Principal cast
Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer and Otto Lederer
Film 90 of 498 on the Screen Path
The Jazz Singer
Hear him sing Mammy, Toot Toot Tootsie, My Gal Sal, Mother I Still Have You.
About the film
The Jazz Singer at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1927 film at stop 90 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer. This is the first full length feature film to use synchronized sound, and is the original film musical.
Key craft credits
Hal Mohr (director of photography), Harold McCord (editor), Louis Silvers (original music composer) and Alfred A. Cohn (screenplay)
- Director
- Alan Crosland
- Release
- 1927-10-06
- Runtime
- 96 minutes
- Genres
- Drama and Music
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Al JolsonCharacter: Jakie Rabinowitz
- May McAvoyCharacter: Mary Dale
- Warner OlandCharacter: Cantor Rabinowitz
- Eugenie BessererCharacter: Sara Rabinowitz
- Otto LedererCharacter: Moisha Yudelson
- Robert GordonCharacter: Young Jakie Rabinowitz
- Richard TuckerCharacter: Harry Lee
- Yossele RosenblattCharacter: Cantor Rosenblatt
- William DemarestCharacter: Buster Billings (uncredited)
- John MiljanCharacter: Host (uncredited)
- Roscoe KarnsCharacter: Agent (uncredited)
- Anders RandolfCharacter: Dillings (uncredited)
Full crew
Full crew
- Alan CroslandCredits: Director
- Louis SilversCredits: Original Music Composer
- Hal MohrCredits: Director of Photography
- Harold McCordCredits: Editor
- Samson RaphaelsonCredits: Theatre Play
- Alfred A. CohnCredits: Adaptation, Screenplay
- Gordon HollingsheadCredits: Assistant Director
- Harvey CunninghamCredits: Sound Engineer
- Nugent SlaughterCredits: Special Effects
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.