Loved all three of them. Still do. Love the humour in much of Donald O'Connors shows, films and dances and love the timing and athleticism of the Nicholas Brothers. We will never again see the likes of any one of these guys again.
All three of these men didn't get their just due. The Nicholas Brothers are beyond wonderful and Donald O'Connor does a great job in keeping up, which is difficult for any good dancer. I think the Nicholas Brothers held back a little, but if this had been taped when Donald was 20 years it would've been a no holds barr.
Agreed!!! Put all three of them together in their prime and let’s see what turns loose. I’ll bet it would have been epic. There are three routines that I can watch over, and over, and over for hours. Stormy Weather, Moses Supposes, and Mr and Mrs Hoofer at Home (Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen). We just don’t produce that level of entertainer anymore.
Why oh why is there always a ONE person who has to try and sound all smart by writing the word underrated under each and every video like this. He was NOT underrated, he was a famous Hollywood and TV star. So maybe before trying to sound clever, look up the word first.
If you want to see the Nicholas Brothers in the dance performance that Fred Astaire said is the best he'd ever scene look at their dance in the movie Stormy Weather. I know many of you have seen it but no one should miss it.
you can also watch their incredible number from the movie Down Argentine Way, which is fabulous and a rare occasion to see them in color, or their number in Sun Valley Serenade with Dorothy Dandridge (Chattanooga Choo Choo), and last but not least their number from Orchestra Wives (I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo) with the flip on the wall going into a split ! Out of this world... But they did so many amazing performances... all of those are on UA-cam...
I had the great privilege of seeing the three of them together at SF Jazz Fest in…was that 1997, maybe? They were presenting the Nicholas’s granddaughters, whom they had trained. Just being in the same room was a huge thrill!
Nor (Harold NIcholas) somersaults off the walls. In the film Singin' in the Rain, Donald did his (as had Fred Astaire in another film) via trick photography.
@@johnpatrick5307 Okay, I just re~viewed his "Make 'Em Laugh" solo dance in the film Singin' in the Rain, and twd its end he does two wall walkups & back flips ... before comically walking through a wall, as a finale.
@@JudgeJulieLit That's complete nonsense you just made up. He did it for real, two walls in one take with no cuts, no possible way to fake it. Everyone involved in making the film talks about the stunt and how it was something he had done on stage when he was a kid. It's not even the only film he did it in.
No limits to Donald O'Connor's talents and abilities. In my opinion, he out danced Kelly and Astaire. He had much more finesse and athleticism in his routines. Smooth and flawless all the time. I obviously a huge fan. He was in a class all his own and there was a mutual respect amongst the vaudevillian's and the hoofers. That was triple talent at it's finest.
I saw these three titans of tap at SF Jazz Fest in the late ‘90s, presenting the Nicholas’s granddaughters, whom they had trained. They didn’t dance mch, but it was so exciting just to be in the same room with them. Also, I got to shake Harold’s hand at a Film Forum presentation of clips from their movies, and I got his autograph, which I still have!
The Nicholas Brothers grew up in a theater and Donald O'Connor grew up in a family vaudeville act. None of them went to school much or even had a lot of formal dance training. But they were gifted, they were surrounded by talent, and they just breathed it in like oxygen.
Did Donald ever do a film with the Nicolas Brothers? Frankly, I think he is a better match with them over Kelly or Astaire in terms of style. I would have loved to see them together in their hayday.
oconnor worked with them in the valville years , he knew them since mid' 30 and was close to fayard. he was a champion as to giving them thier props cuz he said they came up in the trences the night clubs and stage
And here I thought he only acted with a talking mule. JK. Back then, many actors were multi-talented and could do more than just act. Act, sing, dance... It was an absolute joy to grow up watching performers back then. No CGI, auto-tune, or technology, just skill.
Donald O'Connor and Harold Nicholas (the brother on the far left) are roughly the same age. Fayard Nicholas was about six years older. As much as I love seeing the three of them together in this number, imagine the kind of number they might have done if MGM or one of the other studios had put them together in the prime of their youth n the early 40s. Their athleticism and dance talent would have allowed for something unbelievable, I'm sure. But, the racial customs of the times wouldn't allow it and audiences then, and now, are the poorer for it. This recorded moment from the late 50s or early 60s is great, but it only hints at what might have been possible.
You nailed it Richard! That entire generation missed out on great talent and some great people, just because of color. I feel blessed that I was born at a time when it was all coming to an end.
hey @AndresDCE: do you know what this was, I mean a date and network or any info at all? Fantastic clip, loved seeing them together here, but would love to know the source. Thank you!
@@talkinghead2004 So? Check again. The Nicholas Brothers had two more gears. Remember when in "Singing in the Rain" when Donald ran up the wall, flipped and landed on his feet? The Nicholas Brothers did it before he did except they came down in a split then rose to their feet! Donald took their move and could only do half of it! Also Donald was a huge fan of the Nicholas Brothers. I saw in a documentary it normally took ten years for an act to get really good. He saw Harold and Fayard as children and they were already world class. Take your advice and watch some UA-cam videos of the Nicholas Brothers. Donald O'Connor just wasn't as good.
All three were doing a Donald O 'Conner routine as seen in "Singing in the Rain" , I guess so Donald could be included in the trio. Dumb down in other words. None of them were young chickens in this clip. So the dumb down to Donald would of been appreciated by the Nickolas Brothers. I would think
There was no dumb Downing about it they used to work together in Vaudeville. He just showed them a routine that he knew when he brought them onto his show. Neither Donald or the Nicholas Brothers got the Fame they deserved for their incredible talent. By this point Donald O'Connor was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day and it shows that he is clearly out of breath. You'd be amazed how many people never heard of the Nicolas brothers and what great entertainers they were.
Dancing live on television is not quite the same as filming a number on a soundstage. You don't have the room and you can't stop to change camera angles and do different set-ups. The opportunity for special effects is limited, as well. So, you choreograph something simpler. And, as you said, Donald and Harold were in their mid to late 40s and Fayard already past 50 when they taped this, so the three of them had to bend to the will of Father Time, for sure.
dumb down to donald? I'm not sure what that means, but its sounds just....dumb. O'connor was easily one of the top dancers in Hollywood. Incredible talent. Incredible energy. Incredible class.
Like a dream come true. I've never seen them all dance together before. All three are some of my favorites!
Loved all three of them. Still do. Love the humour in much of Donald O'Connors shows, films and dances and love the timing and athleticism of the Nicholas Brothers. We will never again see the likes of any one of these guys again.
Well said
All three of these men didn't get their just due. The Nicholas Brothers are beyond wonderful and Donald O'Connor does a great job in keeping up, which is difficult for any good dancer. I think the Nicholas Brothers held back a little, but if this had been taped when Donald was 20 years it would've been a no holds barr.
Yep.
Agreed!!! Put all three of them together in their prime and let’s see what turns loose. I’ll bet it would have been epic. There are three routines that I can watch over, and over, and over for hours. Stormy Weather, Moses Supposes, and Mr and Mrs Hoofer at Home (Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen). We just don’t produce that level of entertainer anymore.
I wholeheartedly agree!
I'm in agreement as well, but also don't forget, Donald O'Connor was a chain smoker.
I am amazed at how he did it.
Wow! Underrated dancer Donald O'Connor ~ keeping up with the Nicholas Brothers.
Nothing underrated about Donald O'Connor. He had an amazing career!
Underrated by who?
@@katehansen6339 they slowed down for Donald. It doesn't look good to upstage your partner.
@@rupertofhentzau920 They upstaged Gene Kelly in "Be a Clown"
Why oh why is there always a ONE person who has to try and sound all smart by writing the word underrated under each and every video like this. He was NOT underrated, he was a famous Hollywood and TV star. So maybe before trying to sound clever, look up the word first.
Three of the best dancers in history.
The Nicholas Brothers were the best, most original, acrobatic yet finessed ad astra (in this genre) in history. Too they sang great.
Yep
Absolutely Kelly! Great post.
You said it Donald O’Connor was sorely underrated he was the best of the best
Two, three legends. Such pure energy, rhythm and talent!
If you want to see the Nicholas Brothers in the dance performance that Fred Astaire said is the best he'd ever scene look at their dance in the movie Stormy Weather. I know many of you have seen it but no one should miss it.
I've shown that scene to athletes I've coached to try to broaden their concept of what athleticism is, or can be.
you can also watch their incredible number from the movie Down Argentine Way, which is fabulous and a rare occasion to see them in color, or their number in Sun Valley Serenade with Dorothy Dandridge (Chattanooga Choo Choo), and last but not least their number from Orchestra Wives (I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo) with the flip on the wall going into a split ! Out of this world... But they did so many amazing performances... all of those are on UA-cam...
Donald O'Connor was one of the few dancers who could keep up with the Nicholas Brothers.
Well said and very true. He was winded from all that smoking. I can't believe how he did it.
Nicholas Brothers are the greatest dancers ever
Just superb. Wish I could have met them and just said thank you.
I had the great privilege of seeing the three of them together at SF Jazz Fest in…was that 1997, maybe? They were presenting the Nicholas’s granddaughters, whom they had trained. Just being in the same room was a huge thrill!
Great class, and dancing, with the Nicholas Brothers and Donald O'Conner.
Donald O'Connor at the rehearsal with the Nicholas Brothers: "Hey guys, no splits in this routine".
Nor (Harold NIcholas) somersaults off the walls. In the film Singin' in the Rain, Donald did his (as had Fred Astaire in another film) via trick photography.
@@JudgeJulieLit
No, O'Connor actually did it. Its in front of your eyes.
@@johnpatrick5307 Okay, I just re~viewed his "Make 'Em Laugh" solo dance in the film Singin' in the Rain, and twd its end he does two wall walkups & back flips ... before comically walking through a wall, as a finale.
@@JudgeJulieLit That's complete nonsense you just made up. He did it for real, two walls in one take with no cuts, no possible way to fake it. Everyone involved in making the film talks about the stunt and how it was something he had done on stage when he was a kid. It's not even the only film he did it in.
No limits to Donald O'Connor's talents and abilities. In my opinion, he out danced Kelly and Astaire. He had much more finesse and athleticism in his routines. Smooth and flawless all the time. I obviously a huge fan. He was in a class all his own and there was a mutual respect amongst the vaudevillian's and the hoofers. That was triple talent at it's finest.
I saw these three titans of tap at SF Jazz Fest in the late ‘90s, presenting the Nicholas’s granddaughters, whom they had trained. They didn’t dance mch, but it was so exciting just to be in the same room with them. Also, I got to shake Harold’s hand at a Film Forum presentation of clips from their movies, and I got his autograph, which I still have!
That's awesome!
Cherish it always!
The Nicholas Brothers grew up in a theater and Donald O'Connor grew up in a family vaudeville act. None of them went to school much or even had a lot of formal dance training. But they were gifted, they were surrounded by talent, and they just breathed it in like oxygen.
They are outstanding 🌹🌻☘️fabulous
Amazing dancers!! They did really well without any mistake. Beautiful performance!
Did Donald ever do a film with the Nicolas Brothers? Frankly, I think he is a better match with them over Kelly or Astaire in terms of style. I would have loved to see them together in their hayday.
O'Conner was no slouch in the acrobatic dancing department. See his "Make Them Laugh" number in "Singin' in the Rain".
oconnor worked with them in the valville years , he knew them since mid' 30 and was close to fayard. he was a champion as to giving them thier props cuz he said they came up in the trences the night clubs and stage
They danced with Kelly in the pirate.
Absolutely, wholeheartedly agree!!!
Yep
My three favorite dancers of all time.
And here I thought he only acted with a talking mule. JK. Back then, many actors were multi-talented and could do more than just act. Act, sing, dance... It was an absolute joy to grow up watching performers back then. No CGI, auto-tune, or technology, just skill.
The greatest I love them
YES 2 THAT⬆️
Good Ole Days
Are still.....
Alive & Well on UA-cam!
Love these clips but PLEASE put the date they were recorded
I had no idea that DO was this good!
Did you simply miss him dancing in Singing in the Rain with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds?
@@lohphat exactly, I was going to say the same
Yepper..he was !
@@lohphat really?? I've been a huge fan since Singing in the Rain. Must have seen SITR 50 times
So joyful!
@Smokey Quartz I was around in the 60s dude so stop trying to school me on what black men were or weren’t joyful about.
Those are aerobics for your mind!! 🤗😂😍
look at "applied mathematics" with Donald he could keep up to anyone
Without a doubt. I have no idea how he kept his stamina, smoking 4 packs of cigarettes a day. He was simply amazing and talented.
AWESOME!!!!
And thank you Nicholas Brothers for not doing your trademark splits.
Dance, you get it or you ain’t.
Now that's tap! Great proformence
Great dancers
The best!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Why am I just now seeing this?
Donald O'Connor and Harold Nicholas (the brother on the far left) are roughly the same age. Fayard Nicholas was about six years older. As much as I love seeing the three of them together in this number, imagine the kind of number they might have done if MGM or one of the other studios had put them together in the prime of their youth n the early 40s. Their athleticism and dance talent would have allowed for something unbelievable, I'm sure. But, the racial customs of the times wouldn't allow it and audiences then, and now, are the poorer for it. This recorded moment from the late 50s or early 60s is great, but it only hints at what might have been possible.
well said a tragedy
You nailed it Richard! That entire generation missed out on great talent and some great people, just because of color. I feel blessed that I was born at a time when it was all coming to an end.
Crap.... this is way to good
great
When was this recorded? It looks like perhaps the early 1960's, judging from the ages of DO and the NB.
According to iMDB, this was recorded in 1966.
Unbelievable
hey @AndresDCE: do you know what this was, I mean a date and network or any info at all? Fantastic clip, loved seeing them together here, but would love to know the source. Thank you!
Wow❤❤❤❤❤
🤝👏👏👏👌👌👌
The Nicholas Brothers throttled back so Donald could keep up.
donald o'connor was one of the most energetic dancers in Hollywood. UA-cam is overflowing with the evidence.
@@talkinghead2004 So? Check again. The Nicholas Brothers had two more gears. Remember when in "Singing in the Rain" when Donald ran up the wall, flipped and landed on his feet? The Nicholas Brothers did it before he did except they came down in a split then rose to their feet! Donald took their move and could only do half of it! Also Donald was a huge fan of the Nicholas Brothers. I saw in a documentary it normally took ten years for an act to get really good. He saw Harold and Fayard as children and they were already world class. Take your advice and watch some UA-cam videos of the Nicholas Brothers. Donald O'Connor just wasn't as good.
@@rupertofhentzau920 THANK YOU👍
@@talkinghead2004
Everyone has their own unique style. Donald O'Connor could hold his own with any of them in my opinion.
Spot on and well said 👌👍 Mr. Gormley.
DO is exhausted and the bros are just warming up.
Bob Lowney True.... Don was aging, the Brothers ageless... maybe they took better care of themselves.
O'Connor smoked relentlessly. He didn't take good care of himself. Plus, people sometimes just age differently.
DO was smoking 4 packs a day
Donald had weight gain and heart problems that eventually did him in.
@@elliotskydel641 He lived to 78 -- which was pretty good for a man of his generation. Harold Nicholas died at 79. Fayard lived to an incredible 91.
Of course in a better world Donald O ' Connor would have guested in the Nicholas Brothers' tv show.....
No slam on Danny Kaye but I wish O’Conner hadn’t gotten sick and starred in White Christmas like he was supposed to.
Impressive, of course, but the laid-in sound of the taps is unconvincing. Guess they couldn't figure out how to record that live.
toute mon enfance j ai 80 ans
Bonne anniversaire! 🎂
All three were doing a Donald O 'Conner routine as seen in "Singing in the Rain" , I guess so Donald could be included in the trio. Dumb down in other words. None of them were young chickens in this clip. So the dumb down to Donald would of been appreciated by the Nickolas Brothers. I would think
There was no dumb Downing about it they used to work together in Vaudeville. He just showed them a routine that he knew when he brought them onto his show. Neither Donald or the Nicholas Brothers got the Fame they deserved for their incredible talent. By this point Donald O'Connor was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day and it shows that he is clearly out of breath. You'd be amazed how many people never heard of the Nicolas brothers and what great entertainers they were.
Dancing live on television is not quite the same as filming a number on a soundstage. You don't have the room and you can't stop to change camera angles and do different set-ups. The opportunity for special effects is limited, as well. So, you choreograph something simpler. And, as you said, Donald and Harold were in their mid to late 40s and Fayard already past 50 when they taped this, so the three of them had to bend to the will of Father Time, for sure.
Maybe they didn't think of it that way, just enjoyed the routine.
dumb down to donald? I'm not sure what that means, but its sounds just....dumb. O'connor was easily one of the top dancers in Hollywood. Incredible talent. Incredible energy. Incredible class.
@@suzannejensen275
Thank you for saying that. You're absolutely right 👍
Great dancers