''Bombo'' is a

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

with a book and lyrics by

Harold Atteridge Harold Richard Atteridge (July 9, 1886 – January 15, 1938) was an American composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shubert family, including sever ...

and music by

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...

. Produced by

Lee Shubert Lee Shubert (born Levi Schubart; March 25, 1871 – December 25, 1953) was a Lithuanian-born American theatre owner/operator and producer. He was the eldest of three brothers of the notable Shubert family. Biography Born to a Jewish family, th ...

and

J. J. Shubert Jacob J. Shubert (August 29, 1879 – December 26, 1963) was an American theatre owner/operator and producer, the youngest brother of the notable Shubert family. Biography Born in 1879 in Vladislavov, in the Suwałki Governorate of Congress Pola ...

, the

production, staged by

J. C. Huffman Jesse C. Huffman (1869–1935) was an American theatrical director. Between 1906 and 1932 he directed or staged over 200 shows, mostly for the Shubert Brothers. Many of them were musical revues, musicals or operettas. He is known for ''The Pass ...

, opened on October 6, 1921, at the Jolson's 59th Street Theatre, where it ran for 219 performances. The cast included

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

and Janet Adair. The musical has a thin story designed to showcase Jolson, who was at the height of his popularity. Songs were added by several composers during the run of the show so that, by the end of the run, there were more songs by composers other than Romberg than by him. The success of the musical on Broadway led to a national tour.

Plot

*Setting: Genoa, Italy; Cordova, Spain; and San Salvador, El Salvador Gus (played by Jolson in

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

) is a man living in

Genoa, Italy Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitants ...

in 1921 who finds himself transported back in time to Spain in 1492. Adopting the name "Bombo", Gus meets the explorer

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

and becomes a slave whom Columbus brings along on his first voyage to the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

Songs

* Any Place Will Do With You * April Showers (words by

B. G. de Sylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs, and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Re ...

; music by

Louis Silvers Louis "Lou" Silvers (''né'' Louis Silberstein; September 6, 1889 – March 26, 1954) was an American film score composer whose work has been used in more than 250 movies. In 1935, he won the first Academy Award for Best Original Score for ...

) * Arcady (words & music by Jolson & DeSylva) * The Barber In Seville (words and music by DeSylva and Jolson) * Barefoot Days (by Al Wilson & Jas. A. Brennan) *

California, Here I Come "California, Here I Come" is a song interpolated in the Broadway musical '' Bombo'', starring Al Jolson. The song was written by Bud DeSylva, Joseph Meyer, and Jolson. Jolson recorded the song on January 17, 1924, with Isham Jones' Orchestra ...

(by Jolson, DeSylva & Joseph Meyer) * Coo-Coo Song (words by Jolson and DeSylva) *

Dirty Hands, Dirty Face "Dirty Hands, Dirty Face" (or "Dirty Hands! Dirty Face!") is a song from the 1921 musical '' Bombo''. The lyrics were written by Grant Clarke and Edgar Leslie; with music by James V. Monaco. Al Jolson is often credited as a lyricist; it was common ...

(lyric by Jolson,

Grant Clarke Grant Clarke (May 14, 1891, Akron, Ohio – May 16, 1931, California) was an American songwriter. Clarke moved to New York City early in his career, where he worked as an actor and a staff writer for comedians. He began working on Tin Pan Alley, ...

Edgar Leslie Edgar Leslie (December 31, 1885 – January 22, 1976) was an American songwriter. Biography Edgar Leslie was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1885. He studied at the Cooper Union in New York. He published his first song in 1909, starting a ...

; music by

James V. Monaco James Vincent Monaco (January 13, 1885 – October 16, 1945) was an Italian-born American composer of popular music. Life and career Monaco was born in Formia, Italy. His family emigrated to the United States when he was six, and he grew u ...

) * Don't Cry, Swanee (by Jolson, DeSylva &

Con Conrad Con Conrad (born Conrad K. Dober; June 18, 1891 – September 28, 1938) was an American songwriter and producer. Biography Conrad was born in Manhattan, New York, and published his first song, "Down in Dear Old New Orleans", in 1912. Conrad p ...

) * Don't Send Your Wife to the Country (words by DeSylva; music by Silvers) * Down South (words by DeSylva; music by

Walter Donaldson Walter Donaldson may refer to: * Walter Donaldson (snooker player), (1907–1973) Scottish snooker player * Walter Donaldson (songwriter), (1893–1947) American songwriter {{human name disambiguation, Donaldson, Walter ...

) * Give Me My Mammy (words by DeSylva; music by Donaldson) * I'm Goin’ South (words and music by Abner Silver and Harry Woods) * In Old Granada * In the Way Off There * It's You (words by DeSylva; music by Silvers) * Jazzadadadoo * Koo-Kee-Koo (words by Kiang Zaney; music by

Nacio Herb Brown Ignacio Herbert "Nacio Herb" Brown (February 22, 1896 – September 28, 1964) was an American composer of popular songs, movie scores and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s. Amongst his most enduring work is the sc ...

) * Last Night on the Back Porch (by

Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, espec ...

& Carl Schraubstader) * Morning Will Come (by Jolson, DeSylva & Conrad) * Oh, Oh, Columbus * Old Fashioned Girl (words and music by Jolson) * Tallahassee (words by DeSylva; music by Silvers) * Tell Me With Smiles (by Cliff Friend and Walter Hirsch) * Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo’ Bye) (Words and music by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman & Dan Russo) * The Very Next Girl I See * Wetona * Who Cares? (words by

Jack Yellen Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń; July 6, 1892 – April 17, 1991) was an American lyricist and screenwriter. He is best remembered for writing the lyrics to the songs "Happy Days Are Here Again", which was used by Franklin Roosevelt as the theme ...

; music by

Milton Ager Milton Ager (October 6, 1893 – May 6, 1979) was an American composer, regarded as one of the top songwriters of the 1920s and 1930s. His most lasting compositions include " Ain't She Sweet” and “Happy Days Are Here Again”. Biography Ag ...

) * Yoo-Hoo (lyrics by DeSylva; melody by Jolson)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bombo (Musical) 1921 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Sigmund Romberg Fiction about time travel Christopher Columbus Musicals by Harold Atteridge Musicals set in Italy Musicals set in Córdoba (Spain) Musicals set in El Salvador Musicals set in the 15th century Musicals set in the 1920s