George Brent

George Brent (15 March 1904 – 26 May 1979) was an Irish-born American stage, film, and television actor in American cinema.

Early life

Brent was born George Brendan Nolan in Ballinasloe, County Galway in 1904 to John J. and Mary (née McGuinness) Nolan. His mother was a native of Clonfad, County Westmeath. During the Irish War of Independence (1919–1922), Brent was part of the IRA. He fled Ireland with a bounty set on his head by the British government, although he later claimed only to have been a courier for guerrilla leader and tactician Michael Collins. According to Ballinasloe Life (Volume 2, Issue 4, Oct/Nov 2012), it appears that the Irish War of Independence careers of three different men named George Nolan (Brent and two others; one from County Dublin and the other from County Offaly) were conflated, which may explain some of the discrepancies regarding Brent's year of birth, life and activities during 1919-22. Ironically, in light of his presumed IRA activities, on Brent's 18 March 1935 immigration document (Declaration of Intention, #70088), he listed his race as "Irish" but his nationality as "British".