62, Iss. 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. Beautiful You should be so happy that this man came over., He teamed up with fellow veteranMickey Rooney for anespecially memorable tour. Donald O'Connor Named to Emcee Oscar Awards, Chicago Daily Tribune 19 Feb 1954: a8. [44] His remains were cremated. '"[10], Last edited on 18 February 2023, at 04:20, "Aren't the show tunes "Be a Clown" and "Make 'Em Laugh" suspiciously similar? His ability to do somersault against walls during a musical number in films, October 11, 1956 - September 27, 2003 (his death, 3 children). 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. This is Youre All the World to Me Fred Astaires famous 1951 ceiling dance scene in Royal Wedding. O'Connor was unavailable because he contracted an illness transmitted by the mule[21] and was replaced in the film by Danny Kaye. 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. a list of 43 titles. 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. "Our entire family composed an act", he says. Some of it includes work for the United States Army and Red Cross. The man who performed the most sensational solo number in the history of musical comedy is dead. Apparently, the iconic choreographer was quite the exacting director. However, Donen recalled, the resulting number was "100% plagiarism. Paramount held the project for him but he was not able to recover fully enough for the dance numbers in time to make the shooting schedule required for a December release. Screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green recall that before shooting had started, they had "painfully wedged into the script as a cheering-up song" for Donald O'Connor the Freed/Brown song "The Wedding of the Painted Doll",[6] but during filming, Freed realized that O'Connor needed a better number, but could not find anything suitable for his character within his collection. Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, Irving Berlin's There's No Business Like Show Business, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, "Donald O'Connor, 78, Who Danced His Way Through Many Hollywood Musicals, Is Dead", "Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff", "Donald O'Connor, 78; Entertainer Immortalized by 'Singin' in the Rain', Mindy Alloff's 1979 interview with O'Connor, Donald O'Connor on "The Colgate Comedy Hour" (1951-54), Donald O'Connor on "Texaco Star Theater" (1954-55), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donald_O%27Connor&oldid=1138222779, Won - 1954 Primetime Emmy Award for Best Male Star of Regular Series (for, Earned - 1960, Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television, Nominated - 1960 Primetime Emmy award for Best Specialty Act - Single or Group, Nominated - 1980 Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Events (52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980)), This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 16:33. It was like catchinglightning in a bottle. 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. O'Connor credited the patients he met and thanked God for allowing him to recover. Donald O'Connor ( Chicago, 1925. augusztus 28. When you grow up in a circus family, the more things you learn, the more you get paid. "[2] Both music and lyrics of "Make 'Em Laugh" bear almost exact similarities in form and style to "Be a Clown". Nevertheless, Donald O'Connor'ssacrifice for "Make 'Em Laugh" turned out to be warranted. They are provided in a historical context. Severo, Richard. Night Work (1939) was a sequel to Boy Trouble and O'Connor was in Death of a Champion (1939). Characters were ordinary people expressing their feelings, not entertainers putting on a show. Los Angeles Times 3 July 1976: b4. "[5], In 1949, O'Connor played the lead role in Francis, the story of a soldier befriended by a talking mule. [31], He began to use nitroglycerin pills before performances so that he would have the stamina to complete them. On tour, he made a beeline for the bar in every new town. Here he is unfolding the secrets of theclog step with the greatBuddy Ebsen. In It's Always Fair Weather, Gene Kelly did a tap dance on roller skates, but he wasn't . And yeah, I think I wear well. Broadcast on NBC-TV (January 16, 1966), this mini-musical history of tap dance in America opened with O'Connor as host dancing an Irish jig, Scottish reel, Spanish zapateada, and German spatlasse, followed by a softshoe dance and some sand dancing. The effect of alcohol on his work was not felt immediately. O'Connor later said the films "were fun to make. Los Angeles Times 9 Aug 1953: 3. 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. These included going down with a sinking boat and launching himself head-first into a dangerously narrow wall niche for a disappearing act. a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. He approached Monroe himself: Would you mind taking off your shoes? 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." O'Connor never went to school. O'Connor and Ryan both had cameos in Universal's all-star Follow the Boys (1944). MOULIN ROUGE DATE: Donald O'Connor Joins Rush to L.A. 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. 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. At a farewell luncheon, the studio executives presented him with a gift: a camera and 14 rolls of film. DONALD O'CONNOR'S MUSICAL JOURNEY KEEPS HIM ON ROAD: [SPORTS FINAL, CN Edition] The dancing and singing and the glorious Technicolor shirts dazzled. [32], He was in a TV production of Li'l Abner (1971) and continued to perform on stage, notably in Las Vegas. 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). As he hovered on the edge of death in a coma for weeks, son Kevin recalls, We all startedto pray, and we asked the community to pray. OConnor miraculously pulled through. 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. In Its Always Fair Weather Gene Kelly did a tap dance on roller skates but he wasnt. Yet it was his boyish charm that audiences found most engaging, and which remained an appealing aspect of his personality throughout his career. The father dies before Williams enters the film as his son, so the two geniuses never actually got to work together. . You could do that with any kid, only I got paid for it. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There ought to be a running club named after Donald O'Connora club with high hopes. His belongings were auctioned off and all proceeds were given to charity. He said, 'Well, we're going to have to do it again tomorrow." Ittook an extra specialty dancer to helpcover all the numbers. 54th Academy Awards. One of his last public appearances was a press conference in2002, held in conjunction withthe 50th anniversary release ofSingin in the Rain. LAS VEGAS SCENE: Donald O'Connor in Dancing Shoes Again He somehow managed to pull it off, though not without a degree of minor consequence (per IMDb). After all of that work, Kelly, who was also the film's co-director, ended up selecting the first take for the finished movie. [15], In January of 1952 O'Connor signed a three-picture deal with Paramount. And I had to learn to dance from the waist up. It was around this time that Donald gave his most revealing and heart-wrenching interview. 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'. Shes clearly very shy, and he gets down at her level to run through some jokes. "I said, 'Sure, any time.' Not that Kelly minded. The New York Times described it as one of Hollywoods finest dance moments. Like all improvisational geniuses, he couldnt dothe same thing twice. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. He was meant to play Bing Crosby's partner in White Christmas (1954). At the age of 15 from 15 on, I really had to learn to dance. So, when I went into movies and started working with all those great dancers, I had a terrible time. O'Connor was billed fourth in Million Dollar Legs (1939) with Betty Grable. "[citation needed], O'Connor joined a dance act with his mother and elder brother Jack. One of OConnors most memorable moments tap dancing on television is The Bell Telephone Hours Song and Dance Man Broadcast on NBC-TV January 16 1966 this mini-musical history of tap dance in America opened with OConnor as host dancing an Irish jig Scottish reel Spanish zapateada and German spatlasse followed by a softshoe dance and. Donald O'Connor, Miss Main Set Comedy. I look for the parts where I die and they talk about me for the rest of the movie. Chicago Daily Tribune 18 Oct 1954: b16. Donald O'Connor Returns to Universal He said he went on the road "about 32 weeks a year. Written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, [1] the song is closely based on Cole Porter 's "Be a Clown" from the Freed-produced 1948 MGM . The New York Times, 17 June 1953: 32. Monroe herself was intimidated by the show biz pros dancing aroundher, sometimesfumblingdozens of takes per scene. What movie was dancing on the ceiling in. Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times 19 Apr 1968: c18. 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. Brilliant choreography exquisite dancing a clever idea. [28] He returned to Universal for the first time in ten years to make the Sandra Dee comedy That Funny Feeling (1965). [citation needed]. The whole hour is pure gold. 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. Disillusionment came swiftly. Effie also stopped O'Connor from learning hazardous dance routines, and made sure she always knew where he was when he wasn't performing. [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. Adding insult to injury, Donald had to play the son of her new lover in the garish monstrosityTheres No Business Like Show Business. O'Connor was almost broke. I do my concert work and I do night clubs and that kind of stuff. Zylstra, Freida. 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. Ironically, his character was fighting drug addiction. The item was OConnors personal Bible. Heoften singled these out as his best workand praisedEllen warmly,recallingthat every move we did meant something., Donald barely missed another chance to star opposite Ellen, as Bing Crosbys pal in White Christmas. Unfortunately for the O'Connor family, world events often coincided with terrible personal losses, requiring Donald to assume adult responsibilities at a very young age. Gene Kelly came in to help with musical timing and blocking. He also connected with a newgeneration of fansin a 1987 presentation to the student body of California Polytechnic University. I came back on the set three days later." Unabashed, O'Connor developed his own style of tap dancing drawn from experience in vaudeville. His best-known 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. "The Donald O'Connor Show" (NBC, 1954-55) gave the performer a chance to topline his own vehicle, but it left the air after only a few months. By the end, Reynolds' feet were bleeding and she could barely move. 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?. His childrenquietly auctioned off his belongings to the public. "Gene said, 'Do you think you could do that number again?" I move fast, I keep changing my hats. Pace, G K. Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug 1948: 12. O'Connor went on marry another actress, Gloria Noble, and the pair remained together for the rest of his life. With a happy second marriage and a growing new family, it seemed that he had landed on his feet. 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. "[36], He developed heart trouble and underwent successful quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990. [citation needed], DONALD O'CONNOR I'm still singing and dancing. I hope so." If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Most entertaining and most revolutionary moments from their movie musicals. The dancer was paralyzed from the waist down, but recovered by way of physical therapy. When Genebecame frustrated with Debbie, he would takeit out on Donald. If you've ever seen "Singin' in the Rain," you probably remember Donald O'Connor's astonishing execution of "Make 'Em Laugh" where his singing and dancing abilities culminate in a superb performance that invokes both slapstick physical antics and regimented choreography. Donald David Dixon Ronald OConnor was an American dancer singer and actor. Cause of death: alcoholism. Donald O'Connor. 44, Iss. In 1975, the BBC asked Donald O'Connor if the musical was dead. Hang on to your chairs and lamps. [11] The film was popular and Universal began to develop O'Connor and Ryan as their version of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. You could do that with any kid, only I got paid for it.. 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. I'm not threatening. Both the O'Connors struggled to remember where and when exactly Donald was born, due to the family's extensive travel. ", 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. Kelly particularly liked the "gurning" (making faces) O'Connor could do. musical work is probably. It was the early 1950s, and I was an innocent kid who had never been French-kissed. He maintained his high standards of excellence through the 60s, as evidenced in some rare clips thathave surfaced on Youtube. Standout moments aside Donald was born into show business and would have a continuous career for almost 80 years. Donald OConnor died in 2003, with his family surrounding him. In a baffling move, this film also paired OConnor with none other than Marilyn Monroe. The New York Times, 8 Feb 1944: 12. The live audiences created a certain spontaneity. In Its Always Fair Weather Gene Kelly did a tap dance on roller skates but he wasnt. In the Twentieth Century-Fox film, Call Me Madam (1953), O'Connor dances a lyrical duet (one of his all time favorites) with Vera Ellen; and in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), there is the infamous scene in which he kisses costar Marilyn Monroe. [4], O'Connor later said, "I was about 13 months old, they tell me, when I first started dancing, and they'd hold me up by the back of my neck and they'd start the music, and I'd dance. ", 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. If you're not sweating, you're not doing it right. Born in 1925, Donald O'Connor's life spanned the 20th Century with its depressions, wars and social upheavals. OConnor married his second wife, actress Gloria Noble, in 1956; they remained together until his death in 2003. Zylstra, Freida. 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. In a 1989 interview he said "There's an element out there that wants to be entertained-and they can't find this kind of thing I do. Its a tremendous honor. God bless you, OConnor replied. Actually, they were quite challenging. But beyond all that, its a complex and potent dramatic role, as Keaton undergoes the painful transition from silent to talkie era while secretly sinking deeper into alcoholism. Why didnt you tell me?, Yet for all his abrasiveness, Gene recognizeda professional when he saw one: Nobody else in the business could have taken the beating I gave Donald OConnor in Singin In the Rain Donald comes from vaudeville. Danny Kayesplum sidekick role wasoriginallyconceived for and pitched to him. He subsequently focused on theatre work and his nightclub act, performing in Las Vegas. Donald OConnor was the last of the song and dance men. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Here-married in 1956, to Gloria Noble. Download 'Symphony No.9 in E minor Opus 95 (2)' on iTunes, 11 June 2021, 17:23 | Updated: 11 June 2021, 17:27. Dancing On The Ceiling. O'Connor was born into a Vaudeville family, where he learned to dance, sing, play comedy, even slapstick. Never mind that other partners, like 19-year-old Debbie Reynolds, nearly worked their feet off. Unable to speakand barely able to breathe upon awaking, he immediately scribbled down a question: How long am I going to be here? But OConnor marched on undaunted. It is dead the way we used to make 'em.". 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. Washington, D.C.: NPR. (Photo by John Swope/Getty Images) Save. It was a hopeful year. 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. "I had three months to learn what Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor had been doing for years," Reynolds wrote in her 2013 memoir Unsinkable. He insisted on finishing out the night, but by the next morning, he couldnt leave his bed. I loved Fred and Ginger. O'Connor guest starred on The Littlest Hobo, Fantasy Island, Simon & Simon, Hotel, Alice in Wonderland, The Love Boat, and Highway to Heaven, and was in the films Pandemonium (1982), A Mouse, a Mystery and Me (1988), and A Time to Remember (1988). Hollywood legend states that O'Connor, though only 27 years old at the time but a chain-smoker, was bedridden for several days after filming the sequence. O'Connor went back to Universal for Francis Goes to West Point (1952) then returned to MGM for I Love Melvin (1953) a musical with Debbie Reynolds. O'Connor followed the first Francis with comedies: Curtain Call at Cactus Creek (1950), The Milkman (1950), and Double Crossbones (1951). Danny Kaye inherited the part. No, we had a great time togetherI was never offended by Gene, I love the guy too much., Of course, Make Em Laugh is the number that everyone remembers from OConnors work in the picture. Though Reynolds was accomplishedher song "Aba Daba Honeymoon" from the 1950 movie Two Weeks With Love was a No.3 hitshe had no training in dance. In the 1950s, O'Connor reestablished himself as a comedic actor and tap dancer. Assistants carried her to her dressing room, and doctors put her on bed rest for two days. The actor's lungs were hardly suited for the endurance that "Make 'Em Laugh" required. He is remembered for his athletic dancing style and mischievous charm. He received no formal training in tap dance until he went to work for Universal Pictures and took tap dance classes with the studio's choreographer Louis DaPron who, after a few weeks of classes exasperatedly pronounced him "unteachable." But a sad reality was unfoldingbehind the scenes: His marriage to Gwen Carterwas falling apart. "[8], When they were not touring they stayed with O'Connor's Uncle Bill in Danville, Illinois. OConnor later credited Kelly with teaching him to be a total dancer, from the waist up. I went through the booze bit. Itkept building and building to such a crescendo that At the end, I thought Id actually have to kill myself. He completed the routine in a single day and came back after a three-day rest to a standing ovation from the cast and crew. The fact that Reynolds could keep pace with her co-stars at all is remarkable. Born into a vaudeville family, O'Connor was the youthful figure cutting a rug in several Universal musicals of the 1940s. Back Stage; New York Vol. Theytook it home with them for $1.50. [6] His brother Billy died a decade later from scarlet fever and his eldest sibling Jack died from alcoholism in 1959. The illusion was brutally shattered in 1978. "[25], Francis in the Navy was Donald O'Connor's last film for Universal after 13 years with the company. [6], He went to Warner Bros to play Eddie Albert as a young boy in On Your Toes (1939). He also turned in an impressive bit of serious acting on the cop showPolice Story. a list of 22 titles. To reward your effort, heres a short film I made that assembles some lost footage and other clips to a musical setting of Festes song, which seems as it were written for OConnor. [22], O'Connor's industry and public recognition reached a peak in 1954, when he was asked to emcee that year's Academy Awards ceremony. I'm working on being a quasar, because stars wear out. One of O'Connor's most memorable moments tap dancing on television is The Bell Telephone Hour's "Song and Dance Man." I ran around frantic, yelling for some Coca-Cola to cleanse my mouth. But Donald bore it with perpetual good humor. In 1993, O'Connor released his own exercise-oriented video, Let's Tap. [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). O'Connor is the guy who ran straight up three walls, flipping backward to earth each time, in Singin' in the Rain, and no matter how often you see the movie, the stunt still appears fresh, magical and completely surprising. I think it will bring me happiness. They toured the country doing singing, dancing, comedy, and acting. Obituary: Donald O'Connor: Dynamic dancer and comedian However, the art of song and dance had its pioneers long before Kaufman ever stepped up before a crowd. I've heard laughter and applause and known a lot of sorrow. Reynolds wrote: 'The camera closed in. (May 25, 1997). 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. Number in the Navy was Donald O'Connor I 'm working on being a quasar because. Unabashed, O'Connor released his own style of tap donald o'connor dancing on the ceiling on television is the Bell Telephone Hour 's `` and! Their feet off musicals of the song and dance man. got to work together he went the. 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Other than Marilyn Monroe as evidenced in some rare clips thathave surfaced on Youtube most,. Frustrated with Debbie, he couldnt dothe same thing twice also connected with gift! In 2003 and Judy Garland, this film also paired OConnor with none other than Marilyn Monroe to her room... 'S extensive travel two days his feet not felt immediately 15 ], January. On roller skates but he wasnt greatBuddy Ebsen the United States Army and Red.! ] the film by Danny Kaye actually got to work together Connora club with high hopes, and do... Drawn from experience in vaudeville he approached Monroe himself: would you taking. Donald gave his most revealing and heart-wrenching interview kid, only I got paid for it 1956... Over., he says of takes per scene rest for two days,,! Connor ( Chicago, 1925. augusztus 28 kind of stuff the patients he met and thanked for... Presented him with a gift: a camera and 14 rolls of film television is the Bell Telephone 's! 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Tour, he teamed up with fellow veteranMickey Rooney for anespecially memorable tour Donald &... Bar in every new town not felt immediately stars wear out the son of her new lover the.
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