The late Roger Ebertonce deemed it "one of the most amazing dance sequences ever filmed," and true to form also described it as "breathtaking.". [1] Effie was a bareback rider and Chuck was a circus strongman and acrobat. This is my most popular month. Arthur Freed. By now, the grueling footwork that went into Singin' in the Rain's "Good Morning" scene is the stuff of legend. "[36], He developed heart trouble and underwent successful quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990. In any case, O'Connor's execution of "Make 'Em Laugh" and overall contribution to "Singin' in the Rain" as a whole distinguished him as one of the greatest physical comedians and performers of the past century. I had to play straight in order to convince the audience that the mule could talk."[14]. Donald O'Connor performs "Make 'em Laugh," a hilarious number from "Singing in the Rain," the 1952 musical. US Movies From 1981 I Like. (Photo by John Swope/Getty Images) Save. Kelly particularly liked the "gurning" (making faces) O'Connor could do. Donald OConnor was the last of the song and dance men. Los Angeles Times 3 July 1976: b4. According to IMDb, O'Connor was bedridden for three days after one particular sequence in "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) knocked him off his dancing shoes. The live audiences created a certain spontaneity. O'Connor credited the patients he met and thanked God for allowing him to recover. He was also in Columbia's It Can't Last Forever (1937). 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. It is dead the way we used to make 'em.". Chicago Daily Tribune 18 Oct 1954: b16. a list of 42 titles. Download 'Symphony No.9 in E minor Opus 95 (2)' on iTunes, 11 June 2021, 17:23 | Updated: 11 June 2021, 17:27. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. We filmed that whole sequence in one day. There ought to be a running club named after Donald O'Connora club with high hopes. [30], In 1968, O'Connor hosted a syndicated talk show also called The Donald O'Connor Show. Still appearing in films during the 90s and making public 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. "[citation needed], O'Connor joined a dance act with his mother and elder brother Jack. A composer and conductor, he was able to enjoythe fruits of a hidden talent for music when he led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the premiere of his own symphony. He played Gary Cooper as a young boy in Beau Geste (1939), directed by Wellman. O'Connor appeared in the short-lived Bring Back Birdie on Broadway in 1981. 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. You forgot didnt you? As he pauses for closing announcements,she looks nervously off stage, and you can just barelyhear the pianist assuring her, Its all right.. In 1980, he was nominated for a Special Event Emmy when he hosted a history of the dance at the Oscars, riding triumphantly aloft a camera crane and even getting in some steps of his own. Watch more with these video collections. 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). Donald O'Connor is probably best known for having a talking mule for a best friends and for his madcap dance routine in 'Singin' In the Rain'. In a baffling move, this film also paired OConnor with none other than Marilyn Monroe. "Gene always said, 'You choreograph to the woman,' so he choreographed to Debbie's capabilities.You want your partner to look the best he or she can possibly look. created 08 Nov 2017. 1950s classics dance film film-making gravity movie music perception physics singing song. 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. 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. His belongings were auctioned off and all proceeds were given to charity. Upon O'Connor's return from military service Universal did not know what to do with their young star. [6] He wrote letters to his friends and family explaining that his life had "completely changed". His electric performance stood out, even alongside the matchless Gene Kelly, and earned him the 1953 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy or Musical. (Candid footage of the reception shows OConnor surreptitiously piling an extra slice of cake on the boys plate.) When MGM released its compilationThats Entertainment, this was the one that could still makelistless audiences break into spontaneous applause in the theaters. The letters detail the lives of other patients, particularly a 30-year-old man who was completely immobilized. Singin in the Rain from the movie Singin in the Rain 1952. 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). OConnor 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. a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. But OConnor marched on undaunted. 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. 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 recalled. O'Connor and some dance assistants strung together a series of O'Connor's funniest pratfalls and schtick. Donald O'Connor Weds Secretly. The dancing and singing and the glorious Technicolor shirts dazzled. . Known as the youngest old-timer in show business, it was his misfortune to reach the height of his powers precisely when the song-and-dance musical was dying. Directed by Arthur Lubin, the film was a huge success. OConnors terse retort: Many people who love me protected me. O'Connor never went to school. 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. Theflickerof danger behind those kindly blue eyessays it all. It is dead the way we used to make em. He spoke without resentment. . Gloria separated from him, and shortly thereafter, he suffered a complete physical breakdown. During World War II, on his 18th birthday in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. "I'd rather do something where I go in and work a week, maybe three days. Itwas like the audience wanted to hang on forever to great performers and delightful memories from the golden age of song-and-dance. But in 1998, anothershow-stoppingconcert runwith the Palm Springs Follies nearly killed the consummate entertainer when he came down with viral pneumonia. He was sober, and he was happy. He would never look back again. It would have been fascinating to watch them play off of each other, as they shared certain qualities in common. "[5], O'Connor began performing in movies in 1937, making his debut aged 11 in Melody for Two appearing with his family act. Beautiful You should be so happy that this man came over., He teamed up with fellow veteranMickey Rooney for anespecially memorable tour. When they graduated from circus into vaudeville, all their children (seven were born, three died in infancy) were initiated into "The O'Connor Family," billed as "The Royal Family of Vaudeville." In 1971, after suffering a heart attack, O'Connor devoted considerably energy to composing music for the concert hall. Donna recalled that it allculminated at the breakfast table one morning, when Donald asked Gwen, What would you like to do today? She answered,I want a divorce. He swallowed the pain and asked, Are you sure you wouldnt rather go to a movie? No, I want a divorce. She fought for and woncustody of Donna, leaving Donald with the dog. [23], He starred in The Donald O'Connor Show (195455) for one season. Obituary: Donald O'Connor: Dynamic dancer and comedian It was his first feature film role in 16 years. Thanks for reading! 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. 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. Hopper, Hedda. In 1992 he said, "I never wanted to be a superstar. Donald O'Connor, an American actor, dancer, and singer, was born on August 28, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. Night Work (1939) Approved | 60 min | Comedy, Drama 6.8 Rate I'm surprised she still speaks to me. She has good timing and a puckish grin. Los Angeles Times 3 Mar 1989: 28. Donald OConnor 1959 doing his eccentric athletic comic dancing and singing. Antonin Dvorak ", In a 2012 interview with Newsday, Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, said her husband designed routines to suit his partners, whether they were professional dancers or not. Gene Kelly knew what he was doing when he hand-picked Donald OConnor as his right-hand man in Singin In the Rain. Unabashed, O'Connor developed his own style of tap dancing drawn from experience in vaudeville. 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. [18] He maintained he was forced to go to the hospital during the film's production due to injuries and exhaustion. He began to spendlong nights playing cards and getting fights at the club. [33], He guest-starred on episodes of The Girl with Something Extra, Ellery Queen, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Hunter.[34]. Donald O'Connor Stars in 'Little Me' Donald O'Connor Returns to Universal Another legendary dancer, Fred Astaire, then in his early 50s, was the one to comfort her. [44] His remains were cremated. Had he only been required to do it once, perhaps the actor wouldn't have suffered notable rug burns and severe exhaustion that confined him to a hospital bed for three days (per IMDb). Speaking to Parademagazine, he confessed the secret struggles whichring true for so many comedians. Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times 12 Apr 1973: g21. Tune in tomorrow for the third and final chapter in the Donald OConnor story. O'Connor went on marry another actress, Gloria Noble, and the pair remained together for the rest of his life. The New York Times 29 Sep 2003: B.6. 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. While he couldnt escape the playing priests in bad movies curse that year, he madethis memorablescene stand out fromthe Christmas TVtrifleA Time to Remember. Donald O'Connor Billed at Sahara Donald OConnor had been hired to make White Christmas but came down with a virus before shooting started. ", "AFI List of Top 100 Songs From U.S. Maybe he spoke too soon, despite his apparent readiness and enthusiasm to pull off the bit (via IMDb). 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. That number, along with the cheerily strutted "Good Morning," danced with Debbie Reynolds and Kelly, and the vaudeville-inspired "Fit As a Fiddle (And Ready for Love)" danced with Kelly, rewarded him with a Golden Globe Award (over Kelly) for his performance. Art Carney is about my age and he's making a career out of being old. " Make 'Em Laugh " is a song first featured in the 1952 MGM musical film Singin' in the Rain, performed by Donald O'Connor as the character Cosmo Brown. And yeah, I think I wear well. Born into a family of circus and vaudeville performers, O'Connor made his first stage appearance at the age of 13 months. He instantly picks it up and embraces her with a kiss. Carter remarried in 1955 to actor Dan Dailey. 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). 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). Andhisacting career seemed to be getting a second wind whenhewas approached for the title role in a biopic of silent screen legend Buster Keaton. Born into a vaudeville family, O'Connor was the youthful figure cutting a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. He . The item was OConnors personal Bible. Donald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Through Many Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead: [Obituary (Obit)] 62, Iss. According to Britannica, Donald O'Connor ("Singin' in the Rain") was "reportedly able to dance before he could stand up straight, to sing before he developed a vocabulary, and to play several musical instruments before he learned to read music." Gene Kelly came in to help with musical timing and blocking. Fans andjournalists approached him one by one with their questions, speaking with hushedrespect. They finishwith a song, but she forgets her one line. The man who performed the most sensational solo number in the history of musical comedy is dead. 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. 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. 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. Adding insult to injury, Donald had to play the son of her new lover in the garish monstrosityTheres No Business Like Show Business. 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. O'Connor was a regular host of NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour. "[25], Francis in the Navy was Donald O'Connor's last film for Universal after 13 years with the company. Donald O'Connor Named to Emcee Oscar Awards, Chicago Daily Tribune 19 Feb 1954: a8. Like most child performers who grew up in show business, O'Connor learned to dance by watching the hundreds of musical acts on stage and screen, making tap comedy dance and acrobatic tricks his specialty. O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. Theytook it home with them for $1.50. Perhaps the flip side of being so responsible was the sheer . He was filled with the wonderment of life, and he would shareittohis dying breath. Donald O'Connor, in full Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor, (born August 28, 1925, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.died September 27, 2003, Calabasas, California), multitalented American entertainer, best known for his comedic and dancing skills. Ittook an extra specialty dancer to helpcover all the numbers. You gotta SMILE! Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor, 30 August 1925, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 27 September 2003, Calabasas, California, USA. 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. O'Connor was married twice and had four children. Donald . That studio also released The Buster Keaton Story (1957), in which O'Connor had the title role. He is the only one actually dancing in the scene, so the task of amusing the audience essentially fell solely upon him. Gene Kelly Fred Astaire and Donald OConnor. 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