Warner Bros.'s 1927 part-talkie with Al Jolson, the film whose synchronized songs and snatches of spoken dialogue, delivered by the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system, convinced the industry and the public that sound had arrived. Within three years the silent film was effectively finished as a commercial form. The film's blackface performance is an inseparable part of its history.
Facts
Classification
Original Language AwardOnline Film & Television Association Hall of Fame (Motion Picture) 1 Release Year Connections
Associated With
The Jazz Singer actually used Vitaphone sound-on-disc; its success drove the industry to sound, which settled on optical sound-on-film.
Source A History of Narrative FilmDavid A. Cook
Created By
Source A History of Narrative FilmDavid A. Cook
In Medium
Source A History of Narrative FilmDavid A. Cook
In the Other Atlases
Original Language
Also in Language Atlas: the original language of this subject.
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia Awards section (oftaa-hall-of-fame-motion-picture), checked 2026-09-27Quote, Wikipedia Awards section (oftaa-hall-of-fame-motion-picture), checked 2026-09-27
Online Film & Television Association Awards | Hall of Fame - Motion Picture | Won
2. A History of Narrative Film
David A. Cook, W. W. Norton, 2016- Release Year: 1927
- Country: United States
3. The Jazz Singer (Wikipedia)
Lead sentence
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American part-talkie musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced by Warner Bros.
The Jazz Singer, Introduction section
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American part-talkie musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Jazz Singer, Introduction section, original language
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American part-talkie musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced by Warner Bros.
Lead section
In 1996, The Jazz Singer was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".
Article text
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American part-talkie musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced by Warner Bros.
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.