Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer_
"She survived it all to become one of the world's great jazz singers"
This documentary explores the life of jazz singer Anita O'Day. As a child, Anita had a tonsillectomy, during which her uvula was accidentally removed. The surgery prevents her from singing vibrato and holding long notes, but lends to her much-revered percussive style. Anita overcomes her vocal hurdle, as well as many others -- including poverty, heroin addiction and jail time for a drug arrest -- to become one of the most prolific and respected jazz vocalists of the 20th century. Initial release: 30 April 2007
Starring
Anita O'Day, Buddy Bregman, Leonard Feather
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
No streaming data available yet.
Check availabilityDROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer was released 19 years ago in 2007.
Overview
This documentary explores the life of jazz singer Anita O'Day. As a child, Anita had a tonsillectomy, during which her uvula was accidentally removed. The su...
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer is a Documentary film with a runtime of 1h 30m.
CAST (10)
Anita O'Day
Herself
Buddy Bregman
Himself
LF
Leonard Feather
Himself
WF
Will Friedwald
Himself
Johnny Mandel
Himself
John Cameron Mitchell
Himself
Annie Ross
Herself
GW
George Wein
Himself
MW
Margaret Whiting
Herself
GW
Gerald Wilson
Himself
BOX OFFICE
$200K
Budget
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
90 min (1h 30m)
Rating
7.0/10 (2 votes)
Budget
$200,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer about?
This documentary explores the life of jazz singer Anita O'Day. As a child, Anita had a tonsillectomy, during which her uvula was accidentally removed. The surgery prevents her from singing vibrato and holding long notes, but lends to her much-revered percussive style. Anita overcomes her vocal hurdle, as well as many others -- including poverty, heroin addiction and jail time for a drug arrest -- to become one of the most prolific and respected jazz vocalists of the 20th century.
Initial release: 30 April 2007
How long is Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer?
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer has a runtime of 90 minutes (1h 30m).
Who stars in Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer?
The cast of Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer includes Anita O'Day, Buddy Bregman, Leonard Feather, Will Friedwald, Johnny Mandel.
What is the rating of Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer?
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer has a rating of 7.0 out of 10 based on 2 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Documentary