Robert F. O'Neill, TV Producer ("Columbo")
Stephen Bowie
Emmy Golden Globe-winning TV producer Robert F. O'Neill, who produced
series including "Murder She Wrote" and "Colombo," died Oct. 23 in
West Hills, Calif. of complications from colon cancer.
Funeral services include a rosary at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1 and a
10:00 a.m. funeral mass on Friday, Nov. 2 at St. Mel's Catholic Church
in Woodland Hills.
O'Neill served as supervising producer and producer for of Universal
Television's series from the 1960s through the 1990s, receiving two
Golden Globes for "Murder She Wrote" and an Emmy for "Columbo."
O'Neill also produced "Quincy," "Mission Impossible," "Gemini Man,"
for which he also scripted an episode; "The Invisible Man," "The Sixth
Sense," "Memories Never Die," "Darkroom" and "The NBC Mystery Movie."
He was producer for the miniseries "Arthur Hailey's Wheels," and "The
Last Convertible," as well as "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes," "Women
in White," Irwin Shaw's "Evening in Byzantium," "Riding with Death,"
"Maneater" and "Beg, Borrow, or Steal."
Born in Hollywood, he graduated Loyola U. before beginning his career
at Desilu Prods.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Marlene; six children and
seven grandchildren.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
[O'Neill was also credited as an "assistant to producer" on Dr.
Kildare for most of its run.]
Stephen Bowie
Services set for TV producer O'Neill
By Holly J. Andres, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 10/31/2007 11:41:34 PM PDT
A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday for television producer Robert
F. O'Neill, an Emmy and Golden Globes award winner who died from colon
cancer Oct. 23 at his West Hills home. He was 86.
O'Neill won an Emmy in 1974 for his work on "The NBC Mystery Movie:
Columbo." He won back-to-back Golden Globes in 1985-1986 for "Murder,
She Wrote." He displayed his awards on top of his TV in his family
room.
"There was almost an aura about Bob. You knew this was a good and
decent man. He was a very pious man. Religious, but he didn't flaunt
it," said actor Ron Masak, the sheriff on "Murder, She Wrote," who
knew O'Neill for more than 20 years. "His faith came through in his
work ethnic. He had a hearty laugh and he always brought warmth to the
set."
O'Neill's career in television began in the accounting department at
Universal Studios immediately after his discharge from the Army. He
worked for a time at Desilu Productions, but the bulk of his career
was spent as a producer at Universal Television Studios. He retired in
1996. He was a producer for "Dr. Kildare," "Mission Impossible," "The
Invisible Man," "Memories Never Die," "Darkroom," "Wheels," "The
Murder of Sherlock Holmes," "The Thirteenth Day," "Evening in
Byzantium" and "Beg, Borrow or Steal."
"He was the greatest man I have ever known. He was a typical man who
came home from World War II - worked hard and raised a family. He was
a workaholic and he loved his family," said his son, Dennis O'Neill.
Robert Francis O'Neill was born on May 21, 1921, in Hollywood. He was
graduated from Loyola High School and Loyola University, now Loyola
Marymount University. He served in the Army as a staff sergeant during
World War II and participated in D-Day, the Battle of Normandy, and
the Battle of the Bulge, officially known as the Battle of the
Ardennes.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Marlene; six children,
Kathleen Le Brenton, Kevin O'Neill, Steven O'Neill, Maureen Kroman,
Dennis O'Neill, Erin Hallisy and seven grandchildren.
A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. today and a funeral Mass is set for
10 a.m. Friday at St. Mel Catholic Church in Woodland Hills. He will
be buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills. Donations
in his memory can be sent to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box
22718, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123-1718.
Jim Beaver
"Stephen Bowie" <stephe...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1193926245....@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> Longer obit from the LA Daily News:
>
> Services set for TV producer O'Neill
> By Holly J. Andres, Staff Writer
> Article Last Updated: 10/31/2007 11:41:34 PM PDT
>
>
> A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday for television producer Robert
> F. O'Neill, an Emmy and Golden Globes award winner who died from colon
> cancer Oct. 23 at his West Hills home. He was 86.
>
> O'Neill won an Emmy in 1974 for his work on "The NBC Mystery Movie:
> Columbo." He won back-to-back Golden Globes in 1985-1986 for "Murder,
> She Wrote." He displayed his awards on top of his TV in his family
> room.
>
> "There was almost an aura about Bob. You knew this was a good and
> decent man. He was a very pious man. Religious, but he didn't flaunt
> it," said actor Ron Masak, the sheriff on "Murder, She Wrote," who
> knew O'Neill for more than 20 years. "His faith came through in his
> work ethnic.
"Work ethnic"? Is that the Daily News or a slip by the transcriber? Or
worse, the speaker?
Jim Beaver
Richard
> "Stephen Bowie" <stephen_bo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1193926245....@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > Longer obit from the LA Daily News:
>
> > Services set for TV producer O'Neill
> > By Holly J. Andres, Staff Writer
> > Article Last Updated: 10/31/2007 11:41:34 PM PDT
>
> > A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday for television producer Robert
> > F. O'Neill, an Emmy and Golden Globes award winner who died from colon
> > cancer Oct. 23 at his West Hills home. He was 86.
>
> > O'Neill won an Emmy in 1974 for his work on "The NBC Mystery Movie:
> > Columbo." He won back-to-back Golden Globes in 1985-1986 for "Murder,
> > She Wrote." He displayed his awards on top of his TV in his family
> > room.
>
> > "There was almost an aura about Bob. You knew this was a good and
> > decent man. He was a very pious man. Religious, but he didn't flaunt
> > it," said actor Ron Masak, the sheriff on "Murder, She Wrote," who
> > knew O'Neill for more than 20 years. "His faith came through in his
> > work ethnic.
>
> "Work ethnic"?
you know, as opposed to non-productive wasps.