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Sean McClory

Sean McClory

Actor · Died December 10, 2003, aged 79 · Dublin, Ireland

Sean McClory was born in Dublin, Ireland, but spent his early life in Galway. He was the son of Hugh Patrick, an architect and civil engineer, and Mary Margaret Ball, who had been a model. Sean decided to become an actor and joined Dublin's renowned Abbey Theater (also known as the National Theater of Ireland, opened in 1904). He rose through the ranks playing in productions of the works of such authors as William Butler Yeats and George Bernard Shaw, and soon began to play leads mostly in comedies (popular through most of the 1940s and into the 1950s). When comedies began to fade from the theater after World War II, McClory turned an eye toward film. In early 1947 he decided to make the jump to America and break into Hollywood. His first roles were that of a staple in American films: the Irish cop, which he played in two of the Dick Tracy series in 1947. In 1949 he signed a short contract with 20th Century-Fox. By 1950 he was showing up in more notable films - though uncredited, particularly in The Glass Menagerie (1950). Within a year McClory's talents were being showcased in various small feature roles. John Ford finally began casting - a painstaking process for the finicky director - for his long conceived The Quiet Man (1952) and chose McClory for a small but showy part, in which he was seen throughout the film feature with Charles B. Fitzsimons, the younger brother of the film's star, Maureen O'Hara, playing an Irish villager. Although some of the cast were familiar members of the "John Ford Stock Company", many roles were filled by actual Irish villagers (the film was shot on location) and included a generous helping of Abbey Theater alumni: the Shields brothers (Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields) and Jack MacGowran, in addition to O'Hara McClory. Ford wanted him for roles in several of his subsequent films, however McClory's busy film and TV schedule only allowed him to accept roles in two other Ford films, The Long Gray Line and Cheyenne Autumn. McClory had a cultured, neutral Irish brogue that fit well in small- or big-screen performances, unlike such Irish actors as Barry Fitzgerald who, though very effective and beloved, had a thick brogue that kept him forever cast as an Irishman. As a result, McClory was much more at home in American TV and had many memorable roles from 1953 onward, appearing in a gamut of episodic TV in addition to his feature film work. However, it was his frequent appearances on the small screen that enabled McClory to stand out in viewers' memories, especially in a range of western and adventure series (in which he played a good sprinkling of Irish characters) well into the 1970s. Though not as busy in the 1980s as he was in the '70s, one role in which he truly stood out was in an adaptation by John Huston of Irish writer James Joyce's famous 1907 short story "The Dead" made in 1987 (The Dead (1987)), his final film appearance. McClory's role as Mr. Grace was not a character in the original story but was created by Huston and his son Tony Huston to provide McClory with a reading of the medieval Irish poem "Young Donal", which was very effective to the mood of this look at Irish family remembrance.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 8, 1924
Died
December 10, 2003 (aged 79)
From
Dublin, Ireland
Works as
Actor
Titles
48 on Motif · 99 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 34% in 30 days

What are Sean McClory's films like?

Across their 18 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
32%
Bonds
28%
Self
16%
Society
10%
Survival
7%
Power
6%
Ideas
2%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 10 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Ally
5 of 9
Shadow
3 of 9
Hero
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Thrilling
7
Romantic
6
Hopeful
5
Warm
5
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sean McClory's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 48 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (21).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sean McClory's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

99 credits, 48 with a Motif page.

  • Body Bags(1993)

    as Minister

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Dead(1987)

    as Mr. Grace

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Young Harry Houdini (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as Sean O'Casey

  • My Chauffeur(1986)

    as O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Ross Barber

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Bring 'Em Back Alive (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 17 episodes · Actor

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank O'Neal

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Roller Boogie(1979)

    as Jammer Delany

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Battlestar Galactica (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Assault 9

  • The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe(1976)

    as Codge Collier

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Kate McShane (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 10 episodes · as Pat McShane

  • Kate McShane (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as Pat McShane

  • S.W.A.T.(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Day of the Wolves(1971)

    as The Sheriff

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Columbo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain

  • Lancer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Coley McHugh

  • The Outcasts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bandolero!(1968)

    as Robbie O'Hare

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Happiest Millionaire(1967)

    as Police Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mannix(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The High Chaparral (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Sandy McIntire

  • The Guns of Will Sonnett (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The King's Pirate(1967)

    as Sparkes

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Gnome-Mobile(1967)

    as Horatio Quaxton

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Follow Me, Boys!(1966)

    as Edward White, Sr.

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Family Affair(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Tarzan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Convoy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Major Perth-Whittaker

  • Honey West (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Insurance Investigator Booth

  • Lost in Space(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Hamish

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Cheyenne Autumn(1964)

    as Dr. O'Carberry

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Daniel Boone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Bartender · as Ephron Marsh · as Liam O'Hara

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Great Adventure (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Major Carlton

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Karl Emmet

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Dakotas (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • General Electric True (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Beverly Hillbillies(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Cobb

  • Valley of the Dragons (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    as Michael Denning

  • Surfside 6 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Islanders (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Quinn

  • Checkmate (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Stamper

  • Thriller (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Patrick Galt · as Sean O'Danagh

  • The Swamp Fox (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • The Detectives (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Adventures in Paradise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mike Milligan · as Shay

  • The DuPont Show with June Allyson (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Father Ray

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Connors

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • One Step Beyond(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Barry

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Rawhide (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 2 episodes · as Finn

  • The Rifleman(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Bronco (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as 'Doc' Phillips

  • The Californians(1957)

    Show 69 episodes · as Jack McGivern

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Fred Wenzel · as Hannibal Harvey · as Harry Fothergill

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Richard Diamond, Private Detective (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Ted O'Malley

  • The Guns of Fort Petticoat(1957)

    as Emmett Kettle

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Graham Clague

  • The Adventures of Jim Bowie(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Telephone Time (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Diane(1956)

    as Count Michel Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Matinee Theater (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Brother Gerard · as Irish Bar Patron

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Frontier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Gunsmoke (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Clete Bolden · as Sham

  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The King's Thief(1955)

    as Sheldon

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Moonfleet(1955)

    as Elzevir Block

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • I Cover the Underworld(1955)

    as Gunner O'Hara / John O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Long Gray Line(1955)

    as Dinny Maher

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Climax! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Yorke

  • Lassie(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Ring of Fear(1954)

    as Dublin O'Malley

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Them!(1954)

    as Maj. Kibbee

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Child (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    as Reverend Smith

  • Man in the Attic(1953)

    as Constable #1

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Charade (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1953)

    as Jack Stuydevant

  • Island in the Sky(1953)

    as Frank Lovatt, Dooley's co-pilot

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Plunder of the Sun(1953)

    as Jefferson

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Niagara(1953)

    as Sam (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Cavalcade of America (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew Johnson

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Upton

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Les Miserables(1952)

    as Bamtasbois (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Quiet Man(1952)

    as Owen Glynn

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Anne of the Indies(1951)

    as Hackett

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel(1951)

    as Jock

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Lorna Doone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    as Charleworth Doone

  • Storm Warning(1950)

    as Shore

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Albert

  • The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as James Moore

  • Roughshod (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as Fowler

  • Beyond Glory (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    as Barney

  • Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome(1947)

    as Officer Carney (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Dick Tracy's Dilemma(1947)

    as Officer Dillon (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 99 titles from 1947 to 1993; peak year 1967.

Biggest box office

Roller Boogie (1979)

$13M worldwide

Highest rated

Them! (1954)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

The Californians (1957)

Film career

19471993

Peak 1967 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 Motif title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting99 of 99: 99 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score64th

By decade

1940s4 · acting1950s51 · acting1960s29 · acting1970s8 · acting1980s6 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 21 roles
4757

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Sean McClory's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 31; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 48 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th18
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Roller Boogie (1979)

79th percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Quiet Man (1952)

Midcredits 94th · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Sean McClory work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sean McClory's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Miklós Rózsa shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers