
 |
|
May 24, 2013
May 22, 2013
John Thorne:
They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman
May 20, 2013
Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Oct. 15, 2010
/ 7 Mar-Cheshvan, 5771
Lohan, Lewis, and Jolson
By
Greg Crosby
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In a recent television interview Jerry Lewis was asked to comment on the latest Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton misadventures. He shook his head and said, "One, they don't know who Al Jolson was." Although I understand what Lewis was getting at, it's a silly thing to say in relation to these young girls. Of course they don't know who Al Jolson was. Al Jolson died in 1950, probably before Lohan's and Hilton's parents were even born. Lindsay Lohan is 24 years old and most likely doesn't know who any celebrity was before the year 1990. Paris Hilton at 29 is a bit older, but I'm pretty certain she wouldn't know any old time show business names much before Michael Jackson.
These girls aren't into show biz history, they're into themselves. Narcissism mixed with money is always a dangerous combination, add to that plain ordinary stupidity and a total lack of moral fiber and you've got the society/celebrity of the 21st Century. It's sad. It's also disgusting and shameful. I'm sure you could add a few of your own favorite adjectives to that list.
In the interest of keeping our young celebrity narcissists fully educated I thought I'd take a shot of explaining just who the heck Al Jolson was. Gather around kids, you might actually learn something.
Al Jolson was known in the industry as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," for well over 40 years. Born Asa Yoelsonon May 28th, 1886 in Russia, his family immigrated to the US when he was a young boy and settled in Washington D.C. Jolson's career began in vaudeville, slowly at first, but when his talents were recognized by the Shubert Brothers and he was signed by them to appear in the opening show of their new Winter Garden Theater on Broadway. That was in April of 1912. Jolson soon became "King of the Winter Garden," with shows specifically written for him. Winter Garden and Jolson became synonymous. This lasted for close to 20 years. During that time Jolson received reviews that have yet to be matched.
The Jolson presence on stage is said to have been magical. Audiences loved his bigger than life singing style and his warm, happy manner. Audiences shouted, begged, and often would not allow the show to proceed unless Jolson would come back out on stage. At one performance in Boston, the usual 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 to them.
Then in 1927 Jolson starred in the early sound movie, "The Jazz Singer" and his appearance in that film caused a worldwide sensation and changed motion pictures for ever more. Al Jolson became bigger than ever and moved to Hollywood to make pictures. Unfortunately his screen persona didn't rise to the same level of his stage presence. He just couldn't make the successful transition from live stage entertainer to movie actor. He continued to make pictures throughout the 1930's however and also starred in his own radio show, but by the late '30's his star was not shinning as brightly as it once had.
When World War II broke out Jolson was among the first entertainers to travel overseas to entertain the troops. While in Africa and Sicily he contracted malaria and pneumonia which cut short his show travels. He continued to entertain the troops stateside after he recovered.
In 1946 Colombia Pictures struck a deal with Jolson to film his life story starring Larry Parks. "The Jolson Story" became a surprise smash hit and rejuvenated Jolson's career. The picture was the highest grossing film of the year and earned Parks an Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor. A sequel, "Jolson Sings Again," was made in 1949 (to this day the only biography sequel in film history) and that too became a box office hit.
Jolson was at the top once again, so much so that in 1948 at the peak of the popularity of Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Perry Como, Jolson was voted "The Most Popular Male Vocalist" by a Variety poll.
In 1950 and against doctor's orders, Jolson went to Korea to entertain his favorite audience, American troops. While there his health declined and shortly after his return to the U.S. he suffered a massive heart attack and died.
Al Jolson was undoubtedly the first American entertainer to become a true phenomenon. He was the biggest Broadway star of his time. He was the first show business superstar, setting the stage for others such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley. Elvis, by the way, always said that Jolson was his idol and he recorded "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" one of Jolson's last recordings, in tribute. How sad to note that today there is no plaque or statue or even a sign anywhere on Broadway to honor him.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. A freelance writer in Southern California, you may contact him by clicking here.
Greg Crosby Archives
© 2008, Greg Crosby
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Christine Flowers
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
A. Barton Hinkle
Jeff Jacoby
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ch. Krauthammer
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Clarence Page
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Greg Schwem
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Lenore Skenazy
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Lisa Benson
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
Matt Davies
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Walt Handelsman
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
David Horsey
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Chan Lowe
Jimmy Margulies
Jack Ohman
Michael Ramirez
Rob Rogers
Drew Sheneman
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Scott Stantis
Danna Summers
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters
Dan Wasserman

Tech Q&A
Mr. Know-It-All
Ask Doctor K
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|