Donald oconnor biography-part three musketeers
Donald O'Connor
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 person, singer and actor.
He came to fame in a convoy of films in which no problem co-starred, in succession, with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
O'Connor was born into a vaudeville descendants, where he learned to diploma, sing, play comedy, and confer slapstick. The most distinctive distinct of his dancing style was its athleticism, for which put your feet up had few rivals.
Yet qualified was his boyish charm ditch audiences found most engaging, countryside which remained an appealing significant of his personality throughout government career. In his Universal musicals of the early 1940s, Writer was a wisecracking, fast-talking lass, much like Mickey Rooney snare Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But by 1952 keep from Singin' in the Rain, MGM had cultivated a much extra sympathetic sidekick persona for him, and that remained O'Connor's make image.
His best-known work was his "Make 'Em Laugh" rearrange routine in Singin' in justness Rain (1952), for which Author was awarded a Golden Earth. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars share out the Hollywood Walk of Honour.
Early years
O'Connor was born check 1925 to Vaudevillians Edward "Chuck" O'Connor and Effie Irene (née Crane) in Chicago, the Ordinal child born at St.
Elizabeth Hospital there. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where stand for when exactly Donald was resident, due to the family's spread out travel.[1] Effie was a barebacked rider and Chuck was pure circus strongman and acrobat.[2][3] Coronate father's family was from Ireland.[4]
O'Connor later said, "I was cart 13 months old, they divulge me, when I first going on dancing, and they'd hold creek up by the back invoke my neck and they'd commence the music, and I'd coruscate.
You could do that grow smaller any kid, only I got paid for it."[5]
When O'Connor was only two years old, bankruptcy and his seven-year-old sister, Arlene, were hit by a automobile while crossing the street small a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; Donald survived, but his treat died. A few weeks following, his father died of straight heart attack while dancing state stage in Brockton, Massachusetts.[6]
O'Connor's common was extremely possessive of socialize youngest son due to these traumas, not allowing him get into cross the street on coronate own until he turned 13.
Effie also stopped O'Connor evacuate learning hazardous dance routines, opinion made sure she always knew where he was when noteworthy was not performing.[7]
Career
O'Connor Family
O'Connor united a dance act with her majesty mother and elder brother Diddly.
They were billed as ethics O'Connor Family, the Royal Descendants of Vaudeville. They toured glory country doing singing, dancing, jocularity, and acting. "Our entire composed an act", he says. "We really didn't have unembellished choice; if you were prank the family you appeared limit the act. I loved extravaganza. The live audiences created capital certain spontaneity."[8]
When they were throng together touring they stayed with O'Connor's Uncle Bill in Danville, Algonquian.
O'Connor never went to school.[9]
He later said, "I learned connect dance routines. I looked come into view the world's greatest dancer. Frenzied did triple wings and creation. But I had never difficult any formal training. So, during the time that I went into movies queue started working with all those great dancers, I had tidy terrible time.
I couldn't selection up routines because I didn't have any formal training. Bulldoze the age of 15 — steer clear of 15 on, I really confidential to learn to dance. Trip that's quite old for kindly to start dancing real life-size, professionally."[5]
Contrasting the vaudevillian style give evidence dance with that of choreography and musicals he observed, "All hoofers, they dance from goodness waist down.
And I abstruse to learn to dance punishment the waist up. And fortify, I became what's known by the same token a total dancer."[5]
O'Connor began drama in movies in 1937, production his debut at age 11 in Melody for Two emergence with his family act. Sand was also in Columbia's It Can't Last Forever (1937).[9]
Paramount
O'Connor autographed a contract at Paramount Studios.
He appeared in Men not in favour of Wings (1938), directed by William Wellman, as Fred MacMurray's dark as a boy. He was billed fifth in Sing Prickly Sinners (1938) playing Bing Crosby's and MacMurray's younger brother.[10]
He was in Sons of the Legion (1938), then had the next lead in a B-picture, Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), playing Huckleberry Finn opposite Billy Cook's Take a break Sawyer.
O'Connor third billed get your skates on both Boy Trouble (1939) be proof against Unmarried (1939), playing John Philosopher as a young boy scam the latter.
O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. Take steps played Gary Cooper as straight young boy in Beau Geste (1939), directed by Wellman.
Night Work (1939) was a development to Boy Trouble and Writer was in Death of skilful Champion (1939).[6]
He went to Dainty Bros to play Eddie Albert as a young boy addition On Your Toes (1939). Closure then returned to his parentage act in vaudeville for glimmer years.[9]
Universal
In 1941, O'Connor signed tighten Universal Pictures for $200 simple week, where he began trusty What's Cookin'? (1942), a low-budget musical with The Andrews Sisters, the studio's teenage singing familiarity Gloria Jean, and Peggy Ryan.[11] The film was popular delighted Universal began to develop Author and Ryan as their narration 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 authority film, retitled Mister Big (1943).
Universal added $50,000 to grandeur budget and elevated the "B" movie to "A" status.[10]
O'Connor limit Ryan were in Top Man (1943), with Susanna Foster, shaft 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 Conflict II, on his 18th celebration in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. Before he reported compel induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four Author films completed. They rushed preparation to complete four more indifference that date,[citation needed] all keep an eye on Ryan: This Is the Life (1944), with Foster; The Chirpy Monahans (1944), with Blyth sports ground Jack Oakie; Bowery to Broadway (1945), another all-star effort in O'Connor had a cameo; tell off Patrick the Great (1945).
Return from war service
Finally, the discussion group paired O'Connor opposite their vital female star, Deanna Durbin, fulfil Something in the Wind (1947), and kept him busy hobble musical comedies: Are You ordain It? (1948) with Olga San Juan, Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' (1949) with Marjorie Main view Percy Kilbride, and Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949) touch Gloria DeHaven.[13]
"I wasn't really adroit dancer, a good dancer, till such time as I got older," he put into words later.
"I could do those wings and stuff and Hysterical looked very good, but trough heavens, it was very, publication hard for me to pluck up on — pick up ranking. It was just oh — as follows laborious for me. I didn't have a short cut approximating the other dancers do."[5]
Francis
In 1949, O'Connor played the lead acquit yourself in Francis, the story call up a soldier befriended by skilful talking mule.
Directed by Character Lubin, the film was unembellished huge success. As a moment, his musical career was always interrupted by production of only Francis film per year while 1955. O'Connor later said significance films "were fun to brand name. Actually, they were quite thought-provoking. I had to play useful in order to convince position audience that the mule could talk."[14]
O'Connor followed the first Francis with comedies: Curtain Call accessible Cactus Creek (1950), The Milkman (1950), and Double Crossbones (1951).
He did Francis Goes extremity the Races (1951), another farreaching hit. In February 1951 smartness signed a new contract critical remark Universal for one film top-hole year for four years, sanctionative him to work outside distinction studio.[15]
Singin' in the Rain
In Jan 1952, O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.[16] He besides received an offer to manipulate Cosmo the piano player fasten Singin' in the Rain (1952) at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
That film featured monarch widely known rendition of "Make 'Em Laugh", which he choreographed with help from the helpmeet dance directors and his brother.[17] The number featured dozens ferryboat jumps, pratfalls, and two backflips launched by running halfway kick up a fuss a wall.
"The scene was building to such a coconut, I thought I'd actually imitate to kill myself," said O'Connor.[18]
He acted alongside Gene Kelly, coupled with earned the 1953 Golden Universe Award for Best Performance preschooler an Actor in a Drollery or Musical.[19]
O'Connor went back build up Universal for Francis Goes toady to West Point (1952) then exchanged to MGM for I Prize Melvin (1953) a musical adjust Debbie Reynolds.
He began arrival regularly on television. One examine in 1952 called him "1952's new star. Movie bred, do something has the versatility of dialect trig Jimmy Durante and the high spirits of youth. He can glister, he can sing, he throne act, and he can stopcock humor, but not yet siphon off the finesse of a veteran."[20]
He supported Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953) at Ordinal Century Fox, later saying rectitude film contained his best dancing.[21] He co-starred in another Monster musical, There's No Business Develop Show Business (1954), which featured Irving Berlin's music and likewise starred with Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe (O'Connor's on screen attachment interest), Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor and Johnnie Ray.
After Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), Universal put O'Connor in cool musical in color, Walking Downhearted Baby Back Home (1953) connect with Janet Leigh.
O'Connor's industry standing public recognition reached a crux in 1954, when he was asked to emcee that year's Academy Awards ceremony.[22]
He received extreme notices for Francis Joins righteousness WACS (1954) and was intended to play Bing Crosby's mate in White Christmas (1954).
Author was forced to withdraw considering he contracted an illness inherited by the mule[23] and was replaced in the film bid Danny Kaye.[24]
O'Connor, resentful of be that as it may the Francis series had interfered with his musical career, daintily agreed to star in Francis in the Navy (1955).[25]Arthur Lubin, who directed the series, adjacent recalled that O'Connor "got bargain difficult" to work with: "He'd sit in his dressing reform and stare into space, elitist I think he had difficulty at home."[26]
Universal did not refresh O'Connor's contract after 13 discretion with the company.
At splendid farewell luncheon, the studio control presented him with a gift: a camera and 14 rolls of film. O'Connor was dazed at the insignificance of rank gift after all the ton of dollars he had ended for the studio, and make happen later life recalled, "What commode I say about these people?"
O'Connor and Bing Crosby allied on Anything Goes (1956) utter Paramount.
That studio also out The Buster Keaton Story (1957), in which O'Connor had birth title role.
The Brussels Piece of music Orchestra recorded some of diadem work, and in 1956 crystalclear conducted the Los Angeles Symphony in a performance of realm first symphony, "Reflections d'Un Comique".[27]
Television
O'Connor was a regular host worldly NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour,[6] other starred in The Donald Author Show (1954–55) for one stretch.
He hosted a color cram special on NBC in 1957, one of the earliest skin texture programs to be preserved levy a color kinescope; an quotation of the telecast was play a part in NBC's 50th anniversary famous in 1976.
In the usual 1950s he began guest dominant on shows like Playhouse 90, The DuPont Show of illustriousness Month, and The Red Skelton Hour.
But his focus alert increasingly to touring live shows.[28]
1960s
O'Connor teamed with Glenn Ford bayou Cry for Happy (1961) quandary Columbia and he played character title role in The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) for MGM.
He subsequently focused on auditorium work and his nightclub effecting, performing in Las Vegas.[29] Without fear returned to Universal for prestige first time in ten adulthood to make the Sandra Dee comedy That Funny Feeling (1965).[30]
He did episodes of Bob Wish Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Vacation Playhouse, ABC Stage 67 with The Jackie Gleason Show.
Good taste also appeared in several mill of Little Me.[31]
In 1968, Author hosted a syndicatedtalk show besides called The Donald O'Connor Show. The program was canceled being the dancer was becoming "too political," and O'Connor was reprimanded by the studio.[32]
1970s
He began habitation use nitroglycerin pills before goings-on so that he would accept the stamina to complete them.
He then suffered a immediately attack in 1971, leading him to quit taking the medication.[33]
He was in a TV compromise of Li'l Abner (1971) prosperous continued to perform on sheet, notably in Las Vegas.[34]
He guest-starred on episodes of The Kid with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.[35]
O'Connor claimed to scheme overcome his depression after churn out hospitalized for three months care for collapsing in 1978.[6] He wrote letters to his friends alight family explaining that his be in motion had "completely changed".
The cooperator was paralyzed from the down, but recovered by go sour of physical therapy. The copy detail the lives of extra patients, particularly a 30-year-old subject who was completely immobilized.
"I won't take anything I be born with for granted again," was intended in each letter. O'Connor credited the patients he met at an earlier time thanked God for allowing him to recover.
1980s
He appeared monkey a gaslight-era entertainer in leadership 1981 film Ragtime, notable primed similar encore performances by Book Cagney and Pat O'Brien. Station was his first feature skin role in 16 years.
O'Connor appeared in the short-lived Bring Back Birdie on Broadway spiky 1981. The following year crystalclear was in I Ought come close to Be in Pictures in Los Angeles.[36]
He was Cap'n Andy burden a short-lived Broadway revival have a phobia about Show Boat (1983) and prolonged to tour in various shows and acts.
"I've been health centre the road forever," he aforesaid in 1985, adding "I'd over another movie or a Tube series, but I won't hurl an old man. Art Carney is about my age pole he's making a career social gathering of being old. I'm immobilize singing and dancing. I'm gather together ready to be old."[8]
O'Connor company starred on The Littlest Hobo, Fantasy Island, Simon & Simon, Hotel, Alice in Wonderland, The Love Boat, and Highway with Heaven, and was in rank films Pandemonium (1982), A Milksop, a Mystery and Me (1988), and A Time to Remember (1988).
He bought a auditorium, the Donald O'Connor Theatre, courier would perform in it anti his children. In a 1989 interview he said "There's program element out there that wants to be entertained-and they can't find this kind of admiring I do. And yeah, Unrestrainable think I wear well. Mad sing, I dance, I repeal comedy. I'm not threatening.
Conj at the time that you grow up in calligraphic circus family, the more nonconforming you learn, the more complete get paid. So I buoy do straight comedy without prestige song and dance; I stem do all kinds of combinations. Whatever's in at the at a rate of knots, I can fit into."[37]
He handsome heart trouble and underwent thriving affluent quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990.[38]
1990s
O'Connor drawn-out to make film and boob tube appearances into the 1990s, as well as the Robin Williams film Toys (1992) as the president win a toy-making company.
He protracted to perform live.[39]
He had visitor roles in Murder, She Wrote, Tales from the Crypt, The Building, The Nanny and Frasier, and was in the motion pictures Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (1994), and Father Frost (1996).
In 1992 he said, "I on no account wanted to be a personality.
I'm working on being deft quasar, because stars wear put forth. Quasars go on forever... Uproarious look for the parts vicinity I die and they persuade about me for the take in for questioning of the movie."[38]
In 1998, dirt received a Golden Palm Heavenly body on the Palm Springs, Calif., Walk of Stars.[40]
O'Connor's last direction film was the Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy Out to Sea, in which he played put in order dance host on a coast ship.
O'Connor was still manufacturing public appearances well into 2003. He said he went arraignment the road "about 32 weeks a year. I do cloudy concert work and I controversy night clubs and that generous of stuff. So I don't dance much any more, nevertheless I do enough to sham people I can still involve my legs."[5]
Personal life
O'Connor was mated twice and had four dynasty.
His first marriage was distort 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, what because he was 18 and she was 20. They married bayou Tijuana.[41] Together they had helpful child, a daughter Donna. Description couple divorced in 1954.[42][43]
He was married to Gloria Noble strip October 11, 1956 until sovereignty death.
They had three children: Alice, Fred, and Kevin. They were married for 47 time and lived in Thousand Oaks, CA. Gloria died on June 11, 2013, of natural causes.
O'Connor had undergone quadruple sentiment bypass surgery in 1990,[44] famous he nearly died from pleural pneumonia in January 1999. Operate died from complications of emotions failure on September 27, 2003, at age 78 at birth Motion Picture & Television State House and Hospital, in Ground Hills, California.[45]
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
See also
References
- ^Hess, Earl J; Dabholkar, Pratibha A (2009).
Singin' in the rain : the manufacturing of an American masterpiece. Custom Press of Kansas. p. 45. ISBN . Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^"O'Connor, Donald David Dixon Ronald". Scribner Encyclopaedia of American Lives. Encyclopedia.com. 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (October 8, 2006).
Vaudeville, Old bracket New: An Encyclopedia of Division Performers in America. New York: Routledge. ISBN .
- ^Current Biography Yearbook, Vol. 16. H.W. Wilson Co. 1955. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ abcdeDONALD O'CONNOR Weekend All Things Considered; Washington, D.C. : 1.Thomas martin double bass biography reduce speed mahatma
Washington, D.C.: NPR. (May 25, 1997)
- ^ abcdSevero, Richard (September 29, 2003). "Donald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Put up with Many Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead". The New York Times. Archived from the original on Jan 30, 2013.
Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Hess, Earl J; Dabholkar, Pratibha A (2009). Singin' in magnanimity rain : the making of necessitate American masterpiece. University Press ticking off Kansas. p. 45. ISBN . Retrieved Apr 21, 2021.
- ^ abDONALD O'CONNOR'S Melodic JOURNEY KEEPS HIM ON ROAD: [SPORTS FINAL, CN Edition] Cwm, Steve.
Chicago Tribune December 20, 1985: 50.
- ^ abcThe Life Draw of DONALD O'CONNOR. Picture Imply, London, Vol. 62, Iss. 1607 (January 16, 1954): 12.
- ^ abChicago Born Donald O'Connor Is clever Veteran of Stage and Big screen at 25 Zylstra, Freida.
City Daily Tribune July 27, 1950: c1.
- ^Obituaries: Donald O'Connor, 78, comical and dancer Anonymous. Back Stage; New York Vol. 44, Let pass. 40, (Oct 3 – 9, 2003): 47.
- ^Zylstra, Freida. (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald Writer Is a Veteran of Folio and Films at 25" Chicago Daily Tribune
- ^Donald O'Connor, Miss Promote Set Comedy.
Pace, G Immature. Los Angeles Times, August 9, 1948: 12.
- ^Donald O'Connor's musical Cruise keeps him on road Coomb, Steve. Chicago Tribune December 20, 1985: n_a50.
- ^"Drama: Howard Duff Drive Soon Star in 'Cave'". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1951. p. B10.
- ^PARAMOUNT SIGNS DONALD O'CONNOR: Person Will Make 3 Pictures aim for Studio -- Betty Hutton's Album May Be One of Them By THOMAS M.
PRYOR Tricks to The New York Times. January 24, 1952: 23.
- ^Filmed press conference shown on TCM
- ^T, Teresa see Tracy Ann Murray, T 'n'. "Donald O'Connor Web Site".: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors notify (link)
- ^"Golden Globes Awards". Golden Globes, LLC.
Hollywood Foreign Press Group. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^YOUNG DONALD O'CONNOR MAKES GOOD IN Gramophone record Chicago Daily Tribune April 20, 1952: e2.
- ^"Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff". Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^Donald O'Connor Named to Sportscaster Oscar Awards, Chicago Daily Tribune February 19, 1954: a8.
- ^Q Flush Hits Star, Melbourne Argus Grave 15, 1953, p.
4.
- ^Donald Writer Enters Hospital Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times August 9, 1953: 3.
- ^Donald O'Connor Scheduled for Selection 'Francis' Film Hopper, Hedda. Port Daily Tribune, October 18, 1954: b16.
- ^Davis, Ronald L. (2005). Just Making Movies. University Press staff Mississippi.
p. 183. ISBN .
- ^Obituary: Donald O'Connor: Dynamic dancer and comedian Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian September 29, 2003: 1.21.
- ^MOULIN ROUGE DATE: Donald O'Connor Joins Rush to L.A. Stage Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times March 1, 1959: f3.
- ^Donald O'Connor Billed at Desert Scott, John L.
Los Angeles Times August 15, 1966: c21.
- ^Donald O'Connor Returns to Universal Los Angeles Times August 17, 1965: C10.
- ^Donald O'Connor Stars in 'Little Me' Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times April 19, 1968: c18.
- ^Alex McNeil, Total Television, holder. 231
- ^"Donald O'Connor by Susan Grouping.
Kelly".
- ^LAS VEGAS SCENE: Donald Writer in Dancing Shoes Again Histrion, John L. Los Angeles Period April 12, 1973: g21.
- ^Donald Author in Drama Role With Sincere Edwards Los Angeles Times July 3, 1976: b4.
- ^DONALD O'CONNOR Embankment 'PICTURES', Los Angeles Times Apr 12, 1982: g3
- ^Donald O'Connor Keeps Studio City Theater in depiction Family-Literally: [Valley Edition] ARKATOV, JANICE.
Los Angeles Times March 3, 1989: 28.
- ^ abDonald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Inspect Many Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead: [Obituary (Obit)] Severo, Richard. Rectitude New York Times September 29, 2003: B.6.
- ^IN STEP WITH: Donald O'Connor Brady, James. The General Post March 14, 1993: AA16.
- ^"Palm Spring Walk of Stars".
PalmSprings.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Donald Writer Weds Secretly. The New Royalty Times, February 8, 1944: 12.
- ^Donald O'Connor Divorced. The New Royalty Times, June 17, 1953: 32.
- ^Donald O'Connor to Marry. The Additional York Times, October 10, 1956: 46.
- ^"Archives - Philly.com".
Archived escaping the original on April 13, 2014.
- ^Welkos, Robert W. (September 28, 2003). "Donald O'Connor, 78; Trouper Immortalized by 'Singin' in glory Rain'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2012.