Al Jolson
Al Jolson is known for The Jazz Singer (1927), The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021), Wonder Bar (1934).
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer". He was born in the Russian Empire (the part of which is now in Lithuania) and emigrated to America at the age of five with his Jewish parents.
His performing style was brash and extroverted, and he popularized a large number of songs that benefited from his "shamelessly sentimental, melodramatic approach". Numerous well-known singers were influenced by his music, including Bing Crosby Judy Garland, rock and country entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bob Dylan, who once referred to him as "somebody whose life I can feel". Broadway critic Gilbert Seldes compared him to "the Great God Pan," claiming that Jolson represented "the concentration of our national health and gaiety."
In the 1930s, he was America's most famous and highest paid entertainer. Between 1911 and 1928, Jolson had nine sell-out Winter Garden shows in a row, more than 80 hit records, and 16 national and international tours. Although he's best remembered today as the star in the first (full length) talking movie, The Jazz Singer in 1927, he later starred in a series of successful musical films throughout the 1930s. After a period of inactivity, his stardom returned with the 1946 Oscar-winning biographical film, The Jolson Story. Larry Parks played Jolson with the songs dubbed in with Jolson’s real voice. A sequel, Jolson Sings Again, was released in 1949, and was nominated for three Oscars. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jolson became the first star to entertain troops overseas during World War II, and again in 1950 became the first star to perform for G.I.s in Korea, doing 42 shows in 16 days. He died just weeks after returning to the U.S., partly due to the physical exertion of performing. Defense Secretary George Marshall afterward awarded the Medal of Merit to Jolson's family.
He enjoyed performing in blackface makeup – a theatrical convention since the mid-19th century. With his unique and dynamic style of singing black music, like jazz and blues, he was later credited with single-handedly introducing African-American music to white audiences. As early as 1911 he became known for fighting against anti-black discrimination on Broadway. Jolson's well-known theatrics and his promotion of equality on Broadway helped pave the way for many black performers, playwrights, and songwriters, including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Ethel Waters.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Al Jolson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Questions about Al Jolson
How many Al Jolson films are in the catalogue?
The CineQuiz catalogue has 34 films with Al Jolson, from 1927 to 2025.
What is the best rated Al Jolson film?
The best rated Al Jolson film in the catalogue is The Jazz Singer (1927), rated 6.1.
What was the first Al Jolson film?
The first Al Jolson film in the catalogue is The Jazz Singer, from 1927.
People data: TMDb.
Known for
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6.1 The Jazz Singer
1927
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6.5 Gene Kelly: An American in Hollywood
2025
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6.0 Wonder Bar
1934
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8.0 Vaudeville
1997
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7.7 The Real Charlie Chaplin
2021
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6.2 Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
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7.0 Show-Business at War
1943
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6.8 The Jolson Story
1946
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7.0 Vito
2011
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6.6 Rhapsody in Blue
1945
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7.0 Purple Heart Diary
1951
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6.3 Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Full filmography
45 films — 34 in the catalogue
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O Filme que Fala
2026 · Jakie Rabinowitz (archive footage)
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6.5
Gene Kelly: An American in Hollywood
2025 · Self (archive footage)
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Sunshine State
2022 · Self (archive footage)
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7.7
The Real Charlie Chaplin
2021 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
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8.0 Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty
2020 · archive footage
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7.0
Vito
2011 · Self (archive)
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7.0 The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
2007 · Self (archive footage)
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8.0
Vaudeville
1997 · Self (archive footage)
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8.5 Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
1990 · (archive footage)
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9.0 Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984 · (archive footage)
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10.0 Showbiz Goes to War
1982 · (archive footage)
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10.0 Salsa
1976 · (archive footage)
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6.3
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975 · Self (archive footage)
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7.0 The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
1961 · Self (archive footage)
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7.0 Screen Snapshots: Memorial to Al Jolson
1952 · Self (archive footage)
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7.0
Purple Heart Diary
1951 · Al Jolson (archive footage) (uncredited)
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7.0 The Golden Twenties
1950 · Self (archive footage)
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6.4 Jolson Sings Again
1949 · Himself (singing voice) (uncredited)
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6.8
The Jolson Story
1946 · Singing Voice / Al Jolson (uncredited)
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6.7 Okay for Sound
1946
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6.6
Rhapsody in Blue
1945 · Al Jolson
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6.0 Take It or Leave It
1944 · (archive footage) (uncredited)
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6.0 The Voice That Thrilled the World
1943 · Self (segment 'The Jazz Singer') (archive footage)
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7.0
Show-Business at War
1943 · Self
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7.0 Swanee River
1939 · Edwin P. Christy
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6.2
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939 · Al Jolson
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6.7 Rose of Washington Square
1939 · Ted Cotter
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4.0 Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
1939 · Al Jolson
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4.8 Hollywood Handicap
1938 · Himself
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5.0
Screen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12
1937 · Self (uncredited)
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6.0 A Day at Santa Anita
1937 · Al Jolson (uncredited)
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7.0 The Singing Kid
1936 · Al Jackson
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7.2 Go Into Your Dance
1935 · Al Howard
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Studio Highlights
1934 · Self
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6.0
Wonder Bar
1934 · Al Wonder
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7.6 Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
1933 · Bumper
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5.3 Big Boy
1930 · Gus
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5.8 Show Girl in Hollywood
1930 · Al Jolsen
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6.0 Minha Mãe
1930 · Al Fuller
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5.5 New York Nights
1929 · Al Jolson
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5.5 Say It with Songs
1929 · Joe Lane
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5.0 The Singing Fool
1928 · Al Stone
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6.1
The Jazz Singer
1927 · Jakie Rabinowitz
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4.6 A Plantation Act
1926 · Self
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Farina & The Perpetual Shine Machine
no date
People data: TMDb.
Cast
