A True New Yorker
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O’Reilly was born on September 10, 1949 in New York City. His parents William and Winifred raised O’Reilly on Long Island (along with his sister Janet). Growing up in a strict Catholic/Irish upbringing, O’Reilly was very dedicated to his studies. Along the way, one of his high school classmates became an iconic musician.
Trouble With Joel
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O’Reilly was a star athlete growing up on Long Island. One of his classmates – Billy Joel – ended up developing into a musical legend. Interestingly enough, O’Reilly didn’t think too highly of him:
“Billy Joel was in my neighborhood, and he was in the Hicksville section – the same age as me – and he was a hood. He used to slick it [his hair] back like this. And we knew him, because his guys would smoke and this and that, and we were more jocks.”