Long time actor Tim O’Connor died April 5 in his Nevada City, California home at the age of 90. O’Connor was only three months away from his 91st birthday when he died in his sleep.
For many science fiction fans the Chicago native is best know for his role of New Chicago resident Dr. Elias Huer on “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”.
He was born Timothy Joseph O’Connor on July 3, 1927 on Chicago’s South Side. He originally entered school to study radio engineering and acting but began working in television locally after he won a scholarship for the Goodman Theatre.
A move to New York City in 1953 brought with it some television acting roles.
O’Connor made his Broadway debut in 1961 in the original play “First Love”. He also appeared in the original play “General Seeger” the following year.
O’Connor appeared in over 100 television and film productions beginning in 1954 with “Look Up and Live”. His other roles include “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour”, an episode of the daytime drama “General Hospital”, “The Twilight Zone”, “The Outer Limits”, “The Fugitive”, 416 episodes of “Peyton Place” as Elliot Carson, “Daniel Boone”, “Longstreet”, “Hawaii Five-O”, “Gunsmoke”, “Medical Center”, “All in the Family”, “The Six Million Dollar Man”, “Cannon”, “The Streets of San Francisco”, “Wonder Woman”, “Barnaby Jones”, “M*A*S*H”, “Dynasty, “Knight Rider”, Ambassador Briam on an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, and 21 episodes of “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”.
O’Connor’s final television acting role was in 2011; since then he has co-founded a Children’s Theater in Nevada City and was the director of the Foothill Theater Company.
O’Connor is survived by his second wife Sheila, son Timothy, and three step sons.
feature photo credit: By ABC Television – eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17252359