The Jazz Singer (Warner Bros.) (1927)

Al Jolson Is Star of “The Jazz Singer”’ Soon to Be Seen Locally The announcement that Warner. Bros. will bring their greatest motion picture success, “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson, to the .... Theatre opening ...., is of | prime importance. It is heralded as an epic of the screen and marks _ . the debut of Al Jolson as a moving | picture star. Since its opening in New York at the Warner Theatre, where its| success was instantaneous, it has established a record of capacity audiences at every performance. The story of “The Jazz Singer” is) well known, and yet, under the} direction of Alan Crosland, who) has treated the story in the spirit | in which it was conceived, there has | been added a note of great beauty and pathos in the depiction of the rise of the son of the cantor who| deserted his home to be a jazz singer, for it parallels the_life| story of Al Jolson himself. It is a picture which arouses its audi ences to cheers. JOLSON FOLLOWS LURE OF SCREEN The terrific power for good that lies in every motion picture is something few people realize. The fan views a film and is impressed with it. Parts of it thrill him. Possibly some of it gives him a new slant on life. It would surprise him to know that the same reactions are experienced by a million other fans. Plays—successful ones—cater to |! many thousands, but motion pictures cater to millions. As a case in point one might take as an example Warner Brothers’ production showing Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer,” coming to the.... Theatre next .... Before this film was three months old it had been witnessed by over a half million people. In the first twelve weeks of its run in New York it attracted nearly a quarter of a million people. On the first day of its release in twelve key cities it attracted over a hundred thousand people. It can be seen from this that to attract a million people would be nothing at all wonderful for this picture. When it is finally given a general realese, that is, when it is given to the programme houses, there is no knowing just how many people will view it. Inasmuch as it is certain to be booked in at least 6,000 of these theatres, in many of which it will remain from three days to a week, one can get an idea of how many people will come under its influence. Fortunately this influence is good, for “The Jazz Singer” is not only most entertaining but leaves a good taste in one’s mouth when its main character fades from view on _ the screen. Al Jolson Stars in What Picture My 1 is in told But not in said; My 2 is in couch But not in bed; My 8 is in near But not & far; My 4 is in jitney But not in car; My 5 is in cake But not in pie; My 6 is in gaze But not in spy; My 7’s in lozenge But not in mint; My 8 is in speak But not in hint; My 9 is is in single But not in double; My 10’s in pain But not in trouble; My 11’s in liege But not in lord; My 12’s in table But not in board; My 13’s in somber But not in gay; My all is the name Of Al Jolson’s play. | Warner Bro. Present AL JOLSON in “THE JAZZ SINGER” ADVANCE STORIES Buy in Advance to See Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer” “The Jazz Singer,’ with Al Jolson in the role of the cantor’s son, supported by May McAvoy in the part of Mary Dale will be presented by Warner Bros. at the ... Theatre next .... for an indefinite period. Heralded as the greatest motion | picture they have ever made, Warner Bros. predict its success | in will parallel what it has achieved in New York City. Directed by Alan Crosland, and with a cast which includes Warner | cantor, | Oland as the elderly Eugenie Besserer, Bobby Gordon, Richard Tucker, Otto Lederer and Nat Carr in the other parts, War| ner Bros. have spared no expense to present this picture in an accurate and careful manner. Because of the crowds which ever it is shown, the management requests patrons to obtain their’ chad the entrances to the Winter | seats as far in advance as possible to avoid the delay in the lobby at the time of performance. On Tiptoe! | Aldolson in “The de with May Mce#vo A Warner Bros. Produc Sinder” eo 8 Lion Production No. 7—Cut or Mat “The Jazz Singer”’ Is Coming With Jolson The long awaited presentation by Warner Bros. of “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson, now the leading motion picture success in New York at the Warner Theatre, will begin at the Strand On AGEL. s:5-5 This picturization of Samson Raphaelson’s comedy drama _ is made doubly important in that it | marks the screen debut of Al Jol son, the most famous entertainer in | the world. Warner Bros. assembled for projection of Al Jolson as the son The production which | the | of the cantor who ran away from) home and became a famous jazz singer was given so much care, | thought and lavish attention it is considered the supreme achievement of the list of fine pictures made by this able firm of sproducers. Alan Crosland directed. The great cast surrounding Jolson in “The Jazz Singer,” with dainty Mav McAvov in the nart of Marv Dale. Warner Oland as the cantor, and Eugenie Besserer as the mother. ineludes also Otto Lederer. Bobbv Gordon, Nat Carr | and Richard Tucker. ———_— The Crowds Helped New York to Know “The Jazz Singer” The biggest ballyhoo ever given ‘a motion picture was the result of an accident. Had it been planned, it is questionable whether the affair would have turned out so successfully from an advertising angle, It was during the filming of “The Jazz Singer,” with Al Jolson, soon at the. ... Theatre, and, innocently enough, it was through a desire for a bit of reality | in the picture that traffic was tied up for over an hour on Broadway and the reserves from three police precincts were called out to handle the crowds. With the possibilities of realism of New York streets, Warner Bros. decided to bring on their. camera men from Hollywood to direct action. It was decided that | they were to “shoot” on a Sunday assemble to see the picture wher| evening when the crowds would be less dense and traffic would be more quiet. Director Crosland) Garden covered with signs and had | drilled 300 extras to work around the front of the house. The scene was to represent the night of the. jazz singer’s debut. | The Sunday night selected was | clear and beautiful and Broadway | was filled with strollers. Just as soon as Crosland got to work the crowds saw at once what was going on, and in an instant it seemed as if all New York wanted to get into the picture. The extras were swept aside like chaff and traffic came to a standstill. For three hours the crowds kept milling, giving the camera men some great “shots.” || Sensational Hit of Broadwav Soon to Be Seen Here Jolson in ‘The Jazz Singer’ Al Jolson, the world famous 4/comedian making his screen debut in “The Jazz Singer” at the Warner Theatre in New York in October, scored the greatest success of his career. He says so himself. For several years he has been of the screen, but for some reason has resisted the appeal. When q Warner Bros. offered him the star 4 Dart in Samson Ranhaelson’s plav. which depicts the story of the only /son of a cantor trained to follow his father’s career, runnine awav fram home to follow the dictates -% his own desire to became a iazz singer, they did not know ther were askino him to reneat in nictures the incident that develoned his career on the stawe. Jt is elnimed that there has never been a picture on Broadway that has seared such a sensational hit. While Jolson loves the stage, he admits that he loves the wonderful opvnortunities afforded him as a mation picture star even more, In “The Jazz Singer.” which Warner Rros. will present at the... . Theatre ..... is May MeAvoy. who will he seen as Marv Dale. an exonisite star af musieal eomedyv. who helns Jack Robin—nlaved bv Jolson—to achieve the success his genius demands. RS SSPE TT TS EE EEN RST Who Is the Star of “The Jazz Singer’’? Coming to the Strand Each definition represents letter of his name. pw) 1. An article A 2. Fifty L 3. A yokel J 4. Zero O 5. Cloth measure L 6. Before tee S 7. A hoop oO 8. Printer’s measure N Answers printed on another page of local paper. SS urged to become one of the stars | ee ___ ake—he—” | & | “Come back for Papa’s s | Al Jolson in Gugerie Besserer — Production No. 8—Cut or Mat "The Jazz Singer” with May MeAvoy and A Warner Bros. Product iow Quite Expensive Is a Picture Sequence Spectacular Film Stars Al Jolson as “The Jazz Singer” When “The Jazz Singer,” which Warner Bros. will present at.... Theatre next ...., with Al Jolson in the leading role, was _ being filmed, certain of the spectacular features included a picture of both the interior and exterior of the Winter Garden, where Mr. Jolson had achieved his great successes in musical comedy. It became necessary to obtain cordons of police to keep the great crowds in order that had assembled. At another time when Orchard Street, located in the very heart Once cameras began clicking on of the New York Ghetto, was being “The Jazz Singer,” ever actor and photographed, the director of “The actress, as well as every employee Jazz Singer,” Alan Crosland, with in the studios, was interested. the camera men, was concealed Everyone wanted to see Jolson do within a canvas-topped truck. his stuff before the cameras. It Holes were cut in the sides and end leaked out one morning that the of the canvas through which the | “Coffee Dan” scene was about to /scenes in this famous locality were go on. The people all knew that photographed. If the people who Jolson was to sing for Vitaphone surged in solid masses had known in this scene and as few of them they were being “snapped” a riot had had opportunity to hear the would have been the result. comedian’s voice they were all _ A period of four months was 4®Xlous to do so. |required for the actual making of| The excitement ran from stage | “The Jazz Singer.” May McAvoy, to stage and something had to be 'dainty and winsome star of the | done. It was then that Jack War|screen, was the unanimons choice| ner, the production chief, came |for the vart of Mary Dale. the! forward to do the only thing that tiny toe-dancer in the play. whose would _ satisfy evervone. He lave and devotion were instrumen| promptly declared a holiday for the tal in helninge Jack Robin. the jazz | seven units then at work on as \sinver—nlaved bv Al Jolson—to| many pictures and invited all the achieve his success and bring hap| people to sit in on the work on the viness to both of them. | picture. Warner Oland is cast as Cantor | Rabinowitz; Eugenie Besserer is te the mother, and Bobbv Gordon.| ence and enjoyed it all as much as who has been seen in pictures as did his audience. When Jack Warthe inimitable Penrod. plavs the ner was asked what the holiday nart of the bov singer who ran/ cost Warner Bros. in the way of awav from home to do the thing he! salaries for which no work had knew he could do best. _been done, he merely smiled. “It’s Others who have imnortant parts | so much T am afraid to figure it,” are Otto Lederer, Nat Carr and /he said. “but whatever it was the Richard Tucker. pleasure we gave everyone was worth it.” | The most expensive scene ever filmed for a motion picture is one in Warner Bros.’ production showing Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer,” which comes next week to the... . Theatre. No one on seeing this particular scene, however, would suspect that any extraordinary cost was attached to it. The scene, in fact, looks quite ordinary, being that of the interior of Coffee Dan’s celebrated cabaret in San Francisco. What made the scene so expensive was the curiosity of several hundred movie people at work in the Warner studios. Jolson never faced a more innse or a more enthusiastic audi Jolson’s First Film ; : “Never Disappoint an His Greatest Hit Audience” —AlI Jolson An example of Jolson’s do-or-die spirit harkens back te 1912 when he was appearing in “The Whirl Manager .... of the.... The-| atre announces next . . as the opening date for the much heralded Warner Bros. extended run pro-| duction, “The Jazz Singer,” star-| ring Al Jolson, and including in the | cast dainty May McAvoy, Warner. Oland, Otto Lederer, Eugenie Bes| serer, Bobby Gordon, Nat Carr, William Demarest, Anders Randolf ,and Will Walling. Alan Crosland directed and the piece was adapted from the Samson Raphaelson play, 'which was produced on the stage by Lewis & Gordon and Sam H. 'Harris, by Al Cohn. The story is ‘replete with thrills and heart. throbs and it is of universal ap| of Society,” his first starring vehicle under the Shuberts, in Chicago. It was 2 Labor Day matinee. Before the curtain rose, Jolson looked over the orchestra and saw a scant 50 natrons comprising the entire house. Instead of calling the show off and refunding the few dollars in the box office. hz ordered the show to go on. When his entrance came, he called everyb-dy in the theatre to come down into the first three rows. “We're going to have a little party, iust the six of us,” said the indomitsble Al, “and we're going t> have the whole show.” Before the week was over the show was =: sell-out and Jolson was an acknowledged star. Al Jolson comes to the . peal. There is but one Al Jolson! } Theatre next... . in Warner jand but one “The Jazz Singer.” jj Bree.’ supreme triamoh, “The Jans Inger. |New York, Chicago and Philadel‘phia are packing the houses,