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Al Jolson

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Al Jolson Famous memorial

Original Name
Asa Yoelson
Birth
Death
23 Oct 1950 (aged 64)
San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA
Burial
Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA GPS-Latitude: 33.9797554, Longitude: -118.3894501
Plot
Waterfall monument, central to the entire park.
Memorial ID
View Source
Legendary Singer, Actor, and Entertainer. Al Jolson was one of the greatest Jewish entertainers of the first half of the 20th century, referred to as the World's Greatest Entertainer of 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 Ziegfeld 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. 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. Today, the International Al Jolson Society is still strong and holds annual conventions.
Legendary Singer, Actor, and Entertainer. Al Jolson was one of the greatest Jewish entertainers of the first half of the 20th century, referred to as the World's Greatest Entertainer of 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 Ziegfeld 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. 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. Today, the International Al Jolson Society is still strong and holds annual conventions.

Bio by: LincolnFan



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Added: Apr 25, 1998
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/551/al-jolson: accessed ), memorial page for Al Jolson (26 May 1886–23 Oct 1950), Find a Grave Memorial ID 551, citing Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.