From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer". He was born in the Russian Empire (the part of which is now in Lithuania) and emigrated to America at the age of five with his Jewish parents.
His performing style was brash and extroverted, and he popularized a large number of songs that benefited from his "shamelessly sentimental, melodramatic approach". Numerous well-known singers were influenced by his music, including Bing Crosby Judy Garland, rock and country entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bob Dylan, who once referred to him as "somebody whose life I can feel". Broadway critic Gilbert Seldes compared him to "the Great God Pan," claiming that Jolson represented "the concentration of our national health and gaiety."
In the 1930s, he was America's most famous and highest paid entertainer. Between 1911 and 1928, Jolson had nine sell-out Winter Garden shows in a row, more than 80 hit records, and 16 national and international tours. Although he's best remembered today as the star in the first (full length) talking movie, The Jazz Singer in 1927, he later starred in a series of successful musical films throughout the 1930s. After a period of inactivity, his stardom returned with the 1946 Oscar-winning biographical film, The Jolson Story. Larry Parks played Jolson with the songs dubbed in with Jolson’s real voice. A sequel, Jolson Sings Again, was released in 1949, and was nominated for three Oscars. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jolson became the first star to entertain troops overseas during World War II, and again in 1950 became the first star to perform for G.I.s in Korea, doing 42 shows in 16 days. He died just weeks after returning to the U.S., partly due to the physical exertion of performing. Defense Secretary George Marshall afterward awarded the Medal of Merit to Jolson's family.
He enjoyed performing in blackface makeup – a theatrical convention since the mid-19th century. With his unique and dynamic style of singing black music, like jazz and blues, he was later credited with single-handedly introducing African-American music to white audiences. As early as 1911 he became known for fighting against anti-black discrimination on Broadway. Jolson's well-known theatrics and his promotion of equality on Broadway helped pave the way for many black performers, playwrights, and songwriters, including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Ethel Waters.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Al Jolson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0427231
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128532
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Filmography (Movies)
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:02/01/2025
Sunshine State
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/03/2022
The Real Charlie Chaplin
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:19/11/2021
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:02/09/2007
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:04/06/1990
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1984
Showbiz Goes to War
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:31/12/1982
Salsa
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:18/08/1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/08/1975
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:24/05/1961
Screen Snapshots: Memorial to Al Jolson
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:24/07/1952
Purple Heart Diary
Character:Al Jolson (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:12/11/1951
The Golden Twenties
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:08/04/1950
Jolson Sings Again
Character:Himself (singing voice) (uncredited)
Release Date:17/08/1949
The Jolson Story
Character:Singing Voice / Al Jolson (uncredited)
Release Date:10/10/1946
Okay for Sound
Character:
Release Date:07/09/1946
Rhapsody in Blue
Character:Al Jolson
Release Date:27/06/1945
Take It or Leave It
Character:(archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:17/07/1944
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Character:Self (segment 'The Jazz Singer') (archive footage)
Release Date:16/10/1943
Show-Business at War
Character:Self
Release Date:21/05/1943
Swanee River
Character:Edwin P. Christy
Release Date:29/12/1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
Character:Al Jolson
Release Date:13/10/1939
Rose of Washington Square
Character:Ted Cotter
Release Date:05/05/1939
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
Character:Al Jolson
Release Date:08/04/1939
Hollywood Handicap
Character:Himself
Release Date:28/05/1938
Screen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12
Character:Self (uncredited)
Release Date:13/08/1937
A Day at Santa Anita
Character:Al Jolson (uncredited)
Release Date:22/05/1937
The Singing Kid
Character:Al Jackson
Release Date:10/04/1936
Go Into Your Dance
Character:Al Howard
Release Date:20/04/1935
Studio Highlights
Character:Self
Release Date:01/08/1934
Wonder Bar
Character:Al Wonder
Release Date:31/03/1934
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
Character:Bumper
Release Date:03/02/1933
Big Boy
Character:Gus
Release Date:27/04/1930
Show Girl in Hollywood
Character:Al Jolsen
Release Date:20/04/1930
Mammy
Character:Al Fuller
Release Date:26/03/1930
New York Nights
Character:Al Jolson
Release Date:28/12/1929
Say It with Songs
Character:Joe Lane
Release Date:05/08/1929
The Singing Fool
Character:Al Stone
Release Date:29/09/1928
The Jazz Singer
Character:Jakie Rabinowitz
Release Date:06/10/1927
A Plantation Act
Character:Self
Release Date:07/10/1926
Television Appearances
Images
