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A jazz-infused star vehicle for Ted Lewis.
Publicity shot from 'Exhibitors Herald World' (Nov 2, 1929)
Date of Release: 19 Oct 1929
Studio: Warner Bros
Director: Archie Mayo
Screenplay: James A. Starr, Joseph Jackson, De Leon Anthony
Composers: The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Harry Akst, Grant Clarke, W. C. Handy,
Ted Lewis
Choreography: Larry Ceballos
Leading Actors: Ted Lewis (Ted Todd), Alice Day (Gail Wilson), Ann Pennington (Lena Schmitt), Lawrence Grant (Victor Molnár), Julia Swayne Gordon (Mrs. Molnár), Otto Hoffman (Landlord), Purnell Pratt (Stage manager)
Is Everybody Happy? was a star vehicle for Ted Lewis. Lewis was a popular composer, performer, and band leader who appeared on Broadway in revues and musical comedies throughout the 1920s. His well-known songs include “When My Baby Smiles at Me,” and “Me and My Shadow.”
The film told the story of a Hungarian immigrant, Ted (Ted Lewis), who left Hungary to seek his fame in America. Once in New York, Ted trades his violin for a saxophone and, with the help of pretty girl Gail (Alice Day), lands a job in a club. When Ted’s father finds out Ted is playing jazz music, he is promptly disowned. Of course, Ted becomes a success. He wins the girl, and Ted and his father are happily reunited on Christmas Day.
Although Is Everybody Happy? did well at the box office, the critics were not happy. Variety (Nov 1929) claimed it was a lesser replica of The Singing Fool. The reviewer thought the photography was average, and the sound worse. The Film Daily (Jan 1930) called the story “flat and uninteresting” and Motion Picture News (Nov 9, 1929) stated, rather condescendingly, the film would only play well “out of town where they are not so sophisticated.”
The clear highlight of Is Everybody Happy? was the music. The Film Daily described it as a “sheer delight” and Motion Picture News stated “Red hot jazz played by the orchestra is the redeeming feature of this.” The jazzy score featured the songs "Wouldn't It Be Wonderful?" "I'm the Medicine Man for the Blues," "New Orleans," "Samoa," "In the Land of Jazz," "Start the Band," "St. Louis Blues," and "Tiger Rag."
“Tiger Rag” was composed, and performed, by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The group is described on Red Hot Jazz as “the White guys who copied African-American music, and called it their own.” The first group to record jazz music, the band was a popular club act in New York for a brief period. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz states that “No member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was particularly talented as an improviser, and the group’s phrasing was rhythmically stilted.” The group disbanded in the early 1930s.
“St. Louis Blues” was composed by “Father of the Blues” W. C. Handy. A composer, musician, and music publisher, Handy was instrumental in popularizing blues music. His song “Memphis Blues” is considered to be one of the first blues songs ever published. Handy grew up in Alabama, and later worked in various locations in the south including St. Louis and Mississippi. After moving to New York, Handy gained a prominent following as a performer and publisher. He published an autobiography, Father of the Blues in 1941. An excellent biography can be found at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
The other songs were penned by Warner’s studio composers Harry Akst and Grant Clarke. Akst was a prolific and highly regarded composer and pianist. After working as an accompanist and composer in vaudeville and on Broadway, he joined the multitudes of musicians thriving in Hollywood. Grant Clarke was a successful lyricist who wrote for many big names on Broadway including Fanny Brice and Al Jolson.
While most of the actors had been successful stage actors and silent film stars, their careers faded following the early years of sound.
A biopic about Ted Lewis, also titled Is Everybody Happy, was released in 1943.
Is Everybody Happy? is considered a lost film, though the sound reels are held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Studio: Warner Bros
Director: Archie Mayo
Screenplay: James A. Starr, Joseph Jackson, De Leon Anthony
Composers: The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Harry Akst, Grant Clarke, W. C. Handy,
Ted Lewis
Choreography: Larry Ceballos
Leading Actors: Ted Lewis (Ted Todd), Alice Day (Gail Wilson), Ann Pennington (Lena Schmitt), Lawrence Grant (Victor Molnár), Julia Swayne Gordon (Mrs. Molnár), Otto Hoffman (Landlord), Purnell Pratt (Stage manager)
Is Everybody Happy? was a star vehicle for Ted Lewis. Lewis was a popular composer, performer, and band leader who appeared on Broadway in revues and musical comedies throughout the 1920s. His well-known songs include “When My Baby Smiles at Me,” and “Me and My Shadow.”
The film told the story of a Hungarian immigrant, Ted (Ted Lewis), who left Hungary to seek his fame in America. Once in New York, Ted trades his violin for a saxophone and, with the help of pretty girl Gail (Alice Day), lands a job in a club. When Ted’s father finds out Ted is playing jazz music, he is promptly disowned. Of course, Ted becomes a success. He wins the girl, and Ted and his father are happily reunited on Christmas Day.
Although Is Everybody Happy? did well at the box office, the critics were not happy. Variety (Nov 1929) claimed it was a lesser replica of The Singing Fool. The reviewer thought the photography was average, and the sound worse. The Film Daily (Jan 1930) called the story “flat and uninteresting” and Motion Picture News (Nov 9, 1929) stated, rather condescendingly, the film would only play well “out of town where they are not so sophisticated.”
The clear highlight of Is Everybody Happy? was the music. The Film Daily described it as a “sheer delight” and Motion Picture News stated “Red hot jazz played by the orchestra is the redeeming feature of this.” The jazzy score featured the songs "Wouldn't It Be Wonderful?" "I'm the Medicine Man for the Blues," "New Orleans," "Samoa," "In the Land of Jazz," "Start the Band," "St. Louis Blues," and "Tiger Rag."
“Tiger Rag” was composed, and performed, by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The group is described on Red Hot Jazz as “the White guys who copied African-American music, and called it their own.” The first group to record jazz music, the band was a popular club act in New York for a brief period. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz states that “No member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was particularly talented as an improviser, and the group’s phrasing was rhythmically stilted.” The group disbanded in the early 1930s.
“St. Louis Blues” was composed by “Father of the Blues” W. C. Handy. A composer, musician, and music publisher, Handy was instrumental in popularizing blues music. His song “Memphis Blues” is considered to be one of the first blues songs ever published. Handy grew up in Alabama, and later worked in various locations in the south including St. Louis and Mississippi. After moving to New York, Handy gained a prominent following as a performer and publisher. He published an autobiography, Father of the Blues in 1941. An excellent biography can be found at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
The other songs were penned by Warner’s studio composers Harry Akst and Grant Clarke. Akst was a prolific and highly regarded composer and pianist. After working as an accompanist and composer in vaudeville and on Broadway, he joined the multitudes of musicians thriving in Hollywood. Grant Clarke was a successful lyricist who wrote for many big names on Broadway including Fanny Brice and Al Jolson.
While most of the actors had been successful stage actors and silent film stars, their careers faded following the early years of sound.
A biopic about Ted Lewis, also titled Is Everybody Happy, was released in 1943.
Is Everybody Happy? is considered a lost film, though the sound reels are held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
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