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Bobby Breen (b. 4 November 1927)

Musical Soloist

Bobby Breen was born November 4, 1927 in Toronto, Canada and was the most popular male child singer in the 1930's. He came from a talented musical family and had a singing career on the stage and screen, as well as on radio. His manager and voice coach was his older sister, Sally. To the delight of audiences everywhere, Bobby sang in English, French, Italian, and Spanish. His adult show business career extended through the 1960's. The adjacent photograph is a still from his second film "Rainbow on the River" (1936).

According to various printed & internet sources the child film actor Bobby Breen was born either in Toronto or in Montreal and moved to Toronto as an infant; his real name was either Bobby Breen or Jackie Boreen or Isador Borsuk. Even more puzzling are the dates of his alleged decease: either in England in 1972 (no such death was registered) or on 30 March 1990. The latter was actually the death of theatrical producer Robert Breen, aged 80. Actually, Breen and his wife, Audrey, currently run Bobby Breen Enterprises in Tamarac, Florida.

He appeared as a child actor in nine films between 1936 & 1942 and made a number of sound recordings - mainly songs from the films - 1936-39. Decca catalogued him as a "juvenile vocalist", HMV as a "boy soprano". He also made recordings as an adult vocalist (Decca F.9505 through to 9509 were made in July 1950 and F.10424 was recorded in Nov. 1954). In his last film - "Johnny Doughboy" (1942)(64 min.) - he has no solos and only sings in one ensemble number: "All through". — Classic Movie Kids, et al.

Related Sites

BCSD: Davey Lee
Child actor and singer from the 1920s

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Featured Recordings

Compact | Full

Bobby Breen - Gee But It's Great To Meet A Friend / My Campfire Dreams

Gee But It's Great To Meet A Friend / My Campfire Dreams (Bluebird B.7168, 78 RPM)

Featuring Bobby Breen
A: Gee, but it's great to meet a friend, from your Home Town (incipit: Have you ever stopped to think when you've been trav'ling here and there. refrain: as song title) (song, 1910, revised 1933: wds William G. Tracey (1893-1957) - music Jas. McGavisk) (matrix 09651-1)
Rec. Hollywood, 20 Aug. 1937 w. orch. cond. Hugo Riesenfeld.
B: My Campfire Dreams (please see BD.480 for details of this song).

Side A - Gee But It's Great To Meet A Friend
Side B - My Campfire Dreams

Bobby Breen - Macushla / Down Where the Trade Winds Blow

Macushla / Down Where the Trade Winds Blow (Bluebird B.7330, 78 RPM)

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from soundtrack of RKO film "Hawaii Calls" (1938).
A: Macushla, your sweet voice is calling (Irish ballad arr. 1910 by Dermot MacMurrough (1872-1943) to wds by Josephine V. Rowe (afterwards Crawford, 1861-1945)) (matrix 09768-1)
B: Down Where the Trade Winds Blow (incipit: Blow, gentle trade winds, blow. chorus: Down where the trade winds blow, let us go, sweet-heart mine.) (song, 1937: wds & music Harry Owens (Harry Robert Owen, 1902-86)) (09769-1) Also issued in UK on HMV BD.473.
Both rec. Hollywood, 28 Oct. 1937 w. studio orch.

Side A - Macushla (L)
Side B - Down Where the Trade Winds Blow

Rainbow on the River (Calendar R 6652, CD)

Featuring Bobby Breen
1960s Australian Issue

1. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
2. Rainbow On The River (L)
3. Happy As A Lark
4. Telling My Troubles To A Mule
5. Fisherman's Chantie
6. Let's Sing Again (L)
7. M-O-T-H-E-R
8. Blue Italian Waters
9. In A Little Dutch Kindergarten
10. Put Your Heart In A Song
11. Flower Song
12. The Sunny Side Of Things
13. Bobby Breen

Email for Rainbow on the River album

Soundtrack Album

To Mother, With Love (ASV AJA 5351, CD)

Featuring Bobby Breen
Various artists from vintage recordings. Bobby Breen sings on one track: MORSE/JOHNSON M-O-T-H-E-R, A Word that Means the World to Me (Victor Young & his Orchestra)

1. m-o-t-h-e-r
2. mother

Click here to add an album link (review, audio, or shopping site):

Bobby Breen - Let's Sing Again / It's a Sin to Tell a Lie

Let's Sing Again / It's a Sin to Tell a Lie (Decca UK F.6086 (10-inch), 78 RPM) November 1936

Featuring Bobby Breen
A: Let's Sing Again (incipit: Nothing wrong with this old world some little song won't cure. chorus: Let's sing again, there's music in your heart.) (title song from film (1936) by Gus(tav Gerson) Kahn (1886-1941) & Jimmy (James Francis) McHugh (1894-1969)) (matrix 6110-A)
B: It's a Sin to Tell a Lie (incipit: You know it's a sin to tell a lie. chorus: Be sure it's true when you say "I love you.") (song, 1936 by Billy (William) Mayhew (1889-1951)) (61100-A)
Both recorded New York, 11 May 1936 with studio orchestra.
US issue: Decca 798.

In their first UK appearance these songs were released on Decca's subsiduary Brunswick's label as cat. no. O.2246. The following review by Wilfrid C. Bailey comes from The Music Trades Review (London, Aug. 1936, p. 333):
"Bobby Breen, the American eight-year-old boy is a marvel. I have heard a few prodigies, but never a vocalist at that age with such an apparent instinctive knowledge of singing. Of course the voice isn't there, but the feeling which would lift the poorest voice on to a plane by itself, is there. The child has a voice which should receive care, and, as he grows, careful and restrained training and use. If his instinct and urge to sing grows in keeping with his training, he will make an interpretator [sic] of song that will command attention wherever he goes. A child to watch and guard against over-exploitation. On O2246 he sings, as many a so-called singer and crooner could emulate, a couple of simple tunes, It's a Sin to Tell a Lie and Let's Sing Again."

Side A - Let's Sing Again (Gus Kahn, Jimmy McHugh)		This is the title-song from his first film (1936), probably recorded after he came to prominence following an appearance on the Eddie Cantor radio show.
Side B - It's a Sin to Tell a Lie (Mayhew)

Bobby Breen - Morse: Mother - a word that means the world to me / Nevin: The Rosary

Decca 973

Morse: Mother - a word that means the world to me / Nevin: The Rosary (Decca UK F.6177 (10-inch), 78 RPM) December 1936

Featuring Bobby Breen
A: A word that means the world to me - "MOTHER" (title as 1915 score; usually shown on records as: "M-O-T-H-E-R, a word . . .) (incipit: I've been around the world, you bet, but never went to school.) (song, 1915: wds Howard E. Johnson (1887-1941) - music Theodore F. Morse (1873-1924)) (matrix DLA598-A)
B: The Rosary (incipit: The hours I spent with thee, dear heart, are as a string of pearls to me.) (song, 1898: wds Robert Cameron Rogers (1862-1912) - music Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (1862-1901)) (DLA599-A)
Recorded Los Angeles, 4 Sept. 1936 with Victor Young (1900-56) & his Orchestra.
US issue: Decca 973.

Side A - MOTHER - a word that means the world to me (Johnson, Morse)
Side B - The Rosary (Ethelbert Nevin)

Bobby Breen - Rainbow on the River / Flower Song

Australian release

Rainbow on the River / Flower Song (Decca UK F.6301 (10-inch), 78 RPM) March 1937

Featuring Bobby Breen
Two songs from RKO film "Rainbow on the River" (1936).
A: Rainbow on the River (incipit: Clouds over me form a white tapestry, sky into water blending. chorus: There's a rainbow on the river, the skies are clearing.) (film title-song, 1936: wds Paul Francis Webster (1907-84) - music Louis Alter (1902-80)) (matrix DLA634-A)
B: Flower Song (Incipit: Lonely, a little boy singing only a street vendor's song. chorus: Buy my flowers, be happy and gay!) (wds Selma Hautzik (b. 1912) - music Hugo Riesenfeld (1879-1939)) (DLA633-A)
Recorded Los Angeles, 2 Nov. 1936 with orchestra cond. by Victor Young.
US issue: Decca 1053.

Side A - Rainbow on the River (L)
Side B - Flower Song

Bobby Breen - Make a Wish / My Campfire Dreams

Australian release

Make a Wish / My Campfire Dreams (HMV UK BD.480 (10-inch), 78 RPM) January 1938

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from RKO film "Make a Wish" (1937)
A: Make a Wish (incipit: Since the moment love was ours, I've been wishing on the stars. chorus: Make a wish, you and I, that this lovely dream of ours will never die.) (song, 1937: wds Louis Alter & Paul Webster (see F.6301) - music Oscar Straus (1870-1954)) (matrix 0A09649-1)
Rec. Hollywood, 20 Aug. 1937 w. orch. cond. Hugo Riesenfeld.
Also issued in US on Bluebird B.7158.
B: My Campfire dreams (incipit: Leaves are turning red, smoke rings overhead. chorus: Twilight stealing and the fire that gleams, brings to me my Campfire dreams.) (song, 1937: wds Paul Webster - music Louis Alter (see F.6301 for both)) (0A09557-1)
Rec. Hollywood, 29 June 1937 w. St Luke's Choristers & studio orch. (= film soundtrack).
Also issued in US on Bluebird B.7168.

Side A - Make a Wish
Side B - My Campfire Dreams

no cover

Hawaii Calls / Down Where the Trade Winds Blow (HMV UK BD.573 (10-inch), 78 RPM) August 1938

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from RKO film "Hawaii Calls" (1938).
A: Hawaii Calls (incipit: Hawaii calls with a melody of love.) (song, 1937: wds & music Harry Owens (1902-86)) (matrix 0A09767-2) Also issued in US on Bluebird B.7320.
Rec. 3 Nov. 1937.
B: Down Where the Trade Winds Blow (please see Bluebird B.7330 for details of this song).

Side A - Hawaii Calls
Side B - Down Where the Trade Winds Blow

no cover

Sleep, my baby, sleep/In a little Dutch Kindergarten (Decca UK F. 6747, 78 RPM) October 1938

Featuring Bobby Breen
A: Sleep, my baby, sleep (incipit: There's an old love refrain, that is known the world over. refrain: Go to sleep, my baby, go to sleep.) (song, 1935: wds Eddie (Edward) Pola (1907-95) - music based on a Hebrew melody arr. Franz Vienna (i.e., Franz K.W. Steininger) (1906 or 1910-74)) (matrix DLA1270-A)
B: In a little Dutch Kindergarten (Down by the Zuider Zee) (incipit: Where the windmills keep on turning back in tulip land.) (song, 1937-39: orig. wds Herre De Vos, Engl. version Al(fred J.) Bryan (1871-1958) - music L. Rosenstock) (DLA1271-A)
Both recorded Los Angeles, 20 or 22 Apl 1938 with orchestra cond. Harry Sosnik.
US issue: Decca 1804.

Side A - Sleep, my baby, sleep
Side B - In a little Dutch Kindergarten

no cover

Happy as a Lark / The Sunny Side of Things (Decca UK F.6951, 78 RPM) February 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from RKO film "Breaking the Ice" (1939).
A: Happy as a Lark (incipit: Oh you never can go wrong, if you swing-a-ling along. chorus: Happy as a lark, oh, what a feeling under a ceiling blue.) (song, 1938: wds Webster - music Churchill (please see F.6950 for details)) (matrix DLA1299-A)
B: The Sunny Side of things (incipit: When you're feelin' mean, sort of inbetween. chorus: Try to keep your eye on the sunny side of things.) (song, 1938: wds & music as above) (DLA1301-A)
Both rec. Los Angeles, 6 July 1938 w. orch. cond. Victor Young.
US issue: Decca 1950.

Side A - Happy as a Lark (Churchill, Webster)
Side B - The Sunny Side of Things (Churchill, Webster)

no cover

Put your Heart into a Song / Tellin' my Troubles to a Mule (Decca UK F.6950, 78 RPM) February 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from RKO film "Breaking the Ice" (1938).
A: Put your Heart into a Song (incipit: When those troubles intrude and you're eager to find peace of mind. chorus: Put your heart into a song.) (song, 1938: wds Paul Webster (see F.6301) - music Frank E. Churchill (1901-42)) (matrix DLA1300-A)
B: Tellin' My Troubles to a Mule (incipit: Roll along, there's a hill beyond a hill beyond [sic] a star up in the sky.) (song, 1938: Wds Webster - music Churchill as above) (DLA1302-A)
Both recorded Los Angeles, 6 July 1938 with Victor Young & his Orch.
US issue: Decca 1949.

Side A - Put your Heart into a Song (Churchill, Webster)
Side B - Tellin' my Troubles to a Mule (Churchill, Webster)

no cover

Blue Italian Waters / Fisherman's Chantie (Decca UK F.7113, 78 RPM) October 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
Songs from RKO film "Fisherman's Wharf" (1939).
A: Blue Italian Waters (incipit: Along the wharfs of San Francisco, at twilight time the sailors land. chorus: I see the blue Italian waters.) (song, 1939: wds Webster - music Churchill (please see F.6950 for details)) (matrix DLA1711-A)
B: Fisherman's Chantie (or Chantey) (wds ? Charles Newman (1901-78 - music Farlan I. Myers (b. 1918) & William Howe II) (DLA1712-A)
Both recorded Los Angeles 18 Feb. 1939 with Eddie Dunstedter, organ.
US issue: Decca 2353.

Side A - Blue Italian Waters (Churchill, Webster)
Side B - Fisherman's Chantie (Myers, Howe)

no cover

Handel: Ombra mai fu / Schubert: Ave Maria (Decca UK F.7303, 78 RPM) January 1940

Featuring Bobby Breen
A: Ombra mai fu (sung in Ital. - largo from opera "Serse" (1738) by G.F. Handel (1685-1759) (matrix DLA1710-A)
B: Ave Maria (sung in Latin - adapted from F.P. Schubert (1797-1828) D.839, 1826) (DLA1709-A)
Both rec. Los Angeles, 18 Feb. 1939 with Eddie Dunstedter, pipe organ.
US issue: Decca 2496.

Side A - Ombra mai fu (in Ital. - Handel from "Serse")
Side B - Ave Maria (in Latin - Schubert)

Films and Videos

Compact | Full

Let's Sing Again ( , VHS) 1936

Featuring Bobby Breen

Eng: Eight-year-old boy soprano Bobby Breen, who earned a following on Eddie Cantor's radio show, made his screen debut as orphan Billy Gordon who gets a chance to sing opera in New York. Songs include "The Farmer in the Dell," "La Donna e Mobile" from "Rigoletto" and the title tune. 70 min.
Fr: "On recherche un enfant" Bobby Breen soprano de 8 ans, participe a une émission de radio sur Eddie Cantor's.

1. The Farmer in the Dell
2. La Donna è mobile de« Rigoletto »
3. Let's Sing Again

Available at Movies Unlimited
Internet Archive		Download the movie here
Let's Sing Again 1/10
Let's Sing Again 2/10
Let's Sing Again 3/10
Let's Sing Again 4/10
Let's Sing Again 5/10
Let's Sing Again 6/10
Let's Sing Again 7/10

Bobby Breen - Rainbow On The River - Le Chant du Missouri

Rainbow On The River - Le Chant du Missouri ( , VHS) 1936

Featuring Bobby Breen St. Luke's Choristers

Eng: Bobby Breen in his second film and May Robson star in a song-filled tale of a young orphan boy (Philip Ainsworth) and the ex-slave caring for him in the post-Civil War South, until the child goes to live with a wealthy grandmother in New York. With Louise Beavers, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. AKA: "It Happened in New Orleans." 83 min. (o.r.t. 87 min.)
Fr: "Le Chant du Missouri" Un jeune orphelin (Philip Ainsworth) va vivre chez une grand-mère riche à New York.

Available at Best Buy
Available at Movies Unlimited

Make A Wish ( , VHS) 1937

Featuring Bobby Breen
While at summer camp in the Maine woods, little Bobby Breen in his third film (as Chip Winters) befriends composer Basil Rathbone, who left the city to try and break his creative block, and is soon playing matchmaker for his widowed singer mother and Rathbone. Lively family musical also stars Marion Claire, Leon Errol and Dorr's St. Luke's Choristers (St. Brendan's Choir); songs include "Music in My Heart," "Old Man Rip." 75 min. (o.r.t. 77 min.)

Available at Movies Unlimited

Breaking The Ice ( , VHS) 1938

Featuring Bobby Breen
When his widowed mother is forced to move in with her domineering brother and his family, Bobby Breen in his fifth film (as Tommy Martin) runs away from home and joins a travelling ice revue to earn money for her. Song-filled tale stars Charles Ruggles, Dolores Costello. 79 min. (o.r.t. 81 min.)

Available at Movies Unlimited
Internet Archive		Download the movie here

Hawaii Calls ( , VHS) 1938

Featuring Bobby Breen
After being nabbed while trying to stow away on board an ocean liner en route to Hawaii, young Bobby Breen (Billy Coulter) in his fourth film sings for his travel fare and, along with sidekick Pua, turns detective to recover stolen naval documents from crooks. Co-stars Ned Sparks, Pua Lani and Irvin S. Cobb. Songs include "That's the Hawaiian in Me," "Down Where the Trade Winds Blow" and "Aloha Oe." 65 min. (o.r.t. 91 min.)

Available at Movies Unlimited
Internet Archive		Download the movie here

Escape To Paradise ( , VHS) 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
Adorable little Bobby Breen in film number eight plays a South American tourist guide (Roberto Ramos) who steers traveller Kent Taylor into a romance with native gal Maria Shelton in this spry musical-comedy. Songs include "Rhythm of the Rio," "Ay, Ay, Ay." 60 min.

Available at Movies Unlimited
Internet Archive		Download the movie here

Fisherman's Wharf ( , VHS) 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
A boy, Tony (Bobby Breen), adopted by a San Francisco fisherman decides to leave his home when the fisherman's sister-in-law moves in with her annoying son. Efforts are on to find Breen...but first, some musical numbers, including "Blue Italian Waters" and "Sell Your Cares for a Song." Leo Carrillo, Lee Patrick, the St. Luke's Choristers and Slicker the Seal also star. This was Breen's sixth film. 72 min.

Available at Movies Unlimited

Way Down South ( , VHS) 1939

Featuring Bobby Breen
Young orphan Tim Reid (Bobby Breen in his seventh film) in antebellum Louisiana tries to regain his family's plantation from treacherous trustees in this song-laced drama that was scripted by co-star Clarence Muse, who played a loyal slave, and poet Langston Hughes. With Charles Middleton, Ralph Morgan. 62 min.

Available at Movies Unlimited
Video clips at Boychoirs.org

Bobby Breen - Bobby Breen Double Feature #1: Let's Sing Again, Rainbow on the River

Bobby Breen Double Feature #1: Let's Sing Again, Rainbow on the River (Critics Choice CCD 1032, DVD) February 2004

Featuring Bobby Breen St. Luke's Choristers
Consists of RAINBOW ON THE RIVER (later aka It Happened In New Orleans) which is of only fair quality and LETS SING AGAIN which is much better. This is a Region 0 DVD for worldwide use. (The descriptions on the rear cover are reversed.)

Available at DC-DVD UK
Available at Port Halcyon

Bobby Breen - Bobby Breen Double Feature #2: Make a Wish, Hawaii Calls

Bobby Breen Double Feature #2: Make a Wish, Hawaii Calls (Critics Choice CCD1062, DVD) July 2004

Featuring Bobby Breen
Features: Make a Wish (1937 - liner 82 min., actual 76 min., o.r.t. 77 min.) and Hawaii Calls (1938 - liner 72 min., actual 63 min., o.r.t. 91 min.)
Despite being digitally remastered there is poor contrast and a lack of sharpness in the picture together with variable sound quality, all reflected in the budget price of this multi-region DVD. Breen has a sunny juvenile charm and although he sings like a soubrette, both films are quite enjoyable if one does not expect too much.

Available at Port Halcyon

Bobby Breen - Bobby Breen Double Feature #3: Fisherman's Wharf, Way Down South

Bobby Breen Double Feature #3: Fisherman's Wharf, Way Down South (Critics Choice , DVD) September 2004

Featuring Bobby Breen
In keeping with the most popular format of 1930s musicals, Bobby Breen stars as a precocious singing orphan in both of these films, adopted by a San Francisco fisherman in Fisherman’s Wharf (72 min.) and as a late plantation owner’s son in pre-Civil War Louisiana in Way Down South (61 min.). The latter film is notable for its unpretentious and enlightened views on the master-slave relationships in the 19th-century deep south, most strikingly because the film was made decades before the rise of the civil rights victories of the ’60s.

Available at Port Halcyon

Fisherman's Wharf (Roan AED-2108, DVD) October 2005

Featuring Bobby Breen
Multi-region DVD 72 min.

Click here to add an album link (review, audio, or shopping site):

Way Down South (Roan AED-2112, DVD) February 2006

Featuring Bobby Breen
Muti-region DVD of Bobby Breen's seventh film. 61 min.

Click here to add an album link (review, audio, or shopping site):

This page last modified on Wednesday, March 22, 2006