O'Connor and Ryan were in Top Man (1943), with Susanna Foster, and Chip Off the Old Block (1944), with Ann Blyth. Though his body was aging, his eyes still had the same fire, the same knowing sparkle that said,Im about to make a complete and utter fool of myself. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Donald O'Connor Enters Hospital "[36], He developed heart trouble and underwent successful quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990. [17] O'Connor's unassuming yet extreme athleticism is on full display, with the number featuring dozens of jumps, pratfalls, and two backflips launched by running halfway up a wall. September 27, 2003 / 9:06 PM / AP Entertainer Donald O'Connor, who combined comedy and acrobatics in the show-stopping "Make 'Em Laugh" number in the classic movie "Singin' in the Rain," died. He was in Sons of the Legion (1938), then had the second lead in a B-picture, Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), playing Huckleberry Finn opposite Billy Cook's Tom Sawyer. Hed made a science of playingthe system for a week or two,only toescape back into his old habits. Its a tremendous honor. God bless you, OConnor replied. When MGM released its compilationThats Entertainment, this was the one that could still makelistless audiences break into spontaneous applause in the theaters. In February 1951 he signed a new contract with Universal for one film a year for four years, enabling him to work outside the studio. He created the Donald O'Connor Alcoholism Counseling Scholarship. He takes his final bowwith a look ofsheergratitude on his face. He . I couldn't pick up routines because I didn't have any formal training. O'Connor made his first stage appearance at three days old, lying onstage across a piano bench beside his mother who, not yet ready to return to heavy dancing, played the piano. His best-known musical work is probably Singin in the Rain 1952 in which he did an impressive dance that culminated in a series of backflips off the wall. "[5], In 1949, O'Connor played the lead role in Francis, the story of a soldier befriended by a talking mule. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule . He then returned to his family act in vaudeville for two years. Then Kelly broke the news to Donald that he had to do it all over again, because the footage had beenruined through a camera goof. Dancing in the Rain: The Donald O'Connor Story (Part I of III), Dancing In the Rain: The Donald OConnor Story (Part II of III). (Photo by John Swope/Getty Images) Save. Despite Keatons credit as a technical advisor, OConnor watched the legends input on his own life storygo in one ear and out the other. So damned dishonest, he would later recall with disgust. Hang on to your chairs and lamps. Gene Kelly knew what he was doing when he hand-picked Donald OConnor as his right-hand man in Singin In the Rain. He spent his childhood . Perhaps the flip side of being so responsible was the sheer . Characters were ordinary people expressing their feelings, not entertainers putting on a show. It was just right for that moment. [2][3] His father's family was from Ireland. The four-minute song-and-dance number featuring all three of the film's stars (Kelly, Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor) took 15 hours to get right. "I capture your attention without giving you time to think about it. The fact that Reynolds could keep pace with her co-stars at all is remarkable. 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 routine is often cited as a tour de force in physical comedy. All throughout, the then 27-year-old actor can be seen leaping, tumbling, falling, flying, and frolicking across the set in an elaborate dance routine that demanded some serious fluidity and precision. I hope so." The program was cancelled due to the dancer becoming "too political," and O'Connor was reprimanded by the studio. I think it will bring me happiness. And when I learned that Fred Astaire had once danced up the walls and across the ceiling it dazzled me once again. US Movies From 1981 I Like. Times Staff Writer. (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Is a Veteran of Stage and Films at 25". O'Connor was born into a Vaudeville family, where he learned to dance, sing, play comedy, even slapstick. After all of that work, Kelly, who was also the film's co-director, ended up selecting the first take for the finished movie. Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Is a Veteran of Stage and Films at 25 1080p HD "Good Morning" - Singin' in the Rain (1952), Debbie Reynolds\'s Childhood Home is For Sale, Debbie Reynolds Tribute at Halloweentown Festival, Peek At Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds\' Home Sale, Jennifer Garner Stuns in Low-Cut Jumpsuit, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. However, the art of song and dance had its pioneers long before Kaufman ever stepped up before a crowd. Upon O'Connor's return from military service Universal did not know what to do with their young star. Granted, he is still acting, but theres no question that he was drawing on the pain behind his own lifes work to convey the depth of Keatons pent-up sorrow. Obituary: Donald O'Connor: Dynamic dancer and comedian [40] Together they had one child, a daughter Donna. I had to play straight in order to convince the audience that the mule could talk."[14]. As a consequence, his musical career was constantly interrupted by production of one Francis film per year until 1955. Q Fever Hits Star, Melbourne Argus 15 Aug 1953, p. 4. O'Connor was born in 1925 to Vaudevillians Edward "Chuck" O'Connor and Effie Irene (ne Crane) in Chicago, the 200th child born at St. Elizabeth Hospital there. [33], He guest-starred on episodes of The Girl with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.[34]. Not that Kelly minded. "I could do those wings and stuff and I looked very good, but my heavens it was very, very hard for me to pick up on pick up steps. "The scene was building to such a crescendo, I thought I'd actually have to kill myself," said O'Connor. Mark Steyn has described it as the essence of entertainment, adding Its only purpose is to delight. Directed by Arthur Lubin, the film was a huge success. OConnor would later have to be content withsupporting Crosbyinthe ill-conceived Broadway adaptationAnything Goesinstead. I'm still singing and dancing. O'Connor was married twice and had four children. But co-star Mitzi Gaynor recalls that instead, The two Irishmen went off and had a beer. (Ironically, Gwen would later divorce Dailey as well, citing among other cruelties that he snubbed her friends.). He was often cast as a brash and energetic young man during World War II, and paired with the equally energetic actress and tap dancer, Peggy Ryan. 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. Az legismertebb szerepe Cosmo Brown az nek az esben zens filmben Gene Kellyvel s Debbie Reynoldsszal . It doesnt seem to affect the girls though, arent they wonderful?, He guest-starredon the first episode of the Judy Garland show in 1962, where the two old friends reminisced and affectionately skewered their vaudevilleroots together. [4], "Make 'Em Laugh" is listed at #49 in AFI's 100 Years100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.[5]. His father, John Edward "Chuck" O'Connor, was an acrobat with Ringling-Barnum and Bailey Circus; his mother, Effie, was a circus bareback rider and dancer. [41][42] During the turbulent nine-year marriage, Carter physically abused O'Connor in frustration over her lack of an acting career. During World War II, on his 18th birthday in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. 62, Iss. That year marked the beginning of his accelerated descent into full-blown alcoholism. Heres one of the most famous dance scenes from movie musical history. "I was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day then, and getting up those walls was murder,"O'Connor said while reflecting upon the scene and its staggering effect upon him. I didnt escape it. At age 47, he got his first warningin 1972, suffering a heart attack while entertaining troops in Vietnam. The live audiences created a certain spontaneity. Donald OConnor was the last of the song and dance men. Please note: images depicting historical events may contain themes, or have descriptions, that do not reflect current understanding. Donald O'Connor Stars in 'Little Me' [9], He later said, "I learned two dance routines. In retrospect, the film might have been more fittingly titled The Donald OConnor Story, as it eerily foreshadowedthe actors own future. Actor Donald O'Connor dancing on roller skates, probably in preparation for filming of I Love Melvin. Donald O'Connor, Who Danced Through Many Hollywood Musicals, Dies at 78 By Richard Severo Sept. 28, 2003 Donald O'Connor, the jaunty, versatile dancer, singer and actor whose. However, Donen recalled, the resulting number was "100% plagiarism. Fans filed through the estate sale by the thousands. DONALD O'CONNOR'S MUSICAL JOURNEY KEEPS HIM ON ROAD: [SPORTS FINAL, CN Edition] A real entertainer would rather give than receive. Everybody loved the clown, but nobody knew who the real Donald OConnor wasnot even himself. The man who performed the most sensational solo number in the history of musical comedy is dead. Thanks for reading! At home, his wife Gloria recalled him asan absolute terror to live with at that time, his personality changing in seconds under the influence. O'Connor's mother was extremely possessive of her youngest son due to these traumas, not allowing him to cross the street on his own until he turned 13. This concludes Part II. DONALD O'CONNOR IN 'PICTURES', Los Angeles Times 12 Apr 1982: g3. His first marriage was in 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, when he was 18 and she was 20. He somehow managed to pull it off, though not without a degree of minor consequence (per IMDb). Dale, Steve. OConnor still recalled these stunts with pride decades later, even calling up a good friend late one night to offer running phone commentary for a TV showing. Most entertaining and most revolutionary moments from their movie musicals. She did her best. Everything about me is based on show business. (May 25, 1997). His best-known musical work is probably Singin' in the Rain (1952), in which he did an impressive dance that culminated in a series of backflips off the wall. [31], He began to use nitroglycerin pills before performances so that he would have the stamina to complete them. He was sober, and he was happy. Born into a family of circus and vaudeville performers, O'Connor made his first stage appearance at the age of 13 months. Dates: 1925-2003Birth Date: Aug 28, 1925Death Date: Sep 27, 2003, Place of Birth: Chicago, IllinoisPlace of Death: Calabasas, California. He was Cap'n Andy in a short-lived Broadway revival of Show Boat (1983) and continued to tour in various shows and acts. O'Connor later said regarding Effie, "She wanted me to be as great as I possibly could be. You could do that with any kid, only I got paid for it.. On tour, he made a beeline for the bar in every new town. In one number,he strives to conceal his frustration with the live bandwhenthe intro isnt gelling, but theres a hint of steel in his mild-mannered rebuke: Wait for me, will you please?, OConnors TV career would fizzle in parallel with his film career. He maintained his high standards of excellence through the 60s, as evidenced in some rare clips thathave surfaced on Youtube. For Singin' in the Rain, however, MGM cultivated a much more sympathetic sidekick persona, and that remained O'Connor's signature image. musical work is probably. a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. He became one of the rotating hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour and starred in three different incarnations of The Donald O'Connor Show for NBC in 1951 and 1954-55, for which he was nominated for an Emmy (1952) and received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Personality (1953). But his focus moved increasingly to touring live shows.[27]. (Asked howthatturkey gotmade, he replied bluntly, Because they had the money, and they couldnt think of anything else to do.). Singin in the Rain from the movie Singin in the Rain 1952. [7] She was a typical stage mother, often striking him. Of all the famous dance partners choreographer-director Gene Kelly worked with, Jerry, the superimposed cartoon mouse from 1945's Anchors Aweigh, was his favorite. Another legendary dancer, Fred Astaire, then in his early 50s, was the one to comfort her. A few weeks later, his father died of a heart attack while dancing on stage in Brockton, Massachusetts. And the more pleased an audience is, the more energy I get from it and give back to the audience., OConnor savored the 90s like a long, loving goodbye. I loved vaudeville. "I'm an illusionista trickster who quick chances before your eyes," he admitted in 1992. Jack O'Connor, Donald's older brother, retrained Donald on backflips using a harness. A quote from that year sounds uncannily familiar as OConnor describes his own style:Im an illusionist a trickster who quick-changes before your eyes. With a backlog of seven features, deferred openings kept O'Connor's screen presence uninterrupted during the two years he was overseas with Special Services in the U.S. Army Air Forces. I do my concert work and I do night clubs and that kind of stuff. In 1975, the BBC asked Donald O'Connor if the musical was dead. "We really didn't have a choice; if you were in the family you appeared in the act. All credits and goes to Warner Bros and the movie Singin in the RainDonald OConnor performing the worlds greatest dance act. A merger in 1946 had reorganized the studio as Universal-International. His best-known work was his "Make 'Em Laugh" dance routine in Singin' in the Rain (1952), for which role O'Connor was awarded a Golden Globe. Donald O'Connor Divorced. ", "AFI List of Top 100 Songs From U.S. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where and when exactly Donald was born, due to the family's extensive travel. It was around this time that Donald gave his most revealing and heart-wrenching interview. But as weeks turned to months, he realized that he had finally found the security he sought for so long. There ought to be a running club named after Donald O'Connora club with high hopes. His succinct answer: "No. But privately, the two masters understood each other well and commiserated over the generic flop. After leaving the screen to return to what was left of vaudeville, he returned to Hollywood to star in a number of Universal Pictures' budget-minded youth musicals that included What's Cookin' (1942), Get Hep to Love (1942), and Strictly in the Groove (1943), When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1942), It Comes Up Love (1943), Mr. Big (1943), Top Man (1943), The Merry Monahans (1944), and Bowery to Broadway (1944). Donald O'Connor to Marry. Director: William A. Wellman | Stars: Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy Votes: 6,231 Beau Geste as a Child 11. Cause of death: alcoholism. Monroe herself was intimidated by the show biz pros dancing aroundher, sometimesfumblingdozens of takes per scene. One fan had a front-row seat and later recalled, There were so many curtain calls, it was unbelievable. His best-known musical work is probably Singin' in the Rain (1952), in which he did an impressive dance that culminated in a series of backflips off the wall. They brought me those little Oriental rugswouldnt absorb a sponge. He consulted with his brother Jack on running up the wall,an old trick from his circus days. Which is a lot harder than it sounds.. Donald was honored with a retrospective at New York's Lincoln Center and an honorary degree from Boston University. Apparently, the scene was so physically distressing for the actor, he retired to a hospital bed for three whole days in order to recover from it (via IMDb). All the while, O'Connor frantically belts his heart out, delivering a supercharged ditty without missing a single note. Born into a vaudeville family OConnor was the youthful figure cutting a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. ] She was a huge success heart-wrenching interview divorce Dailey as well, citing other. 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