# Donald O'Connor dead at 78 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227 "2003-09-27T23:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/1 "2003-09-27T23:59:40Z")
This has not been a good week for the famous and elderly… [http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1402&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20030927%2F190061167.htm&sc=1402](http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1402&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20030927%2F190061167.htm&sc=1402) > [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES (AP) - Entertainer Donald O’Connor, who combined comedy and acrobatics in the show-stopping `Make 'Em Laugh'' number in the classic movie `Singin’ in the Rain,’’ died Saturday, his daughter said. He was 78. > > O’Connor, who had been in declining health in recent years, died of heart failure, his daughter, Alicia O’Connor, told The Associated Press. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/2 "2003-09-28T00:04:44Z")
Oh no…another star lights in heaven tonight. _“I’m siiiingin’ in the rain…just siiiingin’ in the rain…what a glorious feeling…I’m happy again…”_ RIP, Mr. O’Connell. You will be missed. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/3 "2003-09-28T00:09:33Z")
Aw, what a shame. Never cared much for him as an actor, myself, but he _was_ a superb dancer. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/4 "2003-09-28T00:11:07Z")
And of course, the above name should read **O’ConnOR** … ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/5 "2003-09-28T00:16:08Z")
And of course, the above name should read **O’ConnOR** … ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/6 "2003-09-28T01:38:25Z")
The “In Memorium” thing at next year’s Oscars is going to take _forever_. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/7 "2003-09-28T01:58:38Z")
This really is one that breaks my heart. He truly was a great dancer. His dance with Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain to Moses Supposes always makes me laugh, but admire the skill of both dancers at the same time. Susan ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/8 "2003-09-28T02:22:30Z")
From [Here](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/apmovies_story.asp?category=1402&slug=Obit%20O'Connor) > [@](#): > > In a brief statement, the family said that among O’Connor’s last words was the following quip: “I’d like to thank the Academy for my lifetime achievement award that I will eventually get.” ---
**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/9 "2003-09-28T02:34:41Z")
I remember seeing him in those old Francis the Talking Mule movies. Our whole family gathered around the television. I’ll miss him. And of course I loved him in Singin’ in the Rain. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/10 "2003-09-28T02:59:40Z")
Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh, right to the end. Good on him. RIP, and thanks for the laughs. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/11 "2003-09-28T05:50:47Z")
Now Donald and Francis the Talking Mule are reunited. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/12 "2003-09-28T07:58:50Z")
Another part of movie history gone. We all must pass on, but it is no less sadder. Farewell, Mr. O’Connor. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/13 "2003-09-28T12:17:28Z")
“I want a Viking funeral.” ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/14 "2003-09-28T12:26:57Z")
Damn. I liked him. These celebrities are dropping like flies. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/15 "2003-09-28T15:40:29Z")
Anyone who can play sidekick to a jackass (Francis included) with such aplomb and good nature for all those years deserves all praise. He was easily the equal in talent to the other hoofers of his time, but that Irish face wasn’t leading-man material. He had the wisdom to know it and the lack of ego to capitalize on it. I remember watching in awe–yes, awe–the dance number in “Singing…”. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/16 "2003-09-28T16:05:12Z")
I always wanted to name a son " Cosmo" after him from Singing in the Rain. Thanks, Donald. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/17 "2003-09-28T17:10:37Z")
His last great moment on screen was as the “eccentric” millionaire on FRASIER. Frasier diagnoses him as sane enough to conduct business affairs and, of course, hilarity ensues. I also enjoyed him in his very small role in RAGTIME. Moses supposes his toeses are roses… shalom. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/18 "2003-09-28T17:54:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > Now Donald and Francis the Talking Mule are reunited. Let us hope it is in a Platonic sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/19 "2003-09-29T00:03:34Z")
At least the NYTimes had the good grace not to mention Bring Back Birdie\* in the obit. \*The Broadway musical that had O’Connor sitting on a toilet bowl at the end of Act One while a huge latex tongue, protruding from a cube, bobbed up and down lasciviously in rhythm to a horrible song by a punk band called FILTH. Requiescat in pacem. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227/20 "2003-09-29T15:42:06Z")
My daughter is four years old, and _Singin’ In The Rain_ is one of her favorite movies. She adores Cosmo Brown. The running-up-the-wall backflip drops her jaw every time. All I can say is that the performance stage in heaven is getting awfully crowded these days. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-oconnor-dead-at-78/204227.md?page=2)