Zylstra, Freida. In some of the best dance television camera work to date, O'Connor joined the brothers in "Cute," a medium tempo swing tune by Neal Hefti in which he tapped out feather-light shuffles and heel-clicks. By now, the grueling footwork that went into Singin' in the Rain's "Good Morning" scene is the stuff of legend. Yet he could never bring himself to give less than 100%, even when it was junk.He and Debbie Reynolds were cast together in a dudcalled ILove Melvin, which both actors roundly panned, but he still delivered an unforgettabletap dance on roller skates. During World War II, on his 18th birthday in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. The routine tooka heavy tollon OConnors body. The routine was completely improvised by OConnor. His best-known Gloria said simply, God gave him a gift, and that gift was sobriety. His son Fred said, Thank God theres a higher power that healed him. He rebuilt his wifes trust and reunited with his family after eight months clean. He approached Monroe himself: Would you mind taking off your shoes? [29], He did episodes of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Vacation Playhouse, ABC Stage 67 and The Jackie Gleason Show. Apparently, the scene was so physically distressing for the actor, he retired to a hospital bed for three whole days in order to recover from it (via IMDb). 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. O'Connor and Carter's marriage, however, had been strained for some time and ended soon after. Assistants carried her to her dressing room, and doctors put her on bed rest for two days. He also connected with a newgeneration of fansin a 1987 presentation to the student body of California Polytechnic University. The letters detail the lives of other patients, particularly a 30-year-old man who was completely immobilized. It was just a fact. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ironically, his character was fighting drug addiction. Here he is unfolding the secrets of theclog step with the greatBuddy Ebsen. 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." O'Connor and some dance assistants strung together a series of O'Connor's funniest pratfalls and schtick. 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. "The scene was building to such a crescendo, I thought I'd actually have to kill myself," said O'Connor. Washington, D.C.: NPR. I do my concert work and I do night clubs and that kind of stuff. Chicago Tribune 20 Dec 1985: n_a50. He maintained his high standards of excellence through the 60s, as evidenced in some rare clips thathave surfaced on Youtube. (Candid footage of the reception shows OConnor surreptitiously piling an extra slice of cake on the boys plate.) They brought me those little Oriental rugswouldnt absorb a sponge. He consulted with his brother Jack on running up the wall,an old trick from his circus days. [9], In 1941, O'Connor signed with Universal Pictures for $200 a week, where he began with What's Cookin'? The actor's lungs were hardly suited for the endurance that "Make 'Em Laugh" required. O'Connor said the tragedies "marred my childhood and it's still haunting.". Had he only been required to do it once, perhaps the actor wouldn't have suffered notable rug burns and severe exhaustion that confined him to a hospital bed for three days (per IMDb). Its one of the only times in OConnors career that he peels off the jesters mask for a glimpse of the vulnerable soul underneath. For Singin' in the Rain, however, MGM cultivated a much more sympathetic sidekick persona, and that remained O'Connor's signature image. The father dies before Williams enters the film as his son, so the two geniuses never actually got to work together. OConnors terse retort: Many people who love me protected me. Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor was born in Chicago to parents who were circus. Keatonsground-breakingphysical comedy was a major influence on OConnors own work, and he jumped at the chance to pay tribute to a long-time idol. Donald O'Connor, the comedic song-and-dance man who inherited and perpetuated a classic tradition of vaudeville tap dancing, was born David Dixon Ronald O'Connor into an Irish theatrical family. He began to spendlong nights playing cards and getting fights at the club. O'Connor was married twice and had four children. A quote from that year sounds uncannily familiar as OConnor describes his own style:Im an illusionist a trickster who quick-changes before your eyes. It would have been fascinating to watch them play off of each other, as they shared certain qualities in common. The four-minute song-and-dance number featuring all three of the film's stars (Kelly, Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor) took 15 hours to get right. [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. Everything about me is based on show business. 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 live audiences created a certain spontaneity. 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. They toured the country doing singing, dancing, comedy, and acting. [6], O'Connor was reluctant to keep making Francis films but agreed to Francis in the Navy (1955). Donald O'Connor, Who Danced Through Many Hollywood Musicals, Dies at 78 By Richard Severo Sept. 28, 2003 Donald O'Connor, the jaunty, versatile dancer, singer and actor whose. He also briefly crossed paths with Robin Williams in 1992, when Williams invited Donald to play his father in the off-beat experiment Toys. "I capture your attention without giving you time to think about it. He spoke without resentment. His first marriage was in 1944 to Gwendolyn Carter, when he was 18 and she was 20. And I had to learn to dance from the waist up. Gene Kelly Fred Astaire and Donald OConnor. It was his first feature film role in 16 years. Films", ""Be A Clown" and "Make 'Em Laugh:" Comic Timing, Rhythm, and Donald O'Connor's Face", "Singin' in the Rain: A Conversation with Betty Comden and Adolph Green", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Make_%27Em_Laugh&oldid=1140046445, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 04:20. In 1971, after suffering a heart attack, O'Connor devoted considerably energy to composing music for the concert hall. "[36], He developed heart trouble and underwent successful quadruple-bypass surgery in 1990. Not only did Kelly disparage Reynolds with harsh remarks, he also subjected her to unwanted sexual advances during their characters' first kiss, according to Unthinkable. 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. [citation needed]. As a consequence, his musical career was constantly interrupted by production of one Francis film per year until 1955. I did triple wings and everything. The Guardian 29 Sep 2003: 1.21. (1948) with Olga San Juan, Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' (1949) with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride, and Yes Sir, That's My Baby (1949) with Gloria DeHaven. When asked how he came to dance as he did in Singin in the Rain, he explained that actor Gene Kelly, who co-directed and starred in the classic 1952 film, told him he could do anything he wanted. By the end, Reynolds' feet were bleeding and she could barely move. O'Connor was a regular host of NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour. I'm still singing and dancing. In 1992, hereleased an instructional tap dance video where he swapped stories and steps with the old, old masters. Actor Donald O'Connor dancing on roller skates, probably in preparation for filming of I Love Melvin. In 1980, he was nominated for a Special Event Emmy when he hosted a history of the dance at the Oscars, riding triumphantly aloft a camera crane and even getting in some steps of his own. Musician Don Lockwood (Kelly) rises to stardom during Hollywood's silent-movie era--paired with the beautiful, jealous and dumb Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). That film featured his widely known rendition of "Make 'Em Laugh", which he choreographed with help from the assistant dance directors and his brother. 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. 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. Sept. 28, 2003 12 AM PT. The effect of alcohol on his work was not felt immediately. You could do that with any kid, only I got paid for it.. OConnor later credited Kelly with teaching him to be a total dancer, from the waist up. In the divorce Carter was given ownership of their home and custody of their daughter. He began appearing regularly on television. 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