Brendan O'Carroll (born 15 September 1955) is an Irish writer, producer, comedian, actor, and director. He is best known for portraying foul-mouthed matriarch Agnes Brown in the BBC television sitcom Mrs. Brown's Boys.
Early life
O'Carroll was born in Finglas, Dublin. His mother, Maureen, was a Labour Party TD. His father, Gerard O'Carroll, was a carpenter; O'Carroll says that this has had a huge impact on his life. He left school at the age of 12 and had a string of occupations, including a waiter and milkman. In 1984 at Dublin Castle he briefly served as butler to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Career
In 1992, he performed a short radio play titled Mrs Brown's Boys and shortly afterwards he wrote four books titled The Mammy, The Granny, The Chisellers and The Scrapper. In 1999, O'Carroll decided to put together his own family theatre company, called Mrs Brown's Boys, and dressed up as a woman to play his part as the actress he had originally hired failed to turn up. From 1999 to 2009, he wrote and performed in five plays. Since 2011, the stage shows have been re-toured across the UK. In 2011, his plays were adapted into a television sitcom. So far, from 2011 to 2014, 25 episodes have aired, across three series, on RTÉ One and BBC One. Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie was released on 27 June 2014, and was a significant success in the UK, staying at number one in the box office for two consecutive weeks. However the film had very bad reviews, one saying it was not just unfunny but "anti-funny".
Family and personal life
O'Carroll was married to Doreen O'Carroll from 1977 to 1999. He married Jennifer Gibney in 2005. O'Carroll has four children: Brendan (deceased), Danny, Fiona and Eric. Danny and Fiona also star alongside him and many of his family in Mrs Brown's Boys. O'Carroll's first son, Brendan, died from spina bifida when he was just a few days old.
O'Carroll's paternal grandfather Peter O'Carroll was shot dead on 16 October 1920 at his home in Manor Street, Dublin. The killer was later revealed in David Neligan's (a British intelligence officer secretly working for Michael Collins) biography as Jocelyn Lee Hardy
He is a member of Mensa and also a supporter of Manchester United and Liverpool FC.
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
References
Gallery
External links
- Brendan O'Carroll at the Internet Movie Database