carrying himself with the military bearing of an actual DI. Maybe he was one of those real Marines they used in this movie and they somehow forgot give him a credit. Maybe he transfered before they finished the movie?

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

[–] BG43214 12 years ago

Thanks!!! you are probably right, as his real name brings up nothing in IMDB..not having any knowledge of military matters, I just assumed we'd see him throughout the rest of the movie, as a sort of sidekick of Webb's character...

If he really was a Marine, for a non-actor he sure had plenty of screen presence and charisma!!! even more than our so-called 'stars' of today!!!

[–] pete2141 12 years ago

No matter what the case is, it's still very odd that he had such a large role and didn't received credit. The very last credit was of the other Assistant DI, Sergeant Braver. He was actually Marine Sergeant Paul E. Prutzman, Jr.

It is strange.

Maybe the actor playing O'Neil got fired for out acting Webb, and his non-credit was intentional? Hollywood is after all the World Capital of ego mania.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

[–] BG43214 12 years ago

It does get weirder and weirder.......the credits for "The DI" show John R. Brown, and then 'actor' after his name.....but no other credits......

COULD he have been a real Marine and then listed incorrectly as an actor instead of a military man?

Or perhapd just decided to give up acting after this one role?

and why are actors in any movie uncredited, anyway? his was not a very big part, but it was not just a walkon.....ah, the mysteries of Hollywood!!

Guess we will never know!!!!!!!

[–] BG43214 12 years ago

NEWS FLASH...........NEWS FLASH.....

I just found the original NYTimes review of "The DI" and it lists....

"Cpl. John R. Brown"......so he WAS really a Marine!! and IMDB made an error by listing him as an actor!!!!!

SO NOW THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED!!!!

[–] pete2141 12 years ago

When he was dressing down the recruit on firewatch he was using typical Marine DI Speak. After I saw that I suspected he was a Marine. That's also what made him a good actor. As I stated in another thread on this board, Marine DI's are themselves actors in a way.

I have the DVD and IMDB may have got it wrong but his name does not appear in the credits at the end of the movie. Does the Times review say why he was snubbed?

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

[–] lcplthomasc 10 years ago

All good answers here, but if you mean the character, well, he had his own platoon, as did Joey. The only time they'd be together would be during down time or once they were off for the day. And off days didn't always coincide, as every DI has to pull an allnighter on duty. I think Moore and O'Neil were friends, and it was luck they both didn't have duty the night of the cotton club scene (and joey). They'd run in to eachother in the morning when each platoon turns in the morning report (think of a teacher hand carrying her roll call/attendance sheet to the principal's office every morning after she takes roll). So the basic reason we don't see O'Neil again is because he's busy with his own platoon. It's the same issue with seeing joey the next morning in moore's office. Joey made it a point to make a quick stop and pass the message from ann along while he was there dropping off his morning report. Sgt braver, that we consistently see, is actually one of Moore's subordinate drill instructors for moore's current platoon, so during the daily training (and sand flea hunting) moore and braver would be together. Hope this helps more than confuses lol.