Patrick O'Neal (actor)

Patrick Wisdom O'Neal (September 26, 1927 – September 9, 1994) was an American television, stage and film actor and New York restaurateur.

Early life

O'Neal was born in Ocala, Florida, to Martha and Coke Wisdom O'Neal. He attended the Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, and Ocala High School. Upon graduation, he enrolled at the University of Florida in Gainesville where he majored in drama. During college, O'Neal joined the Florida Players, a theatre troupe. He was also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was the editor of the University yearbook. After earning a bachelor's degree, O'Neal enlisted in the US Army Air Corps and served during World War II. During the war, he directed short training films. After his military stint, he moved to New York and studied at the Actors Studio and Neighborhood Playhouse.

Career

O'Neal was seen mostly as a guest star on US television throughout four decades, beginning in the 1950s. In the early 1960s he received critical praise for his leading role on Broadway in Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana but lost the starring role for the 1964 film version to Richard Burton. O'Neal appeared in several films of the mid-1960s. In 1969 he had a leading role in John Huston's The Kremlin Letter, and was featured in the 1973 hit The Way We Were.

Patrice O'Neal

Patrice Malcolm Oneal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011), usually credited as Patrice O'Neal, was an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, and actor.

Early life

O'Neal was born in New York City. He grew up in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. His mother, Georgia, named him after Patrice Lumumba, the leader of the Congolese independence movement, and Malcolm X. He was raised by his mother and never knew his father.

He was a star football player at West Roxbury High School, ending his career with 3 letters in varsity football and a state championship his senior year. He turned down a sports scholarship to Northeastern University in order to attend with the help of a public housing grant, because he preferred studying Performing Arts to playing football.

At the age of 17, O'Neal was convicted of statutory rape of a 15-year-old girl and sentenced to 60 days in prison, served during his summer break, so as not to disrupt his schooling. The act, which occurred when O'Neal was still 16, would have been legal in most states, but Massachusetts lacks a close-in-age exception, and has an age of consent of 16.

The Comedy Store

The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. It has a sister comedy club in La Jolla, San Diego, California.

History

The Comedy Store was opened in April 1972 by comedians Sammy Shore and Rudy DeLuca. The building was formerly the home of Ciro's, a popular Hollywood nightclub owned by William Wilkerson, and later a rock and roll venue, where The Byrds were discovered in 1964.

When the venue reopened as The Comedy Store in 1972, it included a 99-seat theatre, where Johnny Carson was one of the first comics to perform. As a result of a divorce settlement, Sammy Shore's ex-wife Mitzi Shore began operating the club in 1973, and she was able to buy the building in 1976. She immediately renovated and expanded the club to include a 450-seat main room.

In 1974, The Comedy Store hosted the wedding reception of newlyweds Liza Minnelli (daughter of Judy Garland) and Jack Haley, Jr., (son of Jack Haley who played "the Tin Man" in the 1939 movie, "The Wizard of Oz" which starred Liza's mother). The Comedy Club signage was covered, for the evening, by signs reading "Ciro's", denoting the venue's prior identity. The event was attended by many dozens of Hollywood glitterati, including Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Carson, Ceasar Romaro and other stars, past and present. The soiree was so grand that Sunset Boulevard was temporarily blocked by police to allow Hollywood royalty to arrive in their limos unmolested by photographers and reporters.

O'Neill dynasty

The O'Neill dynasty (Irish: Ó Néill) is a group of families, ultimately all of Irish Gaelic origin, that have held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As Chiefs of Cenél nEógain, they are historically the most prominent family of the Northern Uí Néill, along with the O'Donnell and O'Doherty. The O'Neills hold that their ancestors were Kings of Ailech during the Early Middle Ages, as descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages.

A number of their progenitors and members are named as High Kings of Ireland, such as Niall Glúndub (from whom they take their name) and Domnall ua Néill. From 1185 until 1616, the O'Neills were sovereign Kings of Tír Eógain, holding territories in the north of Ireland; particularly around what is today County Tyrone. After their realm was merged with the Kingdom of Ireland and the land was caught up in the Plantation of Ulster, they were involved in a number of significant events, such as Tyrone's Rebellion, the Flight of the Earls, the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the Irish Confederate Wars.

Patrice

Patrice is a given name meaning noble or patrician, related to the names Patrick and Patricia.

In English, Patrice is often a feminine first name. In French it is used as a masculine first name.

Popularity

In the United States, the popularity of the name Patrice peaked in 1958 as the No. 212 most popular name. Its popularity has had ups and downs since then, but has fallen ever since 1987. The year 1995 was the most recent year the name Patrice appeared in the top 1000 names of babies born in the United States, at no. 941.

People with the given name Patrice

Men