Al Jolson & Larry Parks - 06 Jan 1949 Kraft Music Hall

[@walterwheeler5465]

What a special treat to hear Larry Parks and Al Jolson in this 73 year old broadcast. Their comedic interaction brought a smile to my face and laughter to my heart - what a blessing!

[@MarcLeavey]

Glad you enjoyed this, and other clips. Do check out the website and Society as well.

[@grampy2014]

Jolson like most of us humans was a complex personality who like most of us had his own ideas & ways of doing things, that many today don’t understand. His talent was much bigger than his personal life.

[@joemaxorr]

That was a lot of fun. Love Jolson. Very funny!

[@MarcLeavey]

Check out the website of the International Al Jolson Society at www.jolson.org for even more of his works.

[@richardgrant7055]

An absolutely super clip ! A REAL gem !!

[@saritacampbell9961]

Brilliant!!

[@davidtodora6173]

Marc, thank you again, so much. I enjoyed the additional program so much. My dad loved Al Jolson. He looked like Al Jolson before he died. My uncle. He was a music agent one time and called him Asa again I appreciate you putting these things out here and very hard to find. Best regards, David

[@MarcLeavey]

Thanks for the nice words. That's what the International Al Jolson Society is trying to do, make his legacy remembered and known to more. We encourage all Jolson fans to join to support our efforts.

[@METALITHrevetments]

Nice find Marc!

[@MarcLeavey]

Thanks 👍

[@scribe56]

Thanks for uploading this. They are so funny together. I know it's scripted but they really made it work. As I said Elsewhere on KZbin, Larry Parks was treated horribly the US House unamerican activities Committee. They ruined his career. He didn't do anything criminal. They terrified people into naming names and telling who else have been members of the Communist Party. I've known a number of communist in my life. They always had the best potluck suppers most people who joined or join the Communist party did so because they wanted to make this a better world not because they wanted to overthrow the government or hurt other people. They ruined so many lives but I was a big fan of Larry parks when I was little I saw his movies especially the Jolson movies and my mom told me what had happened to him. It always stuck with me. I had a mad crush on him. This is what I love about KZbin. I can watch those clips of him singing over and over. I knew he was looked thinking but to me it was him singing.

[@MarcLeavey]

Much has been written about the HUAC and its affect on those they attacked. Nonetheless, Parks' performance as Jolson was Oscar worthy, even if snubbed, and turned many on to the voice of the great Al Jolson.

[@2034916]

Larry Parks was so handsome. He was perfection as Jolson.

[@zapdunga12]

More trivia facts for fans of The Jolson Story: 1. Virginia Rees dubbed the singing voice of Evelyn Keyes, cantor Saul Silverman did the same for Ludwig Donath and Rudy Wissler dubbed Scotty Beckett. 2. William Demarest, who plays a character named Steve Martin, plays a similar role, also named Steve Martin, with the real Al Jolson in Warner's The Jazz Singer nineteen years earlier. 3. Lew Dockstader and Oscar Hammerstein did not discover Al Jolson. By the time Dockstader signed Jolson in 1908, Jolson had been performing in vaudeville with his brother Harry for several years. 4. In addition to the fee he received for selling the rights to his life story, Al Jolson also was paid $25,000 for recording the songs for the film. 5.When shooting the musical numbers, Larry Parks didn't merely mouth the words to Al Jolson's pre-recorded vocals, as was customary. Instead, he sang along to Jolson's records in full voice so it would look like he was actually singing. 6. In the movie, When Jolson attends the premiere of The Jazz Singer (1927) we hear the soundtrack, but Warner Bros., which owned the rights to The Jazz Singer (1927), would not permit a visual clip to be shown in this film, which was made by Columbia. 7.The film's accuracy was severely compromised by the fact that Al Jolson's third wife, Ruby Keeler, refused to allow her name to appear on screen. 8. James Cagney turned down the lead role in The Jolson Story (1946), which went to Larry Parks. 9. In the long shot of Jolson performing 'Swanee' on the "runway", 56:54, Al Jolson played himself, his only appearance in the film. 10. Scotty Beckett was used instead of Rudy Wissler because of his strong resemblance to Larry Parks.

[@MarcLeavey]

But... the song being played is "There's A Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" in that "Jazz Singer" scene, and that song is from "The Singing Fool"!

[@2034916]

Thank you for posting this info. Some, I knew. The film is one of my top favorites.

[@robertcoleman4861]

Two wonderful entertainers R.I.P.💐🌹🌺🌻

[@MarcLeavey]

Thanks

[@2034916]

Larry Parks was so handsome.

[@MarcLeavey]

And he didn't look like Jolson!

[@bradfordrusso7480]

This video was a fantastic treat for an old fan of the bio-pics. Did anybody besides me "get" the jabs they threw at Columbia studios boss Harry Cohn? He was THE ABSOLUTE WORST money- grubber of all the moguls. Just ask Moe Howard. I would also like to comment on how I meet a lot of people who condemn Jolson as a racist, because of his early days in black-face make-up. Firstly, Jolson was a JEW. They have been persecuted longer and deeper than ANY other ethnic group in history. They are particularly sensative to bigotry, and assiduously avoid it. As a result, the are usually Democrats. Secondly, Jolson used his great influence to open the door and pave the way for many black performers. And also one particularly popular white man ... James Cagney. Whom he introduced to Warner Bros. Thirdly. Black-face was an immensely popular (and innocent) "style" of entertainment, left over from our Civil War era. It was NOT intended to be a racially charged, bigoted cruelty. In truth, it is really more like our present day Stark White clown-face make-up. It's done for comedic effect. That is OBVIOUS, when you watch Jolson exaggerate his eye and mouth movements. I feel that people who take offense, really have a chip on their shoulder. They want to practice "cancel culture". Trying to wipe out the immortal contribution of a man who revolutionized the entertainment industry SEVERAL times. Whose positive, up-beat songs saw Americans through the Great Depression and WW-2. Whose style and energy won him the title of Greatest Entertainer of All Time. And who continues to delight listeners even to this day, over 70 years since he died! And that includes me. I could tell Many stories. When people take offense at Al Jolson, I take offense.

[@MarcLeavey]

Many of Jolson's performances were filled with such hidden meanings. Please do subscribe to this channel if you've not already, check out more material at the website, www.jolson.org, and consider joining the International Al Jolson Society for even more material and access to Jolson's legacy.

[@danielscuiry2847]

What hotel was this show from?

[@MarcLeavey]

This was a Kraft Music Hall broadcast

[@jakela671]

Little known fact-Larry Parks was Jewish!!!

[@MarcLeavey]

No, he was not, not at all.