I visited Al Jolson's grave at Hillside Memorial in Hollywood a couple of years back and it is, to say the least, VERY impressive! There is a bronze statue of Jolie, his crypt is below a columned memorial with a huge water fall feature. Beautiful!
@nedarc You're right about young people being into Jolson. My youngest daughter is 33 years old, when she was 10, I rented The Jolson Story & Jolson Sings Again. She fell in love with the music, and Scotty Beckett lol and she knows the words to every song in both movies and I have always loved Jolson, and Larry Parks.lol I learned from my parents a long time ago, "children learn what they live" if you introduce them to good music, they'll love good music. We both have copies of both movies.
I wish I could go back in time and see him live. PS the black face comes from the Stephen Foster productions of old spirituals in the 1850's and it carried on to the vaudeville years. Yet... Jolie was the best
After the success of the Jolson Story, Al insisted in starring in the sequel "Jolson Sings Again". Columbia pictures felt Jolson was too old to play himself, but to appease Al agreed to let him "try out" for the role. After seeing this reel ,Jolson agreed to let Larry Parks portray him again. Coumbia, i.e. Harry Cohn ,was relieved, after all Larry Parks had been nominated for an Academy awrad in 1946 for the "Jolson Story". This reel was shot in late 1948.
He did appear in one of those films, there was a sequence where he blacked up and was on stage. It was shot at a distance so no one would recognise him
I would venture to say that every entertainer that has come after the Man himself owes him a great debt. This man was a rock star before there were rock stars. He was not the king of pop or of rock, but of Entertainment in general. It's a damn shame we may never see another like him.
Al Jolson was a classic and a great talent. He had a wonderful voice and charisma regardless of what type of stage makeup he wore. He took a lot of flack for performing in black face early in his career, but that was in 1927. The cultural context was entirely different from today. Furthermore, even when he did perform in black face, I've never seen any clips of him demeaning or disparaging black people. Essentially it was just a makeup and dialog gag. Check him out in The Jazz Singer.
+Kane Alson Yeah. George Burns or Eddie Cantor said that when Jolson was performing, it was the greatest thing and he was really alive, but when the curtain went down, Jolson died.
Le Jazz vient des hommes black a cette époque c'est un blanc déguisé en Black qui a fructifier le Jazz !!!???? En fin je sais pas mais bref................
Like other people commenting on this clip I also first discovered Al when I was sixteen years old and now at forty three I am still as much in awe at that voice as ever. Take note at the end of the song just how miserable Al looks when he stops singing - it seems as though he really did just live to sing!
I remember hearing this song sang by the little girl "Darla" on "The Little Rascals". It has been many years since I saw reruns of it, and I might be off on her name?...Friends, Lloyd.
Was this early television? Priceless. **millsbrothers No, it was for Larry Parks to practice from. @@millsbrothers That explains why he just walks off, even before the "band" has finished the final chord. Great stuff. (Addendum, five years later:) I never realized how much Louis Prima owes, vocally, to Jolson, until just now. (Further Addendum, 9 months later) Look how Joly is dressed: This is what passed, in the early '50's, for "casual."
From what I understand, Jolson wanted to play himself in the sequel ("Jolson Sings Again"). So to appease him, Harry Cohen of Columbia had a screen test shot in late 1948. Even during the shooting Jolson seems to know that it isn't going to work. He was paunchy and balding. Jolson reportedly saw the test film and that was the end of his campaign to play himself. Interestingly, about a year later he entered into a contract with CBS for television, but died before the first show.
i dont think jolie for one second believed he could have played the part in the jolson story. its just that he wanted to sooo badly.after all it was his story.
jolson walks away at the end because he s pissed....he wanted to play himself in the bio movie but was too old........he s about 60 in the clip......but comin to the States as a kid he s probably nearer 70 !!!!!
@JeffsGreats I'm referencing George "Baby Face" Nelson from O Brother Where Art Thou. He hated being called Baby Face so he would yell at people and say " IT'S GEORGE NELSON!! NOT BABY FACE!!". Its kind of a random joke, but the title reminded me of it.
Given the year and the performance itself, I wonder if this isn't a recording he made in preparation for the film "Jolson Sings Again", possibly for Larry Parks to watch to learn the mannerisms.
I believe that uis exactly what it is --I think another poster or the uploader said so of another of these clips --there are about three songs like this. Looks like he's lip-synching. But how closely did Larry Parks copy? This would be for Jolson Sings Again, I would venture, not the original Jolson Story. Pity that another biopic film on him does not appear. It would be great. Hearts to the Great Jolson
He's not really singing here. He is lip synching to the recording that Larry Parks will later lip synch to in one of the two Jolson biopics. The purpose was to show Parks Jolsonesque movements. This was done for each song to be filmed. Jolson was not happy to be training his own replacement.
He wanted to star in it. Columbia said no. I think that his breaking out of character so abruptly at the close of each and every take hurt him more than helped him.
well I think BarbershopTophat explained it quite well a year ago, do you need anymore explanation? but thanks for replying to the comment a year later. late's better then never huh?
This is obviously NOT a live-audience performance. Nor footage for one of his own movies. He's too old. He's dressed too casually, like a rehearsal. And look at the way he walks away at the end. We MIGHT very well be witnessing a "training" film for Larry Parks ! If so, what a RARE and privileged sight to behold.
@DelusionalMonkeys They both were great movies, but sorry, I have to disagree with you, if he would have played himself, he would have made a fool of himself. Cute Story from Larry Parks book, From "Blackface to Blacklist." Little girl with her parents at a hollywood affair, Jolson was there, she was introduced to him and like they say, "Out of the mouths of babes" She said, Gee, Mr. Jolson, you were much better looking in the two movies. Larry Parks was absolutely marvelous, sound familier?
listen i worked at the theatre royal, newcastle, in 2006, 2007 there was a theatre play about al johnson, it ran on stage for a month, but the guy who played the part of Al johnson was told by Newcastle city council, that he could not paint his face black, what was that all about? i thought, what do you think!!!
It's so funny how most people don't think younger people love the old stuff, everyone loves classic stuff and if they don't like it, they have NO taste!
@ensconse No offense to Jolie, and may in rest in peace, but had he played imself in either 'The Jolson Story" or "Jolson Sings Again" his career never would have blossomed again. Sure it was his voice that we heard, and watched Larry do a fantastic job in lip syncing the words, and his mannerisms that Larry studied for months before shooting the movie, but it was LARRY PARKS, let him rest in peace that made both movies work, the only problem was that Jolie was too damm conceited to believe it.
What a great man. The best entertainment ever.
Man. I. Wish I. Could. Sing. Like. The. Great. Al. Jolson. He. Was. The. Greatest. Of. Em all. RIP. Big. Al
Jolly absolutely fantastic.
My dad adorned this man grew up listening to him great memories 😢😢😢😢
Fifty nine years to the day after his death there is still NO ONE to touch the great Al Jolson!
I visited Al Jolson's grave at Hillside Memorial in Hollywood a couple of years back and it is, to say the least, VERY impressive! There is a bronze statue of Jolie, his crypt is below a columned memorial with a huge water fall feature. Beautiful!
as garish and outlandish as the man's career
me too, way back in the 90's
@nedarc You're right about young people being into Jolson. My youngest daughter is 33 years old, when she was 10, I rented The Jolson Story & Jolson Sings Again. She fell in love with the music, and Scotty Beckett lol and she knows the words to every song in both movies and I have always loved Jolson, and Larry Parks.lol I learned from my parents a long time ago, "children learn what they live" if you introduce them to good music, they'll love good music. We both have copies of both movies.
I wish I could go back in time and see him live. PS the black face comes from the Stephen Foster productions of old spirituals in the 1850's and it carried on to the vaudeville years. Yet... Jolie was the best
loved this singer my entire life.
I love this song ❤
The one and only Al Jolson... it's lovely to hear these old songs again, thank you for posting. I love them all
Even on film, the energy that Jolson exuded was incredible. 👏 👏 👏
What a voice he had.
GREAT song, Al Jolson is a LEGEND!
Heavenly brilliant.
People don't no that Al Jolson Love singing this way then in black face, he just love to sing"
This guy has a lot of charisma
beautiful rich low notes !
After the success of the Jolson Story, Al insisted in starring in the sequel "Jolson Sings Again". Columbia pictures felt Jolson was too old to play himself, but to appease Al agreed to let him "try out" for the role. After seeing this reel ,Jolson agreed to let Larry Parks portray him again. Coumbia, i.e. Harry Cohn ,was relieved, after all Larry Parks had been nominated for an Academy awrad in 1946 for the "Jolson Story". This reel was shot in late 1948.
He did appear in one of those films, there was a sequence where he blacked up and was on stage. It was shot at a distance so no one would recognise him
Just watched The Al Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again. Larry Parks was great! He really studied these videos of Al Jolson.
I would venture to say that every entertainer that has come after the Man himself owes him a great debt. This man was a rock star before there were rock stars. He was not the king of pop or of rock, but of Entertainment in general. It's a damn shame we may never see another like him.
EXACTLY!!
He was blessed with an extraordinarily distinctive sound.
Al Jolson was a classic and a great talent. He had a wonderful voice and charisma regardless of what type of stage makeup he wore. He took a lot of flack for performing in black face early in his career, but that was in 1927. The cultural context was entirely different from today. Furthermore, even when he did perform in black face, I've never seen any clips of him demeaning or disparaging black people. Essentially it was just a makeup and dialog gag. Check him out in The Jazz Singer.
WELL SAID SPOT ON!
The end where he walks away like somebody just hit the 'off ' button. Little strange. Great performer.
+Kane Alson
Yeah. George Burns or Eddie Cantor said that when Jolson was performing, it was the greatest thing and he was really alive, but when the curtain went down, Jolson died.
He has such an amazing voice!
He's got some great moves. That's some early jazz phrasing. All the greats that came after him owe a lot to him.
Le Jazz vient des hommes black a cette époque c'est un blanc déguisé en Black qui a fructifier le Jazz !!!???? En fin je sais pas mais bref................
My favorite is Sonny boy.
You ain't seen nothin' yet!
Love the way Al casually walks off. Thanks for posting.
Its sad. He died way too young.
R.i.p Al Jolson :'(
This is great. Thanks!
I have a thousand songs, but just one for you! AL Jolson
You're like a breath of spring when Jolie sings about your...Baby Face!
he must be in heaven now doing the same concert up 🙏😘😇☝️☝️♥️♥️♥️🌼🌼🌼🌈💐💐💐💐
Fantastic!
Double wow.
Like other people commenting on this clip I also first discovered Al when I was sixteen years old and now at forty three I am still as much in awe at that voice as ever. Take note at the end of the song just how miserable Al looks when he stops singing - it seems as though he really did just live to sing!
I remember hearing this song sang by the little girl "Darla" on "The Little Rascals". It has been many years since I saw reruns of it, and I might be off on her name?...Friends, Lloyd.
When I sing this song I always studder the word BA BA baby face
Magic....... Terry
I used to have a high quality film of these takes. Jolson insisted in screen tests for Jolson Sings Again.
Was this early television?
Priceless.
**millsbrothers
No, it was for Larry Parks to practice from.
@@millsbrothers
That explains why he just walks off, even before the "band" has finished the final chord.
Great stuff.
(Addendum, five years later:)
I never realized how much Louis Prima owes, vocally, to Jolson, until just now.
(Further Addendum, 9 months later)
Look how Joly is dressed:
This is what passed, in the early '50's, for "casual."
tuxguys i suppose Prima owes a lot to him, but boy Prima sure did it a thousand times better.
I really enjoy Prima...
...but better than Jolson?
Are you serious?
+tuxguys thanks for the info, tux. Much appreciated.
He was a very silly man with a grand voice :`)
That explains why he just walks off, even before the "band" has finished the final chord.
Great stuff.
@StellarXplorer
He LOVED the audience
the worlds greatest Al Jolson Archive on FaceBook. Please Join us!
great
He was miming to his own songs here so Larry parks could study his style and distinctive movements for his biop movie, The Jolson story .
From what I understand, Jolson wanted to play himself in the sequel ("Jolson Sings Again"). So to appease him, Harry Cohen of Columbia had a screen test shot in late 1948. Even during the shooting Jolson seems to know that it isn't going to work. He was paunchy and balding. Jolson reportedly saw the test film and that was the end of his campaign to play himself. Interestingly, about a year later he entered into a contract with CBS for television, but died before the first show.
moves like Jagger...
Very true. It has been said that Jolson was the first rock star in terms of energy, fan, following, and media attention!
Как же он хорошо поет!
Amazing
i dont think jolie for one second believed he could have played the part in the jolson story. its just that he wanted to sooo badly.after all it was his story.
jolson walks away at the end because he s pissed....he wanted to play himself in the bio movie but was too old........he s about 60 in the clip......but comin to the States as a kid he s probably nearer 70 !!!!!
Worth all the views and more www.jolson.org and all the facebook sites for much more of the King!
@JeffsGreats I'm referencing George "Baby Face" Nelson from O Brother Where Art Thou. He hated being called Baby Face so he would yell at people and say " IT'S GEORGE NELSON!! NOT BABY FACE!!". Its kind of a random joke, but the title reminded me of it.
genius
no, it was for larry parks to practice from
hysterical 😂
Given the year and the performance itself, I wonder if this isn't a recording he made in preparation for the film "Jolson Sings Again", possibly for Larry Parks to watch to learn the mannerisms.
Soooooo Funny
IT'S GEORGE NELSON!!!!!
I believe that uis exactly what it is --I think another poster or the uploader said so of another of these clips --there are about three songs like this. Looks like he's lip-synching. But how closely did Larry Parks copy? This would be for Jolson Sings Again, I would venture, not the original Jolson Story. Pity that another biopic film on him does not appear. It would be great.
Hearts to the Great Jolson
@XbigbearXful His name is Asa Yolson, then changed it to Al Jolson
That was done to teach Larry Parks the correct moves. LOL
aaahhhh you little choochy baby face! :-)))
i could have sworn it was baby face?!
@ahichiz Hahahaha glad you like it my friend .
He's not really singing here. He is lip synching to the recording that Larry Parks will later lip synch to in one of the two Jolson biopics. The purpose was to show Parks Jolsonesque movements. This was done for each song to be filmed. Jolson was not happy to be training his own replacement.
@InsertName125 He said "You ain't heard nothin yet, (not seen)
He wanted to star in it. Columbia said no. I think that his breaking out of character so abruptly at the close of each and every take hurt him more than helped him.
Jolie was god!
George "Baby Face" Nelson - Bank Robber of the 1930s. Any more explanation needed?
..?
Jolson was my grandma. SchEib faver sings know he my sings went Jolson. die she cry for three day
well I think BarbershopTophat explained it quite well a year ago, do you need anymore explanation? but thanks for replying to the comment a year later. late's better then never huh?
This is obviously NOT a live-audience performance. Nor footage for one of his own movies. He's too old. He's dressed too casually, like a rehearsal. And look at the way he walks away at the end. We MIGHT very well be witnessing a "training" film for Larry Parks ! If so, what a RARE and privileged sight to behold.
What's up with the audio pitch? He sounds two octives too low. Copyright?
No. Jolson's voice lowered after he needed a surgery which removed one and a half lungs.
Paul McCartney has a great version.
😍😍dl
I think Al' s tailor could have tried a little harder. This great man was built a bit like I am now. I can't afford a tailor...
Point taken, Bryce. My comment was somewhat tongue in cheek. But hey, I'm an old fan of George and Gracie. 'Say good night to the folks, Gracie'.
Thanks Bryce, much appreciated...
@DelusionalMonkeys They both were great movies, but sorry, I have to disagree with you, if he would have played himself, he would have made a fool of himself. Cute Story from Larry Parks book, From "Blackface to Blacklist." Little girl with her parents at a hollywood affair, Jolson was there, she was introduced to him and like they say, "Out of the mouths of babes" She said, Gee, Mr. Jolson, you were much better looking in the two movies. Larry Parks was absolutely marvelous, sound familier?
@BarbershopTopHat Who's George Nelson? or is that an inside joke?
listen i worked at the theatre royal, newcastle, in 2006, 2007 there was a theatre play about al johnson, it ran on stage for a month, but the guy who played the part of Al johnson was told by Newcastle city council, that he could not paint his face black, what was that all about? i thought, what do you think!!!
It's so funny how most people don't think younger people love the old stuff, everyone loves classic stuff and if they don't like it, they have NO taste!
where's the black face?
@ensconse No offense to Jolie, and may in rest in peace, but had he played imself in either 'The Jolson Story" or "Jolson Sings Again" his career never would have blossomed again. Sure it was his voice that we heard, and watched Larry do a fantastic job in lip syncing the words, and his mannerisms that Larry studied for months before shooting the movie, but it was LARRY PARKS, let him rest in peace that made both movies work, the only problem was that Jolie was too damm conceited to believe it.
He was lip syncing to his record to show Larry Parks how he moves. Thankfully Larry did it his own way.
@windowsy39 He was too old to play himself.
I love Jolson, but this was a bit silly....
This is actually Dean Martin's voice
Little Richard's version is the best
Al Jolson doesn't perform in black face, black people perform in Al Jolson face haha.
Wut dah hell is dis?
Where's his black face, white makeup around the eyed and mouth? 😢
They gave Elvis a lot of crap for jiggling around on stage like Jolson did.
Pourquoi un blanc se déguise en noir ??? Pour chanté a cette époque c'était chaud d'être noir
He was a very silly man, I hate him
He didn't think much of you either.
Silly is a strange adjective for Jolson. He was a lot of things but why do you say "silly" ?
IS HE IN BLACKFACE ??