Popular Music Essential Information & explanations, latest on
Al_Jolson.
Al Jolson
Asa Yoelson (May 26, 1886 - October 23, 1950), better known as Al Jolson, was an immigrant son of a Russian Jew, and was born in Seredzius, Lithuania.
Jolson became a popular singer and a superstar of the Broadway stage, radio and film. He is best known, however, for his appearance in one of the first "talkies" The Jazz Singer, (the first film with sound to enjoy wide commercial success), in 1927 (See also blackface).
His Broadway career is unmatched for length and popularity, having spanned close to 30 years (1911-1940). "Jolie" as he was known to his friends in "The Show Business" was the first entertainer to sell one million records. After leaving the Broadway stage Jolson starred on radio, and his shows were always in the top ten of ratings. However, Jolson scored what many believe to be the greatest comeback in show business history when Columbia Pictures produced the film biography "The Jolson Story" in 1946, which starred Larry Parks as Jolson, lip-synching to Jolson's voice. A box office smash (it was the highest grossing film since "Gone With the Wind") led to a whole new generation became enthralled with Jolson's voice and charisma. 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 Variety poll.
His legacy is considered by many to be severely neglected today because of his use of stage blackface which, while at the time was a theatrical convention used by many performers (both white and black), but is today seen as a racial slur. 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, Rod Stewart, Jackie Wilson, etc) referred to him. A life-long devotion to entertaining American troops, servicemen and women, (he first sang for servicemen of the Spanish-American War as a boy in Washington DC) and, against the advice of his doctors, he was entertaining troops in Korea in 1950 when his heart began to fail.
He died on October 23, 1950 in San Francisco and was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. On the day he died, Broadway turned off its lights for 10 minutes to honor the passing of its greatest star. Yet today there can be found no statue, plaque or even sign anywhere in New York honoring Jolson, his talents, or his immeasurable contributions to the Broadway stage.
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
Blackface to Blacklist: Al Jolson, Larry Parks, and "the Jolson Story" by Doug McClelland
Al Jolson: You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet! by Robert Oberfist
Jolson: The Story of Al Jolson by Michael Freedland
Amy Hempel Reads: "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried," "Nashville Gone to Ashes," and more by audible.com
Al Jolson by Michael Freedland
Jolson by Herbert G. Goldman
Jolson by Michael Freedland
Amy Hempel's "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried": A Study Guide from Gale's "Short Stories for Students& by The Gale Group
Al Jolson by Larry E. Kiner
Al Jolson: A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts) by James Fisher
Jolson: The Legend Comes to Life by Herbert G. Goldman
The Al Jolson Discography by Larry F. Kiner
Al Jolson by A. S. Barnes & Co.
Al Jolson Variety Show by Mr Punch Audio Books
Sonny boy ! : the world of Al Jolson by Barrie Anderton
Bibliographic Resources
Updates and comments at Essential Facts blog
Are you interested in Feng Shui?
Price Theory Resources
World Class Photographers
Some philosophical movements
Top PDF and eBook Downloads
|
|
Interesting Links
Sports
Kitchen Knowledge
Hollywood Icons
Flowers & gardening
Mythology
Philosophy
Politics
Retirement
Accounting & Finance
Automobiles
Marketing
Psychology
Country Music
Popular Music
Rock & Roll
Academic Subjects
Ancient Greeks
Art & Design
Biology
Biology & Biologists
California
Cats & Dogs
Ethics
Legal Topics
Linguistics
Logic
The Greats
Architectural Dates & Places
* Mathematics & Mathematicians
Medical Update d06
Investments
Transportation
Mathematics
Brilliant Mathematicians
Classic Authors
Fear No Exams
Nexus
Characters & countries
Computers + 2
Science & Computers
Quantum Theory
Home, Site-Map
|
