 The Jazz Singer 1952  N/R, 106 min.
Genre: Musical / Drama
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Danny Thomas, Peggy Lee, Mildred Dunnock, Eduard Franz, Tom Tully, Allyn Joslyn, Alex Gerry, Harold Gordon, Hal Ross, Justin Smith, Anitra Stevens, Gayne Whitman, Anthony Jochim
Danny Thomas takes over the Al Jolson role in this remake of the 1927 film about the cantor's (Eduard Franz) jazz-singing son Jerry Golding (Thomas) who strives for a musical career. Jerry returns from the Korean War to his home in Philadelphia where his father wants him to be the cantor in their synagogue. But Jerry, who wants to sing on Broadway, breaks his father's heart when he favors show business over being a cantor. He does find romance with musical comedy star Judy (Peggy Lee) and rises to stardom. By story's end, his father has given Jerry his blessing. Songs include "Lover," "Birth of the Blues," and "Just One of Those Things."
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 The Jazz Singer 1980  PG, 115 min.
Genre: Musical / Drama
Director: Richard Fleischer
Cast: Neil Diamond, Laurence Olivier, Lucie Arnaz, Catlin Adams, Franklyn Ajaye, Paul Nicholas, Sully Boyar, Mike Kellin, James Booth, Luther Waters, Rod Gist, Walter Janovitz, Janet Brandt, John Witherspoon
Cantor Rabinovitch (Laurence Olivier) wishes a different life for his son Yussel (Neil Diamond) when Yussel leaves his family behind in New York City and travels to Los Angeles. He hooks up with recording company executive Molly (Lucie Arnaz) who promotes his career. Stardom is just around the corner when Yussel–now known as Jess Robin–realizes that leaving his synagogue and family just might have been a mistake.
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The Jazz Singer 1927  N/R, 89 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Alan Crosland
Cast: Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, William Demarest, Roscoe Karns, Myrna Loy, Eugenie Besserer, Otto Lederer, Robert Gordon, Richard Tucker, Nat Carr, Will Walling
Although this film is considered the first "talkie," in reality it is a silent film with a musical score. Al Jolson plays Jack Robin, the son of a cantor (Warner Oland) who, to his father's regret, finds jazz more appealing than the music of his father's synagogue. Warner Brothers received an Honorary Oscar for this pioneer talkie.
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|  | | The Jazz Singer (1952) |
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| Oscar: Best Director for Casablanca (1943) |
| | The Jazz Singer (1980) |
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| Oscar: Best Actor for Hamlet (1948) |
| | The Jazz Singer (1927) |
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