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AnimationComedyMusic

King of Jazz

- A NEW ERA in sound and color entertainment!

Made during the early years of the movie musical, this exuberant revue was one of the most extravagant, eclectic, and technically ambitious Hollywood productions of its day. Starring the bandleader Paul Whiteman, then widely celebrated as the King of Jazz, the film drew from Broadway variety shows to present a spectacular array of sketches, performances by such acts as the Rhythm Boys (featuring a young Bing Crosby), and orchestral numbers—all lavishly staged by veteran theater director John Murray Anderson.

Release Date : 1930-04-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Universal Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Paul Whiteman

Character Name : Paul Whiteman

Original Name : Paul Whiteman

Gender : Male

John Boles

Character Name : Vocalist ('Song of the Dawn' / 'It Happened in Monterey')

Original Name : John Boles

Gender : Male

Laura La Plante

Character Name : Editor ('Ladies of the Press') / Stenographer ('In Conference') / Quartet Member, 'Nellie'

Original Name : Laura La Plante

Gender : Female

Jeanette Loff

Character Name : Vocalist ('It Happened in Monterey' / 'Bridal Veil' / 'A Bench in the Park')

Original Name : Jeanette Loff

Gender : Male

Glenn Tryon

Character Name : Executive ('In Conference') / Unmarried Husband

Original Name : Glenn Tryon

Gender : Male

William Kent

Character Name : General ('All Noisy on the Eastern Front') / Goldfish Owner ('Oh! Forevermore!') / Unmarried Couple's Offspring / Vocal ('Do Things For You')

Original Name : William Kent

Gender : Male

Slim Summerville

Character Name : Automobile Owner ('Springtime') / Rear End of Horse / Charles

Original Name : Slim Summerville

Gender : Male

Kathryn Crawford

Character Name : Fourth Reporter ('Ladies of the Press')

Original Name : Kathryn Crawford

Gender : Female

Carla Laemmle

Character Name : Chorine (as Beth Laemmle)

Original Name : Carla Laemmle

Gender : Female

Stanley Smith

Character Name : Bridegroom ('Bridal Veil' / 'A Bench in the Park')

Original Name : Stanley Smith

Gender : Male

Charles Irwin

Character Name : Himself, Announcer / Soldier ('All Noisy on the Eastern Front')

Original Name : Charles Irwin

Gender : Male

George Chiles

Character Name : Dancer ('It Happened in Monterey' / Vocalist 'A Bench in the Park' / 'Ragamuffin Romeo')

Original Name : George Chiles

Gender : Male

Jack White

Character Name : Jack White

Original Name : Jack White

Gender : Male

Frank Leslie

Character Name : Quartet Lead Singer ('Nellie')

Original Name : Frank Leslie

Gender : Male

Walter Brennan

Character Name : Desk Sergeant ('Springtime') / Soldier ('All Noisy on the Eastern Front') / Waiter ('Oh! Forevermore!') / Front End of Horse / Quartet Member ('Nellie')

Original Name : Walter Brennan

Gender : Male

Churchill Ross

Character Name : Quartet Member ('Nellie')

Original Name : Churchill Ross

Gender : Male

John Arledge

Character Name : First Pianist at Giant Piano ('Rhapsody in Blue') / Quartet Member ('Nellie') (as Johnson Arledge)

Original Name : John Arledge

Gender : Male

Al Norman

Character Name : Rubber Legs Dancer ('Happy Feet')

Original Name : Al Norman

Gender : Male

Jacques Cartier

Character Name : Voodoo Dancer ("Rhapsody in Blue")

Original Name : Jacques Cartier

Gender : Male

Nell O'Day

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Nell O'Day

Gender : Female

Marion Stattler

Character Name : Specialty Dancer 'Ragamuffin Romeo' / 'Melting Pot'

Original Name : Marion Stattler

Gender : Male

Don Rose

Character Name : Specialty Dancer 'Ragamuffin Romeo'

Original Name : Don Rose

Gender : Male

Bobbe Brox

Character Name : Bobbe (as The Brox Sisters)

Original Name : Bobbe Brox

Gender : Female

Patricia Brox

Character Name : Kathlyn (as The Brox Sisters)

Original Name : Patricia Brox

Gender : Female

Lorayne Brox

Character Name : Lorraine (as The Brox Sisters)

Original Name : Lorayne Brox

Gender : Female

Bing Crosby

Character Name : Trio Singer (as The Rhythm Boys)

Original Name : Bing Crosby

Gender : Male

Yola d'Avril

Character Name : Automobile Owner's Wife ("Springtime") / Marie ("All Noisy on the Eastern Front") (uncredited)

Original Name : Yola d'Avril

Gender : Female

Marcia Mae Jones

Character Name : Child ('Bridal Veil') (uncredited)

Original Name : Marcia Mae Jones

Gender : Female

Bela Lugosi

Character Name : Emcee - Hungarian Version

Original Name : Bela Lugosi

Gender : Male

Joan Marsh

Character Name : Blonde ("A Bench in the Park") (uncredited)

Original Name : Joan Marsh

Gender : Female

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-02-12

The title of this film is a touch misleading. I was expecting much more of a jazz-based musical revue but instead got pretty much a whole gamut of colourful and precisely staged repertoire. Paul Whiteman and his accomplished orchestra provide the conduit, as it were, as a variety of performers sing, dance and make us laugh (or cringe) for the next hundred minutes. There's a bit of Bing Crosby's first screen appearance with the "Rhythm Boys" doing a lively version of "Happy Feet" and probably my favourite staging of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" - featuring an orchestra within the belly of the grandest of pianos. What this illustrates really effectively is the huge variety of musical skills that audiences in 1930 could expect to see, and at just how versatile the orchestra was when it came to playing themes from just about every genre. Whoever thought about playing some patriotic Souza on a bicycle pump? It looks great and it sounds good but for me, not being an American, too many of the acts - especially the comedy - didn't really travel. The production itself, though probably impractical to deliver, needed a live audience to breathe some life into it. The skills there are superb, but the whole thing is just a bit sterile and lifeless. As an history of what engaged the American people in the 1920s, this in still an interesting piece of entertainment nostalgia, though - and it is worth a watch.