Timothy O’Sullivan; Actor

Timothy Patrick Aloisious O’Sullivan, a retired police officer who acted in 38 films, has died in a North Hills hospital. He was 65.

A Burbank resident, O’Sullivan died Oct. 15 of cancer, said his cousin, Arthur Nottlemann.

Born Curtis Ross Smith in Brooklyn, N.Y., he starred in a New York radio program at age 5 under the name of Timothy Patrick Aloisious O’Sullivan and performed during his teens as a singer on other radio shows. He graduated from New York University in 1939, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and joined the New York Police Department in 1945. Meanwhile, he appeared in dozens of films including “Whistling in Brooklyn” (1943) with Red Skelton, “Kiss of Death” (1947) with Victor Mature and more recently was in “Ghost Dad” (1990) with Bill Cosby. O’Sullivan retired from the Police Department in 1975 and moved to Burbank.

He is past president of the Men’s Hollywood Comedy Club and the Hollywood Appreciation Society, served on the board of directors of the Southern California Motion Picture Council and was a member of the Hollywood Troupers Club and the Regular Associated Troupers Club.

O’Sullivan is survived by two stepsons.

A funeral was held Monday and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. Crawford Mortuary in Northridge handled the arrangements. Donations can be made to the Timothy O’Sullivan Foundation, 21207 S. Avalon Blvd., Carson 90745. Contributions will be used to purchase wheelchairs for patients at the Veterans Administration Hospital in North Hills.