Biography

A native New Yorker, John F. O’Donohue was U.S. Navy veteran who went on to serve as a police officer with the NYPD for 20 years, retiring in 1988 with the rank of lieutenant. He subsequently joined the Screen Actor’s Guild and worked as a supporting actor from 1991. O’Donohue was natural casting for characters involving the law, including bailiffs, prison guards and police detectives. His best known recurring role was as squad commander Eddie Gibson in NYPD Blue (1993). He also showed up as regular support in The John Larroquette Show (1993) and (as diverse characters) in The Ben Stiller Show (1992) sketch comedy. Guest appearances included The West Wing (1999), CSI: Miami (2002) and Law & Order (1990). O’Donohue moved to ‘the Hibiscus City’ Vero Beach, Florida, in 2018. He died there on January 6 2026, aged 79.
- IMDb mini biography by: I.S.Mowis

He was a 20-year veteran of the New York City Police Department.