|
|
AL JOLSON
|
Jolson’s Life & Career Details
| 1886(?) |
Born in Srednik, Lithuania |
| 1894 |
Emigrated with family to Washington, USA |
| 1895 |
Mother, Naomi, dies (sister, Rose, takes over maternal duties) |
| 1898 -1907 |
Learns and polishes his craft in Burlesque Houses and Vaudeville |
| 1908 -1909 |
A leading performer in Dockstader’s Minstrels |
Broadway Shows
| 1911 - 1912 |
Appeared in his first Broadway show, ‘La Belle
Paree’, quickly followed by ‘Vera Violetta’ and ‘The Whirl of Society’ |
| 1913 |
‘The Honeymoon Express’ |
| 1914 |
‘Dancing Around’ |
| 1916 |
‘Robinson Crusoe, Jr.’ |
| 1918 |
‘Sinbad’ |
| 1921 |
‘Bombo’ |
| 1925 |
‘Big Boy’ |
| 1931 |
‘Wonder Bar’ |
| 1940 |
‘Hold On to Your Hats’ |
Films
| 1926 |
‘A Plantation Act’ (one
reeler) |
| 1927 |
‘The Jazz Singer’ |
| 1928 |
‘The Singing Fool’ |
| 1929 |
‘Say It With Songs’ |
| 1930 |
‘Mammy’ |
|
‘Big Boy' |
| 1933 |
‘Hallelujah, I’m a Bum’ (‘Hallelujah, I’m a Tramp’ in England!) |
| 1934 |
‘Wonder Bar’ |
| 1935 |
‘Go Into Your Dance’ |
| 1936 |
‘The Singing Kid’ |
| 1939 |
‘Rose of Washington Square’ |
|
‘Swanee River’ |
|
‘Hollywood Cavalcade’ (cameo appearance) |
| 1945 |
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ (cameo appearance) |
| 1946 |
‘The Jolson Story’ |
| 1949 |
‘Jolson Sings Again’ |
Radio Shows
| 1932 – 1933 |
‘Presenting Al Jolson’ (Chevrolet) NBC - 19 broadcasts |
| 1933 – 1934 |
‘Kraft Music Hall’ NBC - 26 broadcasts |
| 1935 – 1936 |
‘Shell Chateau’ (1 hour) NBC - 39 broadcasts |
| 1936 – 1939 |
‘Cafe Trocadero’ - (The Lifebuoy Show) CBS - 99 broadcasts |
| 1942 – 1943 |
‘Al Jolson’ - (The Colgate Show) CBS - 39 broadcasts |
| 1947 – 1949 |
‘Kraft Music Hall’ NBC – 71 broadcasts |
Jolson was a guest on numerous radio programmes and starred in a number of dramatic roles.
Recordings
Jolson’s first record contract, with RCA Victor Records, was signed in 1911. He remained a recording artiste throughout his career; at the time of his death, in 1950, he was under contract to Decca Records
Marriages
Jolson was married four times:
| 1907 – 1920 |
Henrietta Keller |
| 1922 – 1926 |
Ethel Delmar (Alma Osborne) |
| 1928 – 1940 |
Ruby Keeler (Ethel Hilda Keeler) |
| 1945 – 1950 |
Erle Galbraith |
Al Jolson died on 23rd October 1950 in the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, on the eve of a scheduled guest appearance on Bing Crosby’s radio programme.
A
number of shows based on Jolson’s life and career have since been
staged, most notably Jolson; The Musical, starring Brian Conley.
This show ran from October 1995 to March 1997 at the Victoria
Palace in London, and won the Laurence Olivier American Express Award for the Best Musical in 1996.
The show subsequently toured successfully in Australia, Canada and
America.
In
2009 another show, Jolson & Company, toured the UK after a successful run in
New York.
Allan
Stewart, who had understudied Brian Conley in the 1995-1997 show,
starred in this production.
|
Books (Biographies, etc.)
A number of books about the life and career of Al Jolson have been published, including:
| Mistah Jolson |
Harry Jolson (Al’s older brother) |
| The Immortal Al
Jolson |
Pearl Sieben (1962) |
| Jolsonography |
Dave Wigransky (1969) |
| Al Jolson |
Michael Freedland (1972 and subsequent reprints) |
| Sonny Boy |
Barrie Anderton (1975) |
| You Ain’t Heard
Nothin’ Yet |
Robert Oberfirst (1980) |
| The Al Jolson
Discography |
Larry Kiner (1983) |
| Blackface to
Blacklist |
Doug McClelland (1987) |
| Jolson |
Herbert Goldman (1988) |
| When Jolson Was
King |
Richard Grudens (2006) |
Songwriting Credits
Al Jolson’s name appears as collaborator in the writing of many songs, including:
“There’s a Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulders”,
“Back In Your Own Backyard”,
“Avalon”,
“Me & My Shadow”,
“California, Here I Come”,
“Anniversary Song”,
“Sonny Boy”,
“Keep Smiling at Trouble”,
“All My Love”, and “You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet”
This
picture and article compiled and reproduced by kind permission of Reg Reeve,
UK Publicity Director & Honorary Member of
The International Al Jolson
Society,
Al Jolson - The First
Superstar
Hollywood
Musicals
Copyright © 2000-2020
Hints and Things
All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this site may be reproduced or redistributed without prior written
permission from Hints and Things. All trademarks & copyrights throughout
Hints and Things remain the property of their respective owners.
Hints and Things cannot be held
responsible for any information given on this site nor do they necessarily agree
with, or endorse, the views given by third parties.
|
