I Love to Singa (1936)

A spoof of Al Jolson's "The Jazz Singer," a strict piano teaching owl is cursed with a son who "loves to singa," but only jazz.

Director:

Tex Avery

Stars:

Billy Bletcher, Tommy Bond, Johnnie Davis

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Billy Bletcher	...	Father (voice) (uncredited)
Tommy Bond	...	Owl Jolson (voice) (uncredited)
Johnnie Davis	...	Owl Jolson (singing voice) (uncredited)
Joe Dougherty	...	Stuttering Bird (voice) (uncredited)
Bernice Hansen	...	Fat Chicken Singer (voice) (uncredited)
Martha Wentworth	...	Mother (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

A very stern owl who teaches 'voice, piano & violin, but no jazz!' becomes a father of four. Very soon, three of his boys turn out to be musical talents in the classical repertoire. The fourth however, isn't into classical music but into jazz. When he keeps singing jazz songs, the father decides that enough is too much and turns him into the street, much to the distress of the mother. While joyously walking and singing through the forest, the young son stumbles across a radio audition day and decides to try his luck.

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Plot Keywords:

jazz | owl | reference to al jolson | pacing the floor | radio host | 

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Genres:

Family | Animation | Short | Comedy | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 July 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fou de jazz

Company Credits

Production Co:

Leon Schlesinger Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

8 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the radio station when the manager is handing out the trophy, the trophy shifts in the animation because something on the desk is in the way.

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Quotes

Radio: Calling all cars. Calling all cars. Report to your stations for further instructions. That is all.
Mother: I wonder if they found my little boy?
Radio: No we didn't, lady.

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Connections

Featured in Behind the Tunes: Fine Tooning - Restoring the Warner Bros. Cartoons (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Laugh, Clown, Laugh"
(uncredited)
Music by Ted Fio Rito
Lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young
Sung by Black Bird at radio station

User Reviews

If Tex Avery had done nothing else, this would have been good enough

I am an unreserved, unabashed fan of Mr. Avery and do not even try to hide it in the least. While I have other favorites, this is one of the top three or four he did, objectively speaking, and in my opinion, the best, for all that it's not one of my top five favorites. It is a true parody, full of warmth and fondness for its subject, Al Jolson. Splendidly done from the first frame on. Five encores and twenty-seven curtan calls. Most highly Recommended!!!