Birth:   May. 26, 1886 
Death:   Oct. 23, 1950 


      All of Jolsons' films were 
musical melodramas, although most had some comic elements. Both "The Jolson 
Story" (1946), and "Jolson Sings Again" (1949) were recorded during his 
lifetime, with Jolson himself doing the singing. "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum" was 
done partly in rhymed couplets. It was a critical, but not a popular success.
His Tv appearance was at a concert promoting "Jolson Sings Again" at Soldier 
Field in Chicago. It was strictly a closed circuit telecast for a wealthy man 
who wanted to see it, but couldn't be there.
He died of a heart attack (probably because he smoked too much) a month after 
returning from entertaining the troops in Korea (42 shows in 2 weeks). It was 
too much of a strain for him. ( theory ) He was in San Francisco to appear on 
a Crosby radio show, which would honor him for his service in Korea, when he died 
at the St. Francis Hotel. Al did say "thank you" through his secretary and manager. 
He never visited  Milwaukee area in later life (he was there in the early 1900s). 
When there was a fan club in California, members attended his radio shows for 
Kraft Music Hall.
        He was very happy about his fan club and supplied everything they 
wanted--autographed pics, tickets to his shows out there, etc.
The fan club began in April 1950, and Al was gone in October 1950 so was the fan club.
 
Legendary singer, actor, entertainer. Al Jolson was one of the greatest entertainers 
of the first half of the 20th century, referred to as the World's Greatest 
Entertainer in his time. A singer and dancer of boundless energy and expressive face, 
Jolson's greatest claim to fame was starring in the first talking motion picture, 
"The Jazz Singer," in 1927, where he uttered the immortal lines, "You ain't heard 
nothin' yet." Jolson was born Asa Yoelson in Srednike, Lithuania, the youngest son 
of four children by Naomi and Cantor Moses Yoelson. Facing religious oppression, 
The Yoelsons moved to Washington D.C., where Asa began singing on street corners 
and running with a tough crowd. While his father want him to follow in his religious 
footsteps, Jolson turned to stage like his brother Harry, who worked in New York. 
The two formed an act with a friend that became Jolson, Palmer and Jolson. 
Al went off on his own and formed his blackface routine which became immensely popular. 
In the 1920s, Jolson starred on Broadway in shows such as "Bombo," 
which introduced the song, "My Mammy." Jolson would later close "The Jazz Singer" 
with that immortal tune. Jolson went on to star on radio and in films such 
as "Mammy," "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum," and "The Singing Fool," which introduced the song, 
"Sonny Boy." Other famous Jolson tunes include "Ma Blushin' Rosie," 
"Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye," "April Showers," "Swanee" and "California Here I Come." 
Jolson married four times, including to Ziegfield girl Ruby Keeler. In the 1930s, 
despite film and radio fame, his career began to slide. It revived in 1946 when
Columbia Pictures made the standard-setting biopic, "The Jolson Story," 
which featured Jolson-sung tunes and which garnered star Larry Parks the Oscar. 
That and a following film, "Jolson Sings Again," introduced Jolson to a whole new 
set of fans. He performed for the USO during World War II and the Korean War. 
Jolson died in San Francisco playing cards not long after returning from Korea. 
He was scheduled to star on Chesterfield Bing Crosby show the next day.