Anecdotes

Broke his hip in a fall while performing in the play "The Odd Couple" in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1977. Confined to a wheelchair, he later continued to perform despite his confinement.

Signed by MGM in 1940, the song-and-dance man was instead put into straight acting roles that went nowhere. His career was interrupted by military service. At first making training films in Long Island, he later served with the Cavalry at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he taught recruits how to ride horses. He was eventually sent overseas and served with the 88th Infantry Regiment in northern Italy.

Lectured on the college circuit in later years speaking on dance and motion, the art of acting in dance and the importance of acting to the dancer.

As an expert horseman, Dan won 75 ribbons at horse shows. He especially enjoyed training horses for jumping competitions.

According to an in-depth article written by Frances Ingram in the January 2001 issue of Classic Images film magazine, Dan was buried in his favorite pink hunting jacket and singer and long-time friend John Raitt sang at his funeral.

Understudied Ray Bolger on Broadway in the musical "On Your Toes" before finding a rewarding employment in the musicals "Babes in Arms" and "Stars in Your Eyes". In the latter Ethel Merman starrer, he was the dancing partner of ballerina Tamara Toumanova.

His only child, Dan Dailey Jr., committed suicide in 1975.

Dan's first wife, Esther Rodier, was a high school sweetheart; second wife Elizabeth Hofert was a Los Angeles socialite; third wife Gwen Carter O'Connor was a former actress and the ex-wife of actor Donald O'Connor; fourth wife Carol Warner was a dancer.

First appeared on stage at age six in a minstrel show singing "Here Comes Danny O'Neill".

Reunited on stage in later years with his favorite co-star Betty Grable when they co-starred in "Guys and Dolls" at the Dunes Hotel in Vegas in late 1962 and in "High Button Shoes" in Southern California in 1964.

Interred at Forest Lawn (Glendale), Glendale, California, USA, in the Court of Freedom, lot #7065.

Born in New York City and raised as a child in Long Island, his father, James J. Dailey was a hotel man. His mother's name was Helen.

Older brother of actress Irene Dailey.