King of Jazz poster

King of Jazz( 1930)

TV-MAAnimationComedyMusic
62%
User
Score

A NEW ERA in sound and color entertainment!

Overview

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.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Paul Whiteman

      Paul Whiteman

    2. cast image

      John Boles

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

    3. cast image

      Laura La Plante

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

    4. cast image

      Jeanette Loff

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

    5. cast image

      Glenn Tryon

      Executive ('In Conference') / Unmarried Husband

    6. cast image

      William Kent

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

    7. cast image

      Slim Summerville

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

    8. cast image

      Kathryn Crawford

      Fourth Reporter ('Ladies of the Press')

    9. cast image

      Carla Laemmle

      Chorine (as Beth Laemmle)

    10. cast image

      Stanley Smith

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

    11. cast image

      Charles Irwin

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

    12. cast image

      George Chiles

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

    13. cast image

      Jack White

      Jack White

    14. cast image

      Frank Leslie

      Quartet Lead Singer ('Nellie')

    15. cast image

      Walter Brennan

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

    16. cast image

      Churchill Ross

      Quartet Member ('Nellie')

    17. cast image

      John Arledge

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

    18. cast image

      Al Norman

      Rubber Legs Dancer ('Happy Feet')

    19. cast image

      Jacques Cartier

      Voodoo Dancer ("Rhapsody in Blue")

    20. cast image

      Nell O'Day

      Dancer

    21. cast image

      Marion Stattler

      Specialty Dancer 'Ragamuffin Romeo' / 'Melting Pot'

    22. cast image

      Don Rose

      Specialty Dancer 'Ragamuffin Romeo'

    23. cast image

      Bobbe Brox

      Bobbe (as The Brox Sisters)

    24. cast image

      Patricia Brox

      Kathlyn (as The Brox Sisters)

    25. cast image

      Lorayne Brox

      Lorraine (as The Brox Sisters)

    26. cast image

      Bing Crosby

      Trio Singer (as The Rhythm Boys)

    27. cast image

      Yola d'Avril

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

    28. cast image

      Marcia Mae Jones

      Child ('Bridal Veil') (uncredited)

    29. cast image

      Bela Lugosi

      Emcee - Hungarian Version

    30. cast image

      Joan Marsh

      Blonde ("A Bench in the Park") (uncredited)

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by CinemaSerf

    6
    Written by CinemaSerf on Mon Feb 12 2024
    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 o...

    Media

    Videos 3Backdrops 2Posters 15

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    2000000.00

    Revenue

    -

    Keywords

    • dance
    • sketch comedy
    • pre-code
    • big band