The Singing Fool
Encyclopedia
The Singing Fool is a 1928 musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture
which was released by Warner Brothers. The film starred Al Jolson
and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer
. It is credited with helping to cement the popularity of both sound and the musical genre.
unbilled
with musical interludes, and as such was one of the film industry's first musical films. Produced during the transition period between silent film
and talkies, the movie was released in both sound and silent versions.
The Singing Fool was a part-talking feature, which featured a synchronized musical score with sound effects along with synchronized musical and talking sequences, although in this film roughly 66 minutes of talking and singing were included. Al Jolson's first all-talking feature, Say It With Songs
, would appear in 1929.
would any sound era film be more financially successful than this audience-pleasing blend of sentiment and show biz. With a worldwide gross of $5.9 million, it would remain the most successful film in Warner Bros. history until the release of Sergeant York
in 1941.
For the majority of movie audiences, The Singing Fool became their first experience with a talking film, since few movie theaters had been equipped with a sound system in 1927. The film's positive reception was also viewed as a signifier that sound films were here to stay. One trade paper commentator stated that The Singing Fool "will be to talking pictures what The Birth of a Nation
has been to silent pictures". For a time, it also made Davey Lee, Jolson's 3 year old co-star, the most popular child star since Jackie Coogan
. Lee was re-teamed with Jolson in Say It With Songs and starred in a few other films—including 1929's Sonny Boy—until his parents pulled him out of the movie business.
"Sonny Boy" became the first song from a movie to sell over a million copies. It eventually sold over 3 million copies of sheet music, piano rolls and phonograph records.
" is missing from extant prints of the film. This is due to a lawsuit initiated by the song's author, Billy Merson. Merson claimed that he, as a performer, owed his income to his own renditions of the song, and that Jolson's version would diminish his ability to earn a living. The song was removed from all prints of "The Singing Fool" shown in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the only surviving copies of the film are also from the U.K., hence are missing the song. These copies also have the majority of the original decorative Warner Brothers title cards replaced with simple British made ones which were used to remove Americanisms which the British would not understand or appreciate (a common practice during the silent era). Only the soundtrack survives on extant Vitaphone discs.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
which was released by Warner Brothers. The film starred Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer (1927 film)
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the "talkies" and the decline of the silent film era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system,...
. It is credited with helping to cement the popularity of both sound and the musical genre.
Cast
- Al JolsonAl JolsonAl Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
- Al Stone - Betty BronsonBetty BronsonBetty Bronson was an American television and film actress who began her career during the silent film era. She was a famous actress in silent and sound films.-Film career:...
- Grace - Josephine DunnJosephine DunnJosephine Dunn was an early American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s.Born in New York City, Dunn began her career in Hollywood with a small role alongside Thelma Todd in the 1926 film Fascinating Youth. Dunn became associated with what would become known as the "Algonquin Round Table", which...
- Molly Winton - Arthur HousmanArthur HousmanArthur Housman was an American actor in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood.-Career:Initially as a leading man, Housman later became known as Hollywood's most familiar comic drunkard in films of the 1930s, usually playing cameo parts in features but with better opportunities in short films...
- Blackie Joe - Reed HowesReed HowesReed Howes was a model who later became an actor in silent and sound films.He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy in the closing stages of World War I. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated...
- John Perry - Davey LeeDavey LeeDavey Lee was an American child actor. He was born in Hollywood, California, USA. He appeared in six feature films between 1928 and 1930....
- Sonny Boy - Edward MartindelEdward MartindelEdward Martindel was an American stage and film actor. He appeared on Broadway and in 89 films between 1915 and 1946....
- Louis Marcus - Robert Emmett O'Connor - Cafe Owner, Bill
- Helen LynchHelen LynchHelen Lynch was an American silent-film actress.She was born in Billings, Montana where she was also raised. After winning a beauty contest conducted in her hometown, she soon went to movie studios and received little trouble gaining roles, starting out as an extra in 1918...
- Maid - Agnes Franey - 'Balloon' Girl
- The Yacht Club Boys - Singing quartet
unbilled
- William H. O'Brien - Waiter at Blackie Joe's
- Bob Perry - Doorman at Blackie Joe's
Production
Like The Jazz Singer, The Singing Fool was a melodramaMelodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
with musical interludes, and as such was one of the film industry's first musical films. Produced during the transition period between silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
and talkies, the movie was released in both sound and silent versions.
The Singing Fool was a part-talking feature, which featured a synchronized musical score with sound effects along with synchronized musical and talking sequences, although in this film roughly 66 minutes of talking and singing were included. Al Jolson's first all-talking feature, Say It With Songs
Say It with Songs
Say It With Songs is a 1929 All-Talking musical drama motion picture which was released by Warner Bros.. The film starred Al Jolson and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Singing Fool .-Production:...
, would appear in 1929.
Plot
After years of hopeful struggle, Al Stone (Jolson) is on his way. "I'm Sittin' on Top of the World", he sings to an appreciative speakeasy crowd. But, as Al discovers, getting there is one thing. Staying there is another. Singing waiter Stone gets his huge break on a magical night when his song wows a big-time producer and a gold-digging showgirl he fancies. Broadway success and marriage follow, but sure enough, hard times are on the way. Al's fickle wife abandons him, taking the beloved son he calls Sonny Boy with her. Heartbroken, Al becomes a devastated loner until friends from the speakeasy that launched his career rescue him from a life on the streets. Soon, Al is back in lights. But another crisis awaits: Sonny Boy is in the hospital and dying....Reception
The Singing Fool solidified Jolson's position atop the movie world; not until Snow White and the Seven DwarfsSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
would any sound era film be more financially successful than this audience-pleasing blend of sentiment and show biz. With a worldwide gross of $5.9 million, it would remain the most successful film in Warner Bros. history until the release of Sergeant York
Sergeant York
Sergeant York is a 1941 biographical film about the life of Alvin York, the most-decorated American soldier of World War I. It was directed by Howard Hawks and was the highest-grossing film of the year....
in 1941.
For the majority of movie audiences, The Singing Fool became their first experience with a talking film, since few movie theaters had been equipped with a sound system in 1927. The film's positive reception was also viewed as a signifier that sound films were here to stay. One trade paper commentator stated that The Singing Fool "will be to talking pictures what The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith and based on the novel and play The Clansman, both by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Griffith also co-wrote the screenplay , and co-produced the film . It was released on February 8, 1915...
has been to silent pictures". For a time, it also made Davey Lee, Jolson's 3 year old co-star, the most popular child star since Jackie Coogan
Jackie Coogan
John Leslie Coogan , known professionally as Jackie Coogan, was an American actor who began his movie career as a child actor in silent films. Many years later, he became known as Uncle Fester on 1960s sitcom The Addams Family...
. Lee was re-teamed with Jolson in Say It With Songs and starred in a few other films—including 1929's Sonny Boy—until his parents pulled him out of the movie business.
"Sonny Boy" became the first song from a movie to sell over a million copies. It eventually sold over 3 million copies of sheet music, piano rolls and phonograph records.
Songs
- "There's a Rainbow 'Round My ShoulderThere's a Rainbow 'Round My ShoulderThere's a Rainbow 'round My Shoulder is a 1928 song sung by Al Jolson in the early Warner Brothers talking picture The Singing Fool the same year. The song along with Sonny Boy and I'm Sitting on Top of the World, which was also in The Singing Fool became big hits...
" - "Golden Gate"
- "I'm Sittin' on Top of the WorldI'm Sitting on Top of the World"I'm Sitting on Top of the World" is a popular song.The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was published in 1925.The song was first recorded by either Art Gillham or Al Jolson...
" - "It All Depends on YouIt All Depends on You"It All Depends on You" is a popular song.The music was written by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1926.-Recorded versions:*Shirley Bassey...
" - "Keep Smiling at Trouble"
- "Sonny BoySonny Boy (song)"Sonny Boy" is a song written by Ray Henderson, Bud De Sylva, and Lew Brown. The hyper-sentimental tearjerker was featured in the 1928 talkie The Singing Fool. Sung by Al Jolson, the 1928 recording was a hit and stayed at #1 for 12 weeks in the charts and was a million seller...
" - "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life" (see below)
Deleted scenes
Al Jolson's rendition of "The Spaniard That Blighted My LifeThe Spaniard That Blighted My Life
"The Spaniard That Blighted My Life" is a comic song which was composed and first performed by music-hall performer Billy Merson.It startsIt was performed by Al Jolson in his show The Honeymoon Express and his recording of it was a hit in 1913, selling over a million copies.Merson sued Jolson for...
" is missing from extant prints of the film. This is due to a lawsuit initiated by the song's author, Billy Merson. Merson claimed that he, as a performer, owed his income to his own renditions of the song, and that Jolson's version would diminish his ability to earn a living. The song was removed from all prints of "The Singing Fool" shown in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the only surviving copies of the film are also from the U.K., hence are missing the song. These copies also have the majority of the original decorative Warner Brothers title cards replaced with simple British made ones which were used to remove Americanisms which the British would not understand or appreciate (a common practice during the silent era). Only the soundtrack survives on extant Vitaphone discs.