Late night television wouldn’t be the dependable network hit it is without hosts like Conan O’Brien. After three and a half seasons on SNL and a three year stint as a writer and producer on The Simpsons, Conan headed for the bright lights of TV chat shows. Late Night with Conan O’Brien ran on NBC between 1993 and 2009 for an impressive 2725 episodes total, giving the host a chance to squeeze in a brief stint on The Tonight Show, before heading off for the self-titled chat show Conan on TBS.
Now, the 62-year-old heads up his regular podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go where he surprises fans across the globe. It’s no wonder he’s made a name for himself as a talkative joker – one of six siblings, some of which have also found success in the spotlight or on the studio floor, Conan is certainly capable of rising above the noise. We’re taking a look at the lives of those who know the comedian best, from start-up aficionados to movie stars.
Neal O’Brien (1960)
The eldest of Conan’s siblings, Neal largely avoids the spotlight. Reportedly now working as an antique car collector, Conan’s big brother lives in the O’Brien siblings’ hometown of Brookline, Massachusetts. Speaking to Michele Norris on the Your Mama’s Kitchen podcast, Conan recalled how his mother excitedly gave Neal a tour of her office upon her return to full-time legal work.
“She took Neal downtown to the State Street Bank building, got in the elevator and showed her office to Neal, which was, I think, a modest office when she first went back. Then she worked her way up to partner and she got a corner office,” he recalls. “Neal said it was like a kid showing you his new bike. She was so proud that she had her office in the law firm, and Neal remembers that very well.”
Luke O’Brien (1961)
Luke followed in his mother’s footsteps, and works as a principal at Trinity Law Group. Luke also studied a bachelor’s in biology at the College of the Holy Cross before gaining his law degree from Suffolk University Law School. Speaking to the school, Luke reflected on his decision to leave a consultancy role for a start-up position. “I’ve done four now. I love it, I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he said. “It’s gruelling, it’s an intense amount of work but it’s immensely rewarding.” Luke lives in Massachusetts with his wife Ilse.
Kate B. O’Brien (1965)
Kate, like Conan and their sister Jane, opted instead for a path in Hollywood. She has worked alongside the likes of Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter (2010. Kate cameoed as Micky (Wahlberg) and Dicky’s (Bale) sister Phyllis Eklund. The film explores an Irish Catholic family’s pursuit of fame in the world of boxing, a role which seemed to come naturally.
The actress explained to People Magazine, “I’m one of six, so it wasn’t that hard for me to look like I might have more siblings.” The actress has also appeared in Ted 2 (2015) as a diner waitress and in an episode of The Expecting (2020) as an alien witness. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Jane C. O’Brien (1967)
Unlike her other showbiz siblings, Jane seems more at home behind the screen than in front of it and as such has an extensive list of written and production credits to her name. From American sitcom Cybill, for which she penned seven episodes, to The Simpsons, where she story edited 22 episodes and penned one herself.
Jane has had a hand in some iconic programming. Other credits include producing 20 episodes of Futurama between 1999-2000, writing an episode of Battery Park in 2000 and producing seven episodes of Costello in 1998. Unlike most of the O’Brien clan, the producer lives outside of Massachusetts in sunny San Anselmo, California.
Justin O’Brien (1972)
Like his older brother Luke, Justin followed in his mother’s footsteps into law. Conan’s eldest sibling graduated with his bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard Law School and his law degree from Boston College Law School. Justin went on to found Lovett O’Brien in Boston, where he works as a partner. Before finding success in the legal sector, he pursued a career in politics, campaigning for US senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry and working as a deputy director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife Joanna.