George Jessel (actor)

George Albert Jessel (born April 3, 1898 in New York City , † May 24, 1981 in Los Angeles ) was an American film actor and producer who was the host of the 1937 Academy Awards and was nicknamed "Toastmaster General of the United States ”.

biography

First appearances in Vaudeville and host of the Academy Awards

After attending public schools, Jessel began singing with Gus Edwards at the age of nine . At the age of eleven he performed alongside Eddie Cantor with performances in the style of US vaudeville and so it was not unusual for him to appear as black with other artists such as Cantor and Al Jolson with darkly made-up faces . After touring the British Isles in 1915 , he continued his appearances as The Boy Monologist in Vaudeville in 1917 and then appeared in numerous Broadway productions such as The Shubert Gaieties , George Jessel's Troubles , The Jazz Singer , The War Song , which he was also co-author, Joseph and His Brethren and High Kickers . He also contributed to the success of the New Brighton Theater in Brighton Beach on Coney Island through his appearances .

Together with Eddie Cantor, he also undertook other vaudeville tours and was also a professional conférencier and after-dinner speaker . After numerous appearances in silent films by Warner Bros. in the 1920s , the production company offered him the title role in their first sound film The Jazz Singer (1927). Since Jessel and Warner Bros. could not agree on the fee, Al Jolson got the role of Jakie Rabinowitz. Jessel later repeatedly referred to this as his greatest mistake.

He was also known as a lyricist of songs such as Sonny Boy , My Yiddishe Mama, and My Mother's Eyes , which he sang in his own first talked about film, Lucky Boy , in 1929 . After joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1937, he continued his career as a songwriter , working with Harry Ruby , Ben Oakland , Herb Magidson , Milton Drake , William White and Roy Turk . The resulting songs include Stop Kicking My Heart Around , And He'd Say Oo-La-La Wee Wee , Oh How I Laugh When I Think How I Cried About You , Roses in December , You'll Be Reminded of Me , If I Ever Lost You , Julie , Dreamland Rendezvous and As Long As I Love .

In addition, he had numerous appearances as an emcee and moderator of shows, honors and other events and was therefore nicknamed "Toastmaster General of the United States". He made his most famous appearance as the host of the 1937 Academy Awards . He celebrated great success with his own radio show ( George Jessel Show , 1938), not least because of the appearances of musicians such as band leader Tommy Tucker .

Actor, producer and personal life

Later, he repeatedly appeared in films, where he often portrayed himself. The most famous films include Stage Door Canteen (1943) by Frank Borzage , Four Jills in a Jeep (1944) by William A. Seiter , Beau James (1957) by Melville Shavelson , Juke Box Rhythm (1959) by Arthur Dreifuss , The Busy Body (1967) by William Castle , Valley of the Dolls (1967) by Mark Robson and Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969) by Anthony Newly .

He was also a film producer and produced for 20th Century Fox films such as Der Scharlatan (1947), The Pirate Queen (1951) and also in 1951 the musical film Golden Girl .

In the 1960s he had numerous guest appearances on television series such as 1963 as "Schleussel" on 77 Sunset Strip and 1965 to 1966 as a guest presenter in Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine .

At the 1970 Oscars he was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an " honorary Oscar ". He also received a "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1777 Vine Street. As early as March 1, 1949, after numerous other stars, he left his hand and footprints in Grauman's Chinese Theater .

His last film appearances include The Phynx (1970) by Lee H. Katzin , Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood by Michael Winner and Reds (1981) by Warren Beatty , which premiered after his death .

Jessel has been married three times, including to film actresses Norma Talmadge and Lois Andrews . After his divorce from Lois Andrews in 1943, he did not remarry. In his memoirs So Help Me (1943), This Way, Miss (1955) and especially The World I Lived In (1975), however, he admitted love affairs with colleagues such as Pola Negri , Helen Morgan and Lupe Vélez .

Even many years after his death, he was so well known that his voice became the inspiration for Billy West's voice for the character “Dr. John Zoidberg ”in the animated series Futurama (1999).

Web links

• George Jessel in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• George Jessel in the nndb (English)