Which actor played fire chief Michael O'Halloran in the disaster film "The Towering Inferno"?

The well known actor who played Michael O’Halloran, San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) 5th Battalion Chief, in the 1974 disaster film "The Towering Inferno" was Steve McQueen.

This 1970s disaster movie is about a fire that breaks out in a state-of-the-art San Francisco high-rise building. It occurs during an opening ceremony attended by a host of A-list guests. An overworked fire chief (O'Halloran) and the building's architect (Paul Newman as Doug Roberts) must cooperate in the struggle to save lives and subdue group panic which the fire has caused. They must do this while a corrupt, cost-cutting contractor (William Holden as James Duncan) tries to evade responsibility for the disaster.

"The Towering Inferno" earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture and was the highest-grossing film released in 1974. It was nominated for eight Oscars in all, and it won three. In addition to McQueen, Newman, and Holden, the cast includes Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, O. J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Flannery, Gregory Sierra, Dabney Coleman and, in her final film, Jennifer Jones.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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15 Comments

George Oliver Prince

Talk about an all-star cast

Carolyn Brior

Disaster films were big in the 1970's. This one was the most plausible and thus the scariest.

Johnny Rock

McQueen and Newman shared top billing with their names on the screen something called Diagonal Billing. Newman regretted doing Towering Inferno because McQueen didn't appear for 43 minutes into it and by that time Newman had used up most of his lines. Egos. William Holden tried to get top billing also but he was not as much of a draw as he used to be.

Tina Marie Haddad Rhodes

Howard Groopman, right.

Cheryl McMeekin

Great movie and great all star cast. I've watched the movie several times over the years.

David Coe

This only rarely appears on TV, I wonder why? Copyright issues perhaps?

Howard Groopman

I picked Newman. Knew he was in it but couldn't remember his character. Too long ago. OJ Simpson should have been left behind in one of the burning buildings, then he wouldn't have become an abuser and a murderer.

Neal Christopher Wigley

All these films of this type were cast by many thespians from years ago.

Mary Caypless Tardif

If I remember correctly, I skipped school to see that movie.

John W Shreve

It can happen to YOU!!!

Ceil G.

It was so scary I was still shaking when I left the theater.

Rog Rogers

My sister lived in the San Francisco area when The Towering Inferno was released. She said the locals enjoyed the movie, right up to the point (very, very early in the show) where they showed the San Francisco skyline with the 135 story spire sticking up, and they all laughed!