Allan Jones (14 October 1907 in
Old Forge, PennsylvaniaOld Forge is the name of two places in the State of Pennsylvania:* Old Forge, Franklin County, Pennsylvania* Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania...
– 27 June 1992 in New York, New York) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and singer. For many years he was married to
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Irene HerveyIrene Hervey was an American television and film actress.-Career:Born Beulah Irene Herwick in Venice, California, she began her acting career after being introduced to a casting agent from MGM...
; their son is American
pop singer"Pop Singer" is the début single from London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in February, 1996 through WEA. The single was released as a 2 track CD Single and limited edition pink 7" vinyl of 1000 copies...
Jack JonesJack Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:He was rated highly by Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett and a major influence on Scott Walker...
.
Jones starred in many film musicals during the 1930s and 1940s. The best-known of these were
Show BoatShow Boat is a film based on the musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II , which the team adapted from the novel by Edna Ferber....
(1936), and
The FireflyThe Firefly is a 1937 motion picture starring Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones and set in Spain during the time of the Emperor Napoleon I. It includes such songs as "The Donkey Serenade" and "Giannina Mia", which were released on 78 r.p.m. gramophone record.-External links:* at allmovie* at...
(1937) (in which he sang the popular "Donkey Serenade"). However, he is now best remembered as the romantic
straight manStraight man may refer to:* Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo* A member of a double act who plays a foil in theatrical comedy* A heterosexual male...
to the
Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
in their first two MGM productions,
A Night at the OperaA Night at the Opera is a comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Siegfried Rumann, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for MGM after their departure from Paramount, and the first...
, and
A Day at the RacesA Day at the Races is the seventh movie starring the three Marx Brothers, with Margaret Dumont, Allan Jones and Maureen O'Sullivan. Like their previous MGM feature A Night at the Opera, this film was a major hit.-Synopsis:...
.
On the strength of his appearance in
A Night at the Opera, however, he won the coveted role of Gaylord Ravenal in the
1936The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*nov 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon*February 15 - first Republic serial, Darkest Africa, released*September 28 - The Marx Brothers' Harpo Marx marries actress Susan Fleming...
film version of
Show Boat (opposite
Irene DunneIrene Dunne was an American film actress and singer of the 1930s and 1940s. Dunne was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performances in Cimarron , Theodora Goes Wild , The Awful Truth , Love Affair and I Remember Mama .-Early life:Born Irene Marie...
), right out from under the noses of such screen musical favorites as
Nelson EddyNelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and movie star who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he...
and
John BolesJohn Boles may refer to:*John Boles, Jr., American baseball executive*John Boles , American actor*John Boles *John P. Boles, auxiliary bishop of Boston in the 1990s...
, neither of whom were noted for their acting.
Allan Jones (14 October 1907 in
Old Forge, PennsylvaniaOld Forge is the name of two places in the State of Pennsylvania:* Old Forge, Franklin County, Pennsylvania* Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania...
– 27 June 1992 in New York, New York) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and singer. For many years he was married to
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Irene HerveyIrene Hervey was an American television and film actress.-Career:Born Beulah Irene Herwick in Venice, California, she began her acting career after being introduced to a casting agent from MGM...
; their son is American
pop singer"Pop Singer" is the début single from London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in February, 1996 through WEA. The single was released as a 2 track CD Single and limited edition pink 7" vinyl of 1000 copies...
Jack JonesJack Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:He was rated highly by Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett and a major influence on Scott Walker...
.
Jones starred in many film musicals during the 1930s and 1940s. The best-known of these were
Show BoatShow Boat is a film based on the musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II , which the team adapted from the novel by Edna Ferber....
(1936), and
The FireflyThe Firefly is a 1937 motion picture starring Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones and set in Spain during the time of the Emperor Napoleon I. It includes such songs as "The Donkey Serenade" and "Giannina Mia", which were released on 78 r.p.m. gramophone record.-External links:* at allmovie* at...
(1937) (in which he sang the popular "Donkey Serenade"). However, he is now best remembered as the romantic
straight manStraight man may refer to:* Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo* A member of a double act who plays a foil in theatrical comedy* A heterosexual male...
to the
Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
in their first two MGM productions,
A Night at the OperaA Night at the Opera is a comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Siegfried Rumann, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for MGM after their departure from Paramount, and the first...
, and
A Day at the RacesA Day at the Races is the seventh movie starring the three Marx Brothers, with Margaret Dumont, Allan Jones and Maureen O'Sullivan. Like their previous MGM feature A Night at the Opera, this film was a major hit.-Synopsis:...
.
On the strength of his appearance in
A Night at the Opera, however, he won the coveted role of Gaylord Ravenal in the
1936The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*nov 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon*February 15 - first Republic serial, Darkest Africa, released*September 28 - The Marx Brothers' Harpo Marx marries actress Susan Fleming...
film version of
Show Boat (opposite
Irene DunneIrene Dunne was an American film actress and singer of the 1930s and 1940s. Dunne was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performances in Cimarron , Theodora Goes Wild , The Awful Truth , Love Affair and I Remember Mama .-Early life:Born Irene Marie...
), right out from under the noses of such screen musical favorites as
Nelson EddyNelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and movie star who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he...
and
John BolesJohn Boles may refer to:*John Boles, Jr., American baseball executive*John Boles , American actor*John Boles *John P. Boles, auxiliary bishop of Boston in the 1990s...
, neither of whom were noted for their acting. This was to become Jones's most distinguished screen role, in which, under the direction of
James WhaleJames Whale was a British film director, theatre director and actor. He is best remembered for his work in the horror film genre, having directed Frankenstein , The Old Dark House , The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein , all recognized as classics of the genre...
, he was to display dramatic acting ability as well as musical talent.
He made a brief appearance in the
1936The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*nov 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon*February 15 - first Republic serial, Darkest Africa, released*September 28 - The Marx Brothers' Harpo Marx marries actress Susan Fleming...
Nelson EddyNelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and movie star who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he...
-
Jeanette MacDonaldJeanette MacDonald was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier and Nelson Eddy...
film
Rose MarieThe 1924 Broadway musical Rose Marie has been the basis of three MGM films of the same title. The best-known film adaptation was released in 1936; however, a silent version was released in 1928 and another film was released in 1954. All three versions are set in the Canadian wilderness...
, singing music from
Charles GounodCharles-François Gounod was a French composer, best known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's
Romeo et Juliette and
Giacomo PucciniGiacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's
ToscaTosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou's drama, La Tosca. The work premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on January 14 1900. It is one of the world's most popular operas, a hit with audiences...
, but according to
Merchant of Dreams,
Charles HighamCharles Higham is an author and poet. Higham is a recipient of the Prix des Créateurs of the Académie Française and the Poetry Society of London Prize.-Biography:...
's biography of
Louis B. MayerLouis Burt Mayer was a Russian-born American film producer. He is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in its golden years. Known always as Louis B...
, Eddy, who apparently considered Jones a rival and a potential threat, asked that most of Jones's footage in
Rose Marie be cut, including his rendition of the great Puccini aria
E lucevan le stelle E lucevan le stelle is the romanza of Mario Cavaradossi in the 3rd act of Tosca, the opera composed by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa...
- and MGM agreed to Eddy's demand.
After 1940, the year in which Jones starred in the rather unsuccessful film version of
Rodgers and HartRodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist Lorenz Hart...
's
The Boys from SyracuseThe Boys from Syracuse is a 1940 musical film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, based on the play The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. It was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction by Jack Otterson...
, he was relegated to appearances only in B-films. In later years, he began appearing onstage in touring companies of such shows as
Man of La ManchaMan of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
.
Jones was never a dentist, as many websites report. Jones had an active singing career in movies, television, on the stage, and in nightclubs from 1935 until his retirement.
He died in New York City, aged 84 from
lung cancerLung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells...
. His ashes were given either to a friend or family.
Selected movies
- Night at the Opera, A
A Night at the Opera is a comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Siegfried Rumann, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for MGM after their departure from Paramount, and the first...
(1935-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .* Six year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty - MGM*Best Actor: Victor McLaglen - The Informer...
) (with the Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
)
- Day at the Races, A
A Day at the Races is the seventh movie starring the three Marx Brothers, with Margaret Dumont, Allan Jones and Maureen O'Sullivan. Like their previous MGM feature A Night at the Opera, this film was a major hit.-Synopsis:...
(1937The year 1937 in film involved some significant events.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US.*May 7 - Shall We Dance premieres in the US.-Top grossing films:#Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs#Maytime#Saratoga...
) (with the Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
)
- The Firefly
The Firefly is a 1937 motion picture starring Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones and set in Spain during the time of the Emperor Napoleon I. It includes such songs as "The Donkey Serenade" and "Giannina Mia", which were released on 78 r.p.m. gramophone record.-External links:* at allmovie* at...
(1937)
- Everybody Sing (1938
The year 1938 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*January — MGM announces that Judy Garland would be cast in the role of "Dorothy" in the upcoming Wizard of Oz motion picture. Ray Bolger is cast as the "Tinman" and Buddy Ebsen is cast as the "Scarecrow". At Bolger's insistence,...
) (with Judy GarlandJudy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years, Garland attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Respected for her versatility, she received a Juvenile Academy...
and Fanny BriceFanny Brice was a popular and influential American comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances but is best remembered as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
)
- The Boys from Syracuse
The Boys from Syracuse is a 1940 musical film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, based on the play The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. It was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction by Jack Otterson...
(1940The year 1940 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released.* February 20 - Tom and Jerry make their debut in the animated cartoon Puss Gets the Boot....
)
- There's Magic in Music (1941
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
)
External links