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Bobby Darin &
Donald O'Connor
Donald O'Connor & Bobby in 1973
Bobby looked up to and idolized singer/actor Donald O'Connor all of his life. They worked together in television and co-starred in the filmThat Funny Feeling. It wasn't a surprise that O' Connor was a guest on Bobby's TV show two times. Their friendship spanned many years, as Bobby explained below:
"Years and years ago, Donald was doing the Colgate Comedy Hour. I lived in New York at the time and I wanted to be in show business MORE than anything in the whole world.... and I only had one idol all my life... truth as I stand here, the only idol I ever had, was this gentleman standing to my right, right now. And so I went to the, I think it was on 68th street, around 68th , 69th street..off Broadway...the NBC theater there and they were doing the Colgate Comedy Hour and Donny was the host that particular week...and just coincidentally, I was wearing the same kind of jacket, a blue jacket if you will, and gray slacks or a gray jacket or blue slacks (as Donald was ) ... I only had two outfits....I stood out backstage waiting for Donald O'Connor to come out....and I was standing there, evidently there had been a dinner break and I didn't know anything about it..and I was just standing there and a couple of fellas, a couple of stage hands came walkin' by, and as they walked by, they said, " Oh hi Don", and they walked down the steps and I said....( whispering )"OH WOW...they think I'm Donald O' Connor !!! " 'cause I favored him a little bit, features you know....and I was excited as could be and then I waited around, the dinner break was over, Donny came back and I shook his hand, I got his...., I think it was the only autograph I've ever gotten in my entire life, so it is a delight and a pleasure for me to have him on the show."
Audio File
of above
John Goldsmith at WGEL Radio FM 101.7,Greenville IL. interviewed Donald O'Connor on
December 4 1992. O'Connor was quoted as saying:
"Bobby was a great guy. He talked me into making a movie in 1965 , That Funny Feeling. I didn't want to make movies anymore after 1960, and he said 'Why don't you come on and do this, we'll have some fun'. So, I did the movie because of him. We got along great, and its a cute movie and we got to know each other much better. He was really a great guy, he loved to have fun.
Sometimes he got a little over-tense, because he wanted to be perfect, in everything that he did and in his singing...and he was sure good. As I said, he was a nice man."
When in New York City or Los Angeles, be sure to visit The Museum of Television and Radio to watch Bobby and Donald O'Connor perform together .
Special thanks to Steve Blauner and John Goldsmith
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