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'Singin' in the Rain's' Donald O'Connor Dies

By Liane Hansen
Published September 28, 2003 at 12:00 AM EDT

Legendary dancer and actor Donald O'Connor dies of heart failure in Calabasas, Calif., at age 78. O'Connor's career began in vaudeville and carried him to Hollywood. He made more than 50 films, including Singin' in the Rain, with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. NPR's Liane Hansen offers a remembrance.

Copyright 2003 NPR
Liane Hansen
Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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