George Albert "Georgie" Jessel (April 3, 1898 – May 23, 1981) was an American, actor, singer, songwriter,

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

, and illustrated song "model." He was famous in his lifetime as a multitalented

comedic Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term ...

entertainer, achieving a level of recognition that transcended his limited roles in movies. He was widely known by his nickname, the " Toastmaster General of the United States," for his frequent role as the master of ceremonies at political and entertainment gatherings. Jessel originated the title role in the stage production of '' The Jazz Singer''.

Early years

Jessel was born to a Jewish couple, Joseph and Charlotte "Lottie" (née Schwarz) Jessel, on 118th Street in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

, New York City. By age 10, he was appearing in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and on Broadway to support his family after the death of his father, who was a playwright. His mother, who worked as a ticket seller at the Imperial Theater, helped him form The Imperial Trio, a harmony group of ushers to entertain patrons of the theater, with

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and ...

and Jack Wiener, using the stage names Leonard, Lawrence and McKinley, in their early teens (such usher-singer groups were common). At age 11, he was a partner of

Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences ...

in a kid sketch and performed with him on stage until he outgrew the role at age 16. He later partnered with Lou Edwards and then became a solo performer. His occupation is listed as "performer" and living with his grandparents, Simon and Caroline Schwarz, his aunt Mary Schwarz, and his mother Lottie Jessel.

Career

Vaudeville

His most famous comedy

skit Skit may refer to: * * A short segment in a performance, such as: ** Sketch comedy ** Hip hop skit ** Puppet skit ** Promo (professional wrestling) Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. ...

was called "Hello Mama" or "Phone Call from Mama," which portrayed a one-sided telephone conversation. In 1919 he produced his own solo show, ''George Jessel's Troubles''. Jessel co-wrote the lyrics for a hit tune, "Oh How I Laugh When I Think How I Cried About You," and he performed in several successful comedy stage shows in the early 1920s. In 1921 he recorded a hit single, "The Toastmaster." He sometimes appeared in

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

in his vaudeville shows.

Film and broadcasting

Jessel appeared in his first motion picture, the silent movie ''

The Other Man's Wife ''The Other Man's Wife'' is a 1919 American silent film, silent drama film directed by Carl Harbaugh which, as discussed in its prologue, is dedicated to the part played by women at home during World War I. It was the film debut of George Jessel ...

'' (1919). In 1924, he appeared in a brief comedy sketch in a short film made in the DeForest

Phonofilm Phonofilm is an optical sound-on-film system developed by inventors Lee de Forest and Theodore Case in the early 1920s. Introduction In 1919 and 1920, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patents on a sound-on-film proce ...

sound-on-film process. In 1925, he emerged as one of the most popular leading men on Broadway with the starring role in the stage production of '' The Jazz Singer''. The success of the show prompted Warner Bros.—after their success with '' Don Juan'' (1926) with music and sound effects only—to adapt ''The Jazz Singer'' as the first "

talkie A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

" with dialogue and to cast Jessel in the lead role. However, the studio refused his salary demands, so Jessel turned down the movie role, which was eventually played by Al Jolson. According to Jessel during an interview around 1980, Warner Bros. still owed Jessel money for earlier roles and lacked enough funds to produce this movie with a leading star. Jolson, the biographical inspiration for the movie, became the movie's main financial backer. George Jessel autographed portrait

Jessel's next movie role was in ''Private Izzy Murphy'' (1926). Whereas Jolson's film career skyrocketed after the 1927 release of '' The Jazz Singer'', Jessel remained in smaller movie roles, often intended for audiences fond of Jewish and other "ethnic" humor. He was elected to The Lambs Theatre Club in 1942. In the middle 1940s, he began producing musicals for

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

, producing 24 films in all in a career that lasted through the 1950s and 1960s. At the same time he became known as a host on the banquet circuit, famous for his good-natured wit aimed at his fellow celebrities. In 1946, he was one of the founding members of the California branch of the Friars Club. (A recording exists of an example of his "blue" work in front of a stag audience, although it was actually recorded at a

roast Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizatio ...

hosted by the Friars' rival, the Masquers Club.) He also traveled widely overseas with the USO entertaining troops. As he grew older, he wrote eulogies for many of his contemporaries in Hollywood. He wrote three volumes of memoirs, ''So Help Me'' (1943), ''This Way, Miss'' (1955), and ''The World I Lived In'' (1975). Jessel produced a number of Hollywood films, including '' The Dolly Sisters'' (1945), '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947), '' Golden Girl'' (1951) and ''

The I Don't Care Girl ''The I Don't Care Girl'' is a 1953 Technicolor film starring Mitzi Gaynor. It is a biography of entertainer Eva Tanguay.television series of the same name from 1953 to 1954. Jessel was the emcee on the short-lived '' The Comeback Story'', a 1954 reality show on ABC in which mostly celebrities shared stories of having overcome adversity in their personal lives. After he was replaced as emcee by

Arlene Francis Arlene Francis (born Arline Francis Kazanjian; October 20, 1907 – May 31, 2001) was an American actress, radio and television talk show host, and game show panelist. She is known for her long-running role as a panelist on the television game s ...

, the program soon folded. Thereafter, Jessel guest-starred on NBC's '' The Jimmy Durante Show''. In 1968, he starred in ''Here Come the Stars'', a syndicated variety show. However, his attempt to extend his career was undermined by a perception that his style of comedy was outdated, as well as by his outspoken support of the American entry into the Vietnam War and of conservative political causes. He often crossed the era's stereotypical political lines with his support for the civil rights movement and criticism of racism and anti-Semitism. His outspoken political opinions were, at times, the source of scandal. In 1971, while being interviewed by Edwin Newman on ''

The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...

'' on NBC, he repeatedly referred to ''The New York Times'' as ''Pravda'' (the house organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union), and the interview was cut short. His later film roles included a cameo as himself in '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1967), '' The Busy Body'' (1967) opposite

Sid Caesar Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950� ...

, and the controversial musical ''

Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? ''Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?'' is a 1969 British musical film directed by and starring Anthony Newley. Plot Merkin is an internationally successful singer approaching middle age who retells his life s ...

'' (1969) directed by and starring

Anthony Newley Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. "One of Broadway's greatest leadin ...

. He made additional cameos in other all-star films such as '' The Phynx'' (1970) and '' Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' (1976). Jessel was included as one of the "witnesses" interviewed in the 1981 film '' Reds'' by

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

. To gain perspective on the lives of Jack Reed and Louise Bryant (the two protagonists of the movie), Beatty began filming the "witnesses" as early as 1971.

Personal life

In the 1930s, his personal life kept him in the public eye as much as his movies. On May 2, 1930, Jessel married Florence Courtney in Chicago. She divorced him on October 24, 1932, on the grounds of cruelty. On April 23, 1934, Jessel married silent movie star Norma Talmadge, causing a scandal because Talmadge was married at the time that they started their affair, and she obtained a

Mexican divorce In the mid-20th century, some Americans traveled to Mexico to obtain a "Mexican divorce". A divorce in Mexico was easier, quicker, and less expensive than a divorce in most U.S. states, which then only allowed at-fault divorces requiring extensive ...

only ten days earlier. After their divorce on August 11, 1939, he caused another scandal by breaking into her house with a pistol and firing shots at her current lover. In 1940, he married a 16-year old showgirl,

Lois Andrews Lois Andrews (born Lorraine Gourley; March 24, 1924 – April 5, 1968) was an American actress who played in films during the 1940s and early 1950s. She is perhaps best known for her first role in 1943 as the comic strip character Dixie Dugan ...

, when he was 42. They had a daughter, Jerrilyn, before divorcing in 1942. In his 1975 autobiography, ''The World I Lived In'', Jessel claimed he had affairs with actresses

Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femm ...

, Helen Morgan and Lupe Vélez. In 1961, actress Joan Tyler filed a paternity suit against Jessel claiming he was the father of her daughter Christine. Jessel later admitted he was Christine's father and settled the suit out of court. As part of the terms of the settlement, Jessel agreed to pay Tyler $500 a month in child support. In 1964, Jessel reportedly sexually groped

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

at the age of 35. According to Temple, he invited her to his office under the guise of discussing a recent role. During their meeting, Jessel put an arm around Temple, while taking off his pants. He then grabbed the 35 year-old Temple's breasts. She fought off his attempts by kicking him in the groin.

Death

On May 23, 1981, Jessel died of a heart attack at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center at the age of 83. He was interred in the

Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. The cemetery is known for Al Jolson's elaborate tomb (desig ...

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...

Honors and awards

In 1969, the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...

honored him for his charity work by awarding him the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, a Special

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, George Jessel has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 1777 Vine Street in Los Angeles.

Filmography

References

External links

* * *
George Jessel
interviewed by

Mike Wallace Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...

on ''The Mike Wallace Interview'' September 14, 1957 {{DEFAULTSORT:Jessel, George Albert 1898 births 1981 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers Film producers from New York (state) American male comedians American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male silent film actors American male singer-songwriters American male stage actors American male television actors 20th-century American memoirists Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winners Jewish American male actors Jewish American musicians Jewish American male comedians Male actors from New York City Masters of ceremonies People from the Bronx Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Vaudeville performers Comedians from New York City American male non-fiction writers 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male singers Conservatism in the United States 20th-century American Jews Members of The Lambs Club