Allan Jones (actor)
Allan Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones in 1945. | |
| Born | Theodore Allen Jones October 14, 1907 Old Forge, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | June 27, 1992 (aged 84) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actor |
| Years active | 1928–1992 |
| Spouse(s) |
Marjorie Buel
(m. 1929; div. 1936)Mary Florsheim Picking
(m. 1958; div. 1964)Esther Marie Villavincie
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 2, including Jack Jones |
Allan Jones (October 14, 1907 – June 27, 1992) was an American actor and tenor.
He is best remembered as the romantic lead actor in the film musicals Show Boat and The Firefly, as well as the male romantic lead in the Marx Brothers' first two films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races.
Early years
Jones was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania and raised in Scranton Pennsylvania where he graduated from Central High School.[1] His father and grandfather were Welsh coal miners, and he worked in coal mines early in his adult life. He left that occupation to study voice at New York University.[2]
In an interview in 1973, Jones recalled that his father and grandfather were musically talented: "My father had a beautiful tenor voice. So did my grandfather...Grandfather taught violin, voice and piano when he could. My father sang every chance he could get and realized his ambition through me."[3]
Stage
Jones appeared on Broadway a few times, including 1933's Roberta and the short-lived 1934 revival of Bitter Sweet[4] after debuting in Boccacio in 1931.[2]
Film
Jones starred in many film musicals during the 1930s and 1940s. The best-known of these were the original film version of Show Boat (1936), and The Firefly (1937)[5] in which he sang what would become his signature song: "The Donkey Serenade". He is probably best remembered today as the romantic lead opposite Kitty Carlisle and Maureen O'Sullivan respectively, in the first two films the Marx Brothers starred in for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the Races (1937), filling a straight-man role opened by the departure of Zeppo Marx from the team.
His appearance in A Night at the Opera, was well received, and as a result, he won the coveted role of Gaylord Ravenal in the 1936 film version of Show Boat (opposite Irene Dunne) over such screen musical favorites as Nelson Eddy and John Boles. It would be Jones's most distinguished screen portrayal in which, under the direction of James Whale, he displayed fine dramatic acting ability, as well as his obvious singing talent.
Jones made a brief appearance in the 1936 Nelson Eddy–Jeanette MacDonald film Rose Marie, singing music from Charles Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, but according to Merchant of Dreams, Charles Higham's biography of Louis B. Mayer, Eddy, who apparently considered Jones a rival and a potential threat, asked that most of Jones's footage in Rose Marie be cut, including his rendition of the great Puccini aria E lucevan le stelle – and MGM agreed to Eddy's demand. Jones's final film for MGM was Everybody Sing (1938) opposite Judy Garland and Fanny Brice, in which he introduced the pop standard "The One I Love".
In 1940, Jones moved to Universal Pictures for two musicals: The Boys from Syracuse, with the stage score (severely cut) by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and One Night in the Tropics with a score by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, was also the screen debut of Abbott and Costello. After these two films, he slipped to leads in several "B" musicals, at Paramount, and Universal, including a reunion with his A Night At The Opera co-star Kitty Carlisle in Larceny with Music (1943). The same year he made a guest appearance, as himself, in the Olsen and Johnson musical Crazy House, where he again performed "The Donkey Serenade".
Recordings
Jones recorded prodigiously throughout his career, primarily for RCA Victor. His 1938 recording of The Donkey Serenade ranks third among all-time sales of single records by RCA Victor.[2]
Radio
In the mid-1940s, Jones and pianist Frankie Carle starred in the Old Gold Show on CBS radio.[6]
Later years
Jones continued performing until the 1980s, starring in stage productions of Man of La Mancha,[7] Paint Your Wagon, Guys and Dolls and Carousel. In 1980, he appeared on the TV show The Love Boat with his son (Jack Jones) as Jack's estranged father.
He also bred and raised race horses on his ranch in California.[8]
Personal life
Jones was married four times. His wives included Hervey, Maria Villavincie,[2] and Mary Florsheim (granddaughter of Milton S. Florsheim).[9][10] He was married to actress Irene Hervey from 1936 to 1957. American pop singer Jack Jones is their son.[11]
Death
Jones died of lung cancer at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City in June 1992, at age 84.[12]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | Reckless | Allan | |
| 1935 | A Night at the Opera | Riccardo Barone | with the Marx Brothers |
| 1936 | Rose Marie | Romeo | |
| 1936 | Show Boat | Gaylord Ravenal | |
| 1937 | A Day at the Races | Gil Stewart | with the Marx Brothers |
| 1937 | The Firefly | Don Diego | |
| 1938 | Everybody Sing | Ricky Saboni | with Judy Garland and Fanny Brice |
| 1939 | Honeymoon in Bali | Eric Sinclair | |
| 1939 | The Great Victor Herbert | John Ramsey | |
| 1940 | The Boys from Syracuse | Antipholus of Ephesus / Antipholus of Syracuse | |
| 1940 | One Night in the Tropics | Jim Moore | film debut of Abbott and Costello |
| 1941 | The Hard-Boiled Canary | Michael Maddy | |
| 1942 | True to the Army | Pvt. Stephen Chandler | |
| 1942 | Moonlight in Havana | Johnny Norton | |
| 1942 | When Johnny Comes Marching Home | Johnny Kovacs - aka Johnny O'Rourke | |
| 1943 | Rhythm of the Islands | Tommy | |
| 1943 | Larceny with Music | Ken Daniels | |
| 1943 | Crazy House | Himself | |
| 1943 | You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith | Tony Smith | |
| 1944 | Sing a Jingle | Ray King | |
| 1945 | Honeymoon Ahead | Orpheus | |
| 1945 | Senorita from the West | Phil Bradley | |
| 1964 | Stage to Thunder Rock | Mayor Ted Dollar | |
| 1965 | A Swingin' Summer | Mr. Johnson | |
| 1970 | A Man Called Sledge |
References
- ^ "Actor-Singer Allan Jones Dies; Got His Start Here," The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA, June 29, 1992
- ^ a b c d Anderson, Nancy (June 18, 1977). "Allan Jones may be starring in his son's movie". The Mercury. Pottstown, PA. p. 48. Retrieved July 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Caffery, Berthia (July 16, 1973). "'Donkey Serenade' Is His Song". St. Petersburg Independent. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
- ^ Allan Jones at the IBDB database, accessed May 13, 2012
- ^ "Comedians, Opera Singers Contrasted In Movies Here". Washington Court House Record-Herald. December 11, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved July 17, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Patterson, Pat (April 12, 1944). "On The Beam". The Mason City Globe-Gazette. p. 2. Retrieved July 17, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Felter, John (August 31, 1971). "Allan Jones Is Star Of Man of La Mancha". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. 1B. Retrieved March 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Langley, Frank (March 30, 1969). "Multi-Branched Career Keeps 'Oldtimer' Going". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 9E. Retrieved July 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Daniels, Serena Maria (February 15, 2010). "Noted figure in thoroughbred racing circles". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Allan Jones Weds Florsheim Heiress". The Desert Sun. United Press. January 3, 1958. p. 7. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
- ^ Collins, Glenn (June 30, 1992). "Allan Jones, 84, Hollywood Singing Star, Is Dead". The New York Times. p. D23.
- ^ "Actor-singer Allan Jones dies". The Bulletin. Bend, Ore. Associated Press. June 29, 1992. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
External links
- Martyn, Marguerite (August 19, 1932). "A New Muny Opera Hero" St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Allan Jones Tribute
- Allan Jones at IMDb
- Allan Jones at the Internet Broadway Database
- "Allan Jones". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- Photographs of Allan Jones
- 1907 births
- 1992 deaths
- People from Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
- American people of Welsh descent
- Male actors from Pennsylvania
- American male film actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
- Deaths from lung cancer
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century male singers
- Florsheim family