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King of Jazz

1930 · US

Directed by John Murray Anderson

Rhapsody in Blue is played on a piano the size of a room, Bing Crosby sings with the Rhythm Boys, and Walter Lantz opens the film with the first Technicolor cartoon. A revue in two-strip Technicolor built around Paul Whiteman and his orchestra, who had commissioned the Rhapsody six years earlier, staged by John Murray Anderson from Broadway: sketches, blackouts, a bridal-veil number, and a finale called the Melting Pot of Music that stirs every nation's folk tune into jazz and leaves out the one that made it. It cost a fortune and lost most of it. Universal's 2016 restoration put the colour back. 1930.

Animation · Music

Watch now

Watch King of Jazz

1930 · Source: Wikimedia Commons

Public domain presentation

Public Domain Source

Wikimedia Commons · FM-54; File:King of Jazz (1930).webm; 1460x1080

Video: John Murray Anderson · Credit: King of Jazz · Public domain · Source: File page

Cast & Crew

John Murray Anderson · DirectorPaul Whiteman · Paul WhitemanJohn Boles · Vocalist ('Song of the Dawn' / 'It Happened in Monterey')

Available Subtitles

No subtitle tracks are currently listed.

Other sources: DonaldPBorchersOG

Where to Watch

Streaming data by JustWatch

Cast

Principal players
Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman

J

John Boles

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

Jeanie Lang

Jeanie Lang

Vocalist ('I'd Like To Do Things For You' / 'Ragamuffin Romeo')

L

Laura La Plante

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

Jeanette Loff

Jeanette Loff

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

G

Glenn Tryon

Executive ('In Conference') / Unmarried Husband

W

William Kent

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

Slim Summerville

Slim Summerville

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

Kathryn Crawford

Kathryn Crawford

Fourth Reporter ('Ladies of the Press')

Carla Laemmle

Carla Laemmle

Chorine (as Beth Laemmle)

S

Stanley Smith

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

C

Charles Irwin

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

G

George Chiles

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

J

Jack White

Jack White

F

Frank Leslie

Quartet Lead Singer ('Nellie')

Crew

Harry Ruskin

writer

Hal Mohr

cinematographer

Ray Rennahan

cinematographer

Jerome Ash

cinematographer

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