Eileen O'Neill(I)
- Actress
Irish-American brunette Eileen O'Neill was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of bus driver Harry O'Neill and his wife Mary, a former fashion model. Following in her mother's footsteps, Eileen participated in beauty pageants and attended the Philadelphia Modeling & Charm School.
Her screen career began with regular appearances on a local talk show. After moving to California, Eileen made a TV commercial for Pepsi, won second prize in the "Miss Los Angeles Press Photographers" contest, took acting lessons and made her motion picture debut in 1961. Her first credited role on the big screen was as a haughty siren in the rock n'roll musical Teenage Millionaire (1961). It was panned by critics, but Variety commented that Eileen, at least, "improved the scenery". After a succession of no-name roles and bit parts, she then made something of a breakthrough, co-starring opposite Gene Barry and Gary Conway as Sergeant Gloria Ames in the first two seasons of the detective drama L'homme à la Rolls (1963). For the rest of the decade, Eileen went from one TV show to another, displaying a penchant for sitcoms, like The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Ma sorcière bien aimée (1964), Mon Martien favori (1963), Les monstres (1964) and Max la menace (1965).
In 1968, she took part in entertaining troops stationed in Vietnam for Armed Forces Radio. She also participated in Operation: Entertainment (1968) (as herself), a televised musical variety television program aimed at veterans, past and present. Eileen retired from screen acting in 1970, but continued to be involved in appearing in TV commercials for several more years.
Her screen career began with regular appearances on a local talk show. After moving to California, Eileen made a TV commercial for Pepsi, won second prize in the "Miss Los Angeles Press Photographers" contest, took acting lessons and made her motion picture debut in 1961. Her first credited role on the big screen was as a haughty siren in the rock n'roll musical Teenage Millionaire (1961). It was panned by critics, but Variety commented that Eileen, at least, "improved the scenery". After a succession of no-name roles and bit parts, she then made something of a breakthrough, co-starring opposite Gene Barry and Gary Conway as Sergeant Gloria Ames in the first two seasons of the detective drama L'homme à la Rolls (1963). For the rest of the decade, Eileen went from one TV show to another, displaying a penchant for sitcoms, like The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Ma sorcière bien aimée (1964), Mon Martien favori (1963), Les monstres (1964) and Max la menace (1965).
In 1968, she took part in entertaining troops stationed in Vietnam for Armed Forces Radio. She also participated in Operation: Entertainment (1968) (as herself), a televised musical variety television program aimed at veterans, past and present. Eileen retired from screen acting in 1970, but continued to be involved in appearing in TV commercials for several more years.
