Donald O'Connor
Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. O'Connor was born into a vaudeville family, where he learned to dance, sing, play comedy, even slapstick. The most distinctive characteristic of his dancing style was its athleticism, for which he had few rivals. Yet it was his boyish charm that audiences found most engaging, and which remained an appealing aspect of his personality throughout his career. In his early Universal films, O'Connor closely mimicked the smart alec, fast-talking personality of Mickey Rooney of rival MGM Studio. For Singin' in the Rain, however, MGM cultivated a much more sympathetic sidekick persona, and that remained O'Connor's signature image. His best-known work was his "Make 'Em Laugh" dance routine in Singin' in the Rain (1952), for which role O'Connor was awarded a Golden Globe. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 84042 | 3/3/1953 | You're just in love | Ethel Merman | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84044 | 3/3/1953 | What chance have I with love | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84045 | 3/3/1953 | Something to dance about | Donald O'Connor ; Carol (Carole) Richards | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87104 | 11/29/1954 | Lany | Dolores Gray ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87107 | 11/29/1954 | Alexander's ragtime band, part 2 | Dan Dailey ; Mitzi Gaynor ; Donald O'Connor ; Johnnie Ray | vocalist | |||
Decca | 87516 | 3/8/1955 | A man chases a girl | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7117 | 4/6/1953 | Crash | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7118 | 4/6/1953 | I'm walking behind you | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7282 | 7/17/1953 | Unless you're with me | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7283 | 7/17/1953 | The biggest bloomin' bumbershoot | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7284 | 7/17/1953 | Love is in the air | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7285 | 7/17/1953 | Things have changed a lot | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 7507 | 12/30/1953 | If there's anybody here (from my home town) | Bing Crosby ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8009 | 11/23/1954 | It's a Sunday world | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8010 | 11/23/1954 | Here comes Donald | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8011 | 11/23/1954 | Christmas | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8012 | God rest ye merry, gentlemen ; Noel | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | ||||
Decca | L 8046 | 12/7/1954 | Whistle stop | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8047 | 12/7/1954 | Doobie dobie love | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 8048 | 12/7/1954 | Chihuahua choo-choo | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 9024 | 3/7/1956 | You can bounce right back | Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 9025 | 3/7/1956 | It's de-lovely | Mitzi Gaynor ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 9026 | 3/7/1956 | Ya gotta give the people hoke | Bing Crosby ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 9027 | 3/7/1956 | Blow Gabriel blow | Bing Crosby ; Mitzi Gaynor ; Zizi Jeanmaire ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 9028 | 3/7/1956 | A second hand turban and a ; crystal ball | Bing Crosby ; Donald O'Connor | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "O'Connor, Donald," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108039.
O'Connor, Donald. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108039.
"O'Connor, Donald." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Donald O’Connor
Discogs: Donald O'Connor
Grove: Donald O'Connor
IMDb: Donald O'Connor
Britannica: Donald O'Connor
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: O'Connor, Donald, 1925-2003 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87911731
Wikidata: Donald O’Connor - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q348345
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/66654348
MusicBrainz: Donald O’Connor - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/18130042-340e-4303-8464-383b7009e8ec
ISNI: 0000 0001 0858 2437 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000108582437
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