Al Jolson,was happy singing watching people enjoying his singing and performing and those watching him where happy doing so ,I do not think he was that obsessed for being number 1,he just loved doing what he did and millions loved how he did it
@laurie symons...You don't think Jolson was obsessed with being number one? You must be kidding! I've known that all of my life and especially since "The Jolson Story." Have you not listened to anything George Jessel had to say either? Jolson was obsessed with himself and what he did...absolutely besotted! He lost his first marriage to his unquenchable ego and any relationship he ever had suffered under the weight of his career!
laurie symons There is probably not a performer on earth that wouldn't enjoy being "first" in their profession and, of course, that is what performers do...they perform. It is, however, a matter of degree! If you sacrifice everything to your art you're not going to have many, if any, personal and intimate relationships in your life that will be lasting.
+Kuklapolitan If Jolson had become a tailor he still wouldn't have been able to form close/intimate relationships. He was a text book case, suffering from abandonment issues. But, it was precisely those issues that gave him the heart to sing and perform as he did.
+gmaureen That sounds as textbook a reply as any psuedo-psychology student might offer. If you would put that remark into some type of context, it might fly...if not, then I'm afraid I cannot buy it. What do you know of his life and/or his alleged "abandonment issues"? He was not an only child but was extremely close to both parents. Since it was all but ordained that he become a Cantor, as his father was...and didn't fulfill that role, both his parents came to accept him in very short order and were very happy for him. Where is the abandonment in that scenario? His career as a singer/entertainer was paramount in his life and I believe THAT was the thing that kept him from maintaining a lasting relationship with his third, and most famous wife, Ruby Keeler. It was the same complaint he had heard from his first two wives! His career, his music and his want and or need to entertain came before everything in his life. He did remarry, however, and was happily engaged in retired life when he died, very suddenly, in 1950. Sorry , but I don't see it.
Ive been a fan of jolson since i understood music....his voice was amazing, every song he sang came from the heart. Only People that could come close to him was Sammy Davies Jnr and Dean Martin. Sinatra sang fantastic but he didn't have the same heartas jnr and jolson. Those two lived to perform, they couldn't live without being on stage.
Probably only Judy Garland could come close to Al reaching out to the audience, then Frank/Sammy/Elvis but Jolson is still head and shoulders over these stars
Yes, *very* interesting...especially since I've heard a vastly different version of how IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT DIXIE? was written. One of the "boys from Detroit," namely Gerald Marks, said *he* was the one who plugged IITWTSAD, sending it to him along with a song they thought was going to be a *big* hit, called THE ROOSTER'S CROWING - COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO. Jolie's comment to him was "Tune in next week." Gerald said it was sung on the radio four weeks in succession...IITWTSAD, that is.
THE BALTO. SINGING POLICEMAN,"BOBBY BERGER", HAD THE SAME EFFECT ON AUDIENCES WITH HIS JOLSON IMPERSONATION, ONLY WITH TWICE THE ENERGY. SIGNED BOBBY"AL JOLSON: BERGER
Thank you so much for compiling and sharing. I've been a Jolson fan since 1946.
Al Jolson,was happy singing watching people enjoying his singing and performing and those watching him where happy doing so ,I do not think he was that obsessed for being number 1,he just loved doing what he did and millions loved how he did it
@laurie symons...You don't think Jolson was obsessed with being number one? You must be kidding! I've known that all of my life and especially since "The Jolson Story." Have you not listened to anything George Jessel had to say either? Jolson was obsessed with himself and what he did...absolutely besotted! He lost his first marriage to his unquenchable ego and any relationship he ever had suffered under the weight of his career!
if a persons a performer they perform ,he liked to be first sure ,who does not like being first
laurie symons There is probably not a performer on earth that wouldn't enjoy being "first" in their profession and, of course, that is what performers do...they perform. It is, however, a matter of degree! If you sacrifice everything to your art you're not going to have many, if any, personal and intimate relationships in your life that will be lasting.
+Kuklapolitan If Jolson had become a tailor he still wouldn't have been able to form close/intimate relationships. He was a text book case, suffering from abandonment issues. But, it was precisely those issues that gave him the heart to sing and perform as he did.
+gmaureen That sounds as textbook a reply as any psuedo-psychology student might offer. If you would put that remark into some type of context, it might fly...if not, then I'm afraid I cannot buy it. What do you know of his life and/or his alleged "abandonment issues"? He was not an only child but was extremely close to both parents. Since it was all but ordained that he become a Cantor, as his father was...and didn't fulfill that role, both his parents came to accept him in very short order and were very happy for him. Where is the abandonment in that scenario? His career as a singer/entertainer was paramount in his life and I believe THAT was the thing that kept him from maintaining a lasting relationship with his third, and most famous wife, Ruby Keeler. It was the same complaint he had heard from his first two wives! His career, his music and his want and or need to entertain came before everything in his life. He did remarry, however, and was happily engaged in retired life when he died, very suddenly, in 1950. Sorry , but I don't see it.
Ive been a fan of jolson since i understood music....his voice was amazing, every song he sang came from the heart. Only People that could come close to him was Sammy Davies Jnr and Dean Martin. Sinatra sang fantastic but he didn't have the same heartas jnr and jolson. Those two lived to perform, they couldn't live without being on stage.
Probably only Judy Garland could come close to Al reaching out to the audience, then Frank/Sammy/Elvis but Jolson is still head and shoulders over these stars
The first part of this is Irving Caesar being interviewed. George Jessel is interviewed at 6:40.
Yes, *very* interesting...especially since I've heard a vastly different version of how IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT DIXIE? was written. One of the "boys from Detroit," namely Gerald Marks, said *he* was the one who plugged IITWTSAD, sending it to him along with a song they thought was going to be a *big* hit, called THE ROOSTER'S CROWING - COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO. Jolie's comment to him was "Tune in next week." Gerald said it was sung on the radio four weeks in succession...IITWTSAD, that is.
PARA MI ESY FUELEMEJOR CANTOR DEJAZZ BENDITOSEAS ALJOLSON QUE EN PAZ DESCANSES ISA YOELSON
Jolie just loved to,sing; I think as George Jessel said that this gave him a great sense of authority
cant find part two
THE BALTO. SINGING POLICEMAN,"BOBBY BERGER", HAD THE SAME EFFECT ON AUDIENCES WITH HIS JOLSON IMPERSONATION, ONLY WITH TWICE THE ENERGY.
SIGNED
BOBBY"AL JOLSON: BERGER