• October 11th at 6PM at Tower Records at Lincoln Center in New York City.
• October 19-21 at the Friends of Old Time Radio Convention, Holiday Inn, Newark NJ (see additional event information above).
• October 22nd at Eddie Cantor Convention dinner at Joe Franklin's Restaurant  in NYC (see additional event information above).
• November 28th at 7PM at at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Memories of Jolson starring Gary Birkhof

Memories of Jolson starring Gary Birkhof will take place on Sunday December 3, 2006 from 2P.M. till 4PM at:

Port Hope Capital Arts Centre

20 Queen St., Port Hope, Ontario

Information call: 800-434-5092

Tickets--Adults $18.00

Students and Seniors $15.00

October Trivia Challenge Question:

The impact of Jolie’s contributions to music and the performing arts is legendary.

Can you name two historical events in the career of Al Jolson that occurred on October 23^rd?

 

Rules: Answers must be e-mailed to Brian@JolsonBlog.com, with “Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge” in the subject line. One winner will be selected at random from correct responses and must be received by 12:00 noon (EST) Tuesday, October 25, 2006. Please include your full name, t-shirt size and mailing address in your response. Only one response accepted per person per monthly Jolson and Friends Trivia Challenge. Previous monthly winners are not eligible. These collector edition T-shirts, are provided by AffiniTee LLC, include a vintage black and white or color reproduction of a 1928 theatrical program promoting “The Singing Fool” feature film starring the legendary, Al Jolson. Sizes may be limited based on in-stock availability.

 

And now a word from our Sponsor:

Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor Limited Edition T-shirts

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.

AffiniTee LLC only uses brand new Hanes Beefy-Ts premium 6.1 oz. heavyweight pre-shrunk 100% cotton.  These unique vintage images are applied using a high pressure industrial heat press and professional grade hot transfers and use a special process for extended wear.

This unique T-shirts is available in white or black in adult sizes including small (34-36), medium (38-40), adult large (42-44) and XL (46-48) sizes. Additional sizes including children, adult XXL and XXXL are available on a special order basis and are subject to a $3.00 surcharge to prices listed below

Here’s the Deal

Al Jolson Limited Edition T-shirt: The Singing Fool

This is a vintage color reproduction of a 1928 theatrical program.

Eddie Cantor Limited Edition T-shirt: Tell it to the Judge

This is a vintage two-color reproduction of 1930s board game.

Moon Rocket Ride Limited Edition Carnival T-shirt

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

White T-Shirt:  $20.00 with FREE U.S Shipping and Matching Gift Card

Black T-Shirt: $22.00 with FREE U.S Shipping and Matching Gift Card

Pack of 5 gift cards: with envelopes is $10.00 with FREE U.S Shipping

Pack of 10 gift cards: with envelopes is $18.00 with FREE U.S Shipping

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, Cantor, Ticket to the Moon), 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

07052

Sybil Jason Interview: Part II

“Jimmy was a crack-up to work with and the warmest, sweetest man”

Brian Marcus Decker:  Well I loved reading in your book about your duet with Jimmy Durante on the radio.  What was that experience like?

Sybil Jason:  I think that was the most fun I have ever had on radio.  Jimmy was a crack-up to work with and the warmest, sweetest man one could ever hope to meet.  He especially got a kick out of my impersonation of him, which I did on that particular radio program and he tried so hard to stifle his laughter but I guess it became uncontrollable, which in turn amused the audience, the radio audience.

Brian Marcus Decker:  You may also be the only person who can really associate a bicycle with Al Jolson.  Why?

Sybil Jason:  The bicycle?  Oh well as I explained in my book, Jolie and I were slated to be on location on my actual birthday so he decided to give me my main birthday present a day ahead of time; we were still in Hollywood.  I was not scheduled to shoot any scenes that particular day but my sister got a call from Jolie’s assistant; I can’t remember his name.  But anyway he asked if I would come to the studio just for a little while that day, and this is Jolie on the set of the “The Singing Kid”.  Oh, you know we were quite puzzled Brian by this request, but I was there in the early afternoon and much to my surprise Jolie stopped the shooting of his scene and made the announcement that I was doing such a wonderful job on the movie and that we would be on location on my actual birthday the next day, so he would like to present me with my major present that day.  Of course, it was a beautiful bike and Jolie had made arrangements to have it delivered to my home, which arrived before even I ever got home that day.  And of course, then on location Jolie had arranged to cater a real birthday party for me and there were even more presents.  Brian, he made a little girl very happy, I can assure you.

Brian Marcus Decker:  That is just such a great, great story.  Thank you.

Sybil Jason:  Well he was a beautiful man.

Brian Marcus Decker:  Now, “The Singing Kid” is actually one of my favorite Jolson movies for a number of reasons.  It has a great cast, obviously Jolson, Sybil Jason, Cab Calloway, Edward Everett Horton, Allen Jenkins and Wini Shaw.  The movie was really tailored differently than a lot of the other Jolson movies because it really showcased a number of songs that Jolson had already made famous including, Swanee, Rock-A-Bye, California Here I Come, April Showers and some really great new songs by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, I Love To Sing-A and of course that incredible duet performance with you and Jolson, “You’re the Cure for What Ails Me”.

The legendary King of “Hi De Ho”, Cab Calloway was an energetic scattin', and jivin' jazz singer, talented actor, dancer and composer who also led one of the most popular African American “Jump” and “Hot Swing” bands from the start of the 1930s through the late 1940s.

Brian Marcus Decker:  So from your memory do you have any recollections of any tension on the set of the “The Singing Kid” between Al Jolson and Cab Calloway?

Sybil Jason:  Well let me be honest with you.  When Cab and Jolie did their scenes together, I was never on hand to see if there were any tensions etc…  However I was extremely surprised to read in Cab’s book.  He said he had every luxury and every amenity that Jolie had as the star on the set of the, “The Singing Kid”.  May I assure you no-one had anything that was on par what was given to Al Jolson, and especially when Cab, as famous and as talented as he was, he was essentially an act of his own and usually when you star or co-star in a movie you usually are given a trailer and change of wardrobe but if you have only a very small part you are given a director’s chair to sit period, and that was what was given to Cab.

Brian Marcus Decker:  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?

Sybil Jason:  Oh Brian, it always seems a bit eerie to me when I watch my movies whether it’s on TCM, Turner Classic Movies, or otherwise to realize that I am the only person who is still alive in the cast and crew.  There is one very special lady that, although she is in her nineties, that has the energy of a much younger woman is Beverley Roberts who was Jolie’s love interest in, “The Singing Kid”.  She and I have been invited to appear as guest stars at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood when they screen “The Singing Kid” on October 18^th.  Hopefully she will be able to make it.

“Sure enough, when the gentleman came to help me blow out the candles, you see we shared a birthday; it was also his birthday too.  I opened up my arms and yelled, Uncle Boris.”

Brian Marcus Decker:  Who were some of the most interesting people who attended your birthday parties during your time as a child performer?

Sybil Jason:  Well you know it’s funny that you should ask that because I cannot think of one holiday including my own birthdays that I wasn’t working.  I was always working.  But I think the most fun surprise guest that I had on my birthday was someone that the studio was concerned would frighten me.  It was the Warner Brothers studio called the green room and because I was working that was going to be my celebration for that day.  Now there was a huge birthday cake and the gentleman who the studio was concerned would frighten me was also working and had the most horrible make-up on but had to keep it on because it took hours to apply it, but my sister assured them I would be fine.  Sure enough, when the gentleman came to help me blow out the candles, you see we shared a birthday; it was also his birthday too.  I opened up my arms and yelled, ‘Uncle Boris’.  It was of course Boris Karloff.  And another memorable birthday was when the Prince and Princess of Spain were on their honeymoon and when they got to Hollywood Warner’s was their guest hosts.  They asked the couple who most they’d like to meet at the studio and I was one of the lucky ones.  They very graciously accepted my formal birthday dinner that evening.

November 1, 2006: Sybil Jason Interview Part III

• Can you tell us about that experience at the Warner Ball event with Al Jolson as the MC?
• Who was your favorite film director and why?
• What was the best advice that Al Jolson ever gave you?
• Can you share with us a story about your relationships with Ruby Keeler and Erle Jolson Krasna?
• How did you earn the reputation of “One-take Jason” in Hollywood?

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 promoting the sale of Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and additional Limited Edition T-shirt designs 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 and maintaining and the Blog, I will start publishing twice a month instead of weekly. The next blog update will happen on November 1^st, 2006.

I am starting to work on several future Jolson and Friends projects including:

·         Expanded global coverage of local events.

·         Future podcasts of upcoming interviews and special performance-based content.

·         Jolson and Friends Recommended Reading and Viewer Lists including cost-saving shopping links to find out-of-print books, videos and more.

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.

Amazon Express Shopping Link (click on link below)

My Fifteen Minutes: An Autobiography of a Child Star of the Golden Era of Hollywood (Paperback) by Sybil Jason

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