Donald O'Connor

Biography

Donald O'Connor was an American actor, dancer and singer who grew up in a vaudeville family and learned dancing, singing, comedy and slapstick as a child. He signed with Paramount and played Gary Cooper's character as a boy in Beau Geste (1939) before joining Universal, where musicals such as What's Cookin'? paired him with Peggy Ryan and Gloria Jean. His signature role was Cosmo in Singin' in the Rain (1952), whose Make 'Em Laugh routine brought him a Golden Globe. He took the lead in Francis (1950) and its sequels, played opposite Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam (1953), and appeared in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) and Anything Goes (1956). On television he hosted the Colgate Comedy Hour and his own show, and his work there earned a Primetime Emmy Award, with four nominations in all. Later films included Ragtime (1981), Toys (1992) and Out to Sea (1997).

78years old at death

Born August 28, 1925Chicago
Died September 27, 2003Calabasas
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor

Movie Career

Films: 12
Career span: 58 years1939 to 1997

Genres

Comedy67%, 8 films
Romance42%, 5 films
Drama33%, 4 films
Musical33%, 4 films
Adventure17%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Beyond film
O'Connor's first symphony, "Reflections d'Un Comique," was performed in 1956, and he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic for that performance.

Donald O'Connor movies on Netflix

Out to Sea1997IMDb rating 6.1as Jonathan
Toys1992IMDb rating 5.2as Kenneth Zevo
Ragtime1981IMDb rating 7.3as Evelyn's Dance Instructor
That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8as Self - Host / Narrator
That Funny Feeling1965IMDb rating 6.5as Harvey Granson
Anything Goes1956IMDb rating 6.1as Ted Adams
There's No Business Like Show Business1954IMDb rating 6.4as Tim Donahue
Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8as Kenneth Gibson
I Love Melvin1953IMDb rating 6.6as Melvin Hoover
Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3as Cosmo Brown
Francis1950IMDb rating 6.5as 2nd Lt. Peter Stirling
Beau Geste1939IMDb rating 7.5as Beau Geste

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Singin' in the Rain1952 Comedy, Musical, Romanceas Cosmo Brown
IMDb rating 8.3286K votes
Toys1992 Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Familyas Kenneth Zevo
IMDb rating 5.236K votes
There's No Business Like Show Business1954as Tim Donahue
IMDb rating 6.47.5K votes
Ragtime1981as Evelyn's Dance Instructor
IMDb rating 7.312K votes
Francis1950as 2nd Lt. Peter Stirling
IMDb rating 6.51.7K votes
Out to Sea1997as Jonathan
IMDb rating 6.110K votes
I Love Melvin1953as Melvin Hoover
IMDb rating 6.61.2K votes
Call Me Madam1953as Kenneth Gibson
IMDb rating 6.81.6K votes

Most often with

Walter Lang directed two of these films. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bess Flowers

Debbie Reynolds

Kathleen Freeman

Bing Crosby

Gene Kelly

Cyd CharisseWalter LangDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers3 films together, 1952 to 1956
Bess Flowers's page
- Anything Goes1956IMDb rating 6.1O'Connor as Ted AdamsFlowers as Ship Passenger
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8O'Connor as Kenneth GibsonFlowers as Lady Seated Behind Duchess
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3O'Connor as Cosmo BrownFlowers as Audience Member
Debbie Reynolds3 films together, 1952 to 1974
Debbie Reynolds's page
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8O'Connor as Self - Host / NarratorReynolds as Self - Host / Narrator
- I Love Melvin1953IMDb rating 6.6O'Connor as Melvin HooverReynolds as Judy Schneider…
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3O'Connor as Cosmo BrownReynolds as Kathy Selden
Kathleen Freeman2 films together, 1952 to 1965
Kathleen Freeman's page
- That Funny Feeling1965IMDb rating 6.5O'Connor as Harvey GransonFreeman as Woman at Phone Booth
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3O'Connor as Cosmo BrownFreeman as Phoebe Dinsmore
Bing Crosby2 films together, 1956 to 1974
Bing Crosby's page
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8O'Connor as Self - Host / NarratorCrosby as Self - Host / Narrator
- Anything Goes1956IMDb rating 6.1O'Connor as Ted AdamsCrosby as Bill Benson
Gene Kelly2 films together, 1952 to 1974
Gene Kelly's page
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8O'Connor as Self - Host / NarratorKelly as Self - Host / Narrator
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3O'Connor as Cosmo BrownKelly as Don Lockwood
Cyd Charisse2 films together, 1952 to 1974
Cyd Charisse's page
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8O'Connor as Self - Host / Narrator
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3O'Connor as Cosmo BrownCharisse as Dancer
Walter LangDirector, 2 films, 1953 to 1954
All films by Walter Lang
- There's No Business Like Show Business1954IMDb rating 6.4O'Connor as Tim Donahue
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8O'Connor as Kenneth Gibson
Also two films together3 more actors
- George ChakirisThere's No Business Like Show Business (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
- Mitzi GaynorAnything Goes (1956) and There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
- Ethel MermanThere's No Business Like Show Business (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Two awards and honors, one of them major.

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Donald O'Connor's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Emmy Awards
	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Won
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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