Jazz Singer, The

Jazz Singer, The (1925), a comedy‐drama by Samson Raphaelson. [Fulton Theatre, 303 perf.] Jackie Rabinowitz ( George Jessel) fights with his cantor father ( Howard Lang), who objects to his obsession with jazz music and his neglect of his religion. Running away from home, he takes the name of Jack Robin and quickly rises as a popular singer. His big break comes when he lands a major role in a new Broadway revue, but on the eve of its premiere he learns his father is dying. Jackie rushes to his father, who persuades him to return to the synagogue and follow in the older man's footsteps. Although this tearjerker was one of the major hits of its season—called by one paper “a shrewd and well‐planned excursion into the theatre”—it is best remembered as the source of Al Jolson's famous early “talkie” of the same name. From the start critics felt the story was based on Jolson's career, but Raphaelson is said always to have denied this.