Maria O'Brien

Biography

Maria O'Brien (August 14, 1950 – February 24, 2026) was an American actress and acting coach. She was the daughter of actors Edmond O'Brien and Olga San Juan, and sister of voice actor Brendan O'Brien. She was best known as a character actress, but she also had a recurring role on a few television series, such as Ave 43 and The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts. She was also an acting coach on soap operas, such as Days of Our Lives, Sunset Beach, and Passions.

Known For

Magnum, P.I.

as Club Manager Applicant

Murder, She Wrote

as Lt. Abbe Esposito

The Love Boat

as Rita Almerez

CHiPs

as Patti Poncherello

Matlock

as Juanita Martinez

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

as Neighbor

Protocol

as Donna

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

as Paranormal Investigator (segment "The Chess Game")

Howard

as Maria (archive footage)

Smile

as Maria