Donald O'Connor
| Donald O'Connor | |
|---|---|
Publicity photo (1952)
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| Born |
Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor August 28, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 27, 2003 (aged 78) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery |
| Occupation | Dancer, singer, actor |
| Years active | 1937–1999 |
| Spouse(s) | Gwen Carter (m. 1944–1954; divorced) Gloria Noble (m. 1956–2003; his death) |
| Children | 4 |
Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer, and actor who came to fame in a series of movies in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
He is best known today for his role as Don Lockwood's friend and colleague Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain (1952).
Though he considered Danville, Illinois to be his hometown, O’Connor was born in St. Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago. His parents, Effie Irene (née Crane) and John Edward "Chuck" O'Connor, were vaudeville entertainers. His father's family was from County Cork, Ireland. When O'Connor was only a few years old, he and his sister Arlene were in a car crash outside a theater in Hartford, Connecticut; O'Connor survived, but his sister was killed. Several weeks later, his father died of a heart attack while dancing on stage in Brockton, Massachusetts. O'Connor at the time was being held in the arms of the theater manager, Mr. Morris Sims.
O'Connor began performing in movies in 1937. He appeared opposite Bing Crosby in Sing You Sinners at age 12. Paramount Pictures used him in both A and B films, including Tom Sawyer, Detective and Beau Geste. In 1940, when he had outgrown child roles, he returned to vaudeville.
In 1941, O’Connor signed with Universal Pictures, where he began by appearing in seven B-picture musicals in a row, starting with What's Cookin'? (1942) and ending with Mister Big (1943).Peggy Ryan and Gloria Jean were in four each. Before Mister Big (1943) was released, O’Connor’s popularity soared. Universal added $50,000 in musical numbers to the film and promoted the "B" movie to "A" status.
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