[1] Donnelly returned to Broadway a number of times, replacing Albert Finney in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in 1968,[2] playing Milo Tindle in Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth and appearing as Frederick Treves opposite David Bowie as The Elephant Man.

For many years, he toured a one-man performance of the writings of George Bernard Shaw, adapted and directed by Michael Voysey and entitled My Astonishing Self.

His film roles included Archbishop Gilday in The Godfather Part III and he gained particular acclaim for his performance as Freddy Malins in John Huston's final work, The Dead, based on the short story by James Joyce.

[citation needed] He was an acclaimed audiobook reader whose catalogue includes Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary, and several audio versions of the works of James Joyce.

He died in Chicago, Illinois, on 4 January 2010 from cancer,[4] aged 78, and is survived by his wife, Patricia 'Patsy' Porter – a former dancer he met working on Finian's Rainbow,[2] and two sons, Jonathan and Damian.