John Emmet Bergin (3 June 1944 – 15 March 2024) was an Irish actor, best known for playing Dick Moran in the soap opera Glenroe. First appearing in the role in 1983, he played it continually until 2001.
Emmet Bergin | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Emmet Bergin 3 June 1944 Carlow, Ireland |
| Died | 15 March 2024 (aged 79) Dublin, Ireland |
| Education | CBS Westland Row |
| Occupation |
|
| Television | |
| Parent | Paddy Bergin (father) |
Early life
editBergin was born in Carlow.[2] His father, Paddy Bergin, had worked for Carlow Sugar Factory and was a trade union official and Labour Party politician.[3] He was a Taoiseach's nominee to Seanad Éireann from 1954 to 1957.[4] This appointment resulted in the family moving to Dublin. Bergin was educated at CBS Westland Row but left school at the age of 15 and got a job delivering newspapers.[3]
Career
editBergin took acting lessons at the Brendan Smith Academy.[2] His first job in theatre was as prompter and assistant stage manager in the Eblana Theatre.[3] Bergin toured with the Irish Theatre Company, before signing up to the Abbey School of Acting. He was cast as Joe in the first production of Brian Friel’s Philadelphia, Here I Come! in the Gaiety Theatre in 1964.[5] Bergin's other stage roles in the following years included parts in Sam Shepard's True West, Seán O'Casey's The Silver Tassie,[1] and Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.[3]
One of Bergin's first film roles was a small part in Ryan's Daughter in 1969.[6] He played Sir Ulfius in Excalibur in 1981. Two years later Bergin became a household name when he was cast in the role of solicitor Dick Moran in the RTÉ soap opera Glenroe. One of his and the soap's biggest storylines was an extra-marital affair with Terry Killeen.[7][8] Bergin later appeared in the medical drama series The Clinic and was cast as Sunday Independent editor Aengus Fanning in Veronica Guerin in 2003.[3]
Personal life and death
editBergin married his wife Sarah on 25 March 1969, and had a son and a daughter. His son received a suspended sentence for dealing drugs in 2000.[9] His brother, Patrick Bergin, is also an actor.[10][11]
Selected filmography
edit- Flight of the Doves (1971)
- A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1977)
- Excalibur (1981)[12]
- Glenroe (1983)[12]
- Soldier Soldier (1991)
- Veronica Guerin (2003)[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Actor Emmet Bergin, who starred in Glenroe, has died". rte.ie. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "Emmet Bergin obituary: Actor who was part of Ireland's Sunday nights for 18 years as raffish Dick Moran". Irish Times. 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Obituary: Emmet Bergin, versatile star of stage and screen who found fame as Dick Moran in 'Glenroe'". Irish Independent. 24 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Patrick Bergin". Oireachtas Database. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Philadelphia, Here I Come!". Irish Times. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "How the film Ryan's Daughter helped rescue the town of Dingle". Irish Examiner. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "'Women have a go at me over steamy affair'". Irish Independent. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "From soap opera to sex on screen". Limerick Post. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Suspended sentence for man caught selling ecstasy". Irish Times. 16 May 2000. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "How's a girl to choose between the fabulous Bergin boys?". Irish Independent. 29 October 2006. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Former Glenroe actor Emmet Bergin dies". Irish Examiner. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "'He will be greatly missed': Actor Emmet Bergin, best known for Glenroe role, dies". Irish Times. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
External links
edit- Emmet Bergin at IMDb