Donald O'Connor Overview:

Legendary actor, Donald O'Connor, was born Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor on Aug 28, 1925 in Chicago, IL. O'Connor died at the age of 78 on Sep 27, 2003 in Calabasas, CA and was laid to rest in Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills) Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA.

MINI BIO:

Cheerful, slimly-built, non-stop American dancing star and light comedian with a thick bush of brown hair. A child actor of the late 1930s (the offspring of a family vaudeville act), he blossomed in medium-budget musicals at Universal, and later proved a more-than-useful foil for Hollywood's leading musical lights. Was also for many years the master of Francis the talking mule, but his film career faded in the 1950s as musicals fell from fashion, and he embarked on a fresh career as a composer of light symphonic music.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Motion Pictures and Television. Donald O'Connor's handprints and footprints were 'set in stone' at Grauman's Chinese Theater during imprint ceremony #103 on Feb 25, 1953. O'Connor was never nominated for an Academy Award.

BlogHub Articles:

Seven Things to Know About

By Rick29 on Apr 20, 2020 From Classic Film & TV Cafe

1. Show business was in his blood. His father, John, worked as an acrobat, clown, trapeze artist, and strong man for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. His mother Effie was a circus bareback horse rider and dancer. When Donald was thirteen-months-old, he and his sister Arlene, who w... Read full article


, Making Us Laugh

By KC on Nov 21, 2009 From Classic Movies

Hey Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I appreciate your love for 's Make 'Em Laugh from Singin' In the Rain (1952). The great pleasure you took in performing it was the best part of your version on SNL, but I needed to watch this right after: Ah, much better.... Read full article


Remembering

By Caftan Woman on Aug 29, 2008 From Caftan Woman

1925 - 2003I have been reminded that we missed the opportunity to recall upon his August 28th birthday. Shame on us. I do hope that that doesn't mean that we have been neglecting to make room in the entertainment portions of our busy lives for the wonderfully talented, warm-hearted g... Read full article


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Donald O'Connor Quotes:

Cosmo Brown: Lina. She can't act, she can't sing, she can't dance. A triple threat.


Tom Milford: This is the girl who took my place.
Harvey Granson: Well, what's she doing in my place?
Tom Milford: She won't let me in my place so I had to call your place my place.
Harvey Granson: Get her out of here, you hear! Out! Out!
Tom Milford: Now, Harv, I've been working on her, now she's just starting to talk.
Harvey Granson: Now teach her how to walk and get her out of here!


[after Cosmo gives a good idea]
R.F. Simpson: Cosmo, remind me to give you a raise.
[turns around]
Cosmo Brown: Oh, R.F.
R.F. Simpson: Yes?
Cosmo Brown: Give me a raise.


read more quotes from Donald O'Connor...



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Grauman's Imprints

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Donald O'Connor on the
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Donald O'Connor Facts
He left Universal Pictures due to unhappiness over the studio's decision of type-casting him to the "super-polite boy" roles almost throughout his acting career, despite starring in many box office hits released by Universal. It was a bitter-sweet departure as Donald had been with Universal for most of his acting career. The studio held a small party for him and gave him a camera along with 14 films as a departure gift. Sadly, his acting career in Hollywood ended soon after his departure from Universal.

From a vaudeville family act, his father John Edward "Chuck" O'Connor" was an acrobat with Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Baily Circus as a "leaper." His mother was a circus bareback rider and dancer named Effie. One of seven children, three died in infancy, but the rest were incorporated into show business. His mother kept the family going with extended family members despite many deaths (including her husband) until 1941.

Danced with Beverly Yissar (nee Scherrer) when she was 5 or 6; he, 10 or 11.

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