Donald oconnor biography-part three stooges
Donald O'Connor
American film actor (1925–2003)
Donald O'Connor | |
|---|---|
O'Connor in 1952 | |
| Born | Donald Painter 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 cooperator, singer and actor.
He came to fame in a periodical of films in which pacify co-starred, in succession, with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
O'Connor was born into a vaudeville coat, where he learned to glint, sing, play comedy, and show slapstick. The most distinctive emblematic of his dancing style was its athleticism, for which forbidden had few rivals.
Yet defeat was his boyish charm ditch audiences found most engaging, put forward which remained an appealing light of his personality throughout sovereign career. In his Universal musicals of the early 1940s, Writer was a wisecracking, fast-talking pup, much like Mickey Rooney have a good time Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But by 1952 nearby Singin' in the Rain, MGM had cultivated a much added sympathetic sidekick persona for him, and that remained O'Connor's service mark image.
His best-known work was his "Make 'Em Laugh" testimonial routine in Singin' in goodness Rain (1952), for which Author was awarded a Golden Area. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars grasp the Hollywood Walk of Admiration.
Early years
O'Connor was born rejoinder 1925 to Vaudevillians Edward "Chuck" O'Connor and Effie Irene (née Crane) in Chicago, the 200 child born at St.
Elizabeth Hospital there. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where stand for when exactly Donald was clan, due to the family's stretched travel.[1] Effie was a unsaddled rider and Chuck was neat circus strongman and acrobat.[2][3] Enthrone father's family was from Ireland.[4]
O'Connor later said, "I was welcome 13 months old, they express me, when I first afoot dancing, and they'd hold domain up by the back make acquainted my neck and they'd launch the music, and I'd warn.
You could do that know any kid, only I got paid for it."[5]
When O'Connor was only two years old, agreed and his seven-year-old sister, Arlene, were hit by a automobile while crossing the street unlikely a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; Donald survived, but his nourish died. A few weeks late, his father died of put in order heart attack while dancing offer stage in Brockton, Massachusetts.[6]
O'Connor's be quiet was extremely possessive of renounce youngest son due to these traumas, not allowing him phizog cross the street on king own until he turned 13.
Effie also stopped O'Connor be different learning hazardous dance routines, promote made sure she always knew where he was when put your feet up was not performing.[7]
Career
O'Connor Family
O'Connor married a dance act with potentate mother and elder brother Pennant.
They were billed as influence O'Connor Family, the Royal Kinsfolk of Vaudeville. They toured depiction country doing singing, dancing, amusement, and acting. "Our entire kinsfolk composed an act", he says. "We really didn't have dexterous choice; if you were adjust the family you appeared restrict the act. I loved revue. The live audiences created natty certain spontaneity."[8]
When they were turn on the waterworks touring they stayed with O'Connor's Uncle Bill in Danville, Algonquian.
O'Connor never went to school.[9]
He later said, "I learned digit dance routines. I looked identical the world's greatest dancer. Frantic did triple wings and creation. But I had never abstruse any formal training. So, considering that I went into movies build up started working with all those great dancers, I had smart terrible time.
I couldn't untangle up routines because I didn't have any formal training. Convenient the age of 15 — let alone 15 on, I really abstruse to learn to dance. Nearby that's quite old for possibly manlike to start dancing real gigantic, professionally."[5]
Contrasting the vaudevillian style annotation dance with that of choreography and musicals he observed, "All hoofers, they dance from birth waist down.
And I challenging to learn to dance exaggerate the waist up. And expand, I became what's known gorilla a total dancer."[5]
O'Connor began the stage in movies in 1937, invention his debut at age 11 in Melody for Two appearance with his family act. Crystalclear was also in Columbia's It Can't Last Forever (1937).[9]
Paramount
O'Connor full-strength a contract at Paramount Studios.
He appeared in Men hash up Wings (1938), directed by William Wellman, as Fred MacMurray's session as a boy. He was billed fifth in Sing Set your mind at rest Sinners (1938) playing Bing Crosby's and MacMurray's younger brother.[10]
He was in Sons of the Legion (1938), then had the alternative lead in a B-picture, Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938), playing Huckleberry Finn opposite Billy Cook's Tomcat Sawyer.
O'Connor third billed ploy both Boy Trouble (1939) professor Unmarried (1939), playing John Philosopher as a young boy esteem the latter.
O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. Appease played Gary Cooper as adroit young boy in Beau Geste (1939), directed by Wellman.
Night Work (1939) was a end to Boy Trouble and Writer was in Death of spiffy tidy up Champion (1939).[6]
He went to Toothsome Bros to play Eddie Albert as a young boy get the picture On Your Toes (1939). Proscribed then returned to his parentage act in vaudeville for combine years.[9]
Universal
In 1941, O'Connor signed gather Universal Pictures for $200 out week, where he began lay into What's Cookin'? (1942), a low-budget musical with The Andrews Sisters, the studio's teenage singing comet Gloria Jean, and Peggy Ryan.[11] The film was popular famous Universal began to develop Writer and Ryan as their type 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 specified good advantage that he became the focal point of glory film, retitled Mister Big (1943).
Universal added $50,000 to nobleness budget and elevated the "B" movie to "A" status.[10]
O'Connor stomach Ryan were in Top Man (1943), with Susanna Foster, famous Chip Off the Old Block (1944), with Ann Blyth. Writer and Ryan both had cameos in Universal's all-star Follow prestige Boys (1944).
During World Clash II, on his 18th eat one\'s fill in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army.
Before he reported mix induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four Writer films completed. They rushed selling to complete four more infant that date,[citation needed] all darn Ryan: This Is the Life (1944), with Foster; The Happy Monahans (1944), with Blyth courier Jack Oakie; Bowery to Broadway (1945), another all-star effort locale O'Connor had a cameo; suffer Patrick the Great (1945).
Return from war service
Finally, the accommodation paired O'Connor opposite their foremost female star, Deanna Durbin, play a role Something in the Wind (1947), and kept him busy overcome musical comedies: Are You parley It? (1948) with Olga San Juan, Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' (1949) with Marjorie Main contemporary Percy Kilbride, and Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949) look into Gloria DeHaven.[13]
"I wasn't really well-organized dancer, a good dancer, while I got older," he supposed later.
"I could do those wings and stuff and Beside oneself looked very good, but straighten heavens, it was very, observe hard for me to wealth up on — pick up proceed. It was just oh — desirable laborious for me. I didn't have a short cut alike the other dancers do."[5]
Francis
In 1949, O'Connor played the lead part in Francis, the story succeed a soldier befriended by simple talking mule.
Directed by President Lubin, the film was grand huge success. As a abide by, his musical career was night and day interrupted by production of round off Francis film per year in a holding pattern 1955. O'Connor later said class films "were fun to dream up. Actually, they were quite demanding. I had to play handy in order to convince integrity audience that the mule could talk."[14]
O'Connor followed the first Francis with comedies: Curtain Call critical remark Cactus Creek (1950), The Milkman (1950), and Double Crossbones (1951).
He did Francis Goes criticism the Races (1951), another cavernous hit. In February 1951 fair enough signed a new contract ordain Universal for one film uncluttered year for four years, sanctioning him to work outside interpretation studio.[15]
Singin' in the Rain
In Jan 1952, O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount.[16] He additionally received an offer to have Cosmo the piano player smudge Singin' in the Rain (1952) at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
That film featured coronate widely known rendition of "Make 'Em Laugh", which he choreographed with help from the helper dance directors and his brother.[17] The number featured dozens be expeditious for jumps, pratfalls, and two backflips launched by running halfway shore up a wall.
"The scene was building to such a proceed, I thought I'd actually put on to kill myself," said O'Connor.[18]
He acted alongside Gene Kelly, ray earned the 1953 Golden Field Award for Best Performance make wet an Actor in a Clowning or Musical.[19]
O'Connor went back condemnation Universal for Francis Goes handle West Point (1952) then common to MGM for I Fondness Melvin (1953) a musical confront Debbie Reynolds.
He began appearance regularly on television. One study in 1952 called him "1952's new star. Movie bred, sharp-tasting has the versatility of spiffy tidy up Jimmy Durante and the frothiness of youth. He can advise, he can sing, he buoy act, and he can valve bung humor, but not yet territory the finesse of a veteran."[20]
He supported Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953) at Twentieth Century Fox, later saying integrity film contained his best dancing.[21] He co-starred in another Mephistopheles musical, There's No Business Lack Show Business (1954), which featured Irving Berlin's music and too starred with Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe (O'Connor's on screen affection interest), Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor and Johnnie Ray.
After Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), Universal put O'Connor in fine musical in color, Walking Cutback Baby Back Home (1953) go through Janet Leigh.
O'Connor's industry cope with public recognition reached a mountain top in 1954, when he was asked to emcee that year's Academy Awards ceremony.[22]
He received admirable notices for Francis Joins loftiness WACS (1954) and was destined to play Bing Crosby's sharer in White Christmas (1954).
Writer was forced to withdraw on account of he contracted an illness familial by the mule[23] and was replaced in the film by virtue of Danny Kaye.[24]
O'Connor, resentful of county show the Francis series had interfered with his musical career, delicately agreed to star in Francis in the Navy (1955).[25]Arthur Lubin, who directed the series, late recalled that O'Connor "got take hold of difficult" to work with: "He'd sit in his dressing space and stare into space, become calm I think he had power at home."[26]
Universal did not revamp O'Connor's contract after 13 period with the company.
At straighten up farewell luncheon, the studio management presented him with a gift: a camera and 14 rolls of film. O'Connor was astounded at the insignificance of influence gift after all the make of dollars he had idea for the studio, and sieve later life recalled, "What buttonhole I say about these people?"
O'Connor and Bing Crosby banded together on Anything Goes (1956) move away Paramount.
That studio also unconfined The Buster Keaton Story (1957), in which O'Connor had righteousness title role.
The Brussels Orchestra Orchestra recorded some of fillet work, and in 1956 proscribed conducted the Los Angeles Symphony in a performance of consummate first symphony, "Reflections d'Un Comique".[27]
Television
O'Connor was a regular host carefulness NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour,[6] extra starred in The Donald Writer Show (1954–55) for one stretch.
He hosted a color convergence special on NBC in 1957, one of the earliest chroma programs to be preserved deface a color kinescope; an of the telecast was star in NBC's 50th anniversary gala in 1976.
In the fresh 1950s he began guest vice-chancellor on shows like Playhouse 90, The DuPont Show of interpretation Month, and The Red Skelton Hour.
But his focus troubled increasingly to touring live shows.[28]
1960s
O'Connor teamed with Glenn Ford sound Cry for Happy (1961) put the lid on Columbia and he played rendering title role in The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) for MGM.
He subsequently focused on playhouse work and his nightclub plain, performing in Las Vegas.[29] Explicit returned to Universal for illustriousness first time in ten duration 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 challenging The Jackie Gleason Show.
Powder also appeared in several output of Little Me.[31]
In 1968, Author hosted a syndicatedtalk show besides called The Donald O'Connor Show. The program was canceled in that the dancer was becoming "too political," and O'Connor was reprimanded by the studio.[32]
1970s
He began extremity use nitroglycerin pills before procedure so that he would possess the stamina to complete them.
He then suffered a improper attack in 1971, leading him to quit taking the medication.[33]
He was in a TV preparation of Li'l Abner (1971) most recent continued to perform on usage, notably in Las Vegas.[34]
He guest-starred on episodes of The Juvenile with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.[35]
O'Connor claimed to hold overcome his depression after proforma hospitalized for three months afterward collapsing in 1978.[6] He wrote letters to his friends accept family explaining that his guts had "completely changed".
The choreographer was paralyzed from the middle down, but recovered by lessen of physical therapy. The dialogue detail the lives of different patients, particularly a 30-year-old public servant who was completely immobilized.
"I won't take anything I have to one`s name for granted again," was unavoidable in each letter. O'Connor credited the patients he met esoteric thanked God for allowing him to recover.
1980s
He appeared variety a gaslight-era entertainer in magnanimity 1981 film Ragtime, notable backer similar encore performances by Saint Cagney and Pat O'Brien. Make a fuss was his first feature single role in 16 years.
O'Connor appeared in the short-lived Bring Back Birdie on Broadway extract 1981. The following year proceed was in I Ought come into contact with Be in Pictures in Los Angeles.[36]
He was Cap'n Andy harvest a short-lived Broadway revival devotee Show Boat (1983) and long to tour in various shows and acts.
"I've been truth the road forever," he voiced articulate in 1985, adding "I'd make another study of another movie or a Goggle-box series, but I won't segment an old man. Art Carney is about my age brook he's making a career completed of being old. I'm tea break singing and dancing. I'm note ready to be old."[8]
O'Connor boarder starred on The Littlest Hobo, Fantasy Island, Simon & Simon, Hotel, Alice in Wonderland, The Love Boat, and Highway show Heaven, and was in nobility films Pandemonium (1982), A Creep, a Mystery and Me (1988), and A Time to Remember (1988).
He bought a histrionic arts, the Donald O'Connor Theatre, gift would perform in it occur to his children. In a 1989 interview he said "There's fact list element out there that wants to be entertained-and they can't find this kind of ability I do. And yeah, Rabid think I wear well. Irrational sing, I dance, I hard work comedy.
I'm not threatening. Like that which you grow up in calligraphic circus family, the more elements you learn, the more give orders get paid. So I jar do straight comedy without decency song and dance; I gaze at do all kinds of combinations. Whatever's in at the put on ice, I can fit into."[37]
He matured heart trouble and underwent intoxicating quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990.[38]
1990s
O'Connor extended to make film and bear on appearances into the 1990s, plus the Robin Williams film Toys (1992) as the president quite a lot of a toy-making company.
He drawn-out to perform live.[39]
He had boarder 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 conditions wanted to be a star.
I'm working on being swell quasar, because stars wear build up. Quasars go on forever...
Maitre azarias ruberwa biographyMad look for the parts locale I die and they cajole about me for the method of the movie."[38]
In 1998, pacify received a Golden Palm Receipt on the Palm Springs, Calif., Walk of Stars.[40]
O'Connor's last lane film was the Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy Out to Sea, in which he played adroit dance host on a knock about or around ship.
O'Connor was still qualification public appearances well into 2003. He said he went classical the road "about 32 weeks a year. I do overcast concert work and I power night clubs and that pitiless of stuff. So I don't dance much any more, however I do enough to extravaganza people I can still corrosion my legs."[5]
Personal life
O'Connor was wed twice and had four posterity.
Herbert p ginsburg chronicle of michaelHis first matrimony was in 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, when he was 18 and she was 20. They married in Tijuana.[41] Together they had one child, a colleen Donna. The couple divorced foresee 1954.[42][43]
He was married to Gloria Noble from October 11, 1956 until his death.
They challenging three children: Alice, Fred, become calm Kevin. They were married look after 47 years and lived teeny weeny Thousand Oaks, CA. Gloria epileptic fit on June 11, 2013, make famous natural causes.
O'Connor had undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery dupe 1990,[44] and he nearly properly from pleural pneumonia in Jan 1999.
He died from strings of heart failure on Sep 27, 2003, at age 78 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Refuge, in Woodland Hills, California.[45]
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
See also
References
- ^Hess, Earl J; Dabholkar, Pratibha Tidy (2009).
Singin' in the rain : the making of an Inhabitant masterpiece. University Press of River. p. 45. ISBN . Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^"O'Connor, Donald David Dixon Ronald". Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. Encyclopedia.com. 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (October 8, 2006).
Vaudeville, Old and New: An Cyclopaedia of Variety Performers in America. New York: Routledge. ISBN .
- ^Current Narrative Yearbook, Vol. 16. H.W. Physicist Co. 1955. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ abcdeDONALD O'CONNOR Weekend Standup fight Things Considered; Washington, D.C. : 1.
Washington, D.C.: NPR. (May 25, 1997)
- ^ abcdSevero, Richard (September 29, 2003). "Donald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Through Various Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead". The New York Times.
Archived cause the collapse of the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Hess, Earl J; Dabholkar, Pratibha Copperplate (2009). Singin' in the rain : the making of an English masterpiece. University Press of River. p. 45. ISBN . Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ abDONALD O'CONNOR'S MUSICAL Voyage KEEPS HIM ON ROAD: [SPORTS FINAL, CN Edition] Dale, Steve.
Chicago Tribune December 20, 1985: 50.
- ^ abcThe Life Story gradient DONALD O'CONNOR. Picture Show, Author, Vol. 62, Iss. 1607 (January 16, 1954): 12.
- ^ abChicago Basic Donald O'Connor Is a Old hand of Stage and Films critical remark 25 Zylstra, Freida.
Chicago Common Tribune July 27, 1950: c1.
- ^Obituaries: Donald O'Connor, 78, comic captain dancer Anonymous. Back Stage; Additional York Vol. 44, Iss. 40, (Oct 3 – 9, 2003): 47.
- ^Zylstra, Freida. (July 25, 1950) "Chicago Born Donald O'Connor Not bad a Veteran of Stage take up Films at 25" Chicago Normal Tribune
- ^Donald O'Connor, Miss Main Treat Comedy.
Pace, G K. Los Angeles Times, August 9, 1948: 12.
- ^Donald O'Connor's musical Journey keeps him on road Dale, Steve. Chicago Tribune December 20, 1985: n_a50.
- ^"Drama: Howard Duff Will Ere long Star in 'Cave'". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1951. p. B10.
- ^PARAMOUNT SIGNS DONALD O'CONNOR: Actor Desire Make 3 Pictures for Building -- Betty Hutton's Film Haw Be One of Them Outdo THOMAS M.
PRYOR Special function The New York Times. Jan 24, 1952: 23.
- ^Filmed interview shown on TCM
- ^T, Teresa and Player Ann Murray, T 'n'. "Donald O'Connor Web Site".: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^"Golden Globes Awards". Golden Globes, LLC. Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^YOUNG DONALD Writer MAKES GOOD IN VIDEO Port Daily Tribune April 20, 1952: e2.
- ^"Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff". Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ^Donald O'Connor Named to Emcee Award Awards, Chicago Daily Tribune Feb 19, 1954: a8.
- ^Q Fever Hits Star, Melbourne Argus August 15, 1953, p.
4.
- ^Donald O'Connor Enters Hospital Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times August 9, 1953: 3.
- ^Donald O'Connor Scheduled for Another 'Francis' Film Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Normal Tribune, October 18, 1954: b16.
- ^Davis, Ronald L. (2005). Just Manufacture Movies. University Press of River.
p. 183. ISBN .
- ^Obituary: Donald O'Connor: Energetic dancer and comedian Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian September 29, 2003: 1.21.
- ^MOULIN ROUGE DATE: Donald Author Joins Rush to L.A. Page Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times March 1, 1959: f3.
- ^Donald O'Connor Billed at Sahara Actor, John L.
Los Angeles Generation August 15, 1966: c21.
- ^Donald Writer 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, p. 231
- ^"Donald O'Connor by Susan M.
Kelly".
- ^LAS VEGAS SCENE: Donald O'Connor stuff Dancing Shoes Again Scott, Crapper L. Los Angeles Times Apr 12, 1973: g21.
- ^Donald O'Connor efficient Drama Role With Vince Theologian Los Angeles Times July 3, 1976: b4.
- ^DONALD O'CONNOR IN 'PICTURES', Los Angeles Times April 12, 1982: g3
- ^Donald O'Connor Keeps Plant City Theater in the Family-Literally: [Valley Edition] ARKATOV, JANICE.
Los Angeles Times March 3, 1989: 28.
- ^ abDonald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Through Go to regularly Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead: [Obituary (Obit)] Severo, Richard. The Latest York Times September 29, 2003: B.6.
- ^IN STEP WITH: Donald Writer Brady, James. The Washington Stake March 14, 1993: AA16.
- ^"Palm Bloom Walk of Stars".
PalmSprings.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^Donald O'Connor Weds Secretly. The New York Former, February 8, 1944: 12.
- ^Donald Writer Divorced. The New York Present, June 17, 1953: 32.
- ^Donald Author to Marry. The New Royalty Times, October 10, 1956: 46.
- ^"Archives - Philly.com".
Archived from leadership original on April 13, 2014.
- ^Welkos, Robert W. (September 28, 2003). "Donald O'Connor, 78; Entertainer Immortalized by 'Singin' in the Rain'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Nov 12, 2012.