This webisode from the webseries "Joe Franklin Remembers" is about Joe Franklin remembering Al Jolson. Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson; May 26, c. 1886 - October 23, 1950) was an American singer, film actor, and comedian. At the peak of his career, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer".
His performing style was brash and extroverted, and he popularized a large number of songs that benefited from his "shamelessly sentimental, melodramatic approach". Numerous well-known singers were influenced by his music, including Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and others; Dylan once referred to him as "somebody whose life I can feel". Broadway critic Gilbert Seldes compared him to the Greek god Pan, claiming that Jolson represented "the concentration of our national health and gaiety."
In the 1930s he was America's most famous and highest-paid entertainer. Between 1911 and 1928, Jolson had nine sell-out Winter Garden shows in a row, more than 80 hit records, and 16 national and international tours. Although he is best remembered today as the star of the first 'talking picture', The Jazz Singer (1927), he later starred in a series of successful musical films throughout the 1930s. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was the first star to entertain troops overseas during World War II. After a period of inactivity, his stardom returned with The Jolson Story (1946). Larry Parks played Jolson, with the singer dubbing for Parks. The formula was repeated in the sequel, Jolson Sings Again (1949). In 1950 he again became the first star to entertain GIs on active service in the Korean War, performing 42 shows in 16 days. He died just weeks after returning to the U.S., partly owing to the physical exertion of performing. Defense Secretary George Marshall afterward awarded the Medal of Merit to Jolson's family.
Joe Franklin is an American radio and television personality from New York City, Franklin is credited with hosting the first television talk show. The show began in 1951 on WJZ-TV and moved to WOR-TV from 1962 to 1993. Joe today can be found on Bloomberg Radio where he continues to interview stars. Joe has befriended, met and interviewed over 100,000 American stars. In the webseries "Joe Franklin Remembers" Joe tells us never before heard stories and facts about our favorite stars.
4 окт 2024
