Frank O'Donovan (10 October 1900 â€" 28 June 1974) was an Irish actor,
singer and songwriter. He is best remembered for playing the character
of Batty Brennan for 10 years in Ireland's first TV soap, The
Riordans.He was born in Dublin, Ireland to a family interested in
amateur dramatics, which included his brother Harry O'Donovan. In the
1940s he set up his own acting company and for years toured Ireland
and England with the "Frank O'Donovan Show" or the "Dublin
Follies".While on the road he composed and sang songs. In 1940 he
recorded "The Road by the River" which was later covered by many
singers in Ireland, including Margo O'Donnell who had a hit with it in
1968, and T.R. Dallas. His song "On the One Road" was adopted by the
Irish Army as its official song in 1943. Other popular evergreens
composed by him were "Sitting on the bridge below the town" and
"Little White Cross".
singer and songwriter. He is best remembered for playing the character
of Batty Brennan for 10 years in Ireland's first TV soap, The
Riordans.He was born in Dublin, Ireland to a family interested in
amateur dramatics, which included his brother Harry O'Donovan. In the
1940s he set up his own acting company and for years toured Ireland
and England with the "Frank O'Donovan Show" or the "Dublin
Follies".While on the road he composed and sang songs. In 1940 he
recorded "The Road by the River" which was later covered by many
singers in Ireland, including Margo O'Donnell who had a hit with it in
1968, and T.R. Dallas. His song "On the One Road" was adopted by the
Irish Army as its official song in 1943. Other popular evergreens
composed by him were "Sitting on the bridge below the town" and
"Little White Cross".
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