Quotes

Revivals are so popular now. But doing one would mean being out in cold, cold New York for a year, a year and a half," he said. "I'd rather do something where I go in and work a week, maybe three days. Get it done and come back home.

O'Connor quit the Francis series in 1955, saying, "When you've made six pictures and the mule still gets more fan mail than you do...".

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.".

[In 1998, on his Singin' in the Rain (1952) co-star Gene Kelly] It's not easy working with a genius - but Gene was very patient with me.

[In 1992] I know what you're thinking, and the answer is yes. I can still leap over the furniture and dance on the wall. And recite 24 bars of that popular tongue twister "Moses Supposes".

[In 1955] I was born and raised to entertain other people. I've heard laughter and applause and known a lot of sorrow. Everything about me is based on show business - I think it will bring me happiness. I hope so.

I was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day then, and getting up those walls was murder. They had to bank one wall so I could make it up and then through another wall. We filmed that whole sequence in one day. We did it on a concrete floor. My body just had to absorb this tremendous shock. Things were building to such a crescendo that I thought I'd have to commit suicide for the ending. I came back on the set three days later. All the grips applauded. Gene (Kelly) applauded, told me what a great number it was. Then Gene said, 'Do you think you could do that number again?' I said, 'Sure, any time.' He said, 'Well, we're going to have to do it again tomorrow.' No one had checked the aperture of the camera and they fogged out all the film. So the next day I did it again! By the end my feet and ankles were a mass of bruises.