Paul O'Neill

Who was Paul O'Neill?

Paul O'Neill OC was a writer, historian and former CBC producer. He wrote many books on the history of Newfoundland. O'Neill was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, and raised in Bay de Verde until the age of 8 when his family moved to St. John's.

Educated at St. Bonaventure's College in St. John's, National Academy of Theater Arts at New York, O'Neill was an aspiring actor in the United States and England from 1949 to 1952. Having performed on stage with such stars as Eddie Albert, Larine Day and Cloris Leachman in the USA and in England he acted in films with such well-known actors as Richard Attenborough, Thora Hird and Elizabeth Taylor. While he was in England broadcaster Margot Davies had helped him in radio and encouraged him to write

O'Neill began his career in radio in 1953 with the CBC in Newfoundland where he produced many radio shows, TV shows such as Reach for the Top and was responsible for school broadcasts for 25 years. He retired from the CBC in 1986. O'Neill wrote stage and radio plays, articles, poems and stories in addition to works of popular history. He has served as president of the Newfoundland Writer's Guild, chairman of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and president of the St. John's Folk Arts Council. In 1988, O'Neill was awarded an honorary LL.D by Memorial University of Newfoundland and in 1990, he was appointed to the Order of Canada. In 2004, O'Neill was awarded the Freedom of the City and in 2008, he received Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. Paul O'Neill wrote his memoirs, which should be published in 2013. He died in August 2013 at the age of 84.