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Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986)[2] was an American actor and singer, best known for his appearances in theFILM versions of two Rodgers and Hammersteinmusicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), andPLAYING Bill Sherman in On Moonlight Bay (1951) and By The Light of the Silvery Moon (1953).

Early life[]

Born Albert Gordon MacRae in East Orange in Essex Countyin northeastern New Jersey, MacRae graduated in 1940 fromDeerfield Academy in DeerfieldMassachusetts, and he thereafter served as a navigator in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Prior to this, he attendedNottingham High School in SyracuseNew York.

 == Career==

He made his Broadway debut in 1942, 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 drama about boxing. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day and appeared with her in severalFILMS.

In 1950, he starred with Doris Day in "Tea for Two" (a reworking of "No, No, Nanette"), then in 1951, he starred again with Doris Day in On Moonlight Bay, followed by the 1953 sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon. That same year, he also starred opposite Kathryn Grayson in the third film version of The Desert Song. This was followed by leading roles in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), both films oppositeShirley Jones.

On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour, a half-hour anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals.[3] Many of those programs were recorded later in popular studio cast albums: most of these recordings have been reissued on CDs.[4]

MacRae appeared frequently on television, on such programs as The Martha Raye Show and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, both on NBC. On Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the Christmas hymn "O Holy Night".[5] Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest starred on the short-lived NBC variety series, The Polly Bergen Show.

Thereafter, MacRae appeared on The Ed Sullivan ShowThe Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, and The Bell Telephone Hour. HeCONTINUED his musical stage career, often performing with his wife, as in a 1964 production of Bells Are Ringing, also performing as Sky Masterson in the popular musical Guys and Dolls, with his wifePLAYING the role of Miss Adeleide, reprising her Broadway role.[6] In the late 1960s he co-hosted for aWEEK on The Mike Douglas Show. He also toured in summer stock and appeared in nightclubs. In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston in the original BroadwayRUN of the musical I Do! I Do!, starring opposite Carol Lawrence, who had taken over the role from Mary Martin.[citation needed]

Personal life[]

He was married to Sheila MacRae from 1941 until 1967;[7] the couple were the parents of fourCHILDREN: actressesHeather and Meredith MacRae, and sons William Gordon MacRae and Robert Bruce MacRae. Two of the children, Meredith MacRae and Robert Bruce MacRae, predeceased their mother, Sheila.

Gordon MacRae was married, secondly, to Elizabeth Lambert Schrafft on September 25, 1967, and fathered one daughter, Amanda Mercedes MacRae in 1968. They remained married until his death. He was buried at the Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska.[2]

Filmography[]

Feature films
Year Title Role
1948 The Big Punch JohnnyGRANT
1949 Look for the Silver Lining Frank Carter
1950 Backfire Bob Corey
1950 The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady Tony Pastor
1950 Return of the Frontiersman Logan Barrett
1950 Tea for Two Jimmy Smith
1950 The West Point Story Tom Fletcher
1951 On Moonlight Bay Bill Sherman
1951 Starlift Himself
1952 About Face Tony Williams
1953 By the Light of the Silvery Moon Bill Sherman
1953 The Desert Song El Khobar / Paul Bonnard
1953 Three Sailors and a Girl "Choirboy" Jones
1955 Oklahoma! Curly McLain
1956 Carousel Billy Bigelow
1956 The Best Things in Life Are Free Buddy DeSylva
1978 Zero to Sixty Officer Joe
1980 The Pilot Joe Barnes
Short subjects
Year Title Role
1951 The Screen Director Himself
1952 Screen Snapshots: Fun in the Sun Himself
1953 So You Want a Television Set Himself (Cameo appearance)

Stage Work[]

Radio appearances[]

Program Episode DATE Notes
Stars in the Air Christmas in Connecticut March 20, 1952 [8]
Lux Radio Theatre On Moonlight Bay May 5, 1952 [9]

Discography[]

Singles[]

Year SINGLE Chart positions
Hot 100
1947 "I Still Get Jealous" 25
"At the Candlelight Cafe" 20
1948 "Thoughtless" 28
"You Were Meant For Me" 22
"That Feathery Feeling" 27
"It's Magic" 9
"Hankerin'" 23
"Hair ofGOLD Eyes of Blue" 7
"Rambling Rose" 27
"Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart"with Jo Stafford 10
"Bluebird of Happiness"with Jo Stafford 16
"My Darling, My Darling"with Jo Stafford 1
1949 "The Pussy Cat Song"with Jo Stafford 26
"So In Love" 20
"A You're Adorable"with Jo Stafford 4
"Need You"with Jo Stafford 7
"Younger Than Springtime" 30
"Whispering Hope"with Jo Stafford 4
"MuleTRAIN" 14
"DearHEARTS and Gentle People" 19
"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo"with Jo Stafford 13
"Echoes"with Jo Stafford 18
1950 "Dearie"with Jo Stafford 10
1953 "How Do You Speak To an Angel" 30
CONGRATULATIONS To Someone" 28
"C'est Magnifique" 29
"Stranger In Paradise" 29
1954 "Face To Face" 30
1956 "I've Grown Accustomed ToYOUR Face" 96
1958 "The Secret" 18

In popular culture[]

  • MacRae is mentioned in the song "Oklahoma U.S.A." by The Kinks, as the song's subject daydreams of "riding in the surrey with the fringe on top" with "Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae."
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