---
name: "Donald O'Connor"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/donald-oconnor"
fi1m_id: "donald-oconnor"
imdb_id: "nm0640307"
tmdb_id: 13295
wikidata_id: "Q348345"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 August 1925"
died: "27 September 2003"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T21:26:36.727798+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Donald O'Connor

## Identity

Donald O'Connor

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/donald-oconnor
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** donald-oconnor
- **IMDb ID:** nm0640307
- **TMDB ID:** 13295
- **Wikidata ID:** Q348345
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_O%27Connor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q348345, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0640307/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13295

Actor. Born 28 August 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 27 September 2003.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 August 1925, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 27 September 2003
- **Also known as:** Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor, دونالد اوکانر
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_O%27Connor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q348345, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0640307/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13295

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Singin' in the Rain*](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md) (93)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Donald O'Connor

> Donald O'Connor makes acrobatic skill funny by putting it to such undignified use. We rate him highly as a dancer and comedian, though the light roles that kept him busy gave too little space to anything else.

Donald O'Connor runs up a wall and takes pratfalls in ‘Make 'Em Laugh’, his number in *Singin' in the Rain* (1952). We laughed at the falls because he gives looking ridiculous as much care as he gives the dancing. The athletic skill is there to be admired, but he does not let admiration get in the way of the joke. His boyish manner keeps all that exertion from feeling grimly strenuous. We rate him highly for making difficult physical comedy feel so companionable.

The Universal youth musicals of the 1940s often paired him with Peggy Ryan and put his singing, dancing and comedy to work. *Francis* (1950) cast him as Peter Stirling opposite a talking mule, with Arthur Lubin directing the series. Those comedies ran until 1955 and depended on his straight-man timing. The limitation was the lightweight material and the shortage of dramatic opportunities, a frustration he felt himself. Being able to do several things well did not mean being offered several different kinds of part.

Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's *Singin' in the Rain* gave him a better use for his energy as Cosmo Brown. The romance is slight, but the comic timing and pleasure of the performances make the film an easy recommendation. O'Connor choreographed ‘Make 'Em Laugh’ himself, trying pratfalls before Kelly's assistants and having the ones that amused them written down. That practical method suits the result: the routine keeps finding fresh ways for him to make a fool of himself.

*There's No Business Like Show Business* (1954) kept him in musicals as Tim Donahue. His work also took him to television and the stage, with occasional film parts including Evelyn's dance instructor in *Ragtime* (1981). The limited dramatic opportunities leave us wary of grand claims about what else he might have done; there is enough to value in the comedy without inventing a different career for him. Start with *Singin' in the Rain*, and give the footwork and the falls equal attention.

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), Fi1m 93, as Cosmo Brown — [page](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md)

## Complete filmography (86)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Becoming Marilyn* (2022), as (archive footage)
- *Pioneers of Primetime* (2005), Actor
- *Out to Sea* (1997), as Jonathan
- *Father Frost* (1996), as Baba Yaga
- *That's Entertainment! III* (1994), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel* (1994), as Uncle Cyrus
- *The Nanny* (1993), series, as Fred
- *Frasier* (1993), series, as Harlow Safford — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *Toys* (1992), as Kenneth Zevo
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Joseph Renfield
- *A Mouse, a Mystery and Me* (1987), as Alex the Mouse (voice)
- *A Time to Remember* (1987), as Father Walsh
- *Alice in Wonderland* (1985), series, as Lory Bird
- *That's Dancing!* (1985), Actor
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Barry Barnes
- *Highway to Heaven* (1984), series, as Jackie Clark
- *Alice in Wonderland* (1983), as Mock Turtle
- *Hotel* (1982), series, as David Connelly
- *Pandemonium* (1982), as Glenn's Dad
- *Simon & Simon* (1981), series, as George Decova / Barnaby the Great
- *Ragtime* (1981), as Evelyn's Dance Instructor
- *The Big Fix* (1978), as Francis Joins The Navy
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Oscar Tilton, Leo Halbert, Howard Enicker
- *Hunter* (1977), series, Actor
- *That's Entertainment, Part II* (1976), as (archive footage)
- *The Bionic Woman* (1976), series, Actor
- *Ellery Queen* (1975), series, as Kenny Freeman
- *Police Story* (1973), series, as Holly Connor
- *The Bobby Darin Show* (1973), series, Actor
- *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Mock Turtle
- *ABC Stage 67* (1966), series, as Hermes
- *That Funny Feeling* (1965), as Harvey Granson
- *Petticoat Junction* (1963), series, Director
- *Vacation Playhouse* (1963), series, as Donald Dugan
- *The Wonders of Aladdin* (1961), as Aladdin
- *Cry for Happy* (1961), as Murray Prince
- *The Jet-Propelled Couch* (1957), as Dr. Robert Harrison
- *DuPont Show of the Month* (1957), series, as Johnny Shaw
- *The Buster Keaton Story* (1957), as Buster Keaton
- *Anything Goes* (1956), as Ted Adams
- *Francis in the Navy* (1955), as Peter Stirling / Slicker Donevan
- *There's No Business Like Show Business* (1954), as Tim Donahue
- *The Donald O'Connor Show* (1954), series, as Donald O'Connor
- *Francis Joins the WACS* (1954), as Peter Stirling
- *Walking My Baby Back Home* (1953), as Jigger Millard
- *Francis Covers the Big Town* (1953), as Peter Stirling
- *Call Me Madam* (1953), as Kenneth Gibson
- *I Love Melvin* (1953), as Melvin Hoover
- *Francis Goes to West Point* (1952), as Peter Stirling
- *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), as Cosmo Brown — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md)
- *Francis Goes to the Races* (1951), as Peter Stirling
- *Double Crossbones* (1951), as Davey Crandall
- *The Milkman* (1950), as Roger Bradley
- *Curtain Call at Cactus Creek* (1950), as Edward Timmons
- *Francis* (1950), as Peter Stirling
- *Yes Sir, That's My Baby* (1949), as William Waldo Winfield
- *Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'* (1948), as Wilbur McMurty
- *Are You With It?* (1948), as Milton Haskins
- *Something in the Wind* (1947), as Charlie Read
- *Patrick the Great* (1945), as Pat Donahue Jr.
- *Bowery to Broadway* (1944), as Specialty dancer
- *The Merry Monahans* (1944), as Jimmy Monahan
- *This Is the Life* (1944), as Jimmy
- *Follow the Boys* (1944), as Donald O'Connor
- *Chip Off the Old Block* (1944), as Donald Corrigan
- *Top Man* (1943), as Don Warren
- *Mister Big* (1943), as Donald J. O'Connor
- *It Comes Up Love* (1943), as Ricky Ives
- *When Johnny Comes Marching Home* (1942), as Frankie
- *Get Hep to Love* (1942), as Jimmy Arnold
- *Give Out, Sisters* (1942), as Don
- *Private Buckaroo* (1942), as Donny
- *What's Cookin'?* (1942), as Tommy
- *On Your Toes* (1939), as Phil Jr. as a Boy
- *Death of a Champion* (1939), as Small Fry
- *Night Work* (1939), as Butch Smiley
- *Beau Geste* (1939), as Beau Geste (as a Child)
- *Million Dollar Legs* (1939), as Sticky Boone
- *Unmarried* (1939), as Ted Streaver (age 12)
- *Boy Trouble* (1939), as Butch
- *Tom Sawyer, Detective* (1938), as Huckleberry Finn
- *Sons of the Legion* (1938), as Butch Baker
- *Sing, You Sinners* (1938), as Mike Beebe
- *Men with Wings* (1938), as Young Pat Falconer
- *It Can't Last Forever* (1937), as Kid Dancer (uncredited)
- *Melody for Two* (1937), as Specialty Act

## Gallery

- ![Celebrities from Danville, Il. Walldog Mural. Bobby Short Jerry Van Dyke Dick Van Dyke Gene Hackman Donald O'Connor Helen Morgan (2022)](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-15c3582b7622.jpg) Celebrities from Danville, Il. Walldog Mural. Bobby Short Jerry Van Dyke Dick Van Dyke Gene Hackman Donald O'Connor Helen Morgan (2022) — ComRela, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Celebrities_Walldog.jpg/1280px-Celebrities_Walldog.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Film poster for the 1961 film Cry for Happy](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-c6ea76ebd60c.jpg) Film poster for the 1961 film Cry for Happy — Columbia Pictures Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Film_Poster_%283%29.jpg/1280px-Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Film_Poster_%283%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lobby card of (from left) Miiko Taka, Glenn Ford, Donald O'Connor, and Miyoshi Umeki for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960)](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-0e92d9fd5614.jpg) Lobby card of (from left) Miiko Taka, Glenn Ford, Donald O'Connor, and Miyoshi Umeki for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960) — Columbia Pictures Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Lobby_Card_of_Miiko_Taka%2C_Glenn_Ford%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_and_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg/1280px-Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Lobby_Card_of_Miiko_Taka%2C_Glenn_Ford%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_and_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Press photo of (from left) Chet Douglas, James Shigeta, Donald O'Connor, Nancy Kovack, and Glenn Ford for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960)](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-5f3ef5bed2e0.jpg) Press photo of (from left) Chet Douglas, James Shigeta, Donald O'Connor, Nancy Kovack, and Glenn Ford for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960) — Columbia Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Chet_Douglas%2C_James_Shigeta%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_Nancy_Kovack%2C_and_Glenn_Ford.jpg/1280px-Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Chet_Douglas%2C_James_Shigeta%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_Nancy_Kovack%2C_and_Glenn_Ford.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Donald O'Connor](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-a5a51d253a85.jpg) Donald O'Connor — Image via TMDB
- ![Donald O'Connor](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-84b09ed454d6.jpg) Donald O'Connor — Image via TMDB
- ![Donald O'Connor](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-232327fe1139.jpg) Donald O'Connor — Image via TMDB
- ![Press photo of (from left) Donald O'Connor and Glenn Ford for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960)](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-1d224fe6a999.jpg) Press photo of (from left) Donald O'Connor and Glenn Ford for the 1961 film Cry for Happy (1960) — Columbia Pictures Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Donald_O%27Connor_and_Glenn_Ford.jpg/1280px-Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Donald_O%27Connor_and_Glenn_Ford.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Press photo of (from left) unknown, Miiko Taka, Robert Kino, Donald O'Connor, Glenn Ford, Tsuruko Kobayashi, Michi Kobi, And Miyoshi Umeki for the 1961 film Cry](https://film.one/media/person/59275/gallery-eb6cf56c1e98.jpg) Press photo of (from left) unknown, Miiko Taka, Robert Kino, Donald O'Connor, Glenn Ford, Tsuruko Kobayashi, Michi Kobi, And Miyoshi Umeki for the 1961 film Cry — Columbia Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Miiko_Taka%2C_Robert_Kino%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_Glenn_Ford%2C_Tsuruko_Kobayashi%2C_Michi_Kobi%2C_and_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg/1280px-Cry_for_Happy_%281961%29_Press_Photo_of_Miiko_Taka%2C_Robert_Kino%2C_Donald_O%27Connor%2C_Glenn_Ford%2C_Tsuruko_Kobayashi%2C_Michi_Kobi%2C_and_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/donald-oconnor