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Gordon MacRae
Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones in the 1955 film of Oklahoma
Born	Albert Gordon MacRae March 12, 1921(1921-03-12) East Orange, New Jersey, United States
Died	January 24, 1986 (aged 64) Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Spouse(s)	Sheila MacRae (1941-1967)

Albert Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor and singer, best known for his appearances in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956).

Early life

Born in East Orange, New Jersey, MacRae graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1940 and served as a navigator in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Prior to this, he attended Nottingham High School in Syracuse, NY.

1940s: Early Career

He made his Broadway debut in the mid-1940s, acquiring his first recording contract soon afterwards. Many of his hit recordings were made with Jo Stafford. It was in 1948 that he appeared in his first film, The Big Punch, a non-musical boxing drama. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day and appeared with her in several films.

1950s: Career Peak

In 1952, he starred with Day in By the Light of the Silvery Moon, the sequel to On Moonlight Bay. Then in 1953, he starred opposite Kathryn Grayson in the third film version of The Desert Song. This was followed by starring appearances in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), both opposite Shirley Jones.

On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour, a one-hour anthology made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals.

1960s: Mid-career

MacRae appeared frequently on television, on such programs as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Bell Telephone Hour. In the late 1960s he co-hosted for a week on The Mike Douglas Show. He also toured in summer stock and appeared in nightclubs. In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston in the original Broadway run of the musical I Do! I Do!, starring opposite Carol Lawrence, who had taken over the role from Mary Martin.

1970s: Late Career

In the 1970s, he portrayed a murderer on the popular TV series McCloud, and drawing on his experience as an alcoholic, he played a supporting role in the little-seen 1979 motion picture The Pilot, starring Cliff Robertson as an alcoholic pilot. It was his last film.

Death

In 1986, he died of cancer of the mouth and jaw at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the age of 64.

Personal life

He was married to Sheila MacRae from 1941 until 1967, and was the father of Heather MacRae and the late Meredith MacRae.

After the filming of Carousel, alcoholism interfered with his career. Also, fewer movie musicals with a demand for his type of singing voice were made. MacRae later overcame his addiction.

He married Elizabeth Lamberti Schrafft on September 25, 1967, and they remained married until his death.^[1]

He was best friends with his co-star Shirley Jones and was the godfather of her son Shaun Cassidy.

Filmography

Features:

• The Big Punch (1948)
• Look for the Silver Lining (1949)
• Backfire (1950)
• The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (1950)
• Return of the Frontiersman (1950)
• Tea for Two (1950)
• The West Point Story (1950)
• On Moonlight Bay (1951)
• Starlift (1951) (Cameo)
• About Face (1952)
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1952)
• The Desert Song (1953)
• Three Sailors and a Girl (1953)
• Oklahoma! (1955)
• Carousel (1956)
• The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956)
• Zero to Sixty (1978)
• The Pilot (1980)

Short Subjects:

• The Screen Director (1951)
• Screen Snapshots: Fun in the Sun (1952)
• So You Want a Television Set (1953)

Recorded songs

Solo

• "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing"
• "Easy To Love"
• "Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue"
• "It's Magic" (bigger hit for Doris Day, also done by Tony Martin)
• "Rambling Rose"
• "Love Is The Sweetest Thing"

with Jo Stafford

• "'A' — You're Adorable" (better known version by Perry Como)
• "Dearie"
• "My Darling, My Darling"
• "Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart"
• "Whispering Hope"
• "Echoes"

References

1. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534286/bio

External links

• Gordon MacRae at the Internet Movie Database
• Gordon MacRae at the Internet Broadway Database
• Bio on Starpulse
• Bio on MP3.com
• ReelClassics.com Page
• TVNow's monthly Gordon MacRae schedule
• Gordon MacRae at Find a Grave