Donald oconnor actor biography

Donald O'connor Biography

Born Donald King Dixon Ronald O'Connor, August 28, 1925, in Chicago, IL; boring of heart failure, September 27, 2003, in Woodland Hills, Cpa. Singer, dancer, and actor. Donald O'Connor was a singer, choreographer, and actor best known aim his jaunty, spirited solo bring into being the film Singin' beginning the Rain.

He besides starred in several of honesty well–loved Francis the Lawabiding Mule movies. In boxing match, he made more than 70 motion pictures and won probity Emmy, Peabody, Golden Globe, suffer Sylvania awards. O'Connor was informal with two stars on leadership Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ethnic in Chicago, Illinois, O'Connor was the youngest of seven family born to John Edward O'Connor, a circus strongman, dancer, pole comedian, and Effie Irene Stretch O'Connor, a circus acrobat, tightrope walker, bareback rider, and person, and was carried onstage accompaniment applause when he was yoke days old.

When he was six months old, his curate suffered a heart attack deed died in the middle pursuit a performance. His mother protracted to act, and eventually convoluted O'Connor in her act during the time that he was about one class old. The two traveled from one place to another the United States to tip on the vaudeville circuit, discipline O'Connor was performing as splendid singer and dancer by say publicly age of three.

Although her highness mother passed on some initial education to him, he drained most of his time alertness the tricks of the show–business trade: tap–dancing, soft–shoe, and handstands. As a result, he could not relate to ordinary domestic, who attended school, did moan work, and did not grasp how to dance.

One catastrophic event, other than the realize of his father, marred culminate childhood: his sister was get trapped in by a car and fasten.

By the time elegance was 12, O'Connor had nifty song–and–dance act with his brothers, Billy and Jack, and integrity three boys made a surgically remove film in 1937. In 1938, after a Hollywood talent recce saw him perform at depiction Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, O'Connor appeared in his supreme big film, Sing Pointed Sinners, playing Bing Crosby's younger brother.

In the adjacent year, he appeared in dignity Gary Cooper film, Boyfriend Geste. That same era, his brother, Billy, died get out of scarlet fever, and the kinsmen act broke up in 1940. O'Connor, now on his try to win, got a contract with Widespread for $200 a week, paramount gradually earned more noteworthy roles.

On February 7, 1944, O'Connor married Gwendolyn Carter; they had a daughter, Donna, soar divorced ten years later.

Compromise the 1940s, according to Richard Severo in the Original York Times, the New York World–Telegram styled him "the funniest man sustain right now" and he old hat favorable reviews in Take shape. O'Connor was drafted in effect the end of World Battle II, and spent his offend in the service entertaining encounter troops.

While he was rip apart the service, Universal continued be adjacent to pay him his salary show $50 a day.

Later the war O'Connor returned succumb films, and usually received approving reviews even when the pictures he appeared in bombed. Wearisome of the motion pictures forbidden appeared in were 1947's Something in the Wind, starring Deanna Durbin; 1948's Feudin', Fussin' and A'Fightin', and 1949's Yes Sir, That's My Baby.

I Cherish Melvin, released in 1953, was panned by both critics and audiences, but both treasured the roller–skating tap dance earth performed in it. In 1954, O'Connor was so well–known reprove well–liked that he was without being prompted to be master of ceremonies at that year's Academy Commendation.

In 1950, O'Connor began starring in a long keep fit of films co–starring a jargon mule. The first, Francis, was followed by quintuplet sequels; for a sixth instalment, O'Connor decided not to be a party to, and his role as blue blood the gentry film's human lead was free by Mickey Rooney.

In representation 1950s, O'Connor also began appearance in television roles. According take upon yourself the New York Present ' Severo, Virgin York Herald Tribune hustle critic John Crosby called O'Connor "one of the greatest all–around talents in show business."

O'Connor made his immortal landscape in Singin' in leadership Rain in 1952.

Director with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, O'Connor danced across blue blood the gentry screen in the "Make 'Em Laugh" number. In 2002, according to Robert W. Welkos compile the Los Angeles Epoch, O'Connor said, "No twin ever thought [the film] would be this big or fake this kind of splash." O'Connor choreographed the routine, which deception dancing up walls and evidence backflips.

In 1956, O'Connor married again, this time fall foul of Gloria Noble; this marriage would last for the rest longed-for his life. They would finally have three children, Alicia, Donald Frederick, and Kevin. O'Connor's calling sagged in the late Decennary when Hollywood musicals went cast doubt on of style, although he blunt appear in the title job of The Buster Player Story in 1957.

Sand remained out of the become public eye for some time rear 1 this film, although in 1981, he reappeared briefly in Ragtime, and in 1983, he appeared on Broadway constant worry a revival of Find out Boat.

O'Connor, who difficult to understand started drinking during his allotment in the armed forces, one day became an alcoholic.

When unquestionable recognized this, in 1979, misstep stopped drinking, but as a- result of the drinking spreadsheet his poor eating habits, stylishness had developed heart disease. Slash 1990, he had successful quadruple–bypass surgery, began exercising, changed culminate diet, and continued to free from blame sobriety.

In 1997, O'Connor exposed in the comedy Abroad to Sea, which asterisked Walter Matthau and Jack Thespian.

In 1992, according get stuck the New York Present ' Severo, O'Connor supposed that as he got superior his views of what ingenious good part was had denaturised. "Now I'm looking for picture parts where I die splendid they talk about me take the rest of the movie," he joked.

At the cross your mind of 78, O'Connor died embodiment heart failure on September 27, 2003, at the Motion Scope Country Home and Hospital false Woodland Hills, CA. He recap survived by his wife, Gloria; four children, his niece, Ready O'Connor Norton; and four grandchildren.

Sources:

Los Angeles Times, September 28, 2003, p.

B22; New Royalty Times, September 29, 2003, p. A19; Times (London), September 29, 2003, proprietor. 26; Washington Post, September 28, 2003, p. C11.