Donald was born into a vaudeville family and first stepped onto the stage when he was just three days old, and by the time he was13 months he had become a permanent fixture in the O'Connor family act.
When Donald was 11 he was spotted by a talent scout in the audience and soon after he was cast in Sing You Sinners (1938) alongside Fred MacMurray and Bing Crosby,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=210WdU5qpcg
Despite their age difference Bing and Donald became good friends and regularly worked together, on radio, in films and recording songs.
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After his older brother Billy died in 1939 Donald briefly returned to vaudeville. Below is a rare photo of Donald and a fellow vaudevillian:
Donald was soon called back into motion pictures. He signed a contract with Universal who rushed his through several teen musicals with co-stars Peggy Ryan and Gloria Jean. The films were released one at a time while Donald was in the army.
Upon returning from the war Donald went straight to work becoming a leading man in several lightweight musical comedies. He achieved further fame by teaming up with Francis the Talking Mule.
Donald was at the peek of his fame during the early 1950's.
He starred in countless films - sometimes 4 a year.
He was one of the main hosts of the Colgate Comedy Hour :
He hosted the Oscars:
He also won various awards for his film and television work, most notably his Golden Globe for Singin' in The Rain (1952)
In 1955 Donald ended his contract with Universal and as a result he made only 11 film between 1956 and his death.
However Donald did not fade into oblivion never to be heard of again, quite the contrary in fact, Donald hosted various television specials
As well as taking part in the TV shows of close friends such as Judy Garland:
And Gene Kelly:
But Donald did not stop there, he also began a Las Vegas stand-up comedy show in the Sahara hotel. Audiences loved it and his annual shows became legendary and a firm favorite among Rat Pack members who liked it so much that they had Donald's name appear on all the signs for the Sahara in their 1960 film Ocean's Eleven.
Well into the 1980's Donald continued to wow audiences and garnered yet another Emmy nomination for his performance at the Academy Awards:
By the time the 1990's arrived Donald was beginning to get old but that didn't stop him. In 1992 he paired up, once again with Debbie Reynolds for a Christmas album:
In 1997 Donald made his final film, a Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy, Out To Sea:
Donald continued making public appearances right up to his death. He did television interviews :
And visited the official opening of the Judy Garland museum.
Donald had met Judy while performing in vaudeville, way back when Judy was Frances Gumm, and the two had remained the best of friends ever since.
Finally, on the 28th of September 2003 the man who was arguably the greatest all-round entertainer that ever lived passed away. But although he is gone, he will never be forgotten.
