The Jazz Singer (Warner Bros.) (1927)

! Warner Bro. Present AL JOLSON in “THE JAZZ SINGER” FEATURE STORIES Al Jolson Previews His Own Picture “The Jazz Singer,” Now Drawing Crowds to the Strand, Elates Volcanic Star Al Jolson is enthusiastic over his and certainly familiar with the “The Jazz Singer,” now showing at story. Yet when I saw ‘The Jazz the Strand Theatre. Nothing that Singer’ unfolded I felt like a man the comedian has ever done has so | watching his soul perform; the perimpressed him. 'son in the seat was me, Al Jolson, For four months he gave over | but the man on the screen was all his thoughts and efforts to work | somehow a part of me yet outside on the picture, instilling into all of myself. his co-workers much of his enthu-| “Miss McAvoy was exquisite on -siasm. | the sereen, just as much so as in As is customary, upon the com-) person. Warner Oland played the pletion of a motion picture it is father’s role as I have never bepreviewed on the Coast. After the fore seen such a character por preview of “The Jazz Singer” Jol-| son could not resist the urge to un| bosom himself of his feelings re-, garding the picture. This is what he wrote: “It is extremely difficult to talk about my own picture. I do consider it my picture, for in the weeks that I worked at the studio, the making of ‘The Jazz Singer’ became a part of me. I lived from one day’s scene to the next, thinking of nothing else. For I wanted it to be a success, a big success. “When I saw ‘The Jazz Singer’ in its entirety at a preview, I was _elated and astonished. Elated that my first effort at silent drama should be so well received, and astonished by the sensations which it stirred in me, a hard-boiled critic | trayed, and Eugenie Besserer was the cause of more than one tear as the sweet, sympathetic mother. As I witnessed the climax, I caught myself gulping more than once, gulping lumps of joy that the picture was such a human document. “T can honestly say that I am more than satisfied with ‘The Jazz Singer,’ and am proud to have been connected with a production of its merit. I have Alan Crosland, who directed, to thank for his tutelage in the rudiments of the screen drama; and I appreciate the wonderful co-operation and help given me by every member of the production and technical staffs. “IT am indebted to Warner Bros. for giving me this opportunity to have the best time of my life.” AL JOLSON RE-LIVES HIS. OWN LIFE (Continuation of Article on page 7) His ability to hold an audience | needs no better proofs than these. When he was playing in “Big Boy,” he used to come out alone at various intervals and entertain the audience for a few minutes. One night when the second act was about half over, he appeared for his usual few minutes’ session. Long after the allotted time was up, the audience was still laughing and clamoring for more. He conceived a new idea. Stepping out of his character, Jolson asked the people if they would like to have) him entertain them for the rest of the evening. There was unanimous applause. Jolson turned to the people backstage: “You can all go home,” he shouted. “I’m finishing the show myself.” The actors in the wings looked at him perplexed. “You can all go home,” he repeated,—“I mean it.” ; They stood there as if uncertain as to what to do next, but when they saw him go ahead with his act as if they never existed, they dressed and went home. It took about an hour and a half more, and never for one moment did the audience lose interest in Jolson. When it was over, there was deafening applause. It continued until everyone was sure that there would be no more, and the theatre was emptied. Of course, in this case he was working under no particular handicap. He had his make-up on, and the audience felt pretty hilarious already. But Jolson needs neither make-up nor scenery, nor even an audience that is in a responsive mood. During one of the Sunday weet concerts at the Winter Garden the Shuberts found in the course of the performance that one of the performers would be unable to be present. It happened that Al Jolson was in the audience, and, of course, they did the only thing they could have done. They insisted that he fill in. There was no time “Gus” in every play, was just “Al,” and “Al” kept the audience in hysterics for over an hour. it took Al Jolson to make President Coolidge “smile prettily” for the newspaper pnotographer. but he didn’t really smile. He laughed out loud. The reporters for the first time left the President with a sense of victory. Atter all, it was no easy thing to get a smiling picture of President Coolidge. Jolson’s breakfast engagement with the President had been a success in every sense of the word. On the eve of the Presidential inauguration several years ago the press agent for “It’s Up to You,” | which was then playing in Wash ington, conceived a clever publicity stunt which had never been tried before. He planned to have both the incoming and outgoing presidents as guests of the theatre at the same time—President Wilson in one box and President Harding in another. When plans had been practically completed, Al Jolson, who was playing in “Sinbad” in Washington at that time, decided he wanted to have President Harding as his guest. He sent in his invitation and received an immediate acceptance. While President Harding spent a most enjoyable evening at Jolson’s theatre, the press agent sat in his theatre thinking a few unmentionable thoughts about the black-face comedian who had so perfectly disrupted his plans. The fact was that President Harding never missed an opportunity to see Jolson. When he wanted to laugh he knew who could furnish the comedy | satisfactorily. Jolson has a tremendous sense_ of loyalty to the Shuberts who gave him his start. He was offered an incredible contract one year to go on the concert stage. The man who was authorized to talk business with Jolson had tried for weeks to see him, but Jolson managed to avoid him quite expertly. The representative, however, who was as expert in finding people as Jol for making up. He stepped on the|/son was in dodging them, suc stage, took off his coat and collar, | rolled up his sleeves, and _ said, “Well, here I am—what do you want?” There was no scenery, no suitable atmosphere, no costume that would be conducive to laughter—but Al Jolson, who was usually ceeded in unearthing him at the! barber shop in the Plaza Hotel one ‘morning, and made him listen while a clay pack-was drying on his face. After all, it would have been rather uncomfortable for Jolson to remonstrate with him just then. |made him famous. So So “The show must go on!” “But my father is dying —” Scene From “The Ja33 A Warner Br | How Director Coon _ Filmed the Ghetto for “The Jazz Singer” ——<———— a a eee One of the most picturesque | places in the country is New York’s Ghetto. It is also one of the most densely populated spots on earth. __ Several of the scenes in Warner Bros.’ production showing Al Jolson |in “The Jazz Singer,” which is now /showing at the... . Theatre, are laid in the heart of the Ghetto and _the orders were to get actual shots or tne neighborhood and its people. To do this presented a problem, for uniess it could be done secretly the curiosity of the people would _be such and the crowds so great _that the work would be made impossible. _ First of all a permit had to be obtained from the police and a date a for the work. Then it was up Singer" starrind Al Jolson th ¢ Production Production No. 13—Cut or Mat The terms were something like this: $10,000 a week for four concerts a week; 50 per cent of the profits; a private car; $2,500 for every concert over four a week, four weeks’ vacation in Florida; and $50,000 deposited in the Harri| man National Bank as security on the contract. The man who was making the offer talked at length about the advantages of the con-. tract, and finally asked him what his decision was. “I am sorry,” said Mr. Jolson, “IT am happy where I am.” “But,” objected the other, “think | of how much more you would get under the contract—think of... .” “JT am sorry,” interrupted Mr. Jolson, “I am happy where I am. I intend to remain with the Shu-' berts.” And that was final. He was doing the work he liked with the people he liked—with the people, in fact, who had first discovered him and had given him his chance, and that was all that mattered to him. The prospect of so much more money every week in his pocket made no impression on him. Many times after this interview he was asked to reconsider, but he always made the same reply—that he was content with his present work, and he was not interested in any change. The life story of Al Jolson has the glamor and romance of a colorful novel. Every part of it; his home life in the typically orthodox Jewish family, the plaintive singing at the Sunday School, his experience with the circus—all this reads almost like a romance. And all of this glamor, this romance, has been put into the screen story of “The Jazz Singer,” which was writter around Al Jolson’s own life, and which has been produced by Warner Bros. with Mr. Jolson as the leading figure. . Everywhere in America promising young actors have tried to im_personate Al Jolson. Some of then: have charming personalities. Many ‘of them have pronounced talent. | But Jolson stands head and shoul ders above the best. He has the charm; he has the personality; he has real histrionic ability; he has an excellent voice—but it is the sob in his voice when he sings the ‘happiest sort of a melody that has It is the sob ‘that comes from singing mournful | Jewish melodies and Hebrew chants ‘in the synagogue, the touch of sadness in the voice of a_ great cantor when he sings “Kol Nidre” on the eve of Yom Kippur. Jolson’s father was right. His boy would have made a wonderful cantor. —from The Jewish Tribune. Warner Bros. to Star Al Jolson in Screen Version of “Pagliacci” | The phenomenal success all over the country of Al Jolson in “The | Jazz Singer” has been followed by /a new contract with Warner Bros. The first production is to be a screen version of Leoncavello’s _world-famous “Pagliacci.” Jolson’s marvelous genius for _to a group of men from Hollywood, who knew nothing of New York, /to get to work. | Throurh the police the newspa pers knew of the affair and all of ‘them sent men to describe the excitement that was bound to occur |in the Ghetto when the people discovered they were being filmed for a movie. _ All afternoon the newspaper men journeyed through the Ghetto without ever being aware of the presence of the movie operators. Three of the reporters met under the elevated road in Allen Street and began comparing notes when a plain clothes man (the term by which detectives are known) passed along. “Where is this movie outfit, Kelly ?” shouted one of the reporters; “we’ve been looking for it all day.” “You’re a fine bunch,” answered the detective. “They’re right in front of you.” What they saw in front of them was an old covered moving van [wits its burly driver asleep on his seat. In the sides of the van were touching | small apertures behind each of hearts will find another opportunity | which was a camera. All day long mountebank. in this story of the sad, immortal| the van had been moving from place to place shooting scenes with “The Jazz Singer,” now playing | out any one being any the wiser. at the.. | ceived with enthusiasm, | ance. May McAvoy, Warner Oland, | Cantor Josef Rosenblatt, Eugenie .Besserer, Otto Lederer, Richard | Tucker, Bobby Gordon, William |'Demarest and Anders Randolf are in the cast. Alan Crosland directed. Philadelphia Clergy See Al Jolson Act in “The Jazz Singer” Five hundred ministers, priests and rabbis attended a special performance of Warner Bros.’ tended run production, “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson, which | was given recently at Fox’s Locust in Philadelphia where the picture | is playing an unlimited engagement. The affair was arranged | under the auspices of the Phila'delphia Record and its religious |editor, G. R. Taylor. A similar showing was given some weeks ago at the Warner Theatre in New York and it is likely that another will be sponsored in Chicago where “The Jazz Singer” is playing at the Garrick. Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer” is now the attraction de luxe at the ... . Theatre. Al Jolson Generous To Less Fortunate Al Jolson, now at the Theatre in the spectacular Warner Bros. success “The Jazz Singer,” his first picture and his supreme success, is known to be among the ‘most generous to the less fortunate see ee eens . . Theatre, is being re-| record hit upon the idea of the van and it crowds attending each perform-,| worked out beautifully. | | ex| f | Broadwayites, whose talents have | proved unequal to the critical de mands of New York, or those who) have fallen on hard days through illness or bad fortune. His charity \is of the unvaunted kind and the | | recipients themselves are the ones | who have made known his sym| pathy which finds expression in a thousand material ways. It was Director Crosland who Mi doleon in “The Jazz Gi ger” A Warner Bros Prd cti Production No. 14—Cut or Mat When Jolson enters it is as if an electric current had been run along the wires under the seats where the hats are stuck. The house comes to tumultuous atten tion. He speaks, rolls his eyes, compresses his lips, and it is all over. You are a life member of The Al Jolson As sociation. Robert Benchley. in “Life.”