Allan Jones (actor)

Allan Jones (October 14, 1907 – June 27, 1992) was an American actor and tenor.

Jones is best remembered as the male romantic lead actor in the first two films in which the Marx Brothers starred for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) and '' A Day at the Races'' (1937), as well as the film musicals ''Show Boat'' (1936) and '' The Firefly'' (1937), in which he introduced what became his signature song, "The Donkey Serenade".

Early years

Jones was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, and raised in nearby Scranton, where he graduated from Central High School. 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.

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."

Stage

Jones appeared on Broadway a few times, including 1933's ''Roberta'' and the short-lived 1934 revival of '' Bitter Sweet'' after debuting in ''Boccacio'' in 1931.

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) where he first performed what became his signature song: "The Donkey Serenade". Jones is best remembered today as the romantic lead opposite Kitty Carlisle and Maureen O'Sullivan, respectively, in the first two films in which the Marx Brothers starred forr Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM): ''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 was 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 by Rodgers and Hart, and ''One Night in the Tropics'' with a score by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, which 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 the all-time best-selling single records issued by RCA Victor.

Radio

In the mid-1940s, Jones and pianist Frankie Carle starred in the ''Old Gold Show'' on CBS radio.

Later years

Jones continued performing until the 1980s, starring in stage productions of '' Man of La Mancha'', '' Paint Your Wagon'', ''Guys and Dolls'', and '' Carousel''. In December 1980, Jones appeared on an episode of the ABC-TV series ''The Love Boat'' also starring his son Jack Jones as his estranged son and Dorothy Lamour as his wife and Jack's mother.

Jones also bred and raised racehorses on his ranch in California.

Personal life

Jones was married four times. His wives included Hervey, Maria Villavincie, and Mary Florsheim (granddaughter of Milton S. Florsheim). He was married to actress Irene Hervey from 1936 to 1957. American pop singer Jack Jones is their son.

Death

Jones died of lung cancer at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City in June 1992, at age 84.

Filmography

References

External links

* Martyn, Marguerite (August 19, 1932)
"A New Muny Opera Hero"
''St. Louis Post-Dispatch''

Allan Jones Tribute
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Photographs of Allan Jones

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Allan
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 lung cancer in New York (state)
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American singers
20th-century American male singers
Florsheim family