Little Johnny Jones (1904), a musical play by George M. Cohan (book, music, lyrics). [Liberty Theatre, 52 perf.] The Yankee Johnny Jones (Cohan) comes to England to ride in the Derby. Anthony Anstey (Jerry Cohan) offers him a bribe to throw the race, but Johnny refuses, so when he actually loses the race, Anstey spreads rumors that he did so intentionally. After clearing his name, Johnny returns to America where Anstey has kidnapped Johnny's sweetheart, Goldie Gates (Ethel Levey). So Johnny must scour San Francisco's Chinatown to recover her. Notable songs: Give My Regards to Broadway; Life's a Funny Proposition After All; The Yankee Doodle Boy. Although most critics assailed the play as too slangy, contrived, and chauvinistic, the public adored it, and Cohan had his first of many Broadway hits. Within a few months after its original run, Cohan and producer Sam H. Harris twice brought it back for return engagements. A largely rewritten, poorly mounted 1982 revival failed to run.
Little Johnny Jones
| American Theater Guide: Little Johnny Jones |
| Artist: Johnny Jones |
- Born: November 01, 1924, Jackson, MS
- Died: November 19, 1964, Chicago, IL
- Active: '40s, '50s, '60s
- Genres: Blues
- Instrument: Vocals, Piano, Harmonica
- Representative Albums: "Live in Chicago with Billy Boy Arnold," "Let's Go Back to God," "Live in Chicago 1963"
- Representative Songs: "Big Town Playboy," "Chicago Blues," "Shelby County Blues"
Biography
In 40 short years on earth, Johnny Jones established himself as one of the greatest piano players ever to inhabit the Chicago blues scene. Best known for his rock-solid accompaniment to slide guitarist Elmore James both in the studio and as an onstage member of James' Broomdusters, "Little Johnny" also waxed a handful of terrific sides as a leader.Jones arrived in Chicago from Mississippi in 1946 well-versed on the 88s. Influenced greatly by pianist Big Maceo Merriwether, Jones followed him into Tampa Red's band in 1947 after Maceo suffered a stroke. Johnny Jones's talents were soon in demand as a sideman -- in addition to rolling the ivories behind Tampa Red for RCA Victor from 1949 to 1953, he backed Muddy Waters on his 1949 classic "Screamin' and Cryin'" and later appeared on sides by Howlin' Wolf.
But it's Elmore James that he'll forever be associated with; the indispensable pianist played on James's halcyon 1952-56 Chicago sessions for the Bihari brothers' Meteor, Flair, and Modern logos, as well as dates for Checker, Chief, and Fire. The Broomdusters (rounded out by saxist J.T. Brown and drummer Odie Payne, Jr.) held down a regular berth at the West Side blues club Sylvio's for five years.
When he got the chance to sit behind a microphone, Jones's insinuating vocal delivery was equally enthralling. Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, and Leroy Foster backed Jones on his 1949 Aristocrat label classic "Big Town Playboy" (later revived by Eddie Taylor, another unsung Chicago hero), while Elmore James and saxist J.T. Brown were on hand for Jones's 1953 Flair coupling "I May Be Wrong"/"Sweet Little Woman" (the latter a wonderfully risqué "dozens" number). The rocking "Hoy Hoy," his last commercial single, was done in 1953 for Atlantic and also featured James and his group in support. Jones continued to work in the clubs (with Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Syl Johnson, Billy Boy Arnold, and Magic Sam, among others) prior to his 1964 death of lung cancer.
Ironically, Jones was reportedly the first cousin of another Chicago piano great, Otis Spann. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
| Discography: Johnny Jones |
| Wikipedia: Little Johnny Jones |
For the blues pianist, see Little Johnny Jones (pianist)
| Little Johnny Jones | |
 |
|
| Pamphlet, 1907 | |
|---|---|
| Music | George M. Cohan |
| Lyrics | George M. Cohan |
| Book | George M. Cohan |
| Productions | 1904 Broadway 1982 Broadway revival |
Little Johnny Jones is a musical by George M. Cohan. The show introduced Cohan's tunes "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "The Yankee Doodle Boy." The "Yankee Doodle" character was inspired by real-life Hall of Fame jockey Tod Sloan.
Contents |
Background
The show was Cohan's first full-length musical. A famous American jockey, Tod Sloan, had gone to England in 1903 to ride in the Derby for the King of England. This gave Cohan the idea for the story. The musical is patriotic in tone and contains a number of quips aimed at European targets, such as, "You think I'd marry an heiress and live off her money? What do you take me for? An Englishman?" and, "French pastry ain't worth 30¢ compared to American apple pie." In Little Johnny Jones Cohan introduced some of the dance steps and comedy features for which he would become famous.[1]
Synopsis
A brash, patriotic American jockey, Johnny Jones, goes to England to ride his horse, Yankee Doodle, in the English Derby. Jones falls in love with Goldie Gates, a San Francisco copper heiress, who follows him to Britain, disguising herself as a man to discover if Jones really loves her. Anthony Anstey, an American who runs a Chinese gambling establishment in San Francisco, offers Jones a bribe to lose the race deliberately, but he refuses. After Jones loses, Anstey spreads rumors that he threw the race intentionally. Jones' detective, pretending to be a drunkard, searches for evidence to clear Johnny's name and finds out that it was Anstey that framed Jones. Jones tells his friends who are returning to America, "Give My Regards to Broadway," but he stays in London to try to regain his reputation. Jones returns to America with his name cleared, eager to propose marriage to Goldie, but he finds that Anstey has kidnapped her. He and his detective search for her in San Francisco's Chinatown, eventually finding her.
Original production
The musical was first tried out at the Parsons Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut in October 1904 and then opened on Broadway at the Liberty Theatre on November 7, 1904. The original production was produced by Sam H. Harris and directed by George M. Cohan who also performed as part of the cast with the other members of The Four Cohans (Cohan, his parents and sister). Ethel Levey, Cohan's wife, co-starred.[2] Among the other performers were William Seymour and Donald Brian. The Broadway run of only 52 performances was followed by tours, during which some rewrites were made. It was revived twice in 1905 at the New York Theatre, playing successfully for over 200 performances through most of that year, and touring until the next Broadway revival in 1907 for a short run at the Academy of Music. The production was mounted with a huge cast.[3]
Subsequent adaptations and productions
There were films of the same name in 1923[4] and 1929.[5]
David Cassidy starred in a touring revival in 1981.[6] After previewing at Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House and touring, a 1982 revival, adapted by Alfred Uhry, closed at the Alvin Theatre after only one performance. It starred Donny Osmond in the lead.
An adaptation of the show was produced by the Light Opera of Manhattan in the late 1980s, called Give My Regards to Broadway and was successful for that company.[7]
Song list
- The Cecil in London - Jenkins
- They're All My Friends - Timothy D. McGee
- Mam'selle Fauchette - Goldie Gates
- 'Op in the 'Ansom - Cabbies and Reformers
- Nesting in a New York Tree - Florabelle Fly
- Yankee Doodle Boy - Johnny Jones
- Off to the Derby - Company
- Girls from the U.S.A. - Florabelle Fly
- (Sailors of St. Hurrah - Sailors
- Captain of a Ten Day Boat - Captain Squirvy
- Goodbye Flo - Goldie Gates
- Good Old California - Henry Hapgood
- A Girl I Know - Johnny Jones and Goldie Gates
- Give My Regards to Broadway - Johnny Jones
- March of the Frisco Chinks - Company
- Life's a Funny Proposition - Johnny Jones
Notes and references
Bibliography
- Cohan, George M. Twenty Years on Broadway. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924.
- Gilbert, Douglas. American Vaudeville: Its Life and Times. New York: Dover Publications, 1963.
- Jones, John Bush. Our Musicals, Ourselves: A Social History of the American Musical Theatre. Lebanon, NH: Brandeis University Press, 2003. (pp. 15-23).
- McCabe, John. George M. Cohan: The Man Who Owned Broadway. New York: Doubleday & Co., 1973.
- Morehouse, Ward. George M. Cohan: Prince of the American Theater. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippencott, 1943.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
 | What About Me? (1993 Album by The Swanee Quintet) |
| George M. Cohan (Vocal Music Artist) |
| George M. Cohan (literature) |
 | Where you could find the complete script for the musical play Little Johnny Jones? |
| How do you say little jones in spanish? |
| What did little johnny threw little butter through window? |
Copyrights:
 |
 | American Theater Guide. The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Little Johnny Jones". Read more |
- Who is is Johnny Jones?
- How can you get your little brother to be in Johnny's enetrainment?
- Where can you find Jones Little Sausages?
Mentioned in
- What About Me? (1993 Album by The Swanee Quintet)
- George M. Cohan (Vocal Music Artist)
- George M. Cohan (literature)
- Johnny Hines (Actor, Director, Writer, Comedy/Romance)
- Charles Irwin (Actor, Drama/Comedy)
- Edward N. Buzzell (Director, Writer, Actor, Comedy/Musical)
- The Yankee Doodle Boy ("I'm a Yankee Doodle dandy") (Classical Work)
- Chess Blues Classics: 1947-1956 (1997 Album by Various Artists)
- Night Life in Hollywood (1923 Drama Film)
- Over There (Classical Work)
- Donald Brian (American Theater)
- Sam Henry Harris (American Theater)
- J.T. Brown (Blues Artist, '40s-'60s)
- The Aristocrat of the Blues: The Best of Aristocrat Records (1997 Album by Various Artists)
