Everything about Gordon Macrae totally explained
Albert Gordon MacRae (
March 12,
1921 –
January 24,
1986) was an
American actor and
singer, best known for his appearances in
musical films of the 1950s.
Born in
East Orange, New Jersey, MacRae served as a navigator in the
United States Army Air Forces during
World War II. 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. 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. At this point,
alcoholism interfered with his career, and fewer movie musicals with a demand for his type of singing voice continued to be made, but MacRae appeared frequently on
television and eventually overcame his alcoholism. 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.
He was married to
Sheila MacRae from
1941 until
1967, and was the father of
Heather MacRae and the late
Meredith MacRae.
MacRae was considered by some a better actor than most film musical stars, and he occasionally played non-musical roles, especially in later life. In the 1970s, for instance, 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.
He continued to record and act almost until the end of his life. He died of
cancer of the mouth and jaw at his home in
Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 64.
Filmography
Features:
Recorded songs
Solo
"Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue"
"It's Magic" (bigger hit for Doris Day, also done by Tony Martin)
"Rambling Rose"
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"Further Information
Get more info on 'Gordon Macrae'.
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