'Whispering' Jack Smith

Birth : 1896-05-30, New York City, New York, USA

Death : 1950-05-13

History

His distinctive "whispering" vocal delivery, for which he became famous, was caused when he fell victim to a poison gas attack during World War I. His voice never fully recovered and, unable to sing at full volume, he instead learned to make the best use of early microphone technology to record his soft vocal style.

Movies

Cheer Up and Smile
Himself
When a popular radio singer is knocked unconscious during a robbery, a squeaky-voiced college boy fills in for him. To everyone's amazement, especially his recent girlfriend, who just broke up with him, he becomes an overnight sensation.