Gavan O'Herlihy

Biography

Gavan O'Herlihy, an Irish actor standing at 6' 2½" (1.89 m), was born on April 29, 1954, in Dublin, Ireland. He is the son of Elsa Bennett and accomplished Irish actor Dan O'Herlihy. Gavan has a brother, Cormac, and a sister, Patricia, and he is also the brother-in-law of Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy, the nephew of Michael O'Herlihy, and an uncle to Micaela and Colin O'Herlihy. As a youth, he excelled in sports, becoming the Irish National Tennis Champion.

O'Herlihy is best known for his performances in films such as "Willow" (1988), "Never Say Never Again" (1983), and "The Descent: Part 2" (2009), amassing over thirty screen credits throughout his career. He frequently portrayed antagonistic characters, appearing in notable films like "Death Wish 3," "Superman III," and "Tales From The Crypt." One of his rare heroic roles was as Airk Thaughbaer in "Willow," and he also played the charming Captain Leroy in "Sharpe's Eagle."

In television, he is remembered for his brief stint as Chuck Cunningham in the first season of "Happy Days" (1974), where he was written out of the show after being sent to college. Gavan, who sought to focus on film rather than television, also made a notable appearance as the Kazon First Maje, Jabin, in the pilot of "Star Trek: Voyager." He has two children, a son named Rogan and a daughter named Misty.