The Jazz Singer

1
In every living soul, 
a spirit cries for 
expression - - perhaps 
this plaintive, wailing 
song of Jazz is, after 
all, the misunderstood 
utterance of a 
prayer.

2
The New York Ghetto -
throbbing to that 
rhythm of music 
which is older than 
civilization.

3
Cantor Rabinowitz, 
chanter of hymns 
in the synagogue,
stubbornly held to 
the ancient traditions 
of his race.

4
"Tonight Jakie is to 
sing Kol Nidre. He 
should be here!" 

5
Sara Rabinowitz.
God made her a 
woman and Love 
made her a Mother.

6
"Maybe our boy doesn't 
want to be a Cantor, 
Papa - " 

7
"What has he to say? 
For five generations a 
Rabinowitz has been 
a Cantor - - he must 
be one!" 

8
"Ragtime Jakie is with 
us - give him a break." 

9
Moisha Yudleson, 
rigidly orthodox and
a power in the affairs
of the Ghetto.

10
"I have taught him all 
the hymns and prayers 
- - he knows them as 
well as I do." 

11
"Yes Papa - he knows 
all the songs - he has 
them in his head - - 
but not in his heart." 

12
"He will start the fasting 
of Yom Kippur without 
supper." 

13
"In a saloon, who do 
you think I saw sing-
ing raggy time songs?"

14
"- your son Jakie!" 

15
"I'll teach him better 
than to debase the 
voice God gave him!" 

16
"But Papa - our boy, 
he does not think 
like we do." 

17
"First he will get a 
whipping!" 

18
"If you whip me again, 
I'll run away - - and 
never come back!" 

19
"It is time to prepare 
for the services, Mama." 

20
"Our boy has gone, 
and he is never 
coming back." 

21
"My son was to stand 
at my side and sing 
tonight - but now I 
have no son." 

22
Years later - - and 
three thousand miles 
from home.

23
Jakie Rabinowitz had 
become Jack Robin - - 
the Cantor's son, a 
jazz singer. But 
fame was still an 
uncaptured bubble - - 
 . . .  Al Jolson.

24
"Jack Robin will sing 
'Dirty Hands, Dirty 
Face.' They say he's 
good - we shall see." 

25
"Wish me luck, Pal - 
I'll certainly need it." 

26
"I caught your act in 
Salt Lake, Miss Dale 
- - I think you're 
wonderful." 

27
"There are lots of jazz 
singers, but you have 
a tear in your voice." 

28
"I'm glad you think so - " 

29
"Perhaps I can help you." 

30
For those whose faces 
are turned toward 
the past, the years 
roll by unheeded - - 
their lives unchanged.

31
"Read me again what
he says about the girl."

32
"Maybe he's fallen in 
love with a shiksa." 

33
"Maybe not - you know
Rosie Levy on the
theayter is Rosemarie
Lee."

34
"The Cantor is angry 
today."

35
"I told you never to 
open his letters - we 
have no son!"

36
Portland, Seattle, 
Salt Lake, Denver, a 
split week in Omaha 
- - Chicago and Mary's 
promise realized.

37
"This has been the happiest 
week in my life. I wish we 
could always be together - 
on the same bill." 

38
"He's sure goofy 
about her!" 

39
"He hasn't a chance 
with Mary." 

40
"What a wonderful 
chance for you!"

41
"I - we all will be sorry 
to see you go." 

42
"I'll miss you, too."

43
"I know you will succeed 
- and if ever I amount 
to anything, I'll owe it 
all to you." 

44
"- and will you write 
- when I get to New 
York?" 

45
"If they give that jazz 
singer my place on the 
bill again - I'll leave 
the show flat!" 

46
"Let her rave! Jack 
deserves the best 
spot on the bill in 
any theatre!" 

47
"You're not leaving 
on this train! Your 
booking has been 
cancelled!" 

48
"You - you can't mean 
me - I've been going 
over big!" 

49
"That's the word from 
New York - " 

50
"What did I tell you?"

51
"- Harry Lee arranged 
for your release so you
could appear in a 
Broadway revue!" 

52
"Don't fool me - I feel 
bad enough." 

53
"Fooling nothing! The
New York train's due
now - - here's your 
ticket!"

54
"NEW YORK!"

55
"BROADWAY!"

56
"HOME!"

57
"MOTHER!" 

58
"I always knew you'd 
make a hit!" 

59
The Cantor's sixtieth 
  birthday --- 

60
"A prayer shawl - I got
him the same thing."

61
"The chicken is from
Levi and I made the
wine, myself -"

62
"- and I brought the
Cantor a present, too."

63
"A nice prayer shawl - 
just what he needs." 

64
"Ain't you Jakie - Jakie 
Rabinowitz?" 

65
"You're not Yudleson -
the Kibitzer?"

66
"Mother - you haven't 
changed a bit in all 
these years." 

67
"That I should live to 
see my baby again!" 

68
"- I hurried to see you 
and Papa - and then I'm 
going to see about my 
new job."

69
"Diamonds! With stones in 
it! You didn't do any 
wrong, did you, Jakie?" 

70
"Mama - - you ain't 
heard nothing yet!" 

71
"Didn't my picture 
hang there?"

72
"Yes, Jakie - but it
fell and got broke."

73
"How is Papa?"

74
"My chance has come 
at last, Mama. I'm 
going to sing in a 
big show!" 

75
"I'll sing you one of 
the songs I'm going
to try out -"

76
"Papa, have you no 
word for your son?" 

77
"You dare to bring 
your jazz songs into 
my house!"

78
"I taught you to sing 
the songs of Israel - 
to take my place in 
the synagogue!" 

79
"You're of the old world! 
If you were born here, 
you'd feel the same as I 
do - -"

80
"- tradition is all right, 
but this is another day! 
I'll live my life as I 
see fit!"

81
"You talk that way 
to a Cantor - - it's 
sacrilege!" 

82
"Don't forget, Papa, it's
your birthday - - and 
Jakie's come home."

83
"And I didn't forget 
it was your birth-
day, Papa."

84
"Many happy returns 
of the day, 'Cantor
Rabinowitz' - -"

85
"- you see, I remember
how we used to say it,
when I was a little boy."

86
"See, Papa, a nice new
prayer shawl - just what
you needed."

87
"I'm doing fine, Papa, 
and I'm going in a 
big Broadway show." 

88
"A singer in a theatre - 
you from five generations 
of Cantors!" 

89
"You taught me that music 
is the voice of God! It is 
as honorable to sing in 
the theatre as in the 
synagogue!"

90
"My songs mean as much 
to my audience as yours 
to your congregation!" 

91
"Leave my house! I 
never want to see 
you again - you jazz 
singer!" 

92
"I came home with a 
heart full of love, but 
you don't want to 
understand."

93
"Some day you'll under-
stand, the same as 
Mama does." 

94
"He came back once, 
Papa, but - - he'll 
never come back 
again." 

95
Rehearsals were rounding 
the "April Follies" into 
- - good form.

96
"Now let's put some 
life into it - and don't 
be afraid of bustin'
anything!"

97
"I hope this 'discovery' of 
yours, Mary, is as good 
as you think he is."

98
"Don't worry about 
him. If it's music - 
he can sing it." 

99
"They didn't tell me 
you were here."

100
"- and you're dancing 
in the show?"

101
"They say they're going 
to star me."

102
"- - but I have more 
confidence, now that 
you're here."

103
"Then it's you I have to 
thank for being here." 

104
"Mary's recommended 
you very highly, but,
after all, you've got a
hard spot to fill."

105
Grief, stalking the 
world, had paused 
at the house of 
Rabinowitz.

106
"If Jakie knew his father 
was so sick - he would 
come." 

107
"But you're the one
who is going to be
the real hit - I feel 
it, I know it!"

108
"Can't you read?"

109
"Who's smoking?"

110
"I want to see Jakie
Rabinowitz, the ector."

111
"Excuse, please - - I
mean Jack Robin."

112
"He's one of those I-knew-
you-when guys - says his
name is Noodleson."

113
"Tomorrow, the Day of 
Atonement - they want 
you should sing in the 
synagogue, Jakie." 

114
"But my father - he 
doesn't want me to 
sing, does he?"

115
"Jakie, my boy, I didn't 
want to tell you so 
sudden -"

116
"- but your father - he 
is very sick - since the 
day you were there." 

117
"But Jakie, your singing 
would be like sunshine 
to your Papa."

118
"You don't understand -
he ordered me out of 
the house."

119
"Jakie, remember - - a 
son's a son no matter 
if his Papa throws him 
out a hundred times!" 

120
"Our show opens tomorrow 
night - it's the chance I've 
dreamed of for years!" 

121
"They ask me to take my 
father's place - because he 
is sick."

122
"But that's impossible 
- we open tomorrow 
night."

123
"Would you be the first 
Rabinowitz in five 
generations to fail your 
God?" 

124
"We in the show business 
have our religion, too - 
on every day - the show 
must go on!"

125
"Dress rehearsal tomorrow
at one o'clock. Come full 
of pep!" 

126
 The eve of the 
Day of Atonement.

127
"For the first time, we 
have no Cantor on the 
Day of Atonement." 

128
"My heart is breaking, 
Mama. I cannot sing."

129
"My son came to me 
in my dreams - - he 
sang Kol Nidre so 
beautifully."

130
"If he would only sing 
like that tonight - surely 
he would be forgiven." 

131
"I should positively
sing Kol Nidre."

132
"Sooner he should sing 
it, I'll sing it myself."

133
"You sing it? You
couldn't even talk 
it!"

134
"A fine Chairman you
are - to let the sun
be setting - with no
Cantor!"

135
"I should stop the sun 
from setting!"

136
The final dress
rehearsal - -

137
"The show, so far, is 
weak - it's all up to 
that jazz singer to 
put it over!"

138
"You're not very 
enthusiastic."

139
"Sure I am - you look
wonderful!"

140
"There's only one thing 
on my mind - to make 
good tonight!" 

141
"I'm going to put every-
thing I've got into my 
songs." 

142
"I'm afraid you're 
worrying - about 
your father." 

143
"I'd love to sing for my 
people - - but I belong 
here."

144
"- but there's something, 
after all, in my heart - 
maybe it's the call of 
the ages - - the cry of 
my race." 

145
"I think I understand, 
Jack - but no matter 
how strong the call, 
this is your life." 

146
"The Day of Atonement 
is the most solemn of 
our holy days - - and 
the songs of Israel are 
tearing at my heart." 

147
"Your career is the 
place God has put 
you. Don't forget 
that, Jack."

148
"You're right. My career 
means more to me than 
anything else in the 
world."

149
"More than me?"

150
"Then don't let anything 
stand in your way - not 
even your parents, not 
me, not anything!" 

151
"No one can see him 
now. It's almost time 
for his entrance." 

152
"But his Papa is sick - 
maybe dying - I've got 
to see him!" 

153
"It's that man who was 
here yesterday and he
has an old lady with 
him."

154
"Jakie - this ain't you?"

155
"He talks like Jakie - 
but he looks like his 
shadow." 

156
"Your Papa is so sick - 
his face so pale - - he 
calls for you."

157
"Better get ready, 
Jack - - it's your 
spot next." 

158
"In his dreams he 
hears you singing."

159
"In two hours the sun 
will be out of the sky - 
Atonement begins - - 
come home, Jakie." 

160
"Mother, I can't - 
I can't!" 

161
"Maybe your Papa is 
dying - maybe he won't 
ever hear you sing 
again." 

162
"Hurry Jack! This dress 
rehearsal's just as 
important as the show 
tonight!" 

163
"Just like his Papa -
with the cry in his 
voice."

164
"Here he belongs. If 
God wanted him in 
His house, He would 
have kept him there."

165
"He's not my boy any-
more - he belongs to 
the whole world now." 

166
"You were wonderful,
Jack!"

167
"Your mother has 
gone -"

168
"But she is reconciled 
and understands your 
place is here."

169
"He's asleep."

170
"Jakie, you've come 
to sing?" 

171
"No, Mama - I came 
to see Papa." 

172
"I just want to see 
him - I'll not waken 
him."

173
"I'll be very quiet -
please let me see
him."

174
"You'll soon be all 
right again, Papa." 

175
"My son - I love you - " 

176
"Everything possible
has been done for
him. He is in the
hands of his God."

177
"I knew you'd come. 
The choir is waiting."

178
"Maybe if you sing - 
your Papa will get 
well - " 

179
"You're not thinking of 
quitting us, are you, 
Jack?"

180
"You'll queer yourself 
on Broadway - you'll 
never get another 
job." 

181
"It's a choice between 
giving up the biggest 
chance of my life - 
and breaking my 
mother's heart - "

182 
"- I have no right 
to do either!" 

183
"Were you lying when 
you said your career 
came before every-
thing?" 

184
"You must sing tonight."

185
"I haven't sung Kol 
Nidre since I was a 
little boy."

186
"What a little boy 
learns - he never 
forgets." 

187
"Don't be a fool, Jack!" 

188
"Do what is in your 
heart, Jakie - if you 
sing and God is not 
in your voice - your 
father will know." 

189 
"You're a jazz singer 
at heart!" 

190
"They say he's great -"

191
"Ladies and Gentlemen, 
there will be no perfor-
mance this evening - - " 

192
"Mama, we have our 
son again." 

193
 "- a jazz singer - singing 
to his God." 

194
The season passes - - 
and time heals - -
the show goes on.

The End