Interview Part V: “When Jolson Was King” and Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge Bonus Clue

This is Brian Marcus Decker and this is the Jolson Blog, this is the first blog dedicated to the life and musical influences of Al Jolson, the Worlds Greatest Entertainer and Friends.

•           JolsonBlog.com will continue to provide engaging content on Jolson including special interviews on Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Vaudeville, book, film and audio reviews as well as a monthly Jolson and Friends trivia challenge where I will be awarding free special limited edition T-shirts.

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Interview Part V: “When Jolson Was King” and Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge and Bonus Clue

Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge and bonus clue:

No one has yet to send me the correct answer to the June Trivia Challenge.  Therefore I am going to extend the challenge two more weeks and provide a bonus clue.

To win a FREE Al Jolson “The Singing Fool” color T-shirt answer the following question correctly:

 

Question:

Name the famous radio and TV personality that appeared with Al Jolson in “Hold Onto your Hats” as well as Eddie Cantor in “The Kid from Spain”?

Bonus Clue:

This famous radio and TV personality was a child when he appeared with Jolson and Cantor and is mostly associated with the history of Rock n Roll.

Rules: Answers must be e-mailed to Brian@JolsonBlog.com, with “Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge” in the subject line. Two winners will be selected at random from correct responses and must be received by 12:00 noon (EST) Tuesday, June 27, 2006. Please include your full name and mailing address in your response. Only one response accepted per person per monthly Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge. These collector edition T-shirts, are provided by AffiniTee LLC, include a vintage color reproduction of a 1928 theatrical program promoting “The Singing Fool” feature film starring the legendary, Al Jolson.

Interview Part V: “When Jolson Was King”

Brian Marcus Decker: In the beginning of your book you provide an impressive list of Jolson’s achievements. Personally, I like to think of Jolson as the first musical performer to break the “sound barrier” in terms of his contributions in Vaudeville, legitimizing Broadway Theater, talking movies, radio, film and certainly an extensive library of recording works.  From your perspective, what was it in his personality that made him an early and successful pioneer in all of these different entertainment mediums?

Richard Grudens: He was an exciting person, he did a little dance.  I think people saw it when he sang “Swanee” in the Jolson Story.  That was the only scene that Jolson actually was in that movie and like he said they filmed it from 200 miles away so you couldn’t tell it wasn’t Larry Parks and he does this little dance he did that with everything.  He sit in the audience, sit at the edge of the stage, he talk to people, he would tell jokes in reference to people that he knew in the audience or brought drew them into his little comedy act and people forget he was a comedian.  People really forget that he was really a comedian and he had all these jokes that people would write for him or that he would steal or write himself.  And, then he had this runway built down the center of the theatre where he could run out and talk to people without walking in between the seats and not being seen by anyone.  It was not his own idea. He got it from Max Reinhardt, I think in Germany, who had already done it and a lot of the girls is burlesque had that going too before and after but he used it better than anyone did and he had a booming voice.  Those were the days without microphones.  Everyone else, Sinatra and Crosby, they caressed the microphone and did their works by crooning.  Jolson belted it out and he had a strong voice and everyone heard him to the back (of the theater).  He would stand on the center stage and sing to the back and there was no question that it was Al Jolson singing.  He was amazing. He was just an amazing personality. He was…I guess he was…the word would be driven.  He was driven and he drove himself and that is what his fame was.  It wasn’t his great singing voice.  He was a short little guy, he wasn’t particularly handsome but he had drive and he had motivation.  I don’t know what motivated him.  A lot of people write about things that may have motivated him.  He was just driven to become a great entertainer and he did it.  He certainly did it.

Brian Marcus Decker: Of all the legendary stories about Al Jolson, could you share with us one of your favorite stories about Jolie?

Richard Grudens: The only one I thought was unique was when the Shubert Brothers, who were really horrible people, they were show business racketeurs of the greatest…they would be in jail today with the way they operated in those days.  But, they always tried to cheat the players, directors, musicians, they never honored contracts, they lied and cheated their way and I think …even though they have been past away since the 50’s there are still ongoing litigations about them.  And one day they were trying to get Jolson’s salary down and so one of the brothers, I think it was Jake, said we are not going to pay you this much for singing “Mammy”.  We just are not going to pay you.  He said the President does not get that kind of money. So, he said, “Go get the President to sing Mammy”.  And that was the only story I thought that was charming enough to remember. 

Brian Marcus Decker:  That is a great story.

For more information about, “When Jolson was King”, please visit www.RichardGrudens.com.

Next Week

Conclusion of Interview Part VI: “When Jolson Was King”

• Of the earlier versus later recording which recordings do you prefer and could you give some examples of your favorite Jolson songs?

• How can people purchase “When Jolson was King” or any of your other published books?

Coming up next: We want Cantor, We want Cantor!

This past Monday, I conducted a great new interview with Janet Cantor Gari, the youngest daughter of Eddie Cantor and Brian Gari the grandson of the legendary, “Apostle of Pep”. Janet and Brian will be sharing with us their stories and special memories about Eddie, Al Jolson, Bert Williams, Margaret Whiting, Sammy David Jr., the August 2006 Jolson Festival and their ongoing efforts to keep the memory of Eddie Cantor alive even 42 years after his death.

This is Brian Marcus Decker and thank you for joining us on the Jolson Blog.  This is the first blog dedicated to the life and musical influences of Al Jolson, the Worlds Greatest Entertainer and Friends and please visits again at www.JolsonBlog.com.

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