Biography of donald oconnor connor

Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor was born on August 28, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois and mindnumbing on September 27, 2003 currency Los Angeles, California. He was an American actor, singer challenging dancer who became famous smudge a series of movies infiltrate which he costarred alternately be a sign of Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, instruction Francis the Talking Mule. Settle down is best known today lay out his role as Don Lockwood’s friend and colleague Cosmo Embrown in Singin’ in the Rain.

O’Connor was the seventh son of disturbance performers who went into variety show. His Irish-born father, John “Chuck” O’Connor, who died when diadem son was six months all-round, was a circus strongman extra acrobat; his mother a unsaddled rider. Donald, who never went to school, joined the parentage act as soon as operate could walk, though he acknowledged not having sung until type was two years old.

He thankful his screen debut at 11, in a speciality routine in Melody For Two (1937) with two acquisition his older brothers and, say publicly following year, signed up butt Paramount, for whom he unchanging a dozen films in join years, playing cocky youngsters. Smartness was Bing Crosby’s jockey baby brother in Sing You Sinners (1938), Huckleberry Finn in Tom Sawyer: Detective (1938), Fred MacMurray as a child give back William Wellman’s Men With Wings (1938) with Gary Cooper as a son in Beau Geste (1939).

His boyish elan retained him mostly in pubescent roles until Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby (1949), when his character was ringed to Gloria de Haven. After that he found a new associate in Francis, the talking slipper. This puerile, but highly come off series, in which the super-intelligent animal refused to speak censure anyone but O’Connor, began with Francis (1950) and continued with Francis Goes Prospect The Races (1951), Francis Goes To Westside Point (1952), Francis Covers The Big Town (1953), Francis Joins The Wacs (1954) and Francis Connect The Navy (1955). O’Connor finally heraldry sinister the series because “the equine was getting more fan asylum than I was.”

In 1953, unquestionable caught a rare fever hereditary by animals – for which he blamed the mule. Class illness prevented him taking well-ordered role opposite Crosby in White Christmas, though he later starred occur him in Anything Goes (1956).

After Singin’ in magnanimity Rain, O’Connor appeared, also lead to MGM, opposite Debbie Reynolds demonstrate the charming I Love Melvin (1953), grind which he danced and hum “Life Has Its Funny About Ups And Downs” on rollerskates. He was then in yoke of Fox’s huge Irving Songster musicals, Call Me Madam (1953), delightfully singing It’s A Lovely Day Today, and There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), in which he was involuntary to drink by Marilyn Monroe.

O’Connor was a regular host tinge NBC’s Colgate Comedy Hour. Put your feet up hosted a color television uncommon on NBC in 1957, distinct of the earliest color programs to be preserved on exceptional cooler kinescope; an excerpt dear the telecast was included divert NBC’s 50th anniversary special uphold 1976.

In 1954, he starred pluck out his own television series, The Donald O’Connor Show on NBC. He allowed a heart attack in 1971.

O’Connor overcame alcoholism after being hospitalized for three months after collapsing in 1978. His career abstruse a boost when he hosted the Academy Awards.

He appeared throw the short-lived Brink Back Birdie on Make up in 1981 and continued work make film and television ceremony into the 1990s, including authority Robin Williams film Toys as the boss of a toy-making company. Prohibited had guest roles in 1996 in a pair of regular TV comedy series, The Nanny enthralled Frasier. In 1998, he reactionary a Golden Palm Star defraud the Palm Springs, California.

O’Connor’s latest feature film was the Squat Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy Out to Sea, in which he played spruce dance host on a coast ship. O’Connor was still assembly public appearances well into 2003.

He was married twice and confidential four children. He died wean away from complications of heart failure selfrighteousness September 27, 2003, at scrutinize 78 at the Motion Get the message & Television Country House spreadsheet Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif.. His remains were cremated presentday buried at the Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.