Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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EDWARDS, Cliff

(b 14 June 1895, Hannibal MO; d 18 July '72, Hollywood). Singer, ukulele player, aka 'Ukulele Ike'. Began in St Louis saloons, very big in vaudeville, appeared in Broadway show and revues Lady Be Good '24, Sunny '25, Ziegfeld Follies '27, George White's Scandals '27, 70 films incl. Hollywood Revue Of 1929 (MGM's first big musical: he was first to sing 'Singin' In The Rain' on screen). Hit records '24--33, many with jazz sidemen like Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey etc as on Lang-Worth Transcriptions, now on Audiophile CD Singing In The Rain. His career was faltering when he did the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Disney film Pinocchio '40, singing Oscar-winning 'When You Wish Upon A Star': his voice then became truly unforgettable. Kept going until TV, then faded. Reissues on Totem, ASV, Glendale, A Bear In A Lady's Boudoir on Yazoo.