David Kelly featured regularly on RTÉ radio and television throughout a long acting career.
In a long lasting career actor David Kelly was associated with the Gate Theatre in Dublin, became a familiar face on British television and played a number of memorable parts in film. He was Grandpa Joe in Tim Burton's film of Roald Dahl's 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and Michael O'Sullivan in 'Waking Ned'. His television roles in Britain included the part of O'Reilly the builder in 'Fawlty Towers.' On stage, he built on his reputation with parts in the works of Anton Chekov, Brian Friel and Samuel Beckett.
David Kelly featured on Irish television from the early days of RTÉ in 'O'Dea’s Your Man’ (1963) to playing Rashers Tierney in 'Strumpet City' (1979) and his role as Sylvie Dolan in the rural soap 'Glenroe' (1988). Presented here are a selection of photographs from the RTÉ Photographic Archive featuring David Kelly in roles he played throughout his career on RTÉ television.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in 'Three Fathers, Three Sons' (1963)
David Kelly in a scene from the Telefís Éireann (RTÉ Television) production of Brian Friel's play for television, 'Three Fathers, Three Sons', during studio recording in late 1963. The play focused on three generations within a family. 'Three Fathers, Three Sons' was broadcast on 7 January 1964.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly and Jimmy O'Dea in 'O'Dea's Your Man' (1963)
Actor David Kelly (left) and Dublin actor/comedian Jimmy O'Dea, on the set of 'O'Dea's Your Man' in May 1963. 'O'Dea's Your Man' was a series of fifteen-minute conversations scripted by Myles na gCopaleen and directed by James Plunkett. This particular episode was broadcast on 20 October 1963.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in 'Not So Green' (1965)
The programme is described in the RTÉ Guide as "A comedy session with The Greenbeats and The Square in the Circle".
Photo by Roy Bedell.
David Kelly in 'The Hollow Field' (1965)
A play by James Douglas with David Kelly in the role of John Slevin, a government land surveyor.
Photo by Roy Bedell
'Full Fathom Five' (1965)
Arthur O'Sullivan as Tod Durkin (left) and David Kelly as a man, in a scene from the Telefís Éireann play 'Full Fathom Five', during studio filming in 1965. 'Full Fathom Five' was written for television by Michael Judge. It was first broadcast on 2 May 1965.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly, Jim Norton and The Greenbeats (1965)
John Keogh, Paul Williams, Peter Barden and Maurice 'Mog' Ahern in RTÉ Radio's 'Not So Green'.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in 'Orpheus and his Lute' (1968)
David Kelly as Joe Dorgan, in an RTÉ Television production of the Frank O'Connor short story 'Orpheus and his Lute', during studio filming in November 1968. This half-hour production was part of 'Stories of Ireland', a series of dramatisations of short stories by well-known Irish writers. 'Orpheus and his Lute' was broadcast on 14 February 1969.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in 'Killyraggart 17' (1968)
David Kelly as commercial traveller Fagan, in a scene from the RTÉ Television comedy series, 'Killyraggart 17' written by Fergus Linehan.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in a scene from 'The Worlds of Flann O'Brien'
The programme was part of the RTÉ Television arts series 'Anthology'. It was based on material taken from the writings of Flann O'Brien and included dramatised excerpts from his work. The programme was broadcast on 18 November 1970.
Photo by Roy Bedell
David Kelly in 'Newpark, Southside' (1970)
David Kelly as Mattie, in a scene from Episode 1 of the RTÉ Television drama series, 'Newpark, Southside', during studio filming in August September 1970. 'Newpark, Southside', a sequel to the previous season's 'Southside', was a suburban soap set in Cork. The first episode of 'Newpark, Southside' was broadcast on 29 September 1970.
Photo by Eve Holmes
David Kelly in 'The Decoy' (1972)
David Kelly as Lockerhard from the RTÉ Television play 'The Decoy'. Dublin's 'lock hards' were parking attendants who assisted drivers to park their cars for tips. 'The Decoy', was broadcast on 1 December 1972. It concerned the efforts of a speculator to rid a building he has just purchased of its sitting tenant. The play was written and adapted for television by Michael Judge.
Photo by Mary Lee
David Kelly in 'Up in the World' (1975)
Gerry Alexander (left, as Flanagan) and David Kelly as Patrick Mooney, in a scene from the drama serial 'Up in the World', during filming in Studio 1 in October 1975. 'Up in the World' was written by David Hayes, and concerned the Mooney family's adjustment to a new environment. It ran from 7 October to 9 December 1975.
Photo by Mary Lee
David Kelly and Brendan Cauldwell in 'Strumpet City' (1979)
David Kelly (left) as Rashers Tierney and Brendan Cauldwell as Hennessy, in a scene from the RTÉ Television drama series 'Strumpet City', during filming in June 1979. 'Strumpet City' was first broadcast in seven parts from 16 March 1980. The series was set in Dublin between 1907 and 1914. It was adapted by Hugh Leonard from the novel by James Plunkett and was produced and directed by Tony Barry.
Photo by Mary Lee
Joe Lynch and David Kelly in Glenroe (1988)
Joe Lynch (left, as Dinny Byrne) and David Kelly as Sylvie Dolan, in a scene from the RTÉ Television drama series 'Glenroe', during filming in April 1988. This episode was filmed in Kilcoole, County Wicklow and broadcast on 1 May 1988. 'Glenroe' was a rural soap devised by Wesley Burrowes which ran from 1983-2001.
Photo by John Rowe
David Kelly and Pat Laffan in 'Molloy' (1988)
David Kelly as Harry Byrne and Pat Laffan as Grant in a scene from 'Molloy' in June 1988. Molloy was a six-part comedy drama series which was first transmitted on RTÉ Television on 17 January 1989. It was produced and directed by Tom McArdle.
Photo by John Rowe
Laurie Morton and David Kelly at '30 Years A-Glowing' launch (1991)
Irish actors (and husband and wife) Laurie Morton and David Kelly, at the launch of RTÉ Television's '30 Years A-Glowing' in Dublin's Gresham Hotel in December 1991. '30 Years A-Glowing' was a day-long selection of programmes broadcast on New Year's Day 1992 to mark the 30th anniversary of RTÉ Television. Telefís Éireann, as it was then known, was launched in the Gresham Hotel on New Year's Eve 1961.
Photo by John Cooney
David Kelly and Milo O'Shea (2003)
Irish actors David Kelly and Milo O'Shea, in 2003. This photograph featured in the RTÉ Guide on 5 December 2003. The article featured an interview with the actors about their careers and their latest film 'Mystics'.
The images shown here are the work of photographers Roy Bedell, Eve Holmes, Mary Lee, Joe St Ledger, John Rowe and John Cooney.
For more photographs from the archive, visit RTÉ Photographic Archive
