1897-1943
by John Troesser
Photos courtesy
The Texas Collection, Baylor University
Jules
Bledsoe
1. Born in Waco,
Texas in 1897, his full name was Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe.
2. He was the Central Texas Academy's valedictorian in 1914, and studied
medicine at Columbia University in New
York City in the early 1920s.
3. While at Columbia, he studied voice and his singing debut was April
20, 1924.
4. During a short career lasting less than twenty years, Bledsoe was
praised for his ability to sing in several languages and for his vocal
control. His career ranged from vaudeville to radio and motion pictures.
5.
His role as "Joe" in Jerome Kern's Showboat made "Ol' Man River" an
American classic.
Jules
Bledsoe
in the 1930s
6.
Bledsoe performed with the Boston Symphony, the BBC Symphony Orchestra,
The Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, the Cleveland Stadium Opera,
the Chicago Opera Company and the NYC Cosmopolitan Opera Company.
Bledsoe
as
Amonasro in Aïda
7. He performed the title role in the opera The Emperor Jones, the
role of Amonasro in Verdi's Aïda and even appeared (in whiteface)
as Canio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci.
Bledsoe
as Canio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci
8. In the early 1940s he worked in Hollywood playing in roles beneath
his abilities. He played the part of Kalu in Drums of the Congo,
and made other (mostly forgettable) films.
9. He wrote an opera, Bondage, based on Uncle Tom's Cabin and a
set of four songs for voice and orchestra called African Suite.
10. Bledsoe died on July 14, 1943, in Hollywood, after performing
during a war bond drive. He is buried in Waco's Greenwood Cemetery
where his tombstone is inscribed with music and lyrics from Ol'
Man River.
The
Ultimate Show Boat, 1928 - 1947 (Original, Revival and Studio Cast
Anthology)
Various Artists - Soundtracks; Audio CD : For hardcore fans of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein
II, the double-CD The Ultimate Showboat will be a ride down memory
lane you won't soon forget. Musical reissues rarely get a comprehensive
treatment like this collection taken from rare cast recordings, revivals,
radio productions, and pop-vocal records (all dating between 1928
and 1947).
