Stage Play: The Jazz Singer. Comedy/drama. Written by
Samson Raphaelson [earliest Broadway credit]. Musical Director: Al Sater. Scenic Design by Nicholas Yellenti. Directed by Albert Lewis. Fulton Theatre: 14 Sep 1925- Jun 1926 (closing date unknown/303 performances). Cast:
George Jessel (as "Jack Robin"), Ted Athley, Irma Block, Paul Byron, Rita Crane, Frances Dippel, Barney Fagan, Phoebe Foster, Nathaniel Freyer, Grace Fuller, Ruth Holden, Joseph Hopkins,
Arthur Stuart Hull,
Sam Jaffe, Mildred Jay, Tom Johnstone, Tony Kennedy, Arthur Lane, Howard Lang, Mildred Leaf, Richard Mansfield, Dorothy Raymond, Robert Russell, Eleanor Ryan, George Schaeffer, Betty Wilton. Produced by Lewis and Gordon. Produced in association with
Sam Harris. Note: This was a major hit of the 1925- 26 Broadway season, attracting the attention of Warner Brothers (specifically
Sam Warner) who deemed it perfect a property to showcase the Vitaphone synchronized sound-on-disk process (see
The Jazz Singer (1927) for trivia). Jessel's salary demands for the film were deemed excessive and the pivotal role of "Jack Robin" passed to
Al Jolson.
