J. Pat had a warm smile, twinkling eyes, and an Irish name. He was born in Burnley, England, and began his acting career in British musical halls. J. Pat came to the USA at the outbreak of World War II, and his film debut was "Lassie Come Home" (1943). He also worked on the Broadway stage during the 1940s and 1950s. J. Pat was a very familiar face on TV sitcoms and dramas for 3 decades, where he played mostly uncle and grandfather types. He made over 100 TV guest appearances, and was in groundbreaking series such as the "Twilight Zone" and "The Untouchables." J. Pat performed a lot in radio with his versatile voice work, and he later used his talent in animated cartoons, providing many vocal characterizations. And the children always loved J. Pat the most. Many baby boomers have fond childhood memories of his portrayals in the TV series "Spin and Marty" and "The New Adventures of Spin and Marty" and of course he played Mr. Harry Burns in "My Favorite Martian" (1963). J. Pat was a kind and gentle man, who made this world a better place for having been here, and he left his legacy on film.


Not to be confused with the actor Pat O'Malley.