Well folks, its time to continue our journey in memory lane as we start a new series of Jolson and Friends interviews. We are now kicking-off with a fascinating six-part interview with Sybil Jason and Podcasts. Sybil, has recently published a great book, “My Fifteen Minutes” which includes a must read chapter devoted to her life-long friend, the legendary Al Jolson. Sybil will also share with us some great stories and insights from her book about Jolie, Durante, Cab, the International Al Jolson Society and the Golden Era of Hollywood.

 

For more on Sybil Jason see Upcoming Events below.

Free Podcasts (Oh my!)

After collecting audio assets for four Jolson related interviews, I have decided to launch the First Jolson Podcast.  Special thanks to David Bartel and Zeke Decker for digital audio support on this project.

For those of that may not be familiar with Podcasts:

 

Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices (such as MP3 Players)  and personal computers.

Podcasts are distinguished from other digital audio formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically using software capable of reading feeds like RSS or Atom. - Wikipedia

 

To listen to the free Jolson and Friends Blog Podcast published audio files
Use  http://feed.jolsonblog.com and click on:

Jolson and Friends Blog Podcast: Sybil Jason Interview Part I



To subscribe to the free Jolson and Friends Blog Podcast published audio files
 

Use  http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ or http://www.podcastalley.com set-up account and then search search on Jolson and Friends Blog Podcast.

If you are currently using a RSS or atom reader add  http://feed.jolsonblog.com to you subscribed content list.

Upcoming Events

Second Tribute to Sybil Jason: Warner Brothers' First Kid Star

Although Sybil Jason’s time in the limelight was relatively brief, she enjoyed a remarkable film career including appearing with Hollywood legends including Al Jolson, Shirley Temple, and Humphrey Bogart. 

 

Feedback from the Tuesday, September 19th event:

 

“The tribute went off beautifully... I have been receiving many, many emails and phone calls.” – Sybil Jason

 

Second Event:  Wednesday, October 18^th at 7:30 PM tribute includes a special screening of the 1936 classic film directed by William Keighley, “The Singing Kid” starring Al Jolson, Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Cab Calloway, Edward Everett Horton, Allen Jenkins and Wini Shaw. Sybil Jason will there with her special guest Beverly Roberts who also appeared in the movie “The Singing Kid”.

 

This special event will take place at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Tickets are available to non-members of the American Cinemathique for $10.00.

 

“The Singing Kid”, then and now (with Richard Halpern)

 

Sunday, October 22^nd at 7 PM: Rick Rogers performs as Eddie Cantor with the Vince Giordano Trio at the new Joe Franklin's Comedy Club located at 761 Seventh Avenue (50th St.) in New York City. Special guests include our very special Jolson and Friend’s Janet Gari (Eddie Cantor’s daughter) and Brian Gari (Eddie Cantor’s grandson) and Cynthia Pepper from TV’s Margie.

 

Tickets are $20.00 plus $12.00 food/drink minimum. RSVP by October 17.
^{For more information:}

Phone: 818-753-0688

E-mail:  Info@eddiecantor.com

 

 

October 19 - 22, 2006:  Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention will take place at the Holiday Inn in North, Newark New Jersey. Special convention guests include:

 

Joe Franklin - Joe Franklin Show in New York

Brian Gari - Author, performer and family archivist (Eddie Cantor’s grandson)

Rick Rogers - Impressionist, singer (Eddie Cantor)

David Noel Freedman - son of radio writer (Eddie Cantor) David Freedman

Nan Warren - Let's Pretend, (Eddie Cantor)

Dick Monda - Singer, actor (Eddie Cantor as boy in Eddie Cantor Story)

Sonny Fox - TV Host; Candid Microphone on Radio

Chuck McCann - Comedian, actor

Jayne Meadows - Actress, widow of Steve Allen

Barry Farber - Radio talk show host

Celeste Holm - Academy Award winning actress, Broadway - Oklahoma

Mickey Freeman - (TV) Phil Silvers Show

Elaine Hyman - The Lone Ranger

Simon Jones - British Actor (TV) Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Corinne Orr - Theatre Five; (TV) Voices for Speed Racer; Trixie and Spritle

Bill Owen - (Announcer for ABC)

Betsy Palmer - (TV) I've got a Secret

 

For more information go to http://www.lofcom.com/nostalgia/fotr/update06.php3 or contact:

Jay Hickerson

27436 Desert Rose Ct.,

Leesburg, FL 34748>

(352) 728-6731

E-mail: JayHick@aol.com

 

September Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge

 

Copyright © 2006 Brian Marcus Decker

 

September Trivia Challenge Question:

 

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This hotel suite room doors pictured above has tremendous historical and cultural impact significance to the entertainment history of 20^th century.  Two very catastrophic isolated events that changed the cultural and entertainment history of the 20^th Century.

 

Please identify the name of this famous hotel and the two historical events that happened in hotel suite room 1221?

 

 

September Trivia Challenge Answer:

 

Paul Bowers correctly answered the September Jolson Trivia Challenge

 

1. Fatty Arbuckle is held responsible for the rape and death of film actress Virginia Rappe at the St. Francis Hotel in suite 1221 in San Francisco.
2. Al Jolson dies at St. Francis Hotel suite 1221 in San Francisco of a heart attack in 1950.

 

One winner will receive a FREE Al Jolson, “The Singing Fool” T-shirt who can correctly answer the upcoming October Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge.

 

Fatty Arbuckle is held responsible for the rape and death of film actress Virginia Rappe at the St. Francis Hotel in suite 1221 in San Francisco

 

Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, was one of the most successful comedians in silent film, was accused of the rape and murder of a young actress in suite 1221 at the St. Francis Hotel. An outraged public boycotted Arbuckle films, tore down movie posters, and demanded his conviction. Although Arbuckle was found innocent in 1922, the scandal meant the end of his career.  Arbuckle retired for a time, but through the aid of friends such as Buster Keaton, he was able to return to directing under a pseudonym. Arbuckle died in his sleep in 1933.

 

Al Jolson died at St. Francis Hotel suite 1221 in San Francisco of a heart attack

 

Shortly after returning from a trip to Korea in October 1950, Al Jolson and Harry Akst arrived in San Francisco on a flight from Los Angeles. Jolson was scheduled to make a guest appearance on the Bing Crosby Radio Show.  Jolson and Akst checked into the 12^th floor suite at the St. Francis Hotel and had dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf.

 

While playing cards with friends in his hotel suite, he began complaining of indigestion. When the doctor arrived, Jolson tried joking around. Then he felt for his own pulse, looked up and quietly said, "Oh, I'm going." His eyes closed a moment later, and attempts to revive him proved useless. The World's Greatest Entertainer was dead at the age of sixty-four.

 

Three days later, the funeral was held at Temple Israel on Hollywood Boulevard. Police estimated upwards of 20,000 people turned up. George Jessel opened his eulogy:

:

“And not only has the entertainment world lost its king, but we cannot cry the king is dead - long live the king! …  For there is no one to hold his sceptre. Those of us who tarry behind are but pale imitations, mere princelings” - George Jessel

 

 

 

Jolson and Friends Blog Special Feature and Richard Halpern’s Video Play List

 

For those of you, who have not had the opportunity to see Richard Halpern’s recent August 24th, 2006 New York City appearance, the Jolson and Friends Blog will be featuring several video performances over the next couple of months. This includes some great songs and his personal homage to the great Tin Pan Alley songwriters and performers including Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Sophie Tucker, Irving Caesar, E.Y. Harburg, B.G. DeSylva, Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Charles Tobias, Henry Tobias and Sammy Timberg.

 

Copyright © 2006 Brian Marcus Decker

 

Jolson and Friends special featured video of Richard Halpern’s performance of Al Jolson and Billy Rose's 1927 hit: "Me and My Shadow"(With Richard Danley at the piano).

 

Click here to view video:

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=G32FiHO882U

 

 

And now a word from our Sponsor:

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You will be “Sitting on Top of the World” with these limited edition T-shirts.  These are perfect gifts for collectors of nostalgia and a must have for anyone interested in the legendary Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor. Each t-shirt comes with a FREE matching gift card.

 

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Al Jolson Limited Edition T-shirt: The Singing Fool with FREE matching gift card

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This is a vintage color reproduction of a hand painted tin carnival sign.

 

 

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For additional information, special orders, discounted shipping outside the U.S., payments through Pay Pal, please contact: brian@affinitee.com .

 

To order please specify style (Jolson or Cantor), quantity, size, t-shirt color (white or black), type (t-shirts or matching gift cards) and your shipping address. Please send checks to:

 

AffiniTee LLC c/o

Brian Marcus Decker

24 Arverne Road

West Orange, NJ
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Sybil Jason Interview Part I

Sybil Jason in 1935 film “Little Big Shot”

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  This is Brian Marcus Decker for JolsonBlog.com, the first blog dedicated to the musical influences of Al Jolson and Friends.  As part of our ongoing series of interviews we’re fortunate to be talking, via telephone today, with the very special and talented Sybil Jason. 

 

Although Sybil Jason’s time in the limelight was relatively brief she enjoyed a remarkable film career including appearance including Hollywood legends including the world’s greatest entertainer, Al Jolson, as well as Humphrey Bogart, Pat O’Brien, Shirley Temple, Ann Sheridan, Jimmy Durante, Rudy Vallee, and a cast of thousands. 

 

Sybil has also recently published a really fascinating book, “My Fifteen Minutes”, and for Jolson fans it’s an absolute must read.  Even beyond a separate a chapter devoted to Jolie, the book reads like a magical adventure told through the lens of a child during the golden age of Hollywood. And have no doubt that Sybil Jason is an original and she is wonderful and her behind-the-scenes master storytelling, even today, continues to delight audiences with her public appearances and of course her recently published book. 

 

Sybil, I wanted to start out the interview by just saying thank you for taking the time with the Jolson and Friends blog community.

 

Sybil Jason:  Oh it’s my pleasure Brian.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  Sybil, you’ve always shared a very special connection to Al Jolson.  As complex as he was, you had experienced the magic of Jolson, not just as a performer, but also on a personal level and even then an aspect of Jolie that very few people have ever, ever experienced.  This special connection started for you at a very, very early age with your father.  Can you tell us about this?

 

Sybil Jason:  Well, let’s see.  When I was still in the crib, yes Brian, I have crib memories of my dad who loved the sound of Al Jolson.  He used to sing all the songs during the period of the late 1920s and my dad said that as a baby I used to just smile and clap my hands as he sang those songs to me in Capetown, South Africa.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  Oh that’s fantastic.

 

Sybil Jason:  Yes.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  Do you recall which Jolson songs your father used to sing to you?

Sybil Jason:  No. Like I said my dad sang all of Al Jolson’s songs that were popular in that particular time span.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  At an incredibly early age growing up in South Africa you had demonstrated many talents as a performer that really seemed to foreshadow your future success as a performer. Music was certainly an important catalyst to your career and as Marlene Dietrich once said in her first film, “The Blue Angel”, “Just like a moth to a flame, what am I to do?  I can’t help it.”

 

Sybil Jason:  That’s lovely.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  From your earliest memories who were the performers and what were the songs that really inspired you the most?

 

Sybil Jason:  Well actually thanks to my older sister Anita who was my mentor, my best friend, my mother figure, as well as my sister. She coached me on what the famous performers sounded and acted like; you must remember I was only three at the time.  Some of these I could hear from records they had recorded and some of it I was actually able to see the photographs and on rare occasions on film.  And I guess the person I imitated that really came across on the stage were Maurice Chevalier followed closely by Mae West.  Now on stage performances I did the most popular songs that Chevalier was known for like “Louise” and “Mimi” and songs like that which I did on the London Palladium stage and Royal Albert Hall in London.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  Could we actually ask you to do an imitation for us?

 

Sybil Jason:  Oh my lord, no Brian.  I retired my impressions of those stars many years ago.

 

Brian Marcus Decker:  That’s okay.  A question, did you ever do impressions of Al Jolson?

 

Sybil Jason:  You know that’s a very interesting question, one that’s never been asked of me before.  No, funnily enough, I have never done an impression of Jolie.

 

 

Next Blog Update October 15, 2006: Sybil Jason Interview Part II

 

• Your duet with Jimmy Durante on the radio.  What was that experience like?
• You may also be the only person who can strongly associate a bicycle with Al Jolson.  Why?
•  Do you have any recollections of any tension on the set of the “The Singing Kid” between Al Jolson and Cab Calloway?
• In the moving, “The Singing Kid” who was the only other person outside of you that’s still living either before or behind the camera?
• Who were some of the most interesting people who attended your birthday parties during your time as a child performer?

 

This is Brian Marcus Decker and thank you for joining us on the Jolson and Friends blog.  This is the first and most important blog dedicated to the life and musical influences of the legendary Al Jolson, The World’s Greatest Entertainer, as well as his many friends.  And please visit us again http://www.jolsonblog.com. 

 

Changes to Jolson and Friends Blog

 

In the upcoming months I am looking to continue to evolve the Jolson and Friends Blog and wanted preview some upcoming changes.  As of this post, I am publishing a Podcast of the interview portion of this blog and will continue to promote the sale of Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and other Limited Edition T-shirts and matching gift cards. The sales from these items will help offset the cost of maintaining this blog.

 

Due to the time intensive nature of ongoing research, content development, production, audio Podcasts and maintaining and the Blog, I will start publishing twice a month instead of weekly. The next blog update will happen on October 15, 2006.

 

To ensure that you are automatically informed about new postings, please enter your email address at the sidebar on the left of this blog page or send an email to my attention, with the subject line “Subscribe”, to brian@JolsonBlog.com .

 

 

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