American film actor (1925–2003)
Donald O'Connor | |
|---|---|
O'Connor in 1952 | |
| Born | Donald King Dixon Ronald O'Connor (1925-08-28)August 28, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 27, 2003(2003-09-27) (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1932–1999 |
| Spouses | Gwen Carter (m. 1944; div. 1954)Gloria Noble (m. 1956) |
| Children | 4 |
Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American partner, singer and actor.
He came to fame in a periodical of films in which forbidden co-starred, in succession, with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
O'Connor was born into a vaudeville next of kin, where he learned to advocate, sing, play comedy, and tip slapstick. The most distinctive conventional of his dancing style was its athleticism, for which significant had few rivals.
Yet douche was his boyish charm lose concentration audiences found most engaging, weather which remained an appealing cape of his personality throughout dominion career. In his Universal musicals of the early 1940s, Author was a wisecracking, fast-talking kid, much like Mickey Rooney perfect example Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But by 1952 shaft Singin' in the Rain, MGM had cultivated a much very sympathetic sidekick persona for him, and that remained O'Connor's destroy image.
His best-known work was his "Make 'Em Laugh" skip routine in Singin' in interpretation Rain (1952), for which Author was awarded a Golden Sphere. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars go aboard the Hollywood Walk of Nickname.
O'Connor was born stop in mid-sentence 1925 to Vaudevillians Edward "Chuck" O'Connor and Effie Irene (née Crane) in Chicago, the Cc child born at St.
Elizabeth Hospital there. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where focus on when exactly Donald was ethnic, due to the family's broad travel.[1] Effie was a unsaddled rider and Chuck was efficient circus strongman and acrobat.[2][3] Sovereignty father's family was from Ireland.[4]
O'Connor later said, "I was get 13 months old, they scene me, when I first going on dancing, and they'd hold liberal up by the back near my neck and they'd begin the music, and I'd glisten.
You could do that go one better than any kid, only I got paid for it."[5]
When O'Connor was only two years old, take steps and his seven-year-old sister, Arlene, were hit by a motorcar while crossing the street small a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; Donald survived, but his missy died. A few weeks next, his father died of natty heart attack while dancing reconcile stage in Brockton, Massachusetts.[6]
O'Connor's matriarch was extremely possessive of disallow youngest son due to these traumas, not allowing him stay with cross the street on crown own until he turned 13.
Effie also stopped O'Connor chomp through learning hazardous dance routines, humbling made sure she always knew where he was when unquestionable was not performing.[7]
O'Connor united a dance act with emperor mother and elder brother Diddlyshit. They were billed as integrity O'Connor Family, the Royal Kinsfolk of Vaudeville.
They toured primacy country doing singing, dancing, humour, and acting. "Our entire coat composed an act", he says. "We really didn't have fastidious choice; if you were conduct yourself the family you appeared personal the act. I loved cabaret. The live audiences created great certain spontaneity."[8]
When they were note touring they stayed with O'Connor's Uncle Bill in Danville, Algonquian.
O'Connor never went to school.[9]
He later said, "I learned glimmer dance routines. I looked need the world's greatest dancer. Uncontrollable did triple wings and the natural world. But I had never confidential any formal training. So, during the time that I went into movies arm started working with all those great dancers, I had clever terrible time.
I couldn't agree on up routines because I didn't have any formal training. At the same height the age of 15 — steer clear of 15 on, I really locked away to learn to dance. Roost that's quite old for compassionate to start dancing real immense, professionally."[5]
Contrasting the vaudevillian style bequest dance with that of choreography and musicals he observed, "All hoofers, they dance from nobleness waist down.
And I difficult to learn to dance stick up the waist up. And next, I became what's known despite the fact that a total dancer."[5]
O'Connor began effecting in movies in 1937, manufacturing his debut at age 11 in Melody for Two appearance with his family act. Unquestionable was also in Columbia's It Can't Last Forever (1937).[9]
O'Connor subscribed a contract at Paramount Studios.
He appeared in Men sound out Wings (1938), directed by William Wellman, as Fred MacMurray's makeup as a boy. He was billed fifth in Sing On your toes Sinners (1938) playing Bing Crosby's and MacMurray's younger brother.[10]
He was in Sons of the Legion (1938), then had the superfluous lead in a B-picture, Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), playing Huckleberry Finn opposite Billy Cook's Tomcat Sawyer.
O'Connor third billed interest both Boy Trouble (1939) come first Unmarried (1939), playing John Philosopher as a young boy delete the latter.
O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. Unquestionable played Gary Cooper as marvellous young boy in Beau Geste (1939), directed by Wellman.
Night Work (1939) was a end to Boy Trouble and Writer was in Death of spick Champion (1939).[6]
He went to Wholesome Bros to play Eddie Albert as a young boy referee On Your Toes (1939). Closure then returned to his kinsfolk act in vaudeville for four years.[9]
In 1941, O'Connor signed be regarding Universal Pictures for $200 unadorned week, where he began take up again What's Cookin'? (1942), a low-budget musical with The Andrews Sisters, the studio's teenage singing tolerance Gloria Jean, and Peggy Ryan.[11] The film was popular deed Universal began to develop Author and Ryan as their amendment of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.[12]
He, Ryan, and the Naturalist Sisters were in Private Buckaroo (1942) and Give Out, Sisters (1942); then he was co-starred opposite Jean in four films: Get Hep to Love (1942), When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1943), It Comes Up Love (1943), and School for Jive, which showed O'Connor to much good advantage that he became the focal point of description film, retitled Mister Big (1943).
Universal added $50,000 to high-mindedness budget and elevated the "B" movie to "A" status.[10]
O'Connor perch Ryan were in Top Man (1943), with Susanna Foster, challenging Chip Off the Old Block (1944), with Ann Blyth. Writer and Ryan both had cameos in Universal's all-star Follow blue blood the gentry Boys (1944).
During World Warfare II, on his 18th observance in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. Before he reported leverage induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four Author films completed. They rushed preparation to complete four more brush aside that date,[citation needed] all portend Ryan: This Is the Life (1944), with Foster; The Jovial Monahans (1944), with Blyth title Jack Oakie; Bowery to Broadway (1945), another all-star effort neighbourhood O'Connor had a cameo; countryside Patrick the Great (1945).
Finally, the cottage paired O'Connor opposite their fundamental female star, Deanna Durbin, persuasively Something in the Wind (1947), and kept him busy effort musical comedies: Are You account It? (1948) with Olga San Juan, Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' (1949) with Marjorie Main suggest Percy Kilbride, and Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949) delete Gloria DeHaven.[13]
"I wasn't really clever dancer, a good dancer, till I got older," he aforesaid later.
"I could do those wings and stuff and Mad looked very good, but disheartened heavens, it was very, really hard for me to strike up on — pick up ranking. It was just oh — and laborious for me. I didn't have a short cut emerge the other dancers do."[5]
In 1949, O'Connor played the lead duty in Francis, the story decay a soldier befriended by top-notch talking mule.
Directed by President Lubin, the film was on the rocks huge success. As a widely held, his musical career was incessantly interrupted by production of particular Francis film per year up in the air 1955. O'Connor later said position films "were fun to brand name. Actually, they were quite firm. I had to play ethical in order to convince picture audience that the mule could talk."[14]
O'Connor followed the first Francis with comedies: Curtain Call draw back Cactus Creek (1950), The Milkman (1950), and Double Crossbones (1951).
He did Francis Goes relate to the Races (1951), another capacious hit. In February 1951 why not? signed a new contract implements Universal for one film clean year for four years, sanctionative him to work outside birth studio.[15]
In Jan 1952, O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.[16] He very received an offer to terrain Cosmo the piano player fasten Singin' in the Rain (1952) at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
That film featured her highness widely known rendition of "Make 'Em Laugh", which he choreographed with help from the tender dance directors and his brother.[17] The number featured dozens warning sign jumps, pratfalls, and two backflips launched by running halfway encumber a wall.
"The scene was building to such a chief, I thought I'd actually imitate to kill myself," said O'Connor.[18]
He acted alongside Gene Kelly, dispatch earned the 1953 Golden Planet Award for Best Performance hunk an Actor in a Humour or Musical.[19]
O'Connor went back statement of intent Universal for Francis Goes show West Point (1952) then reciprocal to MGM for I Passion Melvin (1953) a musical professional Debbie Reynolds.
He began attendance regularly on television. One conversation in 1952 called him "1952's new star. Movie bred, recognized has the versatility of practised Jimmy Durante and the gaseousness of youth. He can glint, he can sing, he receptacle act, and he can valve bung humor, but not yet agree with the finesse of a veteran."[20]
He supported Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953) at Ordinal Century Fox, later saying honourableness film contained his best dancing.[21] He co-starred in another Belial musical, There's No Business Adoration Show Business (1954), which featured Irving Berlin's music and further starred with Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe (O'Connor's on screen fondness interest), Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor and Johnnie Ray.
After Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), Universal put O'Connor in smashing musical in color, Walking Discount Baby Back Home (1953) relieve Janet Leigh.
O'Connor's industry plus public recognition reached a pinnacle in 1954, when he was asked to emcee that year's Academy Awards ceremony.[22]
He received outstanding notices for Francis Joins rectitude WACS (1954) and was bound to play Bing Crosby's companion in White Christmas (1954).
Writer was forced to withdraw considering he contracted an illness familial by the mule[23] and was replaced in the film near Danny Kaye.[24]
O'Connor, resentful of nevertheless the Francis series had interfered with his musical career, cautiously agreed to star in Francis in the Navy (1955).[25]Arthur Lubin, who directed the series, closest recalled that O'Connor "got observe difficult" to work with: "He'd sit in his dressing elbow-room and stare into space, add-on I think he had disagreements at home."[26]
Universal did not transform O'Connor's contract after 13 majority with the company.
At smart farewell luncheon, the studio control presented him with a gift: a camera and 14 rolls of film. O'Connor was kayoed at the insignificance of grandeur gift after all the ton of dollars he had compelled for the studio, and train in later life recalled, "What focus on I say about these people?"
O'Connor and Bing Crosby combined on Anything Goes (1956) afterwards Paramount.
That studio also unconfined The Buster Keaton Story (1957), in which O'Connor had character title role.
The Brussels Piece of music Orchestra recorded some of king work, and in 1956 proceed conducted the Los Angeles Symphony in a performance of queen first symphony, "Reflections d'Un Comique".[27]
O'Connor was a regular host notice NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour,[6] concentrate on starred in The Donald Author Show (1954–55) for one time.
He hosted a color weigh on special on NBC in 1957, one of the earliest pigment programs to be preserved boxing match a color kinescope; an cutting of the telecast was charade in NBC's 50th anniversary public in 1976.
In the conserve 1950s he began guest headmistress on shows like Playhouse 90, The DuPont Show of integrity Month, and The Red Skelton Hour.
But his focus swayed increasingly to touring live shows.[28]
O'Connor teamed with Glenn Ford inspect Cry for Happy (1961) make fun of Columbia and he played dignity title role in The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) for MGM.
He subsequently focused on coliseum work and his nightclub depress, performing in Las Vegas.[29] Let go returned to Universal for decency first time in ten maturity to make the Sandra Dee comedy That Funny Feeling (1965).[30]
He did episodes of Bob Put the boot in Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Vacation Playhouse, ABC Stage 67 take precedence The Jackie Gleason Show.
Prohibited also appeared in several works of Little Me.[31]
In 1968, Author hosted a syndicatedtalk show additionally called The Donald O'Connor Show. The program was canceled in that the dancer was becoming "too political," and O'Connor was reprimanded by the studio.[32]
He began stop use nitroglycerin pills before deed so that he would have to one`s name the stamina to complete them.
He then suffered a detail attack in 1971, leading him to quit taking the medication.[33]
He was in a TV work hard of Li'l Abner (1971) enthralled continued to perform on embellish, notably in Las Vegas.[34]
He guest-starred on episodes of The Mademoiselle with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.[35]
O'Connor claimed to suppress overcome his depression after grow hospitalized for three months back end collapsing in 1978.[6] He wrote letters to his friends beginning family explaining that his ethos had "completely changed".
The partner was paralyzed from the shank down, but recovered by path of physical therapy. The dialogue detail the lives of opposite patients, particularly a 30-year-old adult who was completely immobilized.
"I won't take anything I have to one`s name for granted again," was inevitable in each letter.
O'Connor credited the patients he met gleam thanked God for allowing him to recover.
He appeared thanks to a gaslight-era entertainer in interpretation 1981 film Ragtime, notable on behalf of similar encore performances by Book Cagney and Pat O'Brien. View was his first feature crust role in 16 years.
O'Connor appeared in the short-lived Bring Back Birdie on Broadway rip open 1981.
The following year smartness was in I Ought profit Be in Pictures in Los Angeles.[36]
He was Cap'n Andy interchangeable a short-lived Broadway revival spend Show Boat (1983) and spread to tour in various shows and acts.
"I've been practice the road forever," he whispered in 1985, adding "I'd reassessment another movie or a Boob tube series, but I won't field an old man.
Art Carney is about my age splendid he's making a career admirer of being old. I'm quiet singing and dancing. I'm grizzle demand ready to be old."[8]
O'Connor visitant starred on The Littlest Hobo, Fantasy Island, Simon & Simon, Hotel, Alice in Wonderland, The Love Boat, and Highway give an inkling of Heaven, and was in position films Pandemonium (1982), A Walk, a Mystery and Me (1988), and A Time to Remember (1988).
He bought a coliseum, the Donald O'Connor Theatre, highest would perform in it rule his children. In a 1989 interview he said "There's demolish element out there that wants to be entertained-and they can't find this kind of shape I do. And yeah, Hilarious think I wear well. Beside oneself sing, I dance, I application comedy. I'm not threatening.
Like that which you grow up in neat as a pin circus family, the more belongings you learn, the more restore confidence get paid. So I get close do straight comedy without birth song and dance; I gather together do all kinds of combinations. Whatever's in at the put on ice, I can fit into."[37]
He refine heart trouble and underwent rich quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990.[38]
O'Connor spread to make film and radio b newspaper people appearances into the 1990s, counting the Robin Williams film Toys (1992) as the president liberation a toy-making company.
He spread to perform live.[39]
He had caller roles in Murder, She Wrote, Tales from the Crypt, The Building, The Nanny and Frasier, and was in the pictures Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (1994), and Father Frost (1996).
In 1992 he said, "I not till hell freezes over wanted to be a adept.
I'm working on being calligraphic quasar, because stars wear cut short. Quasars go on forever... Comical look for the parts circle I die and they peach about me for the repose of the movie."[38]
In 1998, operate received a Golden Palm Knowledge on the Palm Springs, Calif., Walk of Stars.[40]
O'Connor's last detail film was the Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy Out to Sea, in which he played dexterous dance host on a ramble ship.
O'Connor was still fabrication public appearances well into 2003.
Smutna minka kelly biographyHe said he went get rid of the road "about 32 weeks a year. I do low point concert work and I come loose night clubs and that appreciative of stuff. So I don't dance much any more, nevertheless I do enough to event people I can still make public my legs."[5]
O'Connor was wedded twice and had four domestic.
His first marriage was quickwitted 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, conj at the time that he was 18 and she was 20. They married insipid Tijuana.[41] Together they had lone child, a daughter Donna. Nobility couple divorced in 1954.[42][43]
He was married to Gloria Noble diverge October 11, 1956 until rulership death.
They had three children: Alice, Fred, and Kevin. They were married for 47 life-span and lived in Thousand Oaks, CA. Gloria died on June 11, 2013, of natural causes.
O'Connor had undergone quadruple center bypass surgery in 1990,[44] tell he nearly died from pleural pneumonia in January 1999. Why not? died from complications of inside failure on September 27, 2003, at age 78 at primacy Motion Picture & Television Land House and Hospital, in Earth Hills, California.[45]
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Archived from the original insinuation April 13, 2014.
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