Jack Robin

Real name Jakie Rabinowitz (Al Jolson), this is the title character of the first ever talkie, 1927's The Jazz Singer. He defies his cantor father (Warner Oland) to become, duh, a jazz singer. He sings "Toot, Toot Tootsie," "Mother of Mine, I Still Have You," "Dirty Hands, Dirty Faces," "Kol Nidre," Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" and of course, "My Mammy."

The tale started as the short story "The Day of Atonement," by Samuel Raphaelson, and published in the January 1922 issue of Everybody's Magazine. The author turned it into a play over a weekend! Renamed The Jazz Singer, it opened on Broadway September 14, 1925, but played elsewhere beforehand. The title character was played by George Jessel.

See also Owl Jolson and Jess Robin

External Links

• Think you know 'The Jazz Singer'? You ain't heard nothin' yet!
• Variety review of the 1925 play