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Another musical featuring horse racing.
Alice Day and Eddie Buzzell, Screenland (April 1930)
Date of Release: Nov 17, 1929
Studio: First National
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Screenplay: Adelaide Heilbron, Eddie Buzzell
Music: Joe Burke, James Cavanaugh, Michael Cleary, George M. Cohan, Al Dubin, M. K. Jerome, Herb Magidson, Herman Ruby, Ned Washington,
Leading Actors: Eddie Buzzell (Johnny Jones), Alice Day (Mary Baker), Edna Murphy (Vivian Dale), Robert Edeson (Ed Baker), Wheeler Oakman (Wyman), Raymond Turner (Carbon), Donald Reed (Ramon)
Little Johnny Jones was based on the George M. Cohan musical of the same name. The original Broadway show ran for a just over a month in 1904, and was revived in 1905 and again in 1907.
The first screen adaptation was a silent film released by Warner Bros in 1923.
First National’s talkie version was a star vehicle for Eddie Buzzell. Buzzell was a well-liked vaudeville and Broadway performer who appeared in several original Broadway shows including The Desert Song (1926).
Little Johnny Jones told the story of Johnny Jones (Eddie Buzzell), a jockey and nightclub singer. He travels to New York, and despite being engaged to Mary (Alice Day), falls in love with a Broadway star, Vivian Dale (Edna Murphy). Johnny is set to ride the horse “Yankee” at the big race, but Vivian has bet on another horse. Vivian writes Johnny a telegram imploring him to throw the race. He loses anyway, and the telegram is discovered. As a result of the telegram, Johnny is barred from American racing and travels to England. At Epsom Downes, Johnny finds Mary’s father, Ed (Robert Edeson) and convinces Ed to let him ride “Yankee” once again. Johnny and Yankee ride to victory. Mary forgives Johnny, and they return together to America.
Studio: First National
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Screenplay: Adelaide Heilbron, Eddie Buzzell
Music: Joe Burke, James Cavanaugh, Michael Cleary, George M. Cohan, Al Dubin, M. K. Jerome, Herb Magidson, Herman Ruby, Ned Washington,
Leading Actors: Eddie Buzzell (Johnny Jones), Alice Day (Mary Baker), Edna Murphy (Vivian Dale), Robert Edeson (Ed Baker), Wheeler Oakman (Wyman), Raymond Turner (Carbon), Donald Reed (Ramon)
Little Johnny Jones was based on the George M. Cohan musical of the same name. The original Broadway show ran for a just over a month in 1904, and was revived in 1905 and again in 1907.
The first screen adaptation was a silent film released by Warner Bros in 1923.
First National’s talkie version was a star vehicle for Eddie Buzzell. Buzzell was a well-liked vaudeville and Broadway performer who appeared in several original Broadway shows including The Desert Song (1926).
Little Johnny Jones told the story of Johnny Jones (Eddie Buzzell), a jockey and nightclub singer. He travels to New York, and despite being engaged to Mary (Alice Day), falls in love with a Broadway star, Vivian Dale (Edna Murphy). Johnny is set to ride the horse “Yankee” at the big race, but Vivian has bet on another horse. Vivian writes Johnny a telegram imploring him to throw the race. He loses anyway, and the telegram is discovered. As a result of the telegram, Johnny is barred from American racing and travels to England. At Epsom Downes, Johnny finds Mary’s father, Ed (Robert Edeson) and convinces Ed to let him ride “Yankee” once again. Johnny and Yankee ride to victory. Mary forgives Johnny, and they return together to America.
Gene Searle and Eddie Buzzell, Screenland (Feb 1930)
The film is unusual for having two women in lead creative positions, Adelaide Heilbron and Gene Searle. Despite a thirty year career in Hollywood, there is very little information currently available about Heilbron. She worked predominantly during the silent era, and wrote the Broadway play Something Gay (1935).
Gene Searle is uncredited, however a feature article in Screenland (Feb 1930) mentions her work on the film. Born Genevieve Searle and known as Nagene Searle or Bobby Jackson, Searle worked as a script supervisor and script clerk throughout the 1930s. Searle reportedly wanted to be director and was working as an assistant to gain experience. Searle came from a wealthy family, and was known for traveling to the studio each day in chauffeured cars, or driving herself in a “powerful, expensive roadster.”
The film opened regionally in November 1929 before opening in New York at the Strand on January 31, 1930. Around the country, the box office numbers were hit and miss. While it bombed in Los Angeles, the film played better in various regional centers and in New York – possibly because Buzzell was better known on the east coast.
Although the critics found the script to be clichéd and not particularly memorable, they thought the film was entertaining overall. Motion Picture News described it as “A splendid piece of entertainment fodder for picture houses,” and particularly noted that “The horses were convincing and entertaining.” The Film Daily agreed that “The race track scenes [were] well done,” but felt the finale “could have been done better.”
Gene Searle is uncredited, however a feature article in Screenland (Feb 1930) mentions her work on the film. Born Genevieve Searle and known as Nagene Searle or Bobby Jackson, Searle worked as a script supervisor and script clerk throughout the 1930s. Searle reportedly wanted to be director and was working as an assistant to gain experience. Searle came from a wealthy family, and was known for traveling to the studio each day in chauffeured cars, or driving herself in a “powerful, expensive roadster.”
The film opened regionally in November 1929 before opening in New York at the Strand on January 31, 1930. Around the country, the box office numbers were hit and miss. While it bombed in Los Angeles, the film played better in various regional centers and in New York – possibly because Buzzell was better known on the east coast.
Although the critics found the script to be clichéd and not particularly memorable, they thought the film was entertaining overall. Motion Picture News described it as “A splendid piece of entertainment fodder for picture houses,” and particularly noted that “The horses were convincing and entertaining.” The Film Daily agreed that “The race track scenes [were] well done,” but felt the finale “could have been done better.”
Mervyn LeRoy, Edna Murphy, and Eddie Buzzell, Screenland (Nov 1929)
Motion Picture News gave praise to director Mervyn LeRoy, stating “His treatment carries a warmth and a naturalness that do much to make the picture the entertainment affair that it is.” LeRoy had started out in vaudeville before moving to film. He worked in a variety of departments, including as a writer and actor. Under the guidance of Cecile B. DeMille, LeRoy became a director and went on to direct a variety of well-received films including Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), Little Caeser (1931), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Madame Curie (1943), Rose Marie (1954) and Gypsy (1962). He also directed Broadway Babies (1929).
Eddie Buzzell received positive reviews for his performance. Screenland claimed “…just to have Eddie with us on the screen is something,” and Motion Picture News stated Buzzell “comes through with a couple of colors flying bravely in the breeze. He is a surprise—the pleasant kind.” Despite Variety’s prediction that Little Johnny Jones was just the start of Buzzell’s talkie career, the film turned out to be his only feature length talkie. From the early 1930s he worked as a director for Universal and MGM, directing musical comedies such as Honolulu (1939), Song of the Thin Man (1947), and Neptune’s Daughter (1949).
Buzzell’s co-stars received mixed reviews. Edna Murphy was described by Motion Picture News as “pretty terrible,” however Variety thought her “vamp [was] well and interestingly done.” Edna Murphy and Mervyn LeRoy were a married couple. In the gossip column “A Little from “Lots”” in The Film Daily (Aug 28, 1929), Ralph Wilk wrote “Mervyn LeRoy…declared this is the only time on record where a man not only refrained from stopping his wife’s talking, but actually directed her to do so.” Oh, sexism. Murphy had been a popular silent film actress and model, but retired from the industry in 1933 when she re-married. She also appeared in The Show of Shows (1929).
Variety found Alice Day to be “charming, as usual,” and Motion Picture News stated that she did “nice work in a so-so part.” Day was a silent film star who retired shortly after the advent of talkies. Her film credits include Is Everybody Happy (1929), The Show of Shows (1929), Melody Man (1930), The Lady from Nowhere (1931), and Gold (1932).
The critics agreed that the George M. Cohan songs "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "Give My Regards to Broadway," were old-fashioned but carried sentimental appeal. Cohan was a multi-talented, versatile, and immensely influential performer and writer. Born into a show business family, Cohan started out as a child prodigy violinist. Little Johnny Jones, which he wrote and starred in, was his first Broadway hit. He went on to write over three hundred songs, as well as composing and performing in over fifty Broadway shows.
Little Johnny Jones is now considered a lost film. The stage musical was revived on Broadway in 1982, starring Donny Osmond. The production was described by the New York Times as “listless,” and closed on opening night.
Eddie Buzzell received positive reviews for his performance. Screenland claimed “…just to have Eddie with us on the screen is something,” and Motion Picture News stated Buzzell “comes through with a couple of colors flying bravely in the breeze. He is a surprise—the pleasant kind.” Despite Variety’s prediction that Little Johnny Jones was just the start of Buzzell’s talkie career, the film turned out to be his only feature length talkie. From the early 1930s he worked as a director for Universal and MGM, directing musical comedies such as Honolulu (1939), Song of the Thin Man (1947), and Neptune’s Daughter (1949).
Buzzell’s co-stars received mixed reviews. Edna Murphy was described by Motion Picture News as “pretty terrible,” however Variety thought her “vamp [was] well and interestingly done.” Edna Murphy and Mervyn LeRoy were a married couple. In the gossip column “A Little from “Lots”” in The Film Daily (Aug 28, 1929), Ralph Wilk wrote “Mervyn LeRoy…declared this is the only time on record where a man not only refrained from stopping his wife’s talking, but actually directed her to do so.” Oh, sexism. Murphy had been a popular silent film actress and model, but retired from the industry in 1933 when she re-married. She also appeared in The Show of Shows (1929).
Variety found Alice Day to be “charming, as usual,” and Motion Picture News stated that she did “nice work in a so-so part.” Day was a silent film star who retired shortly after the advent of talkies. Her film credits include Is Everybody Happy (1929), The Show of Shows (1929), Melody Man (1930), The Lady from Nowhere (1931), and Gold (1932).
The critics agreed that the George M. Cohan songs "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "Give My Regards to Broadway," were old-fashioned but carried sentimental appeal. Cohan was a multi-talented, versatile, and immensely influential performer and writer. Born into a show business family, Cohan started out as a child prodigy violinist. Little Johnny Jones, which he wrote and starred in, was his first Broadway hit. He went on to write over three hundred songs, as well as composing and performing in over fifty Broadway shows.
Little Johnny Jones is now considered a lost film. The stage musical was revived on Broadway in 1982, starring Donny Osmond. The production was described by the New York Times as “listless,” and closed on opening night.
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