Jack Jones, the suave and Grammy-adorned crooner whose melodious offerings such as "Lollipops and Roses," "Wives and Lovers," and "The Impossible Dream" resonated with audiences before steering TV viewers towards boundless adventures on The Love Boat, has passed away at the age of 86. His stepdaughter, Nicole Whitty, informed The Hollywood Reporter that Jones breathed his last on Wednesday evening at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, after a valiant two-year struggle with leukemia.
Jones hailed from a showbiz dynasty. His mother, Irene Hervey, was an Emmy-nominated actress whose luminous career spanned over half a century in both film and television. His father, the tenor Allan Jones, etched his name in cinematic lore as the romantic lead in Show Boat (1936) and starred in the Marx Brothers' whimsical ventures, A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the Races (1937). Allan's own hit tune, "The Donkey Serenade," was a chart-topper of its time.
For eight delightful seasons and over 200 episodes of ABC's The Love Boat, beginning in 1977, Jones charmed audiences with his smooth crooning of the theme song for the Aaron Spelling-produced series, exhorting listeners to embark on romantic escapades at sea. With lyrics and melody penned by Charles Fox and Paul Williams, the theme song added a resplendent chapter to Jones' illustrious career. Dionne Warwick took the reigns for the ninth season, but Jones' legacy endured.
In 2016, Jones reminisced to Las Vegas Magazine, "Because of The Love Boat theme, everything felt magical on ships thereafter. I spent six weeks each year aboard, residing in the best suite on the S.S. Norway. It was an exhilarating experience."
Jones released "The Love Boat Theme" as a standalone single in 1979, with a cover of Barry Manilow's "Ready to Take a Chance Again" featured on the flipside. The song became a staple of his concerts, though he never shied away from poking fun at his own fame. In Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), he donned a tuxedo and showcased his talents as a lounge singer, belting out the theme song. Furthermore, in Demolition Man (1993), as Sandra Bullock prepared for a virtual lovemaking session with Sylvester Stallone, she set the romantic ambiance by playing Jones' hit.
Renowned for his effortless charm and ladies' man demeanor on stage, Jones was married six times, with his most notable union being to actress Jill St. John, which lasted just over a year in the late 1960s. He also shared a romantic entanglement with actress Susan George.
In 1959, Jones secured his maiden recording contract with Capitol Records, which released his debut album, This Love of Mine. It featured his spirited rendition of Steve Allen's composition, "This Could Be the Start of Something Big." However, Capitol, aiming to mold him into a rockabilly singer, ultimately dropped him. Fortunately, Kapp Records picked him up, and he hit gold with "Lollipops and Roses," recorded during a brief two-week leave from the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The romantic ballad, penned by Tony Velona, perfectly suited Jones' velvety vocals. The single climbed to No. 12 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy in 1962 for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance and cementing his status as Frank Sinatra's worthy heir.
A year later, Jones tasted success with Sinatra's recording of "Call Me Irresponsible," which paved the way for him to garner another Grammy in 1964 for the tune "Wives and Lovers." This lively composition by Burt Bacharach and Hal David soared to the 14th spot on Billboard's Hot 100 and was nominated for Record of the Year, albeit losing to Henry Mancini's "Days of Wine and Roses." In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Jones revealed that Kapp had initially placed the song on the B-side of the single. "But disc jockeys flipped it over and played it regardless," he recounted. Over time, "Wives and Lovers" solidified its status as one of Jones's signature tunes. However, its lyrics, which essentially advised women to placate their husbands to ensure fidelity – "Don’t think because there’s a ring on your finger, you needn’t try anymore" – did not withstand the test of time. By the 1990s, there was a mounting demand to ban the song. In response to the backlash, Jones tweaked the lyrics to poke fun at men, yet he never deserted the melody. "Since it's a politically incorrect tune, I preface it with a disclaimer," he remarked. "I hear that women still call radio stations, furious that such a sexist song is being aired. It's now a part of history; it won a Grammy, and I meant no malice when I created it. It propelled my career, and I'm deeply grateful for that."
John Allan Jones, born on January 14, 1938, in Los Angeles, shared an intriguing anecdote about his birth. He claimed to have arrived on the same day his father recorded "Donkey Serenade" for RCA Victor. (His father had famously performed the song atop a horse for Jeanette MacDonald in the 1937 MGM musical, The Firefly.) Jones embarked on his recording journey as a teenager, crafting demos in pursuit of a singing career. By 1958, he was sharing the spotlight with his father at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. "I'm not sure if you've seen my video biography, but at its outset, there's a snapshot of a Las Vegas newspaper featuring my father, with me listed underneath in smaller print," Jones said. "I obtained that clip from a drummer friend who was assisting a guy in renovating a house. They discovered the newspaper buried under the floorboards, dating back to when my dad and I performed at the Thunderbird."
Bringing their journey to a poignant conclusion, they shared the stage once more in 1980, portraying a father-son duo in an episode of "The Love Boat." Jones recounted a storyline inspired by real life, reminiscing, "It was reportedly based on the experiences of Robert Alda and Alan Alda. They were meant to collaborate on something significant, but Alan had to pursue an opportunity that marked a significant breakthrough for him, leading to a gentle but definite divergence in their paths—perhaps less melodramatic than our portrayal on the show. The twist was that their wives cleverly orchestrated our reunion on the ship, hoping we might reconcile over heartfelt conversations."
On the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, Jones etched his name with nine top-10 singles, three of which ascended to the No. 1 spot: "The Race Is On" in 1965, "The Impossible Dream" in 1966, and "Lady" in 1967. His rendition of "The Impossible Dream," the anthemic tune from Broadway's "Man of La Mancha," garnered him another Grammy nomination, followed by another nod in 1998 for his album "Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett."
When filmmakers sought to evoke the serene, laid-back vibe of the 1960s, Jones was their preferred choice. His voice resonated through the soundtracks of "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987), "Goodfellas" (1990), "Reckless" (1995), "Duplex" (2003), "Bobby" (2006), and "American Hustle" (2013), where he also made a cameo appearance. "Lollipops and Roses" sweetly accompanied the closing credits of a 2008 episode of "Mad Men."
Besides his stepdaughter Nicole, Jones is survived by his wife, Eleonara, whom he married in 2009; his daughters, Crystal and Nicole; another stepdaughter, Colette; his grandchildren, Grace, Mercer, and Agnes; and his beloved poodle, Ivy. A Las Vegas icon for seven decades, he released over 50 albums during his illustrious career and kept performing with vigor well into his 80s.
"I strive for a song that elicits laughter or tears from the audience, one that makes a deeply moving impression," Jones shared. "Take John Sebastian's 'I Had a Dream,' for instance. The lyrics begin, 'I had a dream, I dreamed we were all, all right.' It's a beautiful, uplifting thought."
