|
The Jazz Singer
(1927) United States of America
B&W : Nine reels / 8117 feet / 89 minutes
Directed by Alan Crosland
Cast: Al Jolson [Jakie Rabinowitz, also known as Jack Robin], May McAvoy [Mary Dale], Warner Oland [Cantor Rabinowitz, Jakie’s father], Eugenie Besserer [Sara Rabinowitz, Jakie’s mother], Bobby Gordon [Jakie Rabinowitz. age 13], Otto Lederer [Moisha Yudelson, the kibbitzer], Richard Tucker [Harry Lee], Cantor Joseff Rosenblatt [himself, at concert recital]; Nat Carr [Levi], William Demarest [Buster Billings], Anders Randolf [Dillings], Will Wallington (Will Walling) [the doctor], Roscoe Karns [the agent], Myrna Loy [a gossiping chorus girl], Jane Arden, Violet Bird, Audrey Ferris, Edna Gregory, Margaret Oliver, Louis Silvers, Marie Stapleton
Warner Brothers Pictures, Incorporated, production; distributed by Warner Brothers Pictures, Incorporated. / Scenario by Alfred A. Cohn, from the play The Jazz Singer by Samson Raphaelson. Art direction by Ben Carré and Esdras Hartley. Technicians, Fred Jacksman, Leiws Geib, Esdras Hartley, F.N. Murphy, ‘Alpharetta’ and Victor Vance. Assistant director, Gordon Hollingshead. Photography (cinematography) by Hal Mohr. Film editor, Harold McCord. Titles (intertitles written) by Jack Jarmuth. Musical direction by Louis Silvers. / © 6 October 1927 by Warner Brothers Pictures, Incorporated. Premiered 6 October 1927. General release, 4 February 1928. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. Western Electric Vitaphone sound-on-disc synchronized sound system. / Academy Award nomination for Writing – Adaptation. Australian premiere, 29 December 1928 at the Union Theatres’ Lyceum Hall in Sydney, Australia. / Silent film, with talking (singing) sequences, synchronized music and sound effects.
Drama.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Actors - Blackface - Jews - Musicians - Singers - Synchronized sound film
Listing updated: 10 February 2018.
References: Film credits, film viewing : Ball-Shakespeare pp. 299, 387; Bardèche-History pp. 290a, 307, 326, 384; Bohn-Light pp. xxv, 85, 179-180, 181, 207; Brownlow-Parade pp. 566, 570; Cary-Hollywood p. 123; Dardis-Keaton p. 152; Drew-Speaking pp. 4, 112, 131, 132, 133, 134, 279; Everson-American p. 56, 296, 333, 334, 337, 338, 339, 344; Geduld-Birth pp. xi, 103, 109, 136, 138, 139, 144, 146; Hirschhorn-Universal p. 15; Jacobs-Chaplin p. 91; Jewell-RKO p. 9; Kerr-Silent pp. 8, 39, 40; Keylin-NYTimes p. 119; Lahue-Collecting p. 27; Leish-Cinema pp. 65, 66; Limbacher-Feature p. 125; Maltin-Classic p. 345; Maltin-Disney p. 3; Miller-Comedies p. 7; Null-Black pp. 21, 23; Parish-Gangster p. 2; Perry-British pp. 60-61; Pitts-Hollywood p. 160; Ryall-Blackmail pp. 12, 13, 16, 18, 61; Schelly-Langdon pp. 126, 129, 132; Shipman-Cinema pp. 94, 100; Shirley-Australian pp. 103, 106; Sinyard-Silent p. 174; Skretvedt-Magic p. 157; Smith-Colman p. 93; Sweeney-Coming p. 114; Taylor-Hitchcock pp. 88, 94; Vermilye-Twenties p. 99; Webb-Hollywood p. 8 : ClasIm-225 p. 34.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
|
