Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was an acclaimed American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1911 until his death in 1950. He was one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century whose influence extended to other popular performers, including Bing Crosby and Eddie Fisher. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... John the Baptist church in Seredžius Seredžius (Polish: ) is a town by Neman River in Lithuania. ... Anthem God Save the Tsar! The Russian Empire in 1914 Capital Saint Petersburg Language(s) Russian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1721-1725 Peter the Great (first)  - 1894-1917 Nicholas II (last) History  - Established 22 October, 1721  - February Revolution 2 March, 1917 Area  - 1897 22,400,000 km2 8,648,688 sq... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The term pop standards refers to an American songwriting, arranging, and singing style that is widely considered as the high point of Western vocal popular music. ... Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States around the start of the 20th century. ... For popular music (music produced commercially rather than art or folk music), see Popular music. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Brunswick Records logo Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Eddie Fisher (born August 10, 1928) is an American singer and entertainer. ...

Early life and career

Asa Yoelson was born in Seredzius, Lithuania. In his early childhood, his Jewish parents, Moshe Reuben Yoelson and Naomi Ettas Cantor, emigrated to the United States. The family name originally had been Hesselson. Al's father became the Rabbi of the Talmud Torah Synagogue (now Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah), in Washington, D.C. John the Baptist church in Seredžius Seredžius (Polish: ) is a town by Neman River in Lithuania. ... Lithuanian Jews (known in Yiddish and Haredi English as Litvish (adjective) or Litvaks (noun)) are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in Lita, a region including not only present-day Lithuania but also Latvia, much of Belarus and the northeastern SuwaÅ‚ki region of Poland. ... Rabbi, in Judaism, means ‘teacher’, or more literally ‘great one’. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root word , rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ or ‘distinguished (in knowledge)’. Sephardic and Yemenite Jews pronounce this word ribbÄ«; the modern Israeli pronunciation rabbÄ« is derived from a recent (18th... A synagogue (from Ancient Greek: , transliterated synagogÄ“, assembly; Hebrew: beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: , shul; Ladino: , esnoga) is a Jewish place of religious worship. ... Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah is the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Washington, D.C. in the United States. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack...

Young Asa became a popular singer in New York City, beginning as early as 1898, when he and his brother entertained troops during the Spanish American War. Adopting the stage name Al Jolson, he gradually developed the key elements of his performance: blackface makeup; exuberant gestures; operatic-style singing; whistling; and directly addressing his audience. New York, NY redirects here. ... The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... This article is about opera as an art form. ... Whistling is the production of sound by means of a constant breath of air from the mouth. ...

By 1911, he had parlayed a supporting appearance in the Broadway musical, La Belle Paree, into a starring role. He began recording and was soon internationally famous for his extraordinary stage presence and personal rapport with audiences. His Broadway career is unmatched for its length and popularity, spanning close to thirty years (1911–1940). Audiences shouted, pleaded, and often would not allow the show to proceed; such was the power of Jolson's presence. At one performance in Boston, the usually staid and conservative audience stopped the show for 45 minutes. He was said to have had an "electric" personality, along with the ability to make each member of the audience believe that he was singing only for them. Broadway theatre[1] is the most prestigious form of professional theatre in the U.S., as well as the most well known to the general public and most lucrative for the performers, technicians and others involved in putting on the shows. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ...

Among the many songs he popularized were "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)", "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody", "Swanee" (songwriter George Gershwin's first success), "April Showers", "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye", "California, Here I Come", "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along", "Sonny Boy", and "Avalon". You Made Me Love You (I Didnt Want to Do It) is a popular song. ... Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody is a popular song. ... Swanee may refer to: Swanee, a song by George Gershwin and popularized by Al Jolson Swanee River, another name for Suwanee River Sewanee Suwanee Category: ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... April Showers is a popular song. ... California, Here I Come was written in 1924 by Bud De Sylva and Joseph Meyer. ... Basic Information Sonny Boy is a 1928 Al Jolson film. ... The Last Sleep of Arthur by Sir Edward Burne-Jones Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. ...

Jolson was the first music artist to sell over ten million records. While no official Billboard magazine chart existed during his career, its staff archivist Joel Whitburn used a variety of sources, such as Talking Machine World's list of top-selling recordings and Billboard's own sheet music and vaudeville charts, to estimate the hits of 1890-1954. By his reckoning, Jolson had the equivalent of twenty-three No. 1 hits, the fourth-highest total ever, trailing only Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, and Guy Lombardo. Whitburn calculates that Jolson would have topped one chart or another for 114 weeks. Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ... Joel Carver Whitburn (born November 29, 1939 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin) is an American author and music historian. ... Sheet music is written representation of music. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... 1928 Columbia Records label with caricature of Paul Whiteman Paul Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was a popular american orchestral leader. ... Guy Lombardo, photographed by William P. Gottlieb, 1947 Gaetano Alberto Guy Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was a Canadian bandleader and violinist. ...

Movies

Al Jolson is best known today for his appearance in one of the first "talkies", The Jazz Singer, the first feature film with sound to enjoy wide commercial success. The film was produced in 1927 by Warner Brothers, using its revolutionary Vitaphone sound process. Much of the film is silent, with song sequences appearing only occasionally, but Jolson's dynamic voice captured the moviegoers' attention. Jolson's singing should not be considered as jazz, as his style remained forever rooted in the vaudeville stage at the turn of 20th century. His song hit in The Jazz Singer was "My Mammy," sung persuasively by Jolson in blackface. His performance was so galvanizing that it became a pop-culture legend, often quoted and imitated. A sound film (or talkie) is a motion picture with synchronized sound, as opposed to a silent movie. ... The Jazz Singer (1927) is a U.S. movie musical and the first feature-length motion picture with talking sequences. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... Warner Bros. ... The Warner Brothers Vitaphone logo. ... Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States around the start of the 20th century. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Jazz Singer is a 1927 U.S. movie musical notable for being the first feature-length motion picture with talking sequences. ...

Al Jolson wearing blackface and white gloves in The Jazz Singer, 1927

Signing with Warners for a series, Jolson made The Singing Fool (1928) — the story of a driven entertainer who insisted upon going on with the show even as his small son lay dying, and its signature tune, "Sonny Boy", became the first American record to sell three million copies. Jolson continued to make features for Warners, cut from the same stencil as The Singing Fool. The sameness of the stories, Jolson's large salary, and changing public tastes in musicals contributed to the films' diminishing returns over the next few years. Warners actually allowed him to make one film elsewhere: Hallelujah, I'm a Bum was released by United Artists in 1933. Screen shot from the 1927 movie The Jazz Singer. ... Screen shot from the 1927 movie The Jazz Singer. ... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... The Jazz Singer (1927) is a U.S. movie musical and the first feature-length motion picture with talking sequences. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ...

Returning to Warners, Jolson submitted to new production ideas, focusing less on the star and more on elaborately cinematic numbers staged by Busby Berkeley and Bobby Connolly. This new approach worked, sustaining Jolson's movie career until the Warner contract lapsed in 1935. Jolson co-starred with his actress-dancer wife, Ruby Keeler, only once, in Go Into Your Dance. Kaleidoscopic Choreography from Footlight Parade, 1933 Busby Berkeley (November 29, 1895 – March 14, 1976), born William Berkeley Enos in Los Angeles, California, was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. ... Ruby Keeler Ruby Keeler, born Ethel Hilda Keeler, (August 25, 1909 - February 28, 1993), was an actress, singer, and dancer. ...

Jolson's last Warner vehicle demonstrated how his star status had slipped: The Singing Kid ostensibly referred to Jolson but applied equally well to child star Sybil Jason, whose name was actually listed first in the advertising materials. Significantly, Jolson did not receive star billing, and Warners released the film under its less prestigious First National trademark.

Jolson did not return to films until 1939, when Twentieth Century-Fox hired him to re-create a scene from The Jazz Singer in the Alice Faye-Don Ameche film Hollywood Cavalcade. Guest appearances in two more Fox films followed that same year, but Jolson never starred in a full-length feature film again. Related articles FOX Television Network Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Entertainment Group List of Hollywood movie studios List of movies Variant of current 20th Century Fox logo External links 20th Century Fox Movies official site Twentieth Century Fox is also the punning title of a song by The Doors on their... Alice Faye, from her official Website, http://www. ... Dominic Felix Ameche (May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor. ...

Radio

After leaving the Broadway stage, Jolson starred on radio. The Al Jolson Show aired 1933-1939, 1942-1943 and 1947-1949. These programs were typically rated in the top ten. In 1950, Jolson signed with CBS Television, but died in October of that year before any broadcasts could be initiated.

Personal life

Jolson was a political and economic conservative, supporting Calvin Coolidge for President of the United States in 1924 (with the ditty "Keep Cool with Coolidge"), unlike most other Jewish performers, who supported the losing Democratic candidate, John William Davis. John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. ... The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... This article does not adequately cite its references. ... John William Davis (April 13, 1873 — March 24, 1955) was an American politician. ...

Jolson was married to Ruby Keeler from 1928 to 1939, when they divorced. The couple had adopted a son, Al Jolson Jr., during their marriage, but when he was fourteen, the boy changed his name to Peter Lowe after his mother's second husband, John Lowe. Ruby Keeler Ruby Keeler, born Ethel Hilda Keeler, (August 25, 1909 - February 28, 1993), was an actress, singer, and dancer. ...

A lifelong devotion to entertaining American servicemen (he first sang for servicemen of the Spanish-American War as a boy in Washington, D.C.) led Jolson to entertain American troops during World War Ii, and again (against the advice of his doctors) in Korea. Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (only 432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... Korea (Korean: 한국 or ì¡°ì„ , see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ...

The Jolson Story

After the success of the George M. Cohan film biography Yankee Doodle Dandy, Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky believed that a similar film could made about Al Jolson -- and he knew just where to pitch the project. Harry Cohn, the head of Columbia Pictures, may have seemed to a lot of people in Hollywood like a crude, loud vulgarian, but he had one soft spot: he loved the music of Al Jolson. George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3 or July 4, 1878 – November 5, 1942) was a United States entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, director, and producer of Irish descent. ... Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 biographical film about George M. Cohan, starring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf, Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney. ... Harry Cohn (July 23, 1891–February 27, 1958), sometimes nicknamed King Cohn, was president and production director of Columbia Pictures. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Skolsky pitched the idea of an Al Jolson biopic and Cohn agreed to it. Directed by Alfred E. Green (best known today for the pre-Code masterpiece Baby Face,) with musical numbers staged by the imaginative Joseph H. Lewis, The Jolson Story is one of the most entertaining of the musical biopics of that era -- an era that included Yankee Doodle Dandy, Till the Clouds Roll By, Words and Music, and Three Little Words. Baby Face is controversial sexually-charged film released in 1933. ... Joseph H. Lewis (April 6, 1907–August 30, 2000), a B-movie director with a sense of style, always strove for excellence, no matter how cheap the film. ... Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 biographical film about George M. Cohan, starring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf, Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney. ... Till The Clouds Roll By is an American musical-biographical film released by MGM in 1946. ... Words And Music is an album recorded by Paul Kelly and originally released in 1998. ... Three Little Words (MGM) is a 1950 Hollywood musical film biography of the Tin Pan Alley songwriting partnership of Kalmar and Ruby and stars Fred Astaire as lyricist Bert Kalmar, Red Skelton as composer Harry Ruby, along with Vera-Ellen, Debbie Reynolds and Arlene Dahl. ...

With Jolson providing almost all the vocals, and actor Larry Parks playing Jolson, The Jolson Story (1946) became one of the biggest hits of the year. Parks received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and the film became one of the highest grossing films of the year. Although Jolson was too old to play himself in the film, he persuaded the studio to let him appear in one musical sequence, shot entirely in long shot, with Jolson in blackface. Larry Parks (December 13, 1914 - April 13, 1975) was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses during the era of McCarthyism. ... The Jolson Story is a 1946 autobiographical film which tells the life story of singer and actor Al Jolson. ... See also: 1945 in film 1946 1947 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Bells of St. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

The Jolson Story and its sequel Jolson Sings Again (1949) led to a whole new generation who became enthralled with Jolson's voice and charisma. Jolson, who had been a popular guest star on radio since its earliest days, now had his own show, hosting the Kraft Music Hall from 1947-1949, with Oscar Levant as a sardonic piano-playing sidekick. Despite such singers as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como being in their primes, Jolson was voted the "Most Popular Male Vocalist" in 1948 by a poll in the show biz newspaper Variety. The next year, Jolson was named "Personality of the Year" by the Variety Clubs of America. When Jolson appeared on Bing Crosby's radio show, he attributed his receiving the award to his being the only singer not to make a record of Mule Train, which had been a widely covered hit of that year (four different versions, one of them by Crosby, had made the top ten on the charts). Jolson even joked that he had tried to sing the hit song: "I got the clippetys all right, but I can't clop like I used to." Jolson Sings Again is the 1949 film sequel to The Jolson Story, both of which cover the life of singer Al Jolson. ... See also: 1948 in film 1949 1950 in film 1940s in film 1950s in film years in film film Events Top grossing films North America Adams Rib Jolson Sings Again Pinky I Was a Male War Bride, The Snake Pit, Joan of Arc Academy Awards Best Picture: All the... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Oscar Levant (December 27, 1906 - August 14, 1972) was an American pianist, composer, author, comedian, and an actor, better known for his mordant character and witticisms, on the radio and in movies and television, than his music. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was a jazz oriented popular singer and Academy Award-winning actor. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Pierino Ronaldo Perry Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian American crooner during the latter half of the 20th century. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... Variety, the Childrens Charity was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1927 when a group of 11 men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the Variety Club. On Christmas Eve 1928 a small baby was left on the steps of a movie... Mule Train is a popular song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, and Fred Glickman. ...

Bugs does the blackface in Any Bonds Today?

Jolson's legacy is considered by many to be severely neglected today because of his use of stage blackface. The make-up had roots in minstrel shows (where Jolson got his start, though it should be noted he was never considered a minstrel performer) and is today viewed by many as racially insensitive. It can also be disputed that Jolson wore blackface to act as if he was in fact an African-American singer. Jolson was billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer", which is how many of the greatest stars (including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, Rod Stewart, and Jackie Wilson) referred to him. Charles Chaplin wrote in his autobiography that Jolson was one of the most electrifying entertainers he had ever seen. Image File history File links Anybondstodaybugsblackface. ... Image File history File links Anybondstodaybugsblackface. ... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... FUCK YOU BITCHES ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was a jazz oriented popular singer and Academy Award-winning actor. ... Superscript text Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an Oscar-nominated American film actress, considered by many to be one of the greatest singing stars of Hollywoods Golden Era of musical film, best known for her role as Dorothy Gale from The... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Sir Michael Phillip Mick Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English rock musician, actor, songwriter, record and film producer and businessman. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Roderick David Stewart, CBE (born January 10, 1945), is a Scottish / English singer born and raised in London. ... Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Jackie Wilson (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American soul and R&B singer born in Detroit, Michigan. ... For the Jamaican musician named Charlie Chaplin, see Charlie Chaplin (singer). ...

Death

This US stamp featuring Al Jolson was part of a series of stamps devoted to great singers

While playing cards, Jolson collapsed and died of a massive heart attack on October 23, 1950; his last words were said to be "Boys, I'm going." At time of his death, he was staying at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Jolson was 64. He was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California, where a statue of Jolson beckons visitors to his crypt. His grave is extraordinarily ostentatious, even by Hollywood standards. On the day he died, Broadway lowered its lights for ten minutes in Jolson's honor. Image File history File links JolsonStamp. ... Image File history File links JolsonStamp. ... Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... The Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. ... Motto: The Heart of Screenland Location of Culver City in California Coordinates: Country United States of America State California County Los Angeles Incorporated (city) 1917-09-07 [2] Government  - City Manager Jerry Fulwood [1] Area  - City  5. ...

Al Jolson has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: A band plays on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ...

1. For his contribution to the motion picture industry at 6622 Hollywood Blvd.;
2. For his contribution to the recording industry at 1716 Vine St.;
3. For his contribution to the radio industry at 6750 Hollywood Blvd.

Al Jolson Way in New York City

Forty-four years after Jolson's death, the United States Postal Service acknowledged his contribution by issuing a postage stamp in his honor. The 29-cent stamp was unveiled by Erle Jolson Krasna, Jolson's fourth wife, at a ceremony in New York City's Lincoln Center on September 1, 1994. This stamp was one of a series honoring popular American singers, which included Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Ethel Merman, and Ethel Waters. Image File history File linksMetadata Jolson_Way. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Jolson_Way. ... New York, NY redirects here. ... New York, NY redirects here. ... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was a popular American singer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. ... Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was a Tony Award winning star of stage and film musicals, well known for her powerful voice and vocal range. ... Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an Oscar-nominated American blues vocalist and actress. ...

Trivia

• Jolson was the focus of the highly successful, award-winning West End production Jolson The Musical.
• Al Jolson is one of Mr. Burns' (from The Simpsons) favorite actors. Burns believes that Jolson is still alive.
• A song that Jolson helped make famous, "I'm Sitting on Top of the World", was played during the opening montage of 1930s New York City in the 2005 remake of King Kong and during the closing sequence of the 1995 U.S. - U.K. film Richard III.
• In August 2006, Al Jolson had a street in New York named in his honor after nine years of attempts by the international Al Jolson Society [1].
• Al Jolson is mentioned in Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World.
• Jolson ad-libbed his best-known catchphrase, "You ain't heard nothing yet!", in The Jazz Singer. It is also the name of a song he co-wrote earlier.
• Charles Chaplin wanted Jolson to record "This is My Song" from his film The Countess from Hong Kong. It wasn't until he was shown a photo of his grave that he was convinced Jolson had died and he offered the tune to his neighbor Petula Clark instead.

// West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland . Along with New Yorks Broadway Theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of theatre in the... Mr. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Im Sitting On Top Of The World was a #1 hit in 1926 by Al Jolson. ... It has been suggested that Kong references in King Kong (2005 film) be merged into this article or section. ... Richard III is a 1995 film adaptation of William Shakespeares play Richard III, starring Sir Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey Jr. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ... The Jazz Singer (1927) is a U.S. movie musical and the first feature-length motion picture with talking sequences. ... For the Jamaican musician named Charlie Chaplin, see Charlie Chaplin (singer). ... This Is My Song is the name of at least two popular songs: This Is My Song, a song written (in 1950, but not published until the following year by Dick Charles (a pseudonym of Richard Charles Krieg), and popularized in 1953 by Patti Page This Is My Song, a... Petula Clark, CBE (born November 15, 1932), is a British singer, actress and composer of Welsh and English parentage, best known for her upbeat popular international hits of the 1960s. ...

Movies

• Mammy's Boy (1923) (unfinished)
• A Plantation Act (1926)
• The Jazz Singer (1927)
• The Singing Fool (1928)
• Hollywood Snapshots No. 11 (1929) (short subject)
• Sonny Boy (1929) (Cameo)
• Say It with Songs (1929)
• New York Nights (1929) (Cameo)
• Mammy (1930)
• Show Girl in Hollywood (1930) (Cameo)
• Big Boy (1930)
• Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933)
• Wonder Bar (1934)
• Go Into Your Dance (1935)
• Paramount Headliner: Broadway Highlights No. 1 (1935) (short subject)
• The Singing Kid (1936)
• Hollywood Handicap (1938) (short subject)
• Rose of Washington Square (1939)
• Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)
• Swanee River (1939)
• Rhapsody in Blue (1945) (brief scene with Jolson in blackface introducing "Swanee")
• The Jolson Story (1946) (double and singing voice for Larry Parks)
• Screen Snapshots: Off the Air (1947) (short subject)
• Jolson Sings Again (1949) (singing voice for Larry Parks)
• Oh, You Beautiful Doll (1949) (voice only)
• Screen Snapshots: Hollywood's Famous Feet (1950) (short subject) (narrator)

you smell find something to put on here!!! ... A Plantation Act was one of the first Vitaphone shorts made in 1926 starring Al Jolson. ... The Jazz Singer (1927) is a U.S. movie musical and the first feature-length motion picture with talking sequences. ... The Singing Fool, a movie, with the lead role of Al Jolson, appeared in 1928, as a follow up movie to his earlier talkies, The Jazz Singer. ... Basic Information Sonny Boy is a 1928 Al Jolson film. ... Say It With Songs (1929) in an All-Talking musical drama motion picture which was released by Warner Brothers. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... The name Big Boy has been applied to several different things: The Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive The Bobs Big Boy restaurant. ... Hallelujah, Im a Bum (1933) is a Depression-era black-and-white musical comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Rhapsody in Blue is a 1945 biopic of George Gershwin. ... The Jolson Story is a 1946 autobiographical film which tells the life story of singer and actor Al Jolson. ... Larry Parks (December 13, 1914 - April 13, 1975) was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses during the era of McCarthyism. ... Jolson Sings Again is the 1949 film sequel to The Jolson Story, both of which cover the life of singer Al Jolson. ...

Theater

• La Belle Paree (1911)
• Vera Violetta (1911)
• The Whirl of Society (1912)
• The Honeymoon Express (1913)
• Children of the Ghetto (before 1915)
• Robinson Crusoe, Jr. (1916)
• Sinbad (1918)
• Bombo (1921)
• Big Boy (1925)
• Artists and Models of 1925 (1925) (added to cast in 1926)
• Big Boy (1926) (revival)
• The Wonder Bar (1931)
• Hold on to Your Hats (1940)

The name Sinbad when used alone refers to more than one personage, place, or thing. ... The name Big Boy has been applied to several different things: The Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive The Bobs Big Boy restaurant. ... The name Big Boy has been applied to several different things: The Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive The Bobs Big Boy restaurant. ...

Famous songs

• That Haunting Melodie (1911) Jolson's first hit.
• Ragging the Baby to Sleep (1912)
• The Spaniard That Blighted My Life (1912)
• That Little German Band (1913)
• You Made Me Love You (1913)
• Back to the Carolina You Love (1914)
• Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula (1916)
• I Sent My Wife to the Thousand Isles (1916)
• I'm All Bound Round With the Mason Dixon Line (1918)
• Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody (1918)
• Tell That to the Marines (1919)
• I'll Say She Does (1919)
• I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now (1919)
• Swanee (1920)
• Avalon (1920)
• O-H-I-O (O-My! O!) (1921)
• April Showers (1921)
• Angel Child (1922)
• Coo Coo' (1922)
• Oogie Oogie Wa Wa (1922)
• That Wonderful Kid From Madrid (1922)
• Toot, Toot, Tootsie (1922)
• Juanita (1923)
• California, Here I Come (1924)
• I Wonder What's Become of Sally? (1924)
• All Alone (1925)
• I'm Sitting on Top of the World (1926)
• When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along (1926)
• Back in Your Own Backyard (1928)
• My Mammy (1928)
• There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder (1928)
• Sonny Boy (1928)
• Little Pal (1929)
• Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) (1929)
• Let Me Sing and I'm Happy (1930)
• The Cantor (A Chazend'l Ofn Shabbos) (1932)
• Ma Blushin' Rosie (1946)
• Anniversary Song (1946)
• Alexander's Ragtime Band (1947)
• Carolina in the Morning (1947)
• About a Quarter to Nine (1947)
• Waiting for the Robert E. Lee (1947)
• Golden Gate (1947)
• When You Were Sweet Sixteen (1947)
• If I Only Had a Match (1947)
• After You've Gone (1949)
• Is It True What They Say About Dixie? (1949)
• Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1950)

Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody is a popular song. ... April Showers is a popular song. ... Im Sitting On Top Of The World was a #1 hit in 1926 by Al Jolson. ... Back in Your Own Backyard is a popular song, popularized by Patti Page in 1950. ... When You Were Sweet Sixteen is a popular song. ... Are You Lonesome Tonight? is a popular song. ...

Listen to

• Zoot Radio: The Al Jolson Show (Ten 1943-49 episodes)

References

• Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-507678-8

External links

• Al Jolson at the Internet Movie Database
• Collected works of Al Jolson at the Internet Archive
• The International Al Jolson Society
• Mikes Jolson Site
• Great Song Stylists Site
• Al Jolson at Find-A-Grave
• Complete newsreel also covering Jolson's death and funeral (from the Internet Archive)