Jolson, Al (1886-1950), was a popular American stage, motion-picture, and radio entertainer. Jolson was an exuberant performer with a warm singing voice. He became identified with a number of popular songs, including “April Showers,” “Avalon,” “California, Here I Come,” “My Mammy,” “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody,” “Sonny Boy,” “Swanee,” and “Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo’ Bye)!” Jolson starred in the first important sound motion picture, The Jazz Singer (1927). He appeared in a number of other films from the late 1920’s to the mid-1930’s, notably The Singing Fool (1928).
Jolson was born on May 26, 1886, in Srednike, Lithuania, near Kaunas. His real name was Asa Yoelson. Jolson’s family immigrated to the United States in 1894. Beginning in 1901, Jolson appeared in minstrel shows and in burlesque and vaudeville. About 1904, he started performing in blackface, an accepted show-business practice at that time. He made his debut on Broadway in the musical La Belle Paree (1911). Jolson performed on the radio frequently beginning in 1932. His career declined during the early 1940’s but was revived by the popularity of two motion pictures based on his life, The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again (1949). Larry Parks played Jolson, but Jolson sang all the songs in both films. Jolson died on Oct. 23, 1950.
