Historica Wiki
Historica Wiki
Advertisement
Rick O'Connell

Richard "Rick" O’Connell (1902-19??) was an American explorer and a former colonel of the French Foreign Legion.

Biography[]

Richard O'Connell was born in Chicago, Illinois, US, in 1902 to an Irish-American explorer named Jack O'Connell and his American wife. From his father's side, he is a descendant of at least one Knight Templar.

O'Connell's father Jack O'Connell may or may not have left his family out of shame of being branded Medjai. It is possible that O'Connell's mother soon died of unknown causes, leaving O'Connell to grow up in an orphanage in Cairo, Egypt. While in the orphanage, O'Connell was branded with the Medjai's trademark tattoo.

Once grown, O'Connell dedicated time to several adventures alongside his friend and accomplice Izzy Buttons, including misdeeds such as bank robberies. He abandons this path to enlist in the French Foreign Legion, joining expeditions to the ancient Egyptian necropolis Hamunaptra, where they found the body of Imhotep. Rick was one of two survivors and returned three years with archaeologist-turned librarian Evelyn Carnahan. O'Connell fell in love with her during the expedition, and they marry shortly thereafter. They had a son named Alex. Alex and Rick's relationship suffered strain as Alex left his family to join the United States Air Force. Their relationship improved years later in China.

Advertisement