"Startime" The Jazz Singer (1959)

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Oliver Crawford (adaptation)
Ernest D. Glucksman (adaptation)
(more)

TV Series:

"Startime" (1959)

Original Air Date:

13 October 1959 (Season 1, Episode 2)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

Plot:

Cast

Anna Maria Alberghetti	...	Ginny Gibbons
Joey Faye
Eduard Franz	...	Cantor Rabinowitz
Barry Gordon	...	Young Joey Rabinowitz
Jerry Lewis	...	Joey Rabinowitz / Joey Robbins
Del Moore
Molly Picon	...	Sarah Rabinowitz
Alan Reed	...	Ed Giddleson

Directed by
Ralph Nelson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Oliver Crawford		adaptation
Ernest D. Glucksman		adaptation
Ralph Nelson		writer
Samson Raphaelson		play

Produced by
Ernest D. Glucksman	....	producer

Music Department
Walter Scharf	....	musical director

Directed by
Delbert Mann		(episode "Crimes, Inc.")

Production Companies

• Jerry Lewis Enterprises

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1959) (USA) (TV)

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York, USA

Company:

Jerry Lewis Enterprises

Trivia:

According to David Crosthwait of DC Video, the company that restored this video tape, this specific episode of "Showtime" was taped at the then-NBC studio in Brooklyn, NY and hand-edited. Color video tape was in its infancy; only about a year previous to this [1959] the first color videotapes were recorded at NBC. The copy was a dub found at NBC. The tapes used proprietary electronics unique to NBC, which is one reason why restoration took time. The tape was missing part of its audio. The Lewis family donated a kinescope film copy of the show, along with a 1/4" audio tape of much of the show's soundtrack to finish the restoration.

Disappointing

When I read that Jerry Lewis appeared in a television version of "The Jazz Singer", I couldn't wait to see it. I had to wait years. Finally I was able to get a bootleg copy of the show. I expected Jerry to be doing his best Jolson impression, singing those famous Jolson songs and mugging for the camera. However, Jerry does very little singing and plays his role straight. The title is a misnomer. It's not really "The Jazz Singer", but "The Night Club Comic". Like the original story, Jerry is torn between becoming a cantor, like his father, or going into show business. The script for this version is unexciting and Jerry is completely unlikeable. Anna Maria Alberghetti shows up as Jerry's love interest and Alan "Fred Flintstone" Reed is on hand showing us both his dramatic and comic skills.

Of all of the versions of "The Jazz Singer", I believe the Michael Curtiz version with Danny Thomas and Peggy Lee is the best. The Jolson version was groundbreaking, but the acting is over the top. The Neil Diamond version is a complete waste of time. The Jerry Lewis version is only interesting for seeing Jerry in a rare dramatic role.