Donald O'Connor: Difference between revisions
Importing Wikidata short description: "American dancer, singer, and actor" (Shortdesc helper) |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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O'Connor began performing in movies in 1937, making his debut aged 11 in Columbia's ''[[It Can't Last Forever]]'' (1937). |
O'Connor began performing in movies in 1937, making his debut aged 11 in ''[[Melody for Two]]'' as part of a speciality act. He was also in Columbia's ''[[It Can't Last Forever]]'' (1937). |
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===Paramount=== |
===Paramount=== |
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O'Connor signed a contract at Paramount. He appeared in ''[[Men with Wings]]'' (1938) as [[Fred MacMurray]]'s character as a boy |
O'Connor signed a contract at Paramount. He appeared in ''[[Men with Wings]]'' (1938), directed by [[William Wellan]], as [[Fred MacMurray]]'s character as a boy. He was billed fifth in ''[[Sing You Sinners (film)|Sing You Sinners]]'' (1938) playing [[Bing Crosby]]'s younger brother. |
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He was in ''[[Sons of the Legion]]'' (1938), then had the lead in a [[B-picture]], ''[[Tom Sawyer, Detective (film)|Tom Sawyer, Detective]]'' (1938), playing [[Huckleberry Finn]]. O'Connor |
He was in ''[[Sons of the Legion]]'' (1938), then had the lead in a [[B-picture]], ''[[Tom Sawyer, Detective (film)|Tom Sawyer, Detective]]'' (1938), playing [[Huckleberry Finn]] opposite Billy Cook's Tom Sawyer. O'Connor third billed in both ''[[Boy Trouble]]'' (1939) and ''[[Unmarried (1939 film)|Unmarried]]'' (1939), playing John Hartley as a young boy in the latter. |
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O'Connor was billed fourth in ''[[Million Dollar Legs (1939 film)|Million Dollar Legs]]'' (1939) with [[Betty Grable]] |
O'Connor was billed fourth in ''[[Million Dollar Legs (1939 film)|Million Dollar Legs]]'' (1939) with [[Betty Grable]]. He played [[Gary Cooper]] as a young boy in ''[[Beau Geste (1939 film)|Beau Geste]]'' (1939), directed by Wellman. |
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''[[Night Work (film)|Night Work]]'' (1939) was a sequel to ''Boy Trouble'' and O'Connor was in ''[[Death of a Champion]]'' (1939).<ref name=severo/> |
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In 1940, when he had outgrown child roles, he returned to vaudeville. |
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He went to Warner Bros to play [[Eddie Albert]] as a young boy in ''[[On Your Toes]]'' (1939). |
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===Universal=== |
===Universal=== |
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In 1941, O’Connor signed with [[Universal Pictures]], where he began |
In 1941, O’Connor signed with [[Universal Pictures]], where he began with ''[[What's Cookin'?]]'' (1942), a B-level with [[The Andrews Sisters]], [[Gloria Jean]] and [[Peggy Ryan]]. The film was popular and Universal began to develop O'Connor and Ryan as their version of [[Mickey Rooney]] and [[Judy Garland]].<ref>Zylstra, Freida. (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Is a Veteran of Stage and Films at 25" ''[[Chicago Daily Tribune]]''</ref> |
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He, Ryan and Jean were in ''[[Get Hep to Love]]'' (1942) and ''[[When Johnny Comes Marching Home (film)|When Johnny Comes Marching Home]]'' (1942). He made ''[[It Comes Up Love]]'' (1942) with Jean but without Ryan. |
He, Ryan and the Andrews Sisters were in ''[[Private Buckaroo]]'' (1942) and ''[[Give Out, Sisters]]'' (1942), then he, Ryan, Jean and [[Jane Frazee]] were in ''[[Get Hep to Love]]'' (1942) and ''[[When Johnny Comes Marching Home (film)|When Johnny Comes Marching Home]]'' (1942). He made ''[[It Comes Up Love]]'' (1942) with Jean but without Ryan. |
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==="A" Films=== |
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O'Connor, Jean and Ryan were in ''[[Mister Big (1943 film)|Mister Big]]'' (1943). Before this film was released, O’Connor’s popularity soared. Universal added $50,000 in musical numbers to the film and promoted the "B" movie to "A" status. |
O'Connor, Jean and Ryan were in ''[[Mister Big (1943 film)|Mister Big]]'' (1943). Before this film was released, O’Connor’s popularity soared. Universal added $50,000 in musical numbers to the film and promoted the "B" movie to "A" status. |
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[[File:Donald O'Connor (handprints in cement).jpg|thumb|left|267px|The handprints of Donald O'Connor in front of [[The Great Movie Ride]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] theme park]] |
[[File:Donald O'Connor (handprints in cement).jpg|thumb|left|267px|The handprints of Donald O'Connor in front of [[The Great Movie Ride]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] theme park]] |
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O'Connor and Ryan were in ''[[Top Man (film)|Top Man]]'' (1943) and ''[[Chip Off the Old Block]]'' (1944). |
O'Connor and Ryan were in ''[[Top Man (film)|Top Man]]'' (1943), with [[Suannah Foster]], and ''[[Chip Off the Old Block]]'' (1944), with [[Ann Blyth]]. O'Connor and Ryan both had cameos in Universal's all-star ''[[Follow the Boys]]'' (1944). |
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On his 18th birthday in August 1943, during [[World War II]] O'Connor was drafted into the [[United States Army]]. Before he reported for induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four O’Connor films completed. They rushed production to complete four more by that date, all with Ryan: ''[[This Is the Life (1944 film)|This Is the Life]]'' (1944), ''[[The Merry Monahans]]'' (1944), ''[[Bowery to Broadway]]'' (1945) and ''[[Patrick the Great]]'' (1945). |
On his 18th birthday in August 1943, during [[World War II]] O'Connor was drafted into the [[United States Army]]. Before he reported for induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four O’Connor films completed. They rushed production to complete four more by that date, all with Ryan: ''[[This Is the Life (1944 film)|This Is the Life]]'' (1944), with Foster; ''[[The Merry Monahans]]'' (1944), with Blyth and [[Jack Oakie]]; ''[[Bowery to Broadway]]'' (1945), another all-star effort where O'Connor had a cameo; and ''[[Patrick the Great]]'' (1945). |
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With a backlog of seven features, deferred openings kept O’Connor’s screen presence uninterrupted during the two years he was overseas. |
With a backlog of seven features, deferred openings kept O’Connor’s screen presence uninterrupted during the two years he was overseas. |
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===Return from War Service=== |
===Return from War Service=== |
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Upon his return, a merger in 1946 had reorganized the studio as Universal-International. The studio paired O'Connor opposite their biggest female star, [[Deanna Durbin]], in ''[[Something in the Wind]]'' (1947). He starred in ''[[Are You with It?]]'' (1948), ''[[Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin']]'' (1949), and ''[[Yes Sir, That's My Baby (film)|Yes Sir, That's My Baby]]'' (1949). |
Upon his return, a merger in 1946 had reorganized the studio as Universal-International. The studio paired O'Connor opposite their biggest female star, [[Deanna Durbin]], in ''[[Something in the Wind]]'' (1947). |
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He starred in ''[[Are You with It?]]'' (1948) with [[Olga San Juan]], ''[[Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin']]'' (1949) with [[Marjorie Main]] and [[Percy Kilbridge]], and ''[[Yes Sir, That's My Baby (film)|Yes Sir, That's My Baby]]'' (1949) with [[Gloria De Haven]]. |
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===''Francis''=== |
===''Francis''=== |
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In 1949, |
In 1949, O'Connor played the lead role in ''[[Francis (1950 film)|Francis]]'', the story of a soldier befriended by a talking mule. Directed by [[Arthur Lubin]], the film was a huge success. As a consequence, his musical career was constantly interrupted by production of one ''Francis'' film per year until 1955. O'Connor later said the films "were fun to make. Actually, they were quite challenging. I had to play straight in order to convince the audience that the mule could talk."<ref>Donald O'Connor's musical Journey keeps him on road |
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Dale, Steve. Chicago Tribune |
Dale, Steve. Chicago Tribune 20 Dec 1985: n_a50.</ref> |
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O'Connor followed the first ''Francis'' with comedies: ''[[Curtain Call at Cactus Creek]]'' (1950), ''[[The Milkman]]'' (1950), ''[[Double Crossbones]]'' (1951). He did ''[[Francis Goes to the Races]]'' (1951), another big hit. |
O'Connor followed the first ''Francis'' with comedies: ''[[Curtain Call at Cactus Creek]]'' (1950), ''[[The Milkman]]'' (1950), and ''[[Double Crossbones]]'' (1951). |
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He did ''[[Francis Goes to the Races]]'' (1951), another big hit. |
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===''Singin' in the Rain''=== |
===''Singin' in the Rain''=== |
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O'Connor |
O'Connor received an offer to play Cosmo the piano player in ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'' (1952) at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]. This earned him a [[Golden Globe Award]] for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy or Musical. The film featured his widely known rendition of "[[Make 'Em Laugh]]". O'Connor said he smoked around 4 packs of cigarettes a day during filming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eviltwinltd.com/muppetlabs/oconnor/donald.htm|title=Donald O'Connor Web Site|first=Teresa and Tracy Ann Murray, T 'n'|last=T|publisher=}}</ref> |
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In 1952 O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.<ref>PARAMOUNT SIGNS DONALD O'CONNOR: Actor Will Make 3 Pictures for Studio -- Betty Hutton's Film May Be One of Them By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to ''THE NEW YORK TIMES''. |
In 1952 O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.<ref>PARAMOUNT SIGNS DONALD O'CONNOR: Actor Will Make 3 Pictures for Studio -- Betty Hutton's Film May Be One of Them By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to ''THE NEW YORK TIMES''. 24 Jan 1952: 23.</ref> |
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He went back to Universal for ''[[Francis Goes to West Point]]'' (1952) then returned to MGM for ''[[I Love Melvin]]'' (1953) a musical with [[Debbie Reynolds]]. |
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He supported [[Ethel Merman]] in ''[[Call Me Madam (film)|Call Me Madam]]'' (1953) at [[20th Century Fox]], later saying the film contained his best dancing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danceviewtimes.com/dvny/features/2003/o'connor.html|title=Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff|publisher=|accessdate=March 30, 2016}}</ref> |
He supported [[Ethel Merman]] in ''[[Call Me Madam (film)|Call Me Madam]]'' (1953) at [[20th Century Fox]], later saying the film contained his best dancing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danceviewtimes.com/dvny/features/2003/o'connor.html|title=Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff|publisher=|accessdate=March 30, 2016}}</ref> |
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After ''[[Francis Covers the Big Town]]'' (1953), Universal put O'Connor in a musical in colour, ''[[Walking My Baby Back Home (film)|Walking My Baby Back Home]]'' (1953) |
After ''[[Francis Covers the Big Town]]'' (1953), Universal put O'Connor in a musical in colour, ''[[Walking My Baby Back Home (film)|Walking My Baby Back Home]]'' (1953) with [[Janet Leigh]]. |
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He did ''[[Francis Joins the WACS]]'' (1954) then played Tim Donahue in the [[20th Century Fox]] all-star musical ''[[There's No Business Like Show Business]]'' (1954), which featured [[Irving Berlin]]'s music and also starred with [[Ethel Merman]], [[Marilyn Monroe]] (O'Connor's on screen love interest), [[Dan Dailey]], [[Mitzi Gaynor]] and [[Johnnie Ray]]. |
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===''The Donald O'Connor Show''=== |
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He starred in ''[[The Donald O'Connor Show]]'' (1954–55) for one season. O'Connor was a regular host of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Colgate Comedy Hour]]''.<ref name=severo/> |
He starred in ''[[The Donald O'Connor Show]]'' (1954–55) for one season. O'Connor was a regular host of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Colgate Comedy Hour]]''.<ref name=severo/> |
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O'Connor was reluctant to keep making ''Francis'' films but agreed to ''[[Francis in the Navy]]'' (1955).<ref>Donald O'Connor Scheduled for Another 'Francis' Film |
O'Connor was reluctant to keep making ''Francis'' films but agreed to ''[[Francis in the Navy]]'' (1955).<ref>Donald O'Connor Scheduled for Another 'Francis' Film |
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Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune |
Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 18 Oct 1954: b16.</ref> [[Arthur Lubin]] who directed the films later recalled that O'Connor "got very difficult" to work with after a while. "He started drinking and I think he had problems at home. He started swearing at me and being late on set."<ref>{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Ronald L.|page=183|title=Just Making Movies|year=2005|publisher=University Press of Mississippi}}</ref> |
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O'Connor and Crosby united on ''[[Anything Goes (1956 film)|Anything Goes]]'' (1956) at Paramount. |
O'Connor and Crosby united on ''[[Anything Goes (1956 film)|Anything Goes]]'' (1956) at Paramount. |
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That studio also released ''[[The Buster Keaton Story]]'' (1957), in which O'Connor had the title role. |
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⚫ | |||
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He hosted a color television special on NBC in 1957, one of the earliest color programs to be preserved on a color [[kinescope]]; an excerpt of the telecast was included in NBC's 50th anniversary special in 1976. |
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⚫ | |||
In the late 50s he began guest starring on shows like ''[[Playhouse 90]]'', ''[[The DuPont Show of the Month]]'', and ''[[The Red Skelton Hour]]''. |
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He subsequently focused on theatre work then returned to films in the [[Sandra Dee]] comedy ''[[That Funny Feeling]]'' (1965). |
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He did episodes of ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]'', ''[[Vacation Playhouse]]'', ''[[ABC Stage 67]]'' and ''[[The Jackie Gleason Show]]''. |
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In 1968, O'Connor hosted a [[Television syndication|syndicated]] [[talk show]] also called ''The Donald O'Connor Show''.<ref>Alex McNeil, ''Total Television'', p. 231</ref> |
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===1970s=== |
===1970s=== |
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⚫ | |||
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He was in a TV production of ''[[Li'l Abner]]'' (1971). |
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He guest starred on episodes of ''[[The Girl with Something Extra]]'', ''[[Ellery Queen (TV series)|Ellery Queen]]'', ''[[The Bionic Woman]]'', ''[[Police Story (TV series)|Police Story]]'', and ''[[Hunter (TV series)|Hunter]]''. |
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O'Connor overcame [[alcoholism]] after being hospitalized for three months after collapsing in 1978.<ref name=severo/> His career had a boost when he hosted the [[Academy Awards]], which earned him two [[Primetime Emmy]] nominations. |
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===1980s=== |
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O'Connor appeared in the short-lived ''[[Bring Back Birdie]]'' on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 1981. |
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He was Cap'n Andy in a short-lived Broadway revival of ''[[Show Boat (musical)|Show Boat]]'' (1983). |
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O'Connor guest starred on ''[[The Littlest Hobo]]'', ''[[Fantasy Island]]'', |
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''[[Simon & Simon]]'', ''[[Hotel (TV series)|Hotel]]'', ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1985 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'', ''[[The Love Boat]]'', and ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'', and was in the films ''[[Pandemonium (film)|Pandemonium]]'' (1982), ''[[A Mouse, a Mystery and Me]]'' (1988), and ''[[A Time to Remember]]'' (1988). |
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===1990s=== |
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He had guest roles in ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'', ''[[Tales from the Crypt]]'', ''[[The Building]]'', ''[[The Nanny]]'' and ''[[Frasier]]'', and was in the films ''[[Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel]]'' (1994), and ''[[Father Frost]]'' (1996). |
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⚫ | O'Connor |
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In 1998, he received a Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs, California]], [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars|Walk of Stars]].<ref name="stars">{{cite web| title=Palm Spring Walk of Stars| url=http://www.palmsprings.com/stars/| publisher=PalmSprings.com| accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref> |
In 1998, he received a Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs, California]], [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars|Walk of Stars]].<ref name="stars">{{cite web| title=Palm Spring Walk of Stars| url=http://www.palmsprings.com/stars/| publisher=PalmSprings.com| accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref> |
Revision as of 10:07, 1 April 2019
Donald O'Connor | |
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Born | Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor August 28, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | September 27, 2003 Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 78)
Resting place | Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery |
Occupation(s) | Dancer, singer, actor |
Years active | 1937–1999 |
Spouse(s) |
Gwen Carter
(m. 1944; div. 1954)Gloria Noble
(m. 1956; "his death" is deprecated; use "died" instead. 2003) |
Children | 4 |
Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer, and actor who came to fame in a series of movies in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
He is best known today for his role as Don Lockwood's friend and colleague Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain (1952).
Early years
Though he considered Danville, Illinois to be his hometown, O’Connor was born in St. Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago. His parents, Effie Irene (née Crane) and John Edward "Chuck" O'Connor, were vaudeville entertainers.[1][2] His father's family was from Ireland.[3] When O'Connor was only two years old, he and his sister Arlene, who was seven at the time, were in a car crash outside a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; O'Connor survived, but his sister did not. A few weeks later, his father died of a heart attack while dancing on stage in Brockton, Massachusetts.[4]
Career
O'Connor began performing in movies in 1937, making his debut aged 11 in Melody for Two as part of a speciality act. He was also in Columbia's It Can't Last Forever (1937).
Paramount
O'Connor signed a contract at Paramount. He appeared in Men with Wings (1938), directed by William Wellan, as Fred MacMurray's character as a boy. He was billed fifth in Sing You Sinners (1938) playing Bing Crosby's younger brother.
He was in Sons of the Legion (1938), then had the lead in a B-picture, Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), playing Huckleberry Finn opposite Billy Cook's Tom Sawyer. O'Connor third billed in both Boy Trouble (1939) and Unmarried (1939), playing John Hartley as a young boy in the latter.
O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. He played Gary Cooper as a young boy in Beau Geste (1939), directed by Wellman.
Night Work (1939) was a sequel to Boy Trouble and O'Connor was in Death of a Champion (1939).[4]
He went to Warner Bros to play Eddie Albert as a young boy in On Your Toes (1939).
Universal
In 1941, O’Connor signed with Universal Pictures, where he began with What's Cookin'? (1942), a B-level with The Andrews Sisters, Gloria Jean and Peggy Ryan. The film was popular and Universal began to develop O'Connor and Ryan as their version of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.[5]
He, Ryan and the Andrews Sisters were in Private Buckaroo (1942) and Give Out, Sisters (1942), then he, Ryan, Jean and Jane Frazee were in Get Hep to Love (1942) and When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1942). He made It Comes Up Love (1942) with Jean but without Ryan.
O'Connor, Jean and Ryan were in Mister Big (1943). Before this film was released, O’Connor’s popularity soared. Universal added $50,000 in musical numbers to the film and promoted the "B" movie to "A" status.
O'Connor and Ryan were in Top Man (1943), with Suannah Foster, and Chip Off the Old Block (1944), with Ann Blyth. O'Connor and Ryan both had cameos in Universal's all-star Follow the Boys (1944).
On his 18th birthday in August 1943, during World War II O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. Before he reported for induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four O’Connor films completed. They rushed production to complete four more by that date, all with Ryan: This Is the Life (1944), with Foster; The Merry Monahans (1944), with Blyth and Jack Oakie; Bowery to Broadway (1945), another all-star effort where O'Connor had a cameo; and Patrick the Great (1945).
With a backlog of seven features, deferred openings kept O’Connor’s screen presence uninterrupted during the two years he was overseas.
Return from War Service
Upon his return, a merger in 1946 had reorganized the studio as Universal-International. The studio paired O'Connor opposite their biggest female star, Deanna Durbin, in Something in the Wind (1947).
He starred in Are You with It? (1948) with Olga San Juan, Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' (1949) with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbridge, and Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949) with Gloria De Haven.
Francis
In 1949, O'Connor played the lead role in Francis, the story of a soldier befriended by a talking mule. Directed by Arthur Lubin, the film was a huge success. As a consequence, his musical career was constantly interrupted by production of one Francis film per year until 1955. O'Connor later said the films "were fun to make. Actually, they were quite challenging. I had to play straight in order to convince the audience that the mule could talk."[6]
O'Connor followed the first Francis with comedies: Curtain Call at Cactus Creek (1950), The Milkman (1950), and Double Crossbones (1951).
He did Francis Goes to the Races (1951), another big hit.
Singin' in the Rain
O'Connor received an offer to play Cosmo the piano player in Singin' in the Rain (1952) at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy or Musical. The film featured his widely known rendition of "Make 'Em Laugh". O'Connor said he smoked around 4 packs of cigarettes a day during filming.[7]
In 1952 O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.[8]
He went back to Universal for Francis Goes to West Point (1952) then returned to MGM for I Love Melvin (1953) a musical with Debbie Reynolds.
He supported Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953) at 20th Century Fox, later saying the film contained his best dancing.[9]
After Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), Universal put O'Connor in a musical in colour, Walking My Baby Back Home (1953) with Janet Leigh.
He did Francis Joins the WACS (1954) then played Tim Donahue in the 20th Century Fox all-star musical There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), which featured Irving Berlin's music and also starred with Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe (O'Connor's on screen love interest), Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor and Johnnie Ray.
It was because of the Francis series that O'Connor missed playing Bing Crosby's partner in White Christmas (1954). O'Connor was unavailable because he contracted an illness transmitted by the mule, and was replaced in the film by Danny Kaye.
The Donald O'Connor Show
He starred in The Donald O'Connor Show (1954–55) for one season. O'Connor was a regular host of NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour.[4]
O'Connor was reluctant to keep making Francis films but agreed to Francis in the Navy (1955).[10] Arthur Lubin who directed the films later recalled that O'Connor "got very difficult" to work with after a while. "He started drinking and I think he had problems at home. He started swearing at me and being late on set."[11]
O'Connor and Crosby united on Anything Goes (1956) at Paramount.
That studio also released The Buster Keaton Story (1957), in which O'Connor had the title role.
He hosted a color television special on NBC in 1957, one of the earliest color programs to be preserved on a color kinescope; an excerpt of the telecast was included in NBC's 50th anniversary special in 1976.
In the late 50s he began guest starring on shows like Playhouse 90, The DuPont Show of the Month, and The Red Skelton Hour.
1960s
O'Connor teamed with Glenn Ford in Cry for Happy (1961) at Columbia and he played the title role in The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) for MGM.
He subsequently focused on theatre work then returned to films in the Sandra Dee comedy That Funny Feeling (1965).
He did episodes of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Vacation Playhouse, ABC Stage 67 and The Jackie Gleason Show.
In 1968, O'Connor hosted a syndicated talk show also called The Donald O'Connor Show.[12]
1970s
He suffered a heart attack in 1971.[13]
He was in a TV production of Li'l Abner (1971).
He guest starred on episodes of The Girl with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.
O'Connor overcame alcoholism after being hospitalized for three months after collapsing in 1978.[4] His career had a boost when he hosted the Academy Awards, which earned him two Primetime Emmy nominations.
1980s
He appeared as a gaslight-era entertainer in the 1981 film Ragtime, notable for similar encore performances by James Cagney and Pat O'Brien. It was his first feature film role in 16 years.
O'Connor appeared in the short-lived Bring Back Birdie on Broadway in 1981.
He was Cap'n Andy in a short-lived Broadway revival of Show Boat (1983).
O'Connor guest starred on The Littlest Hobo, Fantasy Island,
Simon & Simon, Hotel, Alice in Wonderland, The Love Boat, and Highway to Heaven, and was in the films Pandemonium (1982), A Mouse, a Mystery and Me (1988), and A Time to Remember (1988).
1990s
O'Connor continued to make film and television appearances into the 1990s, including the Robin Williams film Toys (1992) as the president of a toy-making company.
He had guest roles in Murder, She Wrote, Tales from the Crypt, The Building, The Nanny and Frasier, and was in the films Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (1994), and Father Frost (1996).
In 1998, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars.[14]
O'Connor's last feature film was the Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy Out to Sea, in which he played a dance host on a cruise ship. O’Connor was still making public appearances well into 2003.
The most distinctive characteristic of O'Connor's dancing style was its athleticism, for which he had few rivals. Yet it was his boyish charm that audiences found most engaging, and which remained an appealing aspect of his personality throughout his career. In his early Universal films, O'Connor closely mimicked the smart alec, fast-talking personality of Mickey Rooney of rival MGM Studio. For Singin' in the Rain, however, MGM cultivated a much more sympathetic sidekick persona, and that remained O'Connor's signature image. [citation needed]
Personal life
O'Connor was married twice and had four children. His first marriage was in 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, with whom he had a daughter, Donna. The couple divorced in 1954. He married for a second time, to Gloria Noble, in 1956. Together they had three children: Alicia, Donald Frederick, and Kevin. O'Connor and Noble were married until his death in 2003.[4]
Death
O'Connor had undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery in 1990,[15] and he nearly died from double pneumonia in January 1998. He died from complications of heart failure on September 27, 2003, at age 78 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, in Woodland Hills, California.[16] His remains were cremated and buried at the Forest Lawn–Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Filmography
Film
- Melody for Two (1937) as Specialty Act (uncredited)
- It Can't Last Forever (1937) as Kid Dancer (uncredited)
- Men with Wings (1938) as Pat Falconer at Age 10
- Sing You Sinners (1938) as Mike Beebe
- Sons of the Legion (1938) as Butch Baker
- Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938) as Huckleberry Finn
- Boy Trouble (1939) as Butch
- Unmarried (1939) as Ted Streaver (age 12)
- Million Dollar Legs (1939) as Sticky Boone
- Beau Geste (1939) as Beau Geste (as a child)
- Night Work (1939) as Butch Smiley
- Death of a Champion (1939) as Small Fry
- On Your Toes (1939) as Phil Jr. as a Boy
- What's Cookin'? (1942) as Tommy
- Private Buckaroo (1942) as Donny
- Give Out, Sisters (1942) as Don
- Get Hep to Love (1942) as Jimmy Arnold
- When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1942) as Frankie Flanagan
- It Comes Up Love (1943) as Ricky Ives
- Mister Big (1943) as Donald J. O'Connor, Esq.
- Top Man (1943) as Don Warren
- Chip Off the Old Block (1944) as Donald Corrigan
- Follow the Boys (1944) as Donald O'Connor
- This Is the Life (1944) as Jimmy Plum
- The Merry Monahans (1944) as Jimmy Monahan
- Bowery to Broadway (1944) as Specialty Number #1
- Patrick the Great (1945) as Pat Donahue Jr.
- Something in the Wind (1947) as Charlie Read
- Are You With It? (1948) as Milton Haskins
- Feudin', Fussin', and A-Fightin' (1948) as Wilbur McMurty
- Screen Snapshots: Motion Picture Mothers, Inc. (1949, Short) as Himself
- Yes Sir That's My Baby (1949) as William Waldo Winfield
- Francis (1950) as Peter Stirling
- Curtain Call at Cactus Creek (1950) as Edward Timmons
- The Milkman (1950) as Roger Bradley
- Double Crossbones (1951) as Davey Crandall
- Francis Goes to the Races (1951) as Peter Stirling
- Singin' in the Rain (1952) as Cosmo Brown
- Francis Goes to West Point (1952) as Peter Stirling
- I Love Melvin (1953) as Melvin Hoover
- Call Me Madam (1953) as Kenneth Gibson
- Francis Covers the Big Town (1953) as Peter Stirling
- Walking My Baby Back Home (1953) as Clarence 'Jigger' Millard
- Francis Joins the WACS (1954) as Peter Stirling
- There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) as Tim Donahue
- Francis in the Navy (1955) as Lt. Peter Stirling / Bosun's Mate Slicker Donovan
- Anything Goes (1956) as Ted Adams
- The Buster Keaton Story (1957) as Buster Keaton
- Cry for Happy (1961) as Murray Prince
- The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) as Aladdin
- That Funny Feeling (1965) as Harvey Granson
- Just One More Time (1974, Short) as Himself (uncredited)
- That's Entertainment! (1974) as Himself - Co-Host / Narrator / Clip from 'Singin' in the Rain'
- The Big Fix (1978) as Francis Joins the Navy
- Ragtime (1981) as Evelyn's Dance Instructor
- Pandemonium (1982) as Glenn's Dad
- A Time to Remember (1987) as Father Walsh
- Toys (1992) as Kenneth Zevo
- Father Frost (1996) as Baba Yaga
- Out to Sea (1997) as Jonathan Devereaux (final film role)
Television
- Police Story – 1975
- The Milton Berle Show (producer) – 1948
- Colgate Comedy Hour – 1951–1954
- The Donald O'Connor Show – 19 episodes on NBC, 1954–55
- The Judy Garland Show (special guest) – episode 7, season 1 on CBS – September 29, 1963
- Petticoat Junction (director) – 1964
- Bell Telephone Hour – 1964–1966
- The Donald O'Connor Show – 1968
- Ellery Queen – episode "The Comic Book Crusader" – October 2, 1975
- The Bionic Woman – episode "A Thing of the Past" (February 18, 1976)
- Hunter – episode "The Costa Rican Connection" (March 18, 1977)
- Lucy Moves to NBC - (February 8, 1980)
- The Love Boat – 1981–1984
- Alice – "Guinness on Tap", as himself, 1982
- The Littlest Hobo – episode "The Clown" as Freddie the Clown, 1982[17]
- Simon and Simon – episode "Grand Illusion" as Barnaby the Great, 1983
- Alice in Wonderland (1985 film) as The Lory Bird, 1985.
- Highway to Heaven episode "Playing for keeps" – 1987.
- Murder She Wrote episode (The Big Show of 1965) – 1990
- Tales from the Crypt – 1992
- The Building – 1993
- Frasier – episode "Crane vs. Crane" as Harlow Safford, 1996
- The Nanny – episode "Freida Needa Man" as Fred (1996)
Stage
- Little Me (1964; 1968; 1980)
- Promises, Promises (1972)
- Where's Charley? (1976)
- Weekend with Feathers (1976)
- Sugar (1979)
- Wally's Cafe (1980)
- Bring Back Birdie (1981)
- Say Hello to Harvey (1981)
- Show Boat (1982; 1983)
- I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982)
- How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (1985)
- Two for the Show (1989)
- Charley's Aunt (1989)
- The Sunshine Boys (1990)
- The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies (1998)
References
- ^ "O'Connor, Donald David Dixon Ronald". Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. Encyclopedia.com. 2007. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ Frank Cullen; Florence Hackman; Donald McNeilly (8 October 2006). Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-93853-8.
- ^ Current Biography Yearbook, Vol. 16. H.W. Wilson Co. 1955. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ a b c d e Richard Severo (29 September 2003). "Donald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Through Many Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead". The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ Zylstra, Freida. (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Is a Veteran of Stage and Films at 25" Chicago Daily Tribune
- ^ Donald O'Connor's musical Journey keeps him on road Dale, Steve. Chicago Tribune 20 Dec 1985: n_a50.
- ^ T, Teresa and Tracy Ann Murray, T 'n'. "Donald O'Connor Web Site".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ PARAMOUNT SIGNS DONALD O'CONNOR: Actor Will Make 3 Pictures for Studio -- Betty Hutton's Film May Be One of Them By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. 24 Jan 1952: 23.
- ^ "Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff". Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^ Donald O'Connor Scheduled for Another 'Francis' Film Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 18 Oct 1954: b16.
- ^ Davis, Ronald L. (2005). Just Making Movies. University Press of Mississippi. p. 183.
- ^ Alex McNeil, Total Television, p. 231
- ^ "Donald O'Connor by Susan M. Kelly".
- ^ "Palm Spring Walk of Stars". PalmSprings.com. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ "Archives - Philly.com".
- ^ Welkos, Robert W. (2003-09-28). "Donald O'Connor, 78; Entertainer Immortalized by 'Singin' in the Rain'". latimes.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ "The Littlest Hobo: The Clown". IMDb. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
External links
- Donald O'Connor at the Internet Broadway Database
- Donald O'Connor at IMDb
- Mindy Alloff's 1979 interview with O'Connor
- Donald O'Connor on "The Colgate Comedy Hour" (1951-54) at Classic TV Info.
- Donald O'Connor on "Texaco Star Theater" (1954-55) at Classic TV Info.
- Film-shots
- Donald O'Connor at Find a Grave
- 1925 births
- 2003 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century singers
- American male dancers
- American male film actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- American military personnel of World War II
- American people of Irish descent
- American tap dancers
- American television directors
- Television producers from Illinois
- Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
- Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
- Male actors from Chicago
- Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Traditional pop music singers
- Vaudeville performers
- 20th-century American dancers