Dennis O'Keefe (29 March 1908 – 31 August 1968) was an American actor. Born as Edward Vance Flanagan, he was the son of Irish vaudevillians working in the United States. As a small child, he joined his parents' act and later wrote skits for the stage.

Biography

A heavy cigarette smoker, O'Keefe died of lung cancer in 1968 at the age of sixty. Ironically, in his film The Diamond Wizard (1954), he directed and stars in, he played a U.S. Treasury Agent in London. In the film, O'Keefe's character is trying to quit smoking. Throughout the film, he is prevented from lighting up by different characters in the film. After the rousing finale, however, as a reward for his heroism, he is finally allowed to light up. He takes a deep puff and joyously exhales.

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