Albert Sharpe (15 April 1885 – 13 February 1970) was an Irish stage and film actor.
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Life and work
Albert Edward Sharpe was born at 8 Goudy's Court in Belfast on 15 April 1885, one of six children born to fishmonger John Sharpe, an Anglican Protestant, and Mary Collins, a Roman Catholic. He attended St. Mary's Christian Brothers Grammar School.
In December 1918 he married Margaret "Madge" Waterson and they had six children, three sons and three daughters.
His most famous roles were those of Darby O'Gill in Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People featuring Sean Connery, and as Finian McLonergan in the Original Broadway production of the musical Finian's Rainbow. (The film version, made in 1968, stars Fred Astaire in the role.)
On screen he played Fiona's father Andrew in the MGM musical Brigadoon. He was in The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) with Peter O'Toole. Portrait of Jennie was filming in New York at the time when Sharpe, David Wayne and Maude Simmons all appeared in Finian’s Rainbow, and all three were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to perform simultaneously in Portrait of Jennie.
He was also a member of the Abbey Players.
He died in 1970 in Belfast, 59 days short of his 85th birthday.
Personal life
Sharpe's son, Terry, died in Spain on 29 April 2026, aged 104. Terry's son, also named Terry, was a member of Northern Irish pop band The Adventures.