While paying a longoverdue visit to a dying friend in the hospital, the narrator muses about her shame and guilt in neglecting a friend in need. The very best of al jolson is a compilation album of the work of al jolson released in 1977 by hammard records australia, under licence from mca records catalogue number ham023 track list. The soundtrack album on decca, released in 1947, was the first of its kind for a film. His cinema career revitalized his flagging popularity in the late 1920s, just as the al jolson story brought him back into the limelight 20 years later. Al jolson, celebrated star of the worlds first talking picture and selfpr. For the first time, mcclelland tells the story of how these films were made. Some details were verified by reading harry jolsons book, mistah jolson, michael freedlands book jolson, the story of al jolson, and doug mcclellands rare blackface to blacklist, written about the jolson story and larry parks problems with the house unamerican. Though associated with al jolson, who performed the song very successfully, my mammy was performed first in 1918 by william frawley later to become famous on i love lucy as a vaudeville act. Some details were verified by reading harry jolsons book, mistah jolson, michael freedlands book jolson, the story of al jolson, and doug mcclellands rare blackface to blacklist, written about the jolson story and larry parks problems with the house unamerican activities committee. Probably because it was one of the first they read. Al jolson the jolson story rainbow round my shoulder brunswick lat 8521. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions.
He was dubbed the worlds greatest entertainer at the peak of his career. Jolson was americas most famous and highest paid entertainer in the 1930s. This book has 53 pages and was uploaded by othereric on january 21, 2011. Michael freedland al jolson, star of the worlds first talking picture and selfproclaimed worlds greatest entertainer, blazed many trails through show business and today his name still conjures up the glamour. The author,while giving a nice over view,doesnt go into the detail on various incidents in his career that other books do. Recordings present the worlds greatest entertainer. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. The 1946 musical biography the jolson story comes to dvd from columbia tristar home entertainment. In the jolson story movies, i spotted the real jolson doing swanee. The commercial success of his life story movie led to a sequel. Jolie the real al jolson story by charles fisher nook book. Have a look at some of the works that have seen print, many of which you can still acquire for your very own.
For example,the author mentions the feud between winchell and jolie. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. With larry parks, evelyn keyes, william demarest, bill goodwin. The jolson story is a 1946 american technicolor musical biography film which purports to tell the life story of singer al jolson. This movie shows the idealized career of the singer al jolson, a little jewish boy who goes against the will of his father in order to be in showbiz. Goldman spent alot of time to get the facts of jolson life right. But the funny thing is, al jolson himself didnt much approve of larry parks for the role, even though parks eventually won an academy award nomination for his performance.
Goldmans book beats this one,not only for the detail,but for the radioography,discography and filmography at the end of it. After spending six months of my life on a film called the jolson story, what. Francis essex and rob bettinsons book does not flinch from showing the more monstrous side of jolson s personality, and theres some sharp dialogue, but in the end it knows it is an irrelevance and fades away into a medley of jolson s hits from swanee. Francis essex and rob bettinsons new musical jolson in london starring brian conley. It is the first featurelength motion picture with not only a synchronized recorded music score but also lipsynchronous singing and speech in several isolated sequences. Jolie the real al jolson story by charles fisher overdrive. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. With al jolson, betty bronson, josephine dunn, arthur housman. Al jolson 18861950 was a vaudeville, theater, and radio singing performer and a film actor. Aug 18, 2012 the real al jolson story south bank show pt. Al jolson biography life, family, children, story, death, mother, son. Biographies about al jolson, book versions of jolson movies, and books about jolson s influence on show business have been published over the last 75 years. This lead to many guest appearances on the radio, as well as a starring role on a nbc radio program called the kraft music hall, which ran from october 1947 to may 1949. Although the book is really the story of the authors life and adventures, he takes the opportunity to tell plenty of stories and start a few legends about the man we call the worlds greatest entertainer.
This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Jolson s life story was made into film in 1947, the jolson story in which he sang his own songs. Al jolson, larry parks and the jolson story by doug mcclelland a copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. Al jolson died in san francisco last night too late to hit the headlines of the morning papers, but in the evening papers today he swept everything before him, including president truman at the. The al jolson story by michael freedland a readable copy. Al jolson the jolson story you made me love you discogs. Presented with a fullframe transfer in the original technicolor. Jolson the story of al jolson, by michael freedland, vallentine mitchell, 2007. Over 100 years after jolsons birth, 1995 sees his story, jolson. Al jolson died in san francisco last night too late to hit the headlines of the morning papers, but in the evening papers he swept everything before him, including president truman at the. Though legendary entertainer al jolson was a highlyvisible presence on the uso circuit during wwii, he was generally regarded as a relic of an earlier time. Al jolson asa yoelson was born on may 6, 1886, in srednike, lithuania. Musical jolson in london starring brian conley theatre. It stars larry parks as jolson, evelyn keyes as julie benson approximating jolson s wife.
I have almost completed reading the jolson book, it is one of those books you put down and pick up again, it is fantastic. This website is dedicated to the man who was known as the worlds greatest entertainer, a superstar before the word was coined, and whose musical heritage created much of the entertainment industry we know today. Al jolson, star of the worlds first talking picture and selfproclaimed worlds greatest entertainer, blazed many trails through show business. With text, photos, music and more, here is the source to learn about al jolson, the. Al jolson story by michael freedland online at alibris. Goldmans book beats this one,not only for the detail,but for the radioography. Jolson sang and acted in the first full length talking movie, the jazz singer in 1927. The book that made vaudeville famous, available at amazon, barnes and noble, and wherever brassy books are sold. Amy hempels in the cemetery where al jolsen is buried is a moving story of a woman living through the death of her best friend from a terminal illness. One of the greatest musicals ever made, the jolson story is an electrifying cavalcade of lavish production numbers with an allstar cast. He becomes a star, falls in love with a nonjewish dancer, and marries her. His performing style was brash and extroverted, and he popularized many songs that benefited from his shamelessly sentimental, melodramatic approach.
The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. Mar 01, 2007 this book is ok, it tells alot about al but i have bought three books on al jolson, the other two are when jolson was king by richard grudens and the legend comes to life by herbert g. Al jolson was a lithuanianamerican singer, comedian, and actor. The book includes jolson s love affair with his audience, his three marriages, his ego and his personal life, along with many anecdotes and reminiscences from those who knew, loved and worked with him. Some details were verified by reading harry jolson s book, mistah jolson, michael freedlands book jolson, the story of al jolson, and doug mcclellands rare blackface to blacklist, written about the jolson story and larry parks problems with the house unamerican. This book is ok, it tells alot about al but i have bought three books on al jolson, the other two are when jolson was king by richard grudens and the legend comes to life by herbert. Jolson s family came to the united states in 1894, settling in washington, d.
Al jolson asa yoelson was born on may 26, 1886, in srednike, lithuania. The anniversary song al jolson larry parks the jolson. It is the official position of this blog that caucasiansinblackface is never okay. The jazz singer is a 1927 american musical drama film directed by alan crosland. This is the eighth edition of this biography a published as a result of a clamour from jolson fans to still be able to read about this remarkable performer. Pearl siebens first and best biography of the worlds greatest entertainer. He starred in many other musical movies in the 1930s. Al jolson was known in the industry as the worlds greatest entertainer, for well over 40 years. The book includes jolsons love affair with his audience, his three marriages, his ego and his personal life, along with many anecdotes and reminiscences from those who knew, loved and worked with him. The jolson story news newspapers books scholar jstor october 2017 learn how and when to remove this template message. The living voice of al jolson clive baldwin and rudy wissler together in sanfrancisco 1999 duration. Al jolson simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. When i feel down or cant sleep, i listen to jolson and feel soothed and relaxed.
Al jolson, horoscope for birth date 7 june 1886, born in. Al jolson, celebrated star of the worlds first talking picture and selfproclaimed worlds greatest entertainer, blazed many trails through show business and today his name still conjures up the glamour of broadway and the silver screen. Subsequently, in the anticommunist climate of 1951 america, larry parkss career was. Biographies about al jolson, book versions of jolson movies, and books about jolsons influence on show business have been published over the last 75 years. In the cemetery where al jolsen is buried by amy hempel. He starred in the first allsound movie, the jazz singer. This is the definitive biography of a man who became a household name in his own lifetime. The life of al jolson or better still his jolsonographyfor a more complete overall picture. Jolson was married four times, his third wife was ruby keeler. When i am driving and get tired i put in a jolson disk, and perk right up. Over 100 years after jolson s birth, 1995 sees his story, jolson. The jolson story introduced the talents of al jolson to a new generation. Several factors in jolson s youth were to influence his career, including his religious jewish upbringing, the. Its a nicely written and easy to read book, but to get a complete picture of jolson get goldmans jolson.
This book has often been the one,quoted by many a jolson fan,as the best. After his death his influence continued unabated with such performers as sammy davis jr. The jolson story is a 1946 american technicolor musical biography film which purports to tell. A great fan of al jolson, with both radio and television projects promoting jolies legacy, freedland brings a warmth and affection to his work that helps captivate the new reader as well as the old fan. Al jolson, byname of asa yoelson, born may 26, 1886, srednike, russia now seredzius, lithuaniadied october 23, 1950, san francisco, california, u. Several factors in jolson s youth influenced his career, including his religious jewish upbringing, the death of his mother when he was ten, and his fathers work as a cantor a singer of. The jolson story, a landmark hollywood musical biography, brought hasbeen blackface singer al jolson one of show business great comebacks, made a star of larry parks, the young b movie actor who played him, and spawned a sequel. This book is ok, it tells alot about al but i have bought three books on al jolson, the other two are when jolson was king by richard grudens and the legend comes to life by herbert g. The musical, return the musical is based on this biography.
Al jolson, celebrated star of the worldas first atalking picturea and selfproclaimed worldas greatest entertainer, blazed many trails through show business a and today his name still conjures up the glamour of broadway and the silver screen. The jolson story is a 1946 musical biography which purports to tell the life story of singer al jolson. His unique singing style and personal magnetism established an immediate rapport with audiences. Al jolson made his first alltalking picture, the singing fool 1928, the story of an ambitious. The prose is beautifully written and very moving, and very skillfully shows the emotions she is going through without sappy sentimentality. Winning academy awards for musical scoring and sound recording, the film also received four academy award nominations in 1946, including best actor for larry parks. It stars larry parks as jolson, evelyn keyes as julie benson approximating jolson s wife, ruby keeler, william demarest as his manager, ludwig donath and tamara shayne as his parents, and scotty beckett as the young jolson. The al jolson story 9780491030847 by freedland, michael and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The main character in in the cemetery where al jolson is buried is the unnamed narrator who relates the story in first person. Jolson s family immigrated to the united states in 1894.
Saul bornstein, the general manager in early 1921 for irving berlin music publishing. Its release heralded the commercial ascendance of sound films and ended the silent film era. It hardly came as a big surprise that al jolsons life had been, shall we. Jolson regained some popularity when singing for the troops in ww ii, finding a new generation of admirers. A singing waiter and composer al jolson loves two women betty bronson, josephine dunn, conquers broadway and holds his dying son, singing sonny boy.
A movie about jolson s life, the jolson story, won oscars in 1946. The story of al jolson by michael freedland goodreads. The somewhat fictional biography that follows in a work crafted from much study and research. Our team aims to provide customers with good value for money, a fast delivery service, but most of all with clean books that they. Al jolson was the greatest entertainer the world had ever seen. Al jolson biography life, family, children, story, death. My mammy is an american popular song with music by walter donaldson and lyrics by joe young and sam m. To find out more about al jolson and the history of vaudeville, please avail yourself of no applause, just throw money. See all 10 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. They are all worth reading but the best one is the legend comes to life. Clearly, this book belongs in the collection of all of us.
Thats harry jolson, not al, kneeling on one knee on the cover of mistah jolson, a 1951 autobiography written by al jolsons brother, harry. It stars larry parks as jolson, evelyn keyes as julie benson approximating jolson s wife, ruby keeler, william demarest as his manager, ludwig donath and tamara shayne as his parents, and scotty beckett as the young jolson the columbia pictures production was. The life of al jolsonor better still his jolsonographyfor a more complete overall picture. Thats harry jolson, not al, kneeling on one knee on the cover of mistah jolson, a 1951 autobiography written by al jolson s brother, harry. The album consisted of six twosided 78s of many of al jolson standards, all rerecorded y jolson himself, each in a sleeve, like pages in a book. I was so taken aback that i couldnt put the damned book down and soon. Al jolson the jolson story among my souvenirs discogs.