THE JOLSON STORY: Moviemaking at its best!

Until Monday, I had never seen _The Jolson Story_, or even heard of
it. Fortunately, I read Fred Hunter's review of this movie on his
Classics on DVD site and got it into my Netflix queue just in time to
have it sent out yesterday. It arrived today, it's playing now and I
have already decided to buy it tomorrow.

You may own a copy of Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" if you
have _Bullets Over Broadway_ or the latest MGM double-disk version of
_Singin' In The Rain_.

In _Bullets Over Broadway_, Al Jolson is featured singing this immortal
song in the opening credits. In the _Singin' in the Rain_ special
features, Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" is prominently
featured in the "Singin' Inspirations" section, which can also be
accessed individually as Titles 10-19. The Al Jolson clip of "Toot,
Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye", found at Title 17. This is a clip taken right
out of _The Jazz Singer_ , so there is video to go along with the audio:

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain't heard nothin' yet. Wait a
minute, I tell ya! You ain't heard nothin'! You wanna hear Toot, Toot,
Tootsie? All right! Hold on!"

It doesn't get much better than this, unless you have Columbia's newly
released DVD version of _The Jolson Story_. In _The Jolson Story_, a
blacked-up minstrel -- who formally sang spirituals and hymns --
collides head on the Jazz Age. After that, it was faster tempo and more
rhythm for Al Jolson.

_The Jolson Story_ is thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.

http://www.classicsondvd.com/jolsonstory.htm

Scot Gardner

On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 20:13:27 -0800, "Scot Gardner" <>
wrote:

>Until Monday, I had never seen _The Jolson Story_, or even heard of
>it. Fortunately, I read Fred Hunter's review of this movie on his
>Classics on DVD site and got it into my Netflix queue just in time to
>have it sent out yesterday. It arrived today, it's playing now and I
>have already decided to buy it tomorrow.
>
>You may own a copy of Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" if you
>have _Bullets Over Broadway_ or the latest MGM double-disk version of
>_Singin' In The Rain_.
>
>In _Bullets Over Broadway_, Al Jolson is featured singing this immortal
>song in the opening credits. In the _Singin' in the Rain_ special
>features, Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" is prominently
>featured in the "Singin' Inspirations" section, which can also be
>accessed individually as Titles 10-19. The Al Jolson clip of "Toot,
>Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye", found at Title 17. This is a clip taken right
>out of _The Jazz Singer_ , so there is video to go along with the audio:
>
>"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain't heard nothin' yet. Wait a
>minute, I tell ya! You ain't heard nothin'! You wanna hear Toot, Toot,
>Tootsie? All right! Hold on!"
>
>It doesn't get much better than this, unless you have Columbia's newly
>released DVD version of _The Jolson Story_. In _The Jolson Story_, a
>blacked-up minstrel -- who formally sang spirituals and hymns --
>collides head on the Jazz Age. After that, it was faster tempo and more
>rhythm for Al Jolson.

Remember that Jolson's "The Jazz SInger" is slated for release as
another Warner Special Edition. The two-disc set will include some
recently restored Vitaphone shorts as well the Holy Grail of short
subjects, "A Plantation Act" the pre-"Jazz Singer" short which FIRST
has Jolson saying "You ain't heard nothin' yet!" This short was
featured on the Vitaphone box set #2 on Laser.

Now that Technicolor elements have been found and restored for "Mame"
there is some talk about a theatrical run of that film followed by a
video release. The sound will be restored from Vitaphone discs,
replacing the 1930's disc to film track that was made in the early
1930's. The films will look and sound WAAAY better than it did on the
Al Jolson collection laserdiscs!

. Steve ..
>
>_The Jolson Story_ is thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.
>
>http://www.classicsondvd.com/jolsonstory.htm
>

Steve(JazzHunter)

I Brought this one and its sequel "Jolson Sings Again" which picks up
where "The Jolson Story" ended.
More great Jolson songs and in this one Jolson meets Parks
Both of these films had a substantial influence in re-introducing Al Jolson to
a younger generation and boosting his career again.
As a sidenote, Ruby Keeler, who was Jolson's first wife and was played by Evelyn Keyes,
threatened to sue Columbia if they used her real name in this film so the studio changed it to "Julie Benson"
Pick up "Jolson Sings Again" and really enjoy both films.


On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 20:13:27 -0800, "Scot Gardner" <> wrote:

>Until Monday, I had never seen _The Jolson Story_, or even heard of
>it. Fortunately, I read Fred Hunter's review of this movie on his
>Classics on DVD site and got it into my Netflix queue just in time to
>have it sent out yesterday. It arrived today, it's playing now and I
>have already decided to buy it tomorrow.
>
>You may own a copy of Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" if you
>have _Bullets Over Broadway_ or the latest MGM double-disk version of
>_Singin' In The Rain_.
>
>In _Bullets Over Broadway_, Al Jolson is featured singing this immortal
>song in the opening credits. In the _Singin' in the Rain_ special
>features, Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" is prominently
>featured in the "Singin' Inspirations" section, which can also be
>accessed individually as Titles 10-19. The Al Jolson clip of "Toot,
>Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye", found at Title 17. This is a clip taken right
>out of _The Jazz Singer_ , so there is video to go along with the audio:
>
>"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain't heard nothin' yet. Wait a
>minute, I tell ya! You ain't heard nothin'! You wanna hear Toot, Toot,
>Tootsie? All right! Hold on!"
>
>It doesn't get much better than this, unless you have Columbia's newly
>released DVD version of _The Jolson Story_. In _The Jolson Story_, a
>blacked-up minstrel -- who formally sang spirituals and hymns --
>collides head on the Jazz Age. After that, it was faster tempo and more
>rhythm for Al Jolson.
>
>_The Jolson Story_ is thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.
>
>http://www.classicsondvd.com/jolsonstory.htm
>

J. Alfred Prufrock

I'm going to be looking for both those DVD's. I love Jolson.
When I was younger, back in the 50's, there was a singer by the
name of Norman Brooks. He never made it big 'cause he sounded
exactly like Jolson. That was his voice. People felt he was imitating
Jolie so his career fizzled.

Jolson also ****ed off Truman when he made a visit to Korea.
Still tho' he was quite the entertainer!!!

Adrian


"J. Alfred Prufrock" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I Brought this one and its sequel "Jolson Sings Again" which picks up
> where "The Jolson Story" ended.
> More great Jolson songs and in this one Jolson meets Parks
> Both of these films had a substantial influence in re-introducing Al
Jolson to
> a younger generation and boosting his career again.
> As a sidenote, Ruby Keeler, who was Jolson's first wife and was played by
Evelyn Keyes,
> threatened to sue Columbia if they used her real name in this film so the
studio changed it to "Julie Benson"
> Pick up "Jolson Sings Again" and really enjoy both films.
>
>
> On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 20:13:27 -0800, "Scot Gardner" <>
wrote:
>
> >Until Monday, I had never seen _The Jolson Story_, or even heard of
> >it. Fortunately, I read Fred Hunter's review of this movie on his
> >Classics on DVD site and got it into my Netflix queue just in time to
> >have it sent out yesterday. It arrived today, it's playing now and I
> >have already decided to buy it tomorrow.
> >
> >You may own a copy of Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" if you
> >have _Bullets Over Broadway_ or the latest MGM double-disk version of
> >_Singin' In The Rain_.
> >
> >In _Bullets Over Broadway_, Al Jolson is featured singing this immortal
> >song in the opening credits. In the _Singin' in the Rain_ special
> >features, Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye" is prominently
> >featured in the "Singin' Inspirations" section, which can also be
> >accessed individually as Titles 10-19. The Al Jolson clip of "Toot,
> >Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye", found at Title 17. This is a clip taken right
> >out of _The Jazz Singer_ , so there is video to go along with the audio:
> >
> >"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain't heard nothin' yet. Wait a
> >minute, I tell ya! You ain't heard nothin'! You wanna hear Toot, Toot,
> >Tootsie? All right! Hold on!"
> >
> >It doesn't get much better than this, unless you have Columbia's newly
> >released DVD version of _The Jolson Story_. In _The Jolson Story_, a
> >blacked-up minstrel -- who formally sang spirituals and hymns --
> >collides head on the Jazz Age. After that, it was faster tempo and more
> >rhythm for Al Jolson.
> >
> >_The Jolson Story_ is thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.
> >
> >http://www.classicsondvd.com/jolsonstory.htm
> >
>
>

Adrian S. Kuiper

"Steve(JazzHunter)" <> wrote in message
news:...

<<Remember that Jolson's "The Jazz Singer" is slated for release as
another Warner Special Edition. The two-disc set will include some
recently restored Vitaphone shorts as well the Holy Grail of short
subjects, "A Plantation Act" the pre-"Jazz Singer" short which FIRST has
Jolson saying "You ain't heard nothin' yet!" This short was featured on
the Vitaphone box set #2 on Laser.>>

<<Now that Technicolor elements have been found and restored for "Mame"
there is some talk about a theatrical run of that film followed by a
video release. The sound will be restored from Vitaphone discs,
replacing the 1930's disc to film track that was made in the early
1930's. The films will look and sound WAAAY better than it did on the
Al Jolson collection laserdiscs! . Steve ..>>

This is great news. And here's a timely item that Al Jolson fans might
want to know about:

"Al Jolson died after sundown on October 23, 1950, which corresponded to
the Hebrew date Cheshvan 13. This year, Cheshvan 13 falls on Saturday,
November 8th. Jolson fans of the Jewish faith are encouraged to honor
his memory with the recitation of the Kaddish on this day if possible,
and all devotes of the World's Greatest Entertainer can light a memorial
candle before sundown on Friday, November 7th to the memory of the
Immortal Al Jolson."

http://www.jolson.org/

Scot Gardner

"J. Alfred Prufrock" <> wrote in message
news:...

<<I Brought this one and its sequel "Jolson Sings Again" which picks up
where "The Jolson Story" ended. More great Jolson songs and in this one
Jolson meets Parks Both of these films had a substantial influence in
re-introducing Al Jolson to a younger generation and boosting his career
again.>>

<<As a sidenote, Ruby Keeler, who was Jolson's first wife and was played
by Evelyn Keyes, threatened to sue Columbia if they used her real name
in this film so the studio changed it to "Julie Benson" Pick up "Jolson
Sings Again" and really enjoy both films.>>

Hopefully, Netflix will ship _Jolson Sings Again_ today. I plan to order
both titles from Amazon and take advantage of their free shipping.

I'm embarrassed to admit that, in addition to originally not knowing the
existence of _The Jolson Story_, I was unaware of the existence of its
sequel. However, it did seem a rather abrupt ending to have Jolson's
wife just walk out the door in the first movie. If Netflix will ship the
sequel today, I will have it for the weekend.

Before seeing _The Jolson Story_, Evelyn Keyes was memorable to me only
for her performance as Scarlett O'Hara's sister in _Gone With the Wind_.
Apparently, the Jolson movies take a few liberties with Jolson's
personal life, because he had 4 wives, not just the 2 shown in the
movies. Also, Jolson's mother died when he was approximately 9
(apparently, nobody knows exactly when he was born), so it is unclear
who the Moma Yoelson character represents in the movies. (Maybe his
stepmother?)

From the Jolson website:

"The man we know as Al Jolson, was born Asa Yoelson in the 1880s. (There
were no birth certificates in those days although the year is generally
accepted to have been 1885. He chose May 26th as his birthday because he
liked the idea of being born in spring). He emigated with his family
from their native villlage of Srednik in Russian Lithuania and settled
in Washington DC."

"His beloved mother died when he was nine, an event which haunted him
throughout the rest of his life, and he and his elder brother defied
their cantor father and ran away from home to seek their fortunes on the
fringes of show business."

http://www.jolson.org/

Scot Gardner