Some of Jolson's funniest stuff, to my way of thinking, was when he hosted the Kraft Music Hall on radio, from 1947 - 49. The acerbic pianist Oscar Levant was his comic sidekick, and Groucho Marx occasionally showed up to really mix things up. They always kidded Jolson about being "over the hill" -- and in one bit Levant is asked to play Jolson's wife in a scene. Levant comments sarcastically, "I wouldn't marry Jolson if he were the last man on earth -- and HE PROBABLY WILL BE!"
Well, he didn't quite make it, but not for want of trying. TF -----Original Message----- From: Steven Medved <[email protected]> To: phono-l <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, Dec 26, 2012 8:47 pm Subject: Re: [Phono-L] AL JOLSON'S VICTOR 2-65 ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? Hello Tim, I did not know he entertained the troops after 1940, I sent the link in the event someone else was like me. The thought of a major star using a ten year old portable is very funny to me. In my mind I see him lip syncing to his mammy song and his special assistant winding the victrola changing the needle after each record. You should write a book on all the personally owned items. Thanks so much, Steve > To: [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2012 19:46:09 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] AL JOLSON'S VICTOR 2-65 ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? > > Of course Al Jolson entertained the troops in the 1940s. But if you think he was carrying around a 10-plus-year-old portable Victrola, then I guess he wasn't getting paid the kind of money his staredom would have merited. (Not getting paid to entertain the troops, but getting paid from his other entrainment activities to be able to afford a new Victrola.) > > TF > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Steven Medved <[email protected]> > To: phono-l <[email protected]> > Sent: Wed, Dec 26, 2012 7:37 pm > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] AL JOLSON'S VICTOR 2-65 ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? > > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SinJgcJQhII > > http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-NA001477.jpg?size=67&uid=dbb4b702-f7fe-420c-aa83-03a587d44190 > > Looks like he had a live piano player. > > > > To: [email protected] > > From: [email protected] > > Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:27:22 -0500 > > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] AL JOLSON'S VICTOR 2-65 ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? > > > > > > What troops, exactly, was Al Jolson entertaining? We were not at war > 1919-1941, and had relatively small armed forces during that period. > > > > If I told you the number of Edison Phonographs and other objects that were > "personally owned" by Thomas Edison over the past 43 years, you'd be > surprised > --- or not! > > > > Tim Fabrizio > > phonophan > > PO Box 747 > > Henrietta, NY 14467 > > > > TEL 585 582 1586 > > Web site: www.phonophan.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Steven Medved <[email protected]> > > To: phono-l <[email protected]>; phonolist <[email protected]> > > Sent: Wed, Dec 26, 2012 5:29 pm > > Subject: [Phono-L] AL JOLSON'S VICTOR 2-65 ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.ebay.com/itm/AL-JOLSONS-VICTOR-2-65-ORTHOPHONIC-VICTROLA-/181049044024 > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
