[39], 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. 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. The late Andy Kaufman used to refer to himself as a "song and dance man" whenever people tried to label him a comedian (via Society of Rock). Back Stage; New York Vol. Los Angeles Times 3 Mar 1989: 28. Get it done and come back home. Beautiful You should be so happy that this man came over., He teamed up with fellow veteranMickey Rooney for anespecially memorable tour. His family had the answer. 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. You gotta SMILE! He finally struck Broadway gold again in 1983, and it put the wind back in the sails of his stage career. So it was back tohis first love: the stage. I move fast, I keep changing my hats. He trained hard with Keaton and threw himself into the role with perhaps even more dedication than usual, literally risking his life to recreate some of Keatons most daring stunts. He spoke without resentment. O'Connor will be remembered as "The Last Song and Dance Man." He was famous for his versatility, knack for physical comedy and acrobatic dancing style. 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. Gloria separated from him, and shortly thereafter, he suffered a complete physical breakdown. Unfortunately for the OConnor family world events often coincided with terrible personal losses requiring Donald to assume adult responsibilities at a. Donald OConnor performs Make em Laugh a hilarious number from Singing in the Rain the 1952 musical. 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. "He showed up on time and worked his little tail off," Kelly once .css-k807px{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:brandColorSenary;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#006603;-webkit-transition:background .4s ease-in-out,color .4s ease-in-out;transition:background .4s ease-in-out,color .4s ease-in-out;background:linear-gradient(to bottom,#e6f4e1 0,#e6f4e1 100%);-webkit-background-position:0 100%;background-position:0 100%;background-repeat:repeat-x;-webkit-background-size:0 0;background-size:0 0;}.css-k807px:hover{color:#29511A;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-size:0.625rem 3.125rem;background-size:0.625rem 3.125rem;}said. Los Angeles Times 3 July 1976: b4. He also briefly crossed paths with Robin Williams in 1992, when Williams invited Donald to play his father in the off-beat experiment Toys. He also appeared in several productions of Little Me. Donald David Dixon Ronald OConnor was an American dancer singer and actor. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where and when exactly Donald was born, due to the family's extensive travel. Entdecke 1976 Pressefoto Schauspieler Donald O'Connor auf "Police Story" - mjb25238 in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! While it certainly got him down in real life, he was back at it after the three days of rest had restored him to proper health. But the closest Donald ever came to losing his cool was a day when he threw his hat on the floor, composed himself, then whispered to Mitzi Gaynor, I think she needs a little more rehearsal. Meanwhile, OConnor lent his usual classy solo touchto the production, performing Irving Berlins A Man Chases a Girl to perfection. Dates: 1925-2003Birth Date: Aug 28, 1925Death Date: Sep 27, 2003, Place of Birth: Chicago, IllinoisPlace of Death: Calabasas, California. "[19], He supported Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953) at 20th Century Fox, later saying the film contained his best dancing.[20]. The Washington Post 14 Mar 1993: AA16. Carter remarried in 1955 to actor Dan Dailey. Director: William A. Wellman | Stars: Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy Votes: 6,231 Beau Geste as a Child 11. In some of the best dance television camera work to date, O'Connor joined the brothers in "Cute," a medium tempo swing tune by Neal Hefti in which he tapped out feather-light shuffles and heel-clicks. MOULIN ROUGE DATE: Donald O'Connor Joins Rush to L.A. But a sad reality was unfoldingbehind the scenes: His marriage to Gwen Carterwas falling apart. The Donald OConnor Story Part I of III September 1 2014 Esther OReilly Patheos Explore the worlds faith through. This clip features Donald O'Connor dancing on roller skates and was filmed two years before Gene Kelly "tap skated" in It's Always Fair Weather. The late Roger Ebertonce deemed it "one of the most amazing dance sequences ever filmed," and true to form also described it as "breathtaking.". (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Is a Veteran of Stage and Films at 25". Arthur Freed. 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. Danny Kaye inherited the part. I couldn't pick up routines because I didn't have any formal training. The OConnor Born in 1925 Donald OConnors life spanned the 20th Century with its depressions wars and social upheavals. And I had to learn to dance from the waist up. I've heard laughter and applause and known a lot of sorrow. Los Angeles Times 9 Aug 1953: 3. Audio Recording: Christmas with Donald and Debbie/BVM Records, BVMC 51317, 1992. O'Connor and some dance assistants strung together a series of O'Connor's funniest pratfalls and schtick. Their obligatory kiss was the ultimate anti-climax for both stars. 62, Iss. [37], 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. Even in pain, he was pulling funny faces and regaling them with jokes, with stories. Ironically, his character was fighting drug addiction. So I don't dance much any more, but I do enough to show people I can still move my legs."[5]. A young boy who aspires to become asinger has followedhis father into a bar to try to talk to him. With the decline of the studio system by the end of the decade, O'Connor launched himself into the television industry. Times Staff Writer. In 1992, hereleased an instructional tap dance video where he swapped stories and steps with the old, old masters. Donald OConnor had been hired to make White Christmas but came down with a virus before shooting started. ", Though it's reported that Reynolds eventually took a perspective of gratitude for everything Kelly had put her through, because it made her a better performer, the exacting director later admitted, "I wasn't very nice to Debbie. Zylstra, Freida. As a consequence, his musical career was constantly interrupted by production of one Francis film per year until 1955. Donald O'Connor Enters Hospital Donald O'Connor, an American actor, dancer, and singer, was born on August 28, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. One bit at the end of this show is achingly poignant. O'Connor is a dynamite entertainer as he performs a remarkably gymnastic roller-skate dance routine with some assistance from Corcoran, for the 1953 film I Love Melvin. It felt like an assault.I was stunned that this thirty-nine-year-old man would do this to me. My body just had to absorb this tremendous shock. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! O'Connor was born into a Vaudeville family, where he learned to dance, sing, play comedy, even slapstick. I didn't have a short cut like the other dancers do. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The couple divorced in 1954. [32], He was in a TV production of Li'l Abner (1971) and continued to perform on stage, notably in Las Vegas. Singin in the Rain from the movie Singin in the Rain 1952. I had to play straight in order to convince the audience that the mule could talk."[14]. (May 25, 1997). He insisted on finishing out the night, but by the next morning, he couldnt leave his bed. Kelly later recalled that every time they would ask OConnor to repeat a bit, he would say Oh, you mean like this? and do something different yet again. 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. Upon O'Connor's return from military service Universal did not know what to do with their young star. After all of that work, Kelly, who was also the film's co-director, ended up selecting the first take for the finished movie. 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[12], He, Ryan, and the Andrews 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 such good advantage that he became the focal point of the film, retitled Mister Big (1943). Songwriter and MGM "Freed unit" producer Arthur Freed used his own library of songs written with Nacio Herb Brown as the basis for the musical film Singin' in the Rain. I think is will bring me happiness. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received. Gene took me tightly in his arms . He did Francis Goes to the Races (1951), another big hit. Apparently, the iconic choreographer was quite the exacting director. ", .css-g0owdm{display:block;font-family:Memphis,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.625rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-g0owdm:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 40.625rem){.css-g0owdm{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-g0owdm{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 61.25rem){.css-g0owdm{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}Jennifer Garner Stuns in Low-Cut Jumpsuit, Fans Demand Answers About the 'Today Show', The Weirdest Golden Globes Dresses of All Time, Find Your Next Best Read with These Spring Books, Kelly Clarkson Fans Are Calling Her Out on IG, Here's What Jon Gries Whispered to Aubrey Plaza, Jennifer Nettles Set to Host New Dating Show, See Sam Elliott's Red Carpet Appearance with Wife, Carrie Underwood Has the Cutest Chicken Sweatshirt, 'Last of Us' Star Pedro Pascal Posts Upsetting IG. You could do that with any kid, only I got paid for it.. I'm surprised she still speaks to me. (Candid footage of the reception shows OConnor surreptitiously piling an extra slice of cake on the boys plate.) LAS VEGAS SCENE: Donald O'Connor in Dancing Shoes Again (Photo by John Swope/Getty Images) Save. Co-director Stanley Donen referenced the Cole Porter song "Be a Clown" from the film The Pirate, and further suggested that Freed and Brown compose a song using this as their inspiration. He instantly picks it up and embraces her with a kiss. Q Fever Hits Star, Melbourne Argus 15 Aug 1953, p. 4. His succinct answer: "No. Because of a camera flaw where the aperture wasn't properly prepared and the device's lens was covered in fog at one point, Donald O'Connor was made to perform "Make 'Em Laugh" again a day after his first flawless execution of it. Business wasnt just waiting to pick up when he got out of rehab. Danny Kaye inherited the part. Dancing On The Ceiling. The New York Times, 17 June 1953: 32. He began to spendlong nights playing cards and getting fights at the club. Singin in the Rain from the movie Singin in the Rain 1952. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. 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. 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). "That's what it's like to learn to dance. Chicago Daily Tribune 27 July 1950: c1. His first marriage was in 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, when he was 18 and she was 20. The crew let out a collective gasp, worried that the men would come to blows. The man who performed the most sensational solo number in the history of musical comedy is dead. "[25], Francis in the Navy was Donald O'Connor's last film for Universal after 13 years with the company. [6] He wrote letters to his friends and family explaining that his life had "completely changed". "[5], When O'Connor was only two years old, he and his seven-year-old sister, Arlene, were hit by a car while crossing the street outside a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; Donald survived, but his sister died. 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 continued to perform live.[38]. Television was kinder to him, and he netted an Emmy for his versatile work on the Colgate Comedy Hour. Revivals are so popular now. Gloria said simply, God gave him a gift, and that gift was sobriety. His son Fred said, Thank God theres a higher power that healed him. He rebuilt his wifes trust and reunited with his family after eight months clean. And that was always his intent with Debbie, and she worked like a trouper and became a big star.". 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. Through the end of his career, he lived, true to his word: "I was born and raised to entertain other people. Dancing In the Rain: The Donald O'Connor Story (Part II of III), Dancing In the Rain: The Donald OConnor Story (Part III of III). O'Connor's postwar musicals include Are You With It? 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). [2][3] His father's family was from Ireland. This included an awkward stab at syndicated talk-show hosting in 1968, where he managed to offend Joan Baez by bluntly askingabout her prison sentence for war protests: How did you like it up river?. One of the most likeable and nimble of all Hollywood's song-and-dance-men, who retained his youthful looks and casual charm throughout a career spanning well over 50 years. Disillusionment came swiftly. But all waskept so private that interviewers would laterexclaim that Donald must have escaped it for them not to hear any of the usual choice details. O'Connor was stunned at the insignificance of the gift after all the millions of dollars he had made for the studio, and in later life recalled, "What can I say about these people?". Quite simple to do rather spectacular., OConnors work in the film has fallen into Kellys shadow over the years,but the critics favored him at the time, andhe stole theGolden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy right from under Kellys nose. [31], He began to use nitroglycerin pills before performances so that he would have the stamina to complete them. Donald OConnor died in 2003, with his family surrounding him. Hang On To Your Chairs And Lamps You Re All The Brilliant Choreography This Dance Number Was Done On A Fred Astaire Fred Astaire Dancing Old Movie Stars. In 1993, O'Connor released his own exercise-oriented video, Let's Tap. Brilliant choreography exquisite dancing a clever idea. He also developed as an actor, played a number of juvenile and super- polite boy roles such as Bing Crosby's kid brother in Sing, You Sinners (1938), Huckleberry Finn in Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), and Beau (Gary Cooper) at age twelve in the dashing Foreign Legion action adventure film, Beau Geste (1939). I capture your attention without giving you time to think about it.