David Kelly: Sheila O’Kelly pays tribute to one of Ireland’s best-known and best-loved character actors

 

David Kelly was born on the 11th July, 1929, in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin to Edward and Hannah Kelly. He grew up in Fairview and later in Clonskeagh, Dublin. David was educated at Synge Street Christian Brothers School.

From an early age, he was keen on acting and secured small parts in pantomimes. At the age of twelve, he did a session in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. In 1946, he studied briefly at the National College of Art, formally the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. He trained as a draughtsman and Calligrapher and learned watercolour art, however, by his own admission, becoming an actor was his only goal in life. His roles ranged from the dramatic to the comedic. He was cast in the first stage of Brendan Behan’s play ‘The Quare Fellow’ that was staged in the Pike Theatre in Herbert Lane, Dublin in November 1954. David was cast as the sole performer in Samuel

Beckett’s one-act play ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ in the Abbey theatre, Dublin in 1959.

It was television that brought David’s first taste of real fame starring in the TelefÍs Éireann 1963 production of Brian Friel’s play, ‘Three Fathers, Three Sons’. The following year he appeared on Telefís Éireann with actor, Jimmy O’Dea in the series O’Dea’s Your Man. Set in a railway station signal box, Mr. O (Jimmy O’Dea) and his younger assistant Ignatius (David Kelly) discussed life.

The series of twenty-six episodes consisted of unrehearsed and occasional ad-libbing from a script by Brian O’Nolan, better known as Flann O’Brien or Myles na gCopaleen. Following his performance in the series, David performed in several pantomimes in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin with Jimmy O’Dea and Maureen Potter.

On British television David played guest roles in ‘Oh Father, ‘On the Buses’, ‘Never Mind the Quality’ and ‘Man about the House’.

In 1961, he married the actress, Laurie Norton from Harcourt Street, Dublin who starred as Peggy Kinnear in RTÉ’s soap opera, ‘Tolka Row’. They resided in Goatstown, Dublin and had two children. David appeared in popular shows including ‘Doctor Who’ (1963), ‘Emergency Ward 10′ (1965), ‘Public Eye’ (1966) and ‘Z Cars’ (1972). By the late 1960s, Kelly was earning most of his income by playing Irish eccentrics in British comedies and one-off dramas written by his friend and playwright Hugh Leonard.

David became a familiar face on British Television with the BBC comedy ‘Me Mammy’ (1970) performing opposite Milo O’Shea and Anna Managhan. He starred as Tom Maguire alongside American actor Gene Wilder in the 1970s film, ‘Quackser Fortune has a Cousin in the Bronx’.

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