Actor
Donald O'Connor
Born 28 August 1925 · Chicago, Illinois, USA — died 27 September 2003
Donald O'Connor (1925–2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor who rose from vaudeville and child roles to film stardom in the 1940s. He was known for athletic, comic dancing and for the Francis the Talking Mule comedies. His most celebrated performance is Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain.
Key films
Beau Geste (1939)
An early screen role as a child, from a time when he was moving from vaudeville into Hollywood films.
Francis (1950)
Launched the hit Francis the Talking Mule series, which made him a major comic star at Universal.
Singin' in the Rain (1952)On Cinespective
His signature role as Cosmo Brown, including the acrobatic 'Make 'Em Laugh' routine.
Call Me Madam (1953)
A Technicolor Irving Berlin musical in which he co-starred with Ethel Merman, showing his range as a song-and-dance lead.
Toys (1992)
A late-career role in Barry Levinson's fantasy comedy, showing his work continued into the 1990s.
Key awards
- 1953 Golden Globe Award, Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy (Singin' in the Rain)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 81
- 1937It Can't Last Forever · as Kid Dancer (uncredited)Actor
- 1937Melody for Two · as Specialty ActActor
- 1938Sing, You Sinners · as Mike BeebeActor
- 1938Men with Wings · as Young Pat FalconerActor
- 1938Tom Sawyer, Detective · as Huckleberry FinnActor
- 1938Sons of the Legion · as Butch BakerActor
- 1939Beau Geste · as Beau Geste (as a Child)Actor
- 1939On Your Toes · as Phil Jr. as a BoyActor
- 1939Boy Trouble · as ButchActor
- 1939Unmarried · as Ted Streaver (age 12)Actor
- 1939Night Work · as Butch SmileyActor
- 1939Million Dollar Legs · as Sticky BooneActor
- 1939Death of a Champion · as Small FryActor
- 1942Private Buckaroo · as DonnyActor
- 1942What's Cookin'? · as TommyActor
- 1942Give Out, Sisters · as DonActor
- 1942When Johnny Comes Marching Home · as FrankieActor
- 1942Get Hep to Love · as Jimmy ArnoldActor
- 1943It Comes Up Love · as Ricky IvesActor
- 1943Mister Big · as Donald J. O'ConnorActor
- 1943Top Man · as Don WarrenActor
- 1944Follow the Boys · as Donald O'ConnorActor
- 1944The Merry Monahans · as Jimmy MonahanActor
- 1944This Is the Life · as JimmyActor
- 1944Chip Off the Old Block · as Donald CorriganActor
- 1944Bowery to Broadway · as Specialty dancerActor
- 1945Patrick the Great · as Pat Donahue Jr.Actor
- 1947Something in the Wind · as Charlie ReadActor
- 1948Are You With It? · as Milton HaskinsActor
- 1948Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' · as Wilbur McMurtyActor
- 1949Yes Sir, That's My Baby · as William Waldo WinfieldActor
- 1950Francis · as Peter StirlingActor
- 1950Curtain Call at Cactus Creek · as Edward TimmonsActor
- 1950The Milkman · as Roger BradleyActor
- 1951Francis Goes to the Races · as Peter StirlingActor
- 1951Double Crossbones · as Davey CrandallActor
- 1952Singin' in the Rain · as Cosmo BrownActor
- 1952Francis Goes to West Point · as Peter StirlingActor
- 1953I Love Melvin · as Melvin HooverActor
- 1953Call Me Madam · as Kenneth GibsonActor
- 1953Francis Covers the Big Town · as Peter StirlingActor
- 1953Walking My Baby Back Home · as Jigger MillardActor
- 1954There's No Business Like Show Business · as Tim DonahueActor
- 1954Francis Joins the WACS · as Peter StirlingActor
- 1955Francis in the Navy · as Peter Stirling / Slicker DonevanActor
- 1956Anything Goes · as Ted AdamsActor
- 1957The Buster Keaton Story · as Buster KeatonActor
- 1957The Jet-Propelled Couch · as Dr. Robert HarrisonActor
- 1957The Clouded Image · as Self - HostActor
- 1961The Wonders of Aladdin · as AladdinActor
- 1961Cry for Happy · as Murray PrinceActor
- 1963Marilyn · as archive footageActor
- 1965That Funny Feeling · as Harvey GransonActor
- 1974That's Entertainment! · as Self - Host / NarratorActor
- 1975The Lion Roars Again · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1976That's Entertainment, Part II · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1976It's Showtime · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1976Bob Hope's World of Comedy · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1978The Big Fix · as Francis Joins The NavyActor
- 1980Lucy Moves to NBC · as SelfActor
- 1981Ragtime · as Evelyn's Dance InstructorActor
- 1982Pandemonium · as Glenn's DadActor
- 1983Alice in Wonderland · as Mock TurtleActor
- 1985That's Dancing!Actor
- 1985Night of 100 Stars II · as SelfActor
- 1987Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 1987A Time to Remember · as Father WalshActor
- 1987A Mouse, a Mystery and Me · as Alex the Mouse (voice)Actor
- 1988Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC · as SelfActor
- 1992Toys · as Kenneth ZevoActor
- 1994That's Entertainment! III · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1994Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel · as Uncle CyrusActor
- 1996Father Frost · as Baba YagaActor
- 1997Out to Sea · as JonathanActor
- 2000Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints · as SelfActor
- 2002Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2002What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain' · as SelfActor
- 2005Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2005Pioneers of PrimetimeActor
- 2014Bing Crosby: Rediscovered · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022Becoming Marilyn · as (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.