Known For
Acting
Born
Jul 29, 1951
Died
Sep 15, 2021
Place of Birth
Dublin, Ireland
Credits
50 titles
Gavan O'Herlihy
Biography
Gavan O’Herlihy (29 July 1951 – 15 September 2021) was an Irish actor whose career spanned film, television, and stage, marked by a distinctive presence and a talent for commanding roles. Born in Dublin to actor Dan O’Herlihy and artist Elsie Bennett, he spent his early years between Ireland and the United States, eventually attending Phillips Academy Andover and later the University of California, where he excelled as a champion tennis player before turning fully toward acting. O’Herlihy first gained attention as Chuck Cunningham in the early episodes of Happy Days, a role he deliberately left behind to avoid being typecast in light comedic parts. He instead built a diverse and often hard‑edged body of work, appearing in major productions including Never Say Never Again (as the villainous Jack Petachi), Superman III, Death Wish 3, Willow (as the warrior Airk Thaughbaer), and the acclaimed miniseries Lonesome Dove. His television career was equally varied, with appearances in Twin Peaks, Star Trek: Voyager, The Six Million Dollar Man, Murder, She Wrote, and numerous British productions after relocating to the UK. Across more than fifty screen credits, O’Herlihy became known for portraying complex, often formidable characters — soldiers, outlaws, antagonists, and men with a dangerous edge — roles he embraced for the challenge and dramatic weight they offered. Off‑screen, he was regarded as thoughtful, private, and deeply committed to his craft, preferring character work over celebrity. He died in Bath, England, on 15 September 2021 at the age of 70, reportedly of natural causes.
Known For
Filmography
The Descent: Part 2
Vaines
Cruise of the Gods
Mickey
Butterfly Man
Bill Kincaid
18 Wheels of Justice
Sharpe: The Legend
Leroy
Prince Valiant
King Thane
Jonathan Creek
Hal Drucker
Top of the World
Lieutenant Logan
Midsomer Murders
George Arlington
The Shooter
Dick Powell
Star Trek: Voyager
Maje Jabin
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
John Garrideb / James Winter
The Last Outlaw
Marshal Sharp
Sharpe's Eagle
Captain Thomas Leroy
Sharpe
Cpt. Leroy
Conagher
Chris Mahler, Cowboy
Twin Peaks
Officer Preston King
Red King, White Knight
Clancy
Tales from the Crypt
Richard
Lonesome Dove
Dan Suggs
Willow
Airk
China Beach
A Killing on the Exchange
Dan Maitland
Death Wish 3
Manny Fraker
The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission
Conrad E. Perkins
Cover Up
Sherlock Holmes
John Garrideb / James Winter
Space Riders
Ron Harris
Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
Julius P. Hersheimmer
The Secret Adversary
Julius P. Hersheimmer
Never Say Never Again
Jack Petachi
Superman III
Brad Wilson
Matt Houston
Michael Sheridan
We'll Meet Again
Capt Red Burwash
A Rumor of War
Stanton
Mark Twain: Beneath the Laughter
Young Clemens
A Wedding
Wilson Briggs
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
Art Stinson
The Amazing Spider-Man
David
A Death in Canaan
Father Mark
The Ghost of Cypress Swamp
Big Bob Landers
The Bionic Woman
The California Kid
Tom
Police Woman
Gordon Stuart
The Healers
The Six Million Dollar Man
Dan
Happy Days
Chuck Cunningham
Call to Danger
Mechanic
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Josh McBride (as Gavin O'Herlihy)
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Herb Frane