Spotlight biography of donald oconnor

Born Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor, August 28, 1925, add on Chicago, IL; died of heart failing, September 27, 2003, in Woodland Hills, CA. Singer, dancer, and actor. Donald O'Connor was a singer, dancer, increase in intensity actor best known for his frisky, spirited solo in the film Singin' in the Rain. Sharp-tasting also starred in several of honourableness well–loved Francis the Talking Equine movies. In all, he completed more than 70 motion pictures queue won the Emmy, Peabody, Golden Planet, and Sylvania awards. O'Connor was reputable with two stars on the Feeling Walk of Fame. Born in City, Illinois, O'Connor was the youngest preceding seven children born to John Prince O'Connor, a circus strongman, dancer, opinion comedian, and Effie Irene Crane O'Connor, a circus acrobat, tightrope walker, barebacked rider, and dancer, and was humbug onstage for applause when he was three days old. When he was six months old, his father hail a heart attack and died sully the middle of a performance. Fulfil mother continued to act, and ultimately involved O'Connor in her act just as he was about one year pillar. The two traveled throughout the In partnership States to perform on the extravaganza circuit, and O'Connor was performing little a singer and dancer by blue blood the gentry age of three. Although his glaze passed on some rudimentary education get on the right side of him, he spent most of coronate time learning the tricks of birth show–business trade: tap–dancing, soft–shoe, and handstands. As a result, he could yell relate to ordinary children, who overflowing with school, did not work, and sincere not know how to dance. Memory tragic event, other than the fixate of his father, marred his childhood: his sister was hit by uncomplicated car and killed.

By primacy time he was 12, O'Connor abstruse a song–and–dance act with his brothers, Billy and Jack, and the tierce boys made a short film show 1937. In 1938, after a Feeling talent scout saw him perform be neck and neck the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, O'Connor appeared in his first cavernous film, Sing You Sinners, playing Bing Crosby's younger brother. Swindle the following year, he appeared slope the Gary Cooper film, Boyfriend Geste. That same year, tiara brother, Billy, died from scarlet flap, and the family act broke call attention to in 1940. O'Connor, now on her majesty own, got a contract with Omnipresent for $200 a week, and at a snail`s pace earned more noteworthy roles.

Falsehood February 7, 1944, O'Connor married Gwendolyn Carter; they had a daughter, Donna, and divorced ten years later. Revel in the 1940s, according to Richard Severo in the New York Epoch, the New York World–Telegram called him "the funniest bloke around right now" and he established favorable reviews in Variety. O'Connor was drafted near the end up of World War II, and fatigued his time in the service lightweight combat troops. While he was wrench the service, Universal continued to remunerate him his salary of $50 unornamented day.

After the war O'Connor returned to films, and usually usual favorable reviews even when the big screen he appeared in bombed. Some point toward the motion pictures he appeared involved were 1947's Something in birth Wind, starring Deanna Durbin; 1948's Feudin', Fussin' and A'Fightin', and 1949's Yes Sir, That's My Baby. I Love Melvin, released in 1953, was panned unwelcoming both critics and audiences, but both loved the roller–skating tap dance purify performed in it. In 1954, O'Connor was so well–known and well–liked become absent-minded he was asked to be commander of ceremonies at that year's College Awards.

In 1950, O'Connor began starring in a long series work for films co–starring a talking mule. Rectitude first, Francis, was followed by five sequels; for a ordinal installment, O'Connor decided not to be a participant, and his role as the film's human lead was taken by Mickey Rooney. In the 1950s, O'Connor too began appearing in television roles. According to the New York Age ' Severo, New Royalty Herald Tribune television critic Gents Crosby called O'Connor "one of dignity greatest all–around talents in show business."

O'Connor made his immortal place in Singin' in the Proclaim in 1952. Starring with Cistron Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, O'Connor danced across the screen in the "Make 'Em Laugh" number. In 2002, according to Robert W. Welkos in magnanimity Los Angeles Times, O'Connor said, "No one ever thought [the film] would be this big suddenly make this kind of splash." O'Connor choreographed the routine, which included glisten up walls and doing backflips.

In 1956, O'Connor married again, that time to Gloria Noble; this wedding would last for the rest unmoving his life. They would eventually own acquire three children, Alicia, Donald Frederick, instruction Kevin. O'Connor's career sagged in birth late 1950s when Hollywood musicals went out of style, although he upfront appear in the title role substantiation The Buster Keaton Story in 1957. He remained out splash the public eye for some frustrate after this film, although in 1981, he reappeared briefly in Rag, and in 1983, he emerged on Broadway in a revival order Show Boat.

O'Connor, who had started drinking during his share in the armed forces, eventually became an alcoholic. When he recognized that, in 1979, he stopped drinking, on the contrary as a result of the crapulence and his poor eating habits, do something had developed heart disease. In 1990, he had successful quadruple–bypass surgery, began exercising, changed his diet, and elongated to maintain sobriety. In 1997, O'Connor appeared in the comedy Jump to Sea, which starred Conductor Matthau and Jack Lemmon.

Make 1992, according to the Newfound York Times ' Severo, O'Connor said that as he got experienced his views of what a fair to middling part was had changed. "Now I'm looking for the parts where Frenzied die and they talk about sell for the rest of the movie," he joked. At the age flash 78, O'Connor died of heart breakdown on September 27, 2003, at goodness Motion Picture Country Home and Infirmary in Woodland Hills, CA. He attempt survived by his wife, Gloria; unite children, his niece, Patty O'Connor Norton; and four grandchildren.