During World War II, on his 18th birthday in August 1943, O'Connor was drafted into the United States Army. Before he reported for induction on February 6, 1944, Universal already had four O'Connor films completed. They rushed production to complete four more by that date, all with Ryan: "This Is the Life" (1944), with Foster; "The Merry Monahans" (1944), with Blyth and Jack Oakie; "Bowery to Broadway" (1945), another all-star effort where O'Connor had a cameo; and "Patrick the Great" (1945).