Nobody has ever matched the talents of Mr. Donald O'Connor. Nobody has and nobody will. This man is amazing in all he does. He can sing, dance, act, do comedy, and be romantic all at once! What a man!
My mom (born four years after Mr O) always liked him, but I never knew why since I had never seen his work from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. That changed a few months ago when I watched CALL ME MADAM. Unfortunately youtube has removed it, but there are still clips and some of his full movies. I don't know if I am addicted to, am obsessed with, have a crush on, or am simply in love with him - or maybe all of the above. I can't get enough of Donald.
I cannot believe how fast he's going on top of those dryers towards the end!! Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard taps that quick and that perfectly timed! Amazing!!!
Thanks for posting. Never saw this clip. But it proves once again that Donald O'Connor takes no second place to anyone. He is the greatest all around musical talent in the history of film. Period.
Donald O’Connor was a very talented and athletic dancer. His two most memorable performances to my mind were the ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’ routine in ‘’Singing In The Rain’ and the roller skating number in the gazebo with Noreen Corcoran in ‘I Love Melvin’.
Oh my goodness, the jump at 1.55, and of course not forgetting the wonderful singing and tapping too.. Donald was a superb 'all-rounder'.. All done with finesse, skill and a twinkling smile as well.. *sighs*
Donald O'Connors feet were flying in this number. I swear, he had springs in his feet and legs . He could Dance circles around them All. Poetry in motion 😊❤️
Donald O'Connor had the machine-gun taps like Ann Miller.....both terrific tap dancers that lit up the screen so many times in the musicals of the 40's and 50's that we had the fortune to have seen them then, and now thanks to RU-vid.
The song is just meant to be funny - war-of-the-sexes comedy, 1949-style. Later on his character's wife sings a song that goes 'Men are all just spoiled little children'. It's actually a very charming film ('Yes Sir, That's My Baby'), and I wish Universal would give it (and lots of other Donald films) a proper release! It is kinda funny that the four guys with him are so much larger than he is... there's a scene where one of them demonstrates his baby-burping technique - using Donald.
My favourite part is at around 4:10 when he holds out his hand for each lady. The sound of the taps and music is fantastic, and i think it's a really neat part. :) He looks so smooth doing it!
@cpnstav I agree. O'Connor was overlooked, underrated by far. The lousy Universal studio production values and directors assigned to him didn't help him any. Had he gotten to Metro about 10 years earlier than he did, he would've been a much bigger star.
@@kbfults The movie that Donald O'Connor and the Nicholas Brothers we're in together was called "Anything Goes" it also starred Bing Crosby and Mitzi Gaynor. The other one that he starred in with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds was called "Singing in the Rain" and that's the one where he did the flips off the wall and all kinds of acrobatic moves during a song called "Make Em Laugh" Trivia about that movie that it took him 3 days to film it but then had to have bed rest for a couple of weeks only to be told he had to perform at all over again because it accidentally got erased. I was lucky enough to dance on the stage with Donald O'Connor when I was 12. My mom had taken me to a fundraiser and Donald O'Connor was there to help boost the donations from that room full of women. My mom told him that I could tap dance and they had me come up front and they introduce him to me. He asked me if he showed me a few steps could I repeat them with him and I said yes and so we did a short dance afterwards they gave me an autographed picture of him. At the time I had no clue who he was otherwise I would have made more of a fuss about being able to do that with him if only I had known. It would have been so nice to have a video of that.
@@kbfults that was singing in the Rain with Gene, Debbie, Donald. Dancing. He does his famous " MAKE EM LAUGH" ROUTINE. GREAT MOVIE. I HAVE IT TAPED ON MY TV AND WATCH IT OFTEN.
@@suzannejensen275 you were one lucky girl. A room full of women with a famous movie star guest.....and noone had a camera for a picture of the two of you dancing? Now that's sad!. Congrats on meeting him. I loved him at 8 to 15 years old. Saw all of his movies and wrote him a fan letter. He sent picture. It got lost over the next 60 years. 🎶
@@nancywood9531 Oh how I wish we had the technology we have now my mom could have found it on her phone but sadly in 1972 people didn't even have cell phones that could take pictures or record a video. Cameras were still a bit big and people just didn't carry them all the time and I'm sure these rich women will be the type to be carrying around a camera. I'm not even sure they would've been allowed to bring a camera in there room. There was so many events that we went to that didn't allow cameras. I know when we went and watched Victor Borga it said no cameras allowed on the program. We were lucky enough to go back stage and meet him. He was very nice and autographed our programs . Later in life I did carry a camera and was able to get pictures of Count Basie and his band, Charlton Heston and his wife, William shatner and Loretta Swit. Wow Nancy that was probably so exciting to get the picture in the mail. Like you sadly over the years my picture they gave me has long disappeared. I would've loved to still have that picture of such a talented man.
@@suzannejensen275 oh, thank you so much Sizanne for that delightful come back answer. My mother worked in a nice clothing store downtown in Orrumwa Iowa .it was on the main street and in same block as 3 movie theaters. Stores open until 9 on Thursday. Ights SO the theater was my baby sitter Thursday nights and all day Saturday. 25 cent admission. 10 cent popcorn, or candy. The movies ran as double feature sometimes but always continuously. Never stopped. Cartoon. News reel then started again so I would see a couple movies over and over again on Saturdays. I would write to movie stars I liked in care of the studio ( Paramount, Universal Studio, MGM etc in Hollywood.) I received pictures from many including Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Mktzi Gaynor, Audey Murphy, Donald, Gene Kelly, Roy Rogers, to name a few. Little did I know then how meaningful those pictures would be 65 years later. I still have a few but somehow in all my moves over the years some were lost and a few I gave away. You danced with him on stage. What a neat memory is that! In my married life we were avid car show circuit goers as we owned a great 29 Plymouth street rod. I met numerous musical greats. Got autographs, talked to them and we went to so many music concerts. I danced with Chubby Checker onstage and with Paul ( of Paul and Paula fame) . Became friends with Bobby Vee and went to dinner with him and Dell Shannon. Met little Anthony backstage, the Temptations , Bill Haley & Comets. Wolfman Jack, Everly Brothers. Beachboys. , Jan & Dean....the list. Goes on for the 20 year period. I have a huge autograph book full and Bill Haleys guitar string. Gene Krupa signed a drum head backstage for my young son who was a drummer... Memories I feel so honored to have. You as well have been blessed to know the greats. It's been a pleasure to meet you. My hubby now as shut in is old musicals, and old cowboy shows...to see history as it was. Great movies and wonderful music years. Today's music is so much crap and movies terrible. Thank God for youtube to keep both alive.....blessings to you, Nancy. 🎶🎬🎶📽❣
It's so awfully kind of you to help me! It's nice to know that there are people who want to help you when you need it. Thanks once more - I'm really grateful!
The amazing Donald O'Connor was only a tiny little bit behind Fred and Gene. He was a very very talented man and comic. one of the greatest talents of all time. there is no doubt about it.
@@bobbrawley2612 not far behind, but he never had the half dozen or more truly great musicals that Fred & Gene managed. But I want to day Donald was their equal in terms of sheer talent. He is a delight to watch on the screen. Like Danny Kaye, everybody loved him.
And back to Donald ... I don't know why, but I like that 'clapping' piece at 3:39! Someone somewhere wrote that if he or she could resurrect somebody it would be young Donald O'Connor - so would I!!!!! Definitely!
i always thought guy was better than , other stars that over shadowed him on the billing ..... this dance scene is really good , never seen it before seen a few of his movies spurred on by the classic 'singing in the rain' ( from when i watched it in the 80's ) ....i do find musicals cheesy , but the golden ERA of the musical , they seem to hold worth ...you can't help but admire the talent ..
Donald made a movie called " At Sea " ...he loved it and when he died he was creamated and ashes taken out where it was filmed. When his wife Jackie died decade later she was also creamated and ashes taken to same place. Romantic to the very end! ❣
A great actor who didn't mind to be a bit ridiculous (accompanied by those biiiiig guys) if it helped the show! And dancing is superb! Donald is unique!
@faith4094 Kelly was 5'7". Have a closer look to Donald's pages, I found that he was 5'53/4 (three quarters). Let's be fair - he was a bit shorter than Gene, but just a bit, nonetheless adorable and fabulously talented!
Donald O'Connor was almost always far better than the material and vehicles given to him. When everything matches (like in Singin' in the Rain) he is dynamite, but the rest of the time he is totally wasted.
Why is has this been squeezed/squashed down to make it fit a widescreen format? The movie wasn't made before the widescreen format existed...squeezing it makes everyone look short and...well, WIDE.
The current fad is setting old dance routines to modern music...so...I've set this masterpiece to Vapours by Hot Since 82....try it!....it fits!...I'm sure Donald would have approved.
Always thought Donald O'Connor and Ann Miller were the Best Dancers, but always runnerup to Studio Favorites. But for me Elenore Powell was the Greatest. Donald O'Connor,always my favorite, apologies to Astaire and Kelly😢
Boy, you can sure tell they didn't hire those football player types for their graceful movements. Also, I wish I lived in an era where men wore their trousers practically at their armpits. Just seems to... ya know... stylin'..... : 0
Unfortunately, this was at the height of his wife abuse and failing marriage. I would probably weigh that much given all she put him through. And matters worse, she gets a cameo in this movie.
