ACTOR
Donald O'Connor
Known for The Nanny · Frasier · Murder, She Wrote
Donald O’Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer, and actor who came to fame in a series of movies in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. He is best known today for his role in Singin' in the Rain.
Snapshot 2026-10-15
- Born
- Aug 28, 1925
- Died
- Sep 27, 2003
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Donald O’Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer, and actor who came to fame in a series of movies in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. He is best known today for his role in Singin' in the Rain.
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Known For
TV
The NannyFred · 1993
★ 8.1
★ 8.1
TV
FrasierHarlow Safford · 1993
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
TV
Murder, She WroteBarry Barnes · 1984
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
The Love BoatOscar Tilton · 1977
★ 6.2
★ 6.2
TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
Great PerformancesMock Turtle · 1971
★ 6.1
★ 6.1
TV
The Merv Griffin ShowSelf · 1962
★ 6.8
★ 6.8
TV
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 1961
★ 5.8
★ 5.8
Filmography
Movies
It Can't Last ForeverKid Dancer (uncredited)
1937
Melody for TwoSpecialty Act
1937
Men with WingsYoung Pat Falconer
1938
Sing, You SinnersMike Beebe
1938
Sons of the LegionButch Baker
1938
Tom Sawyer, DetectiveHuckleberry Finn
1938
Beau GesteBeau Geste (as a Child)
1939
Boy TroubleButch
1939
Death of a ChampionSmall Fry
1939
Million Dollar LegsSticky Boone
1939
Night WorkButch Smiley
1939
On Your ToesPhil Jr. as a Boy
1939
UnmarriedTed Streaver (age 12)
1939
Get Hep to LoveJimmy Arnold
1942
Give Out, SistersDon
1942
Private BuckarooDonny
1942
What's Cookin'?Tommy
1942
When Johnny Comes Marching HomeFrankie
1942
It Comes Up LoveRicky Ives
1943
Mister BigDonald J. O'Connor
1943
Top ManDon Warren
1943
Bowery to BroadwaySpecialty dancer
1944
Chip Off the Old BlockDonald Corrigan
1944
Follow the BoysDonald O'Connor
1944
The Merry MonahansJimmy Monahan
1944
This Is the LifeJimmy
1944
Patrick the GreatPat Donahue Jr.
1945
Something in the WindCharlie Read
1947
Are You With It?Milton Haskins
1948
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'Wilbur McMurty
1948
Yes Sir, That's My BabyWilliam Waldo Winfield
1949
Curtain Call at Cactus CreekEdward Timmons
1950
FrancisPeter Stirling
1950
The MilkmanRoger Bradley
1950
Double CrossbonesDavey Crandall
1951
Francis Goes to the RacesPeter Stirling
1951
Francis Goes to West PointPeter Stirling
1952
Singin' in the RainCosmo Brown
1952
Call Me MadamKenneth Gibson
1953
Francis Covers the Big TownPeter Stirling
1953
I Love MelvinMelvin Hoover
1953
Walking My Baby Back HomeJigger Millard
1953
Francis Joins the WACSPeter Stirling
1954
There's No Business Like Show BusinessTim Donahue
1954
Francis in the NavyPeter Stirling / Slicker Donevan
1955
Anything GoesTed Adams
1956
The Buster Keaton StoryBuster Keaton
1957TC
The Clouded ImageSelf - Host
1957TJ
The Jet-Propelled CouchDr. Robert Harrison
1957
Cry for HappyMurray Prince
1961
The Wonders of AladdinAladdin
1961
Marilynarchive footage
1963
That Funny FeelingHarvey Granson
1965
That's Entertainment!Self - Host / Narrator
1974TL
The Lion Roars AgainSelf (uncredited)
1975BH
Bob Hope's World of Comedy(archive footage)
1976
It's ShowtimeSelf (archive footage)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage)
1976
The Big FixFrancis Joins The Navy
1978
Lucy Moves to NBCSelf
1980
RagtimeEvelyn's Dance Instructor
1981
PandemoniumGlenn's Dad
1982
Alice in WonderlandMock Turtle
1983
Night of 100 Stars IISelf
1985
That's Dancing!
1985
A Mouse, a Mystery and MeAlex the Mouse (voice)
1987
A Time to RememberFather Walsh
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBCSelf
1988
ToysKenneth Zevo
1992
Bandit: Bandit's Silver AngelUncle Cyrus
1994
That's Entertainment! III(archive footage) (uncredited)
1994FF
Father FrostBaba Yaga
1996
Out to SeaJonathan
1997
Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre FootprintsSelf
2000
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a DancerSelf (archive footage)
2002
What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'Self
2002
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'Self (archive footage)
2005
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Bing Crosby: RediscoveredSelf (archive footage)
2014
Becoming Marilyn(archive footage)
2022Television
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 2 eps
1948
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 2 eps
1950
The Colgate Comedy HourSelf · 4 eps
1950The Colgate Comedy HourSelf - Guest Host · 1 eps
1950The Colgate Comedy HourSelf - Host · 16 eps
1950
The Red Skelton ShowSelf · 1 eps
1951
The OscarsSelf · 1 eps
1953TD
The Donald O'Connor ShowDonald O'Connor · 19 eps
1954TJ
The Jimmy Durante ShowSelf · 1 eps
1954
The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowSelf · 1 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1956
DuPont Show of the MonthJohnny Shaw · 1 eps
1957
Tonight Starring Jack PaarSelf - Guest Host · 1 eps
1957
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 4 eps
1961
The Merv Griffin ShowSelf · 1 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 3 eps
1962BH
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreBenjamin Boggs · 1 eps
1963
Petticoat JunctionDirector
1963
The Judy Garland ShowSelf · 1 eps
1963VP
Vacation PlayhouseDonald Dugan · 1 eps
1963
ABC Stage 67Hermes · 1 eps
1966
The Carol Burnett ShowSelf / Various Characters · 2 eps
1967TD
The Donald O'Connor ShowHost · 1 eps
1968TD
The Don Knotts ShowSelf · 1 eps
1970F'
Film '72Self · 1 eps
1971
Great PerformancesMock Turtle · 1 eps
1971Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
The Pet SetSelf · 1 eps
1971
The Julie Andrews HourSelf · 1 eps
1972
Police StoryHolly Connor · 1 eps
1973
The Bobby Darin Show1 eps
1973
Dinah!Self · 4 eps
1974
Tony Orlando and DawnSelf · 1 eps
1974
Ellery QueenKenny Freeman · 1 eps
1975
The Bionic Woman1 eps
1976
Hunter1 eps
1977
The Love BoatOscar Tilton · 2 eps
1977The Love BoatHoward Enicker · 2 eps
1977The Love BoatLeo Halbert · 1 eps
1977
The Big ShowSelf · 1 eps
1980
Simon & SimonGeorge Decova / Barnaby the Great · 1 eps
1981
HotelDavid Connelly · 1 eps
1982
Highway to HeavenJackie Clark · 1 eps
1984
Murder, She WroteBarry Barnes · 1 eps
1984
Alice in WonderlandLory Bird · 1 eps
1985
Tales from the CryptJoseph Renfield · 1 eps
1989V
Vicki!Self · 1 eps
1992
FrasierHarlow Safford · 1 eps
1993
The NannyFred · 1 eps
1993Photos
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