Although he lived only a short time, Glenn Quinn left a trail too deep to be covered and a memory too deep-rooted to be erased. The Irish actor lived for just over three decades, but fans and colleagues seem to have not forgotten him. His passing may be called a sad end, but we are grateful that he lived.
Quinn is best known for his portrayal of Mark Healy in the popular family sitcom Roseanne from the 1990s, the series that paid a poignant tribute to him in 2018. He also gained a large fan base because he played in Angel Doyle, a half-demon. Here you can find all the details you need to know about him and how he died.
Who Was Glenn Quinn?
In addition, his first cry heralded the arrival of a star, Glenn Martin Christopher Francis Quinn, on May 28, 1970. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, to his musician father Murty Quinn, and his wife Bernadette Quinn (née Brady). His father, a singer, was also a member of the Miami Showband, which celebrated seven number one hits in the 60s and 70s. He also played for The Sands.
Quinn has two sisters, Sonja and Louisa, with whom he grew up in Cabinteely, a suburb of Dublin, where he also attended Clonkeen College. He also has another sibling, a brother named Ciaran, whose existence he, unfortunately, did not even know about, as he had been given up for adoption. In 1988 he emigrated to the United States with his mother and sisters, and they settled in Los Angeles, California.
After their arrival in the U.S., he worked in various jobs, including house painters and waiters, and made several commercials for brands such as Brylcreem, Pepsi, and Ray-Ban before being discovered by casting director Johanna Ray. Glenn also appeared in the music video for the Richard Marx song Satisfied. After surviving eight separate auditions for two different roles, he grabbed his first voiceover in the pilot of the teen drama television series Beverly Hills, 90210. He then got a small two-line role in the pilot, although he was hardly seen in the final broadcast version.
ALSO READ: Who is Dafne Keen, How Old is She, Who are The Parents?
Glenn Quinn starred as a guest star in an episode of the short-lived series The Outsiders, and shortly after that, he got his first starring role in the movie Shout (1991) starring John Travolta. In the film, which was also Gwyneth Paltrow’s debut film, he shared a kiss with her on the screen. He also had roles in a number of other films and television series, such as Dr. Giggles (1992) as Max Anderson, also as Cedric Grey in the British-American television series Covington Cross (1992), Live Nude Girls (1995) as Randy Conzini, and Campfire Girls (1997), where he played a double role as Scott Anderson/Paramedic #1.
In 1990, Quinn received one of his most notable roles when he was cast as Mark Healy, Becky Conner’s boyfriend, and later husband, in Roseanne. He played the role from season three to the last season, season 9 of the series (1990-1997). The series was relaunched in 2018 for the tenth season, and the fourth episode was dedicated to his memory.
Although he used an American accent in the 7 seasons he played in Roseanne, his character in Angel, an offshoot of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Allen Francis Doyle was made Irish so that he could take advantage of his Irish accent. He was so thick that he occasionally had to “Americanize” him so that people could understand what he was saying. Nevertheless, he was glad to have the chance to use it. His other works include Some Girl (1998), Fair City (1997-2002), Jesse (1999), At Any Cost (2000), and his latest film, R.S.V.P. (2002).
Death: How Did He Die?
The curtain was drawn over his short life in 2002 at the age of only 32 years after an opioid overdose. But such events do not just happen, do they? Usually, there are precedents for some life-threatening acts like drug abuse. For Glenn Quinn, his problem with substance abuse began in 1987 with the breakdown of his parent’s marriage. Also during his time with Angel, some reports claimed that his addiction to alcohol and cocaine made him confrontational on set. He was not able to maintain his sobriety and still had his demons. In the months before his death, he had also reportedly struggled with homelessness.
ALSO READ: Lisa Ann Russell Bio, Married, Husband, Kids, Divorce, Age, Net Worth
Unfortunately, he was unable to overcome the apparent “mistakes” of his people and his Irish luck left him and could not save him. His cold body was found on December 3, 2002, in the house of a friend in North Hollywood, California. An autopsy revealed that he had died of a heroin overdose. Poor Glenn Quinn was neither married nor had children and was buried in Forest Lawn, Cypress, California.
His friend and Roseanne co-star Michael Fishman set up a memorial fund in his name, and many still honor one of the most successful Irish actors of his generation online today.
Facts To Know About Glenn Quinn
Apparently, Glenn Quinn inherited his father’s musicality by playing drums and guitar. He also loved hiking, soccer, and motorsports.
His role in Roseanne was originally intended for a guest appearance in an episode where he was supposed to run away with Becky. However, his popularity led to him being assigned a recurring role, which resulted in a seven-year stint.
Glenn was co-owner of an LA nightclub called Goldfinger but was bought out. There were also reports at the same time that he begged for money from customers and employees and got into fights.
