His musical training began at the age of seven with classical piano lessons encouraged by his mother, Mary O'Brien, a silent film actress. O'Brien's roles including the wife in Buster Keaton's 1926 movie Battling Butler.
At age seven, he began his musical training with classical piano lessons, inspired by his mother, Mary O'Brien, who was a silent film actress. O'Brien played the role of the wife in Buster Keaton's 1926 film Battling Butler.