Derrick O'Connor

Derrick O'Connor (3 January 1941 – 29 June 2018) was an Irish theatre and character actor whose career spanned almost five decades, beginning with formal training at the East 15 Acting School in London and culminating in a memorable presence on both stage and screen. Born in Dublin, Ireland, O'Connor quickly distinguished himself as a versatile performer, joining the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company where he honed his craft in classical repertory before transitioning to film and television work that showcased his distinctive blend of physical comedy and a subtle, often understated, dramatic intensity.

He is perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of the South African mercenary Pieter Vorstedt in Lethal Weapon 2, a role that highlighted his ability to balance menace with a darkly comic edge, and for his recurring collaborations with visionary director Terry Gilliam, appearing in three of Gilliam’s cult classics where, as Gilliam noted in audio commentaries, O'Connor would often abandon spoken lines in favor of expressive, physical humor—most famously reducing his dialogue to grunts in Time Bandits and echoing another character’s words in Brazil. Additional television credits include the role of Jack Stone in a 1979 episode of The Professionals, Peter Morgan in the courtroom drama Crown Court (1976), and Ray Fox in the Thames Television series Fox (1980). Throughout his career O'Connor demonstrated a remarkable capacity to inhabit a wide range of characters, from gritty law‑enforcement officers to eccentric fantasy figures, earning respect among peers for his professionalism and his willingness to experiment with unconventional performance choices. He remained active in the industry until 2016, after which he retired from acting. O'Connor passed away from pneumonia in Santa Barbara, California, on 29 June 2018 at the age of 77, leaving behind a legacy of richly textured performances that continue to inspire actors and audiences alike.