Donald O'Connor: Singin' in the Rain Star Dies at 78

Donald O'Connor was an American actor, dancer and singer, best known for the "Make 'Em Laugh" number in Singin' in the Rain. Born on August 28, 1925, in Chicago, he grew up in a vaudeville family and was performing as a toddler.

O'Connor starred in early 1940s Universal musicals and then in the Francis series about a talking mule (1950-1955). He won a Golden Globe for Singin' in the Rain (1952) and a Primetime Emmy for hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour. His later films include Ragtime and Toys.

He withdrew from White Christmas after becoming ill, and Danny Kaye took the part. He was married to Gloria Noble from 1956 and had four children. He died at the Motion Picture and Television Country House in Woodland Hills, California, on September 27, 2003, at age 78, of heart failure.

Achievements: Golden Globe for Singin' in the Rain (1952), Emmy Award, Francis films.

Birth: August 28, 1925 - Chicago, Illinois.

Profession: Actor and dancer.

Interesting Facts: He never went to school formally and learned dance seriously around age 15.