Jolson, Al, c1886 - 1950
Dates
- Existence: c1886 - 23 October 1950
Biography
Asa Yoelson aka Al Jolson (c1886 – 23 October 1950) was a Lithuanian born American singer, comedian and actor dubbed ‘the king of blackface’, who became America’s most famous and highest paid entertainer during the 1920s.
Al started his singing career on local street corners with his brother Hirsch in 1897 at the tender age of eleven. By 1902, he was singing at Walter L. Main's circus and a year later, he entered the music hall scene.
Early on in his career, Al started performing in blackface singing jazz and blues. He made a career of taking African-American music to white audiences at a time when black musicians could not break the race barrier specially in America but also in Europe. Perversely, in spite of his promotion and perpetuation of black stereotypes, many in the black community saw The Jazz Singer, starred by Al Jolson in 1927, as a vehicle to gain access to the stage and the integration of black culture as an essential part of American culture.
Al was also noted for fighting discrimination on Broadway as early as 1911, promoting the play Appearances by Garland Anderson, which became the first production with an all-black cast produced on Broadway and pushing for black Americans’ representation and equality in show business.
Al starred in many musical films through the 1920s and 1930s, the most famous of all being the very first talking picture, The Jazz Singer.
During the Second World War, Jolson enlisted in the United Service Organizations (USO), to entertain American troops serving overseas and was the first star to be deployed. While touring in the Pacific, he contracted pulmonary malaria and had to have his left lung removed.
In 1950, he again became the first star to entertain GIs on active service in the Korean War, performing 42 shows in 16 days. However this proved to exhausting and he died weeks after his return to American of a heart attack. Al was posthumously awarded the Medal of Merit by Defense Secretary George Marshall for his services during the war.
Jolson has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame contributions to radio, motion pictures, and the recording industry.
At the age of thirty five he became the youngest man in American history to have a theatre named after him.
In 2000, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
Al is a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame.
Found in 36 Collections and/or Records:
Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth Poster, 21 April 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King, Special Guest, Tony Melody, comedian. Red and black type on yellow background with photo.
Pavillion Theatre Glasgow Poster, 21 April 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King, Special Guest, Tony Melody, comedian. Red and black type on yellow background with photo.
Posters, c1880 - 1899
Poster related to the Poole family film shows, Gompertz's diorama and other early cinema travelling shows and venues.
Posters, c1937 - 1989
A collection of posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell for music hall and variety, circus, pantomime and fairgrounds.
Posters, c1887 - 2010
Circus, variety, pantomime and magic posters including Argyle theatre, Liverpool Empire, Blackpool Tower Circus, Robert Brothers, Austen Brothers, Sorcar, Vesta Tilley, Ken Dodd, Dan Leno, Florrie Forde and others.
Print, c1990
A tribute from Cyril Critchlow’s Museum of Entertainment Blackpool. Limited edition of 300. Print no. 46 signed by Cyril Critchlow. Artist, Alan Art. Colour illustration of portrait of Al Jolson.
Print, Original c1990, Reproduction c1990 - 1999
A tribute from Cyril Critchlow’s Museum of Entertainment Blackpool. Limited edition of 300. Print no. 46 signed by Cyril Critchlow. Artist, Alan Art. Colour illustration of portrait of Al Jolson.
Spa Theatre Bridlington Poster, 29 March 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King with Marigold Sisters, Lee Sheraton, Beryl Johnson, Reed Delroy and Duggie Chapman. Red and black type on yellow background.
Sunderland Empire Theatre Poster, 10 March 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King with Duggie Chapman. Red and black type on yellow background.
Sunderland Empire Theatre Poster, 10 March 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King with Marigold Sisters, Lee Sheraton, Beryl Johnson, Reed Delroy and Duggie Chapman. Red and black type on yellow background.
The Al Jolson Show, The Good Olde Days, Search for a Star Poster, 24 May 1980
Embassy, Skegness. Steve King, Ben Warriss, Michael Chivers and Vera Bennett, The Two Manderinos, Ray Dawson, Janice Suttons’s Minstrel Belles. Red and green type on yellow background.
The Coronation St. Theatre Poster, Summer season 1986
Blackpool. You Ain’t Heard nothin’ Yet! The Al Jolson Birthday Show with Steve King and others. Red and black illustrations.
Theatre Royal St. Helens Poster, 14 March 1977
The Al Jolson Minstrel Show featuring Clinton Ford. Red and blue type on yellow background.
Variety and Music Hall Poster Printed by Taylor's of Wombwell, c1950 - 1989
Variety and Music Hall poster printed by Taylor's of Wombwell, including pantomimes and wrestling shows in theatre venues.
Various Items Related to Variety, c1837 - 2008
Various items related to variety theatre in Blackpool and other locations.
Winter Gardens Pavillion Blackpool Poster, 6 April 1980
‘An Evening with Al Jolson and Friends’ portrayed by Steve King, Special Guest, Tony Melody, comedian. Red and black type on yellow background with photo.