The Jolson Story (1946)

Director:

Alfred E. Green

Writers:

Harry Chandlee (adaptation)
Stephen Longstreet (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

10 October 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Plot:

This movie shows the idealized career of the singer Al Jolson, a little Jewish boy who goes against the will of his father in order to be in showbiz...

Plot Keywords:

Face Paint | Painted Face | Blackface | Florenz Ziegfeld | Blockbuster

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Larry Parks	...	Al Jolson
Evelyn Keyes	...	Julie Benson
William Demarest	...	Steve Martin
Bill Goodwin	...	Tom Baron
Ludwig Donath	...	Cantor Yoelson
Scotty Beckett	...	Asa Yoelson / Al Jolson, as a boy
Tamara Shayne	...	Mrs. Yoelson
Jo-Carroll Dennison	...	Ann Murray
John Alexander	...	Lew Dockstader
Ernest Cossart	...	Father McGee
The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir	...	Church Choir (as Mitchell 'Boychoir')
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessie Arnold	...	Wardrobe Woman (uncredited)
Nita Bieber	...	Dancer in nightclub revue (uncredited)
Lilian Bond	...	Woman (uncredited)
Symona Boniface	...	Woman in Audience (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Bill Brandt	...	Nightclub Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Clay Campbell	...	Makeup Artist for 'The Jazz Singer' (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Man in Audience / Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Donna Dax	...	Girl Publicist (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston	...	Asst. Stage Manager (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Woman in Audience / Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
William Forrest	...	Dick Glenn (uncredited)
Buddy Gorman	...	Jimmy, the Call Boy (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Fred Howard	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
Coulter Irwin	...	John, Young Priest (uncredited)
Al Jolson	...	Himself - in long shot of 'Swanee' (uncredited)
Charles Jordan	...	Dockstader's Stage Manager (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Florenz Ziegfeld (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Winter Garden Director (uncredited)
Robert Kellard	...	Henry, Orchestra Leader (as Bob Stevens) (uncredited)
P.J. Kelly	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Lab Manager (uncredited)
Pat Lane	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Jimmy Lloyd	...	Roy Anderson (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Winter Garden Stage Manager (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Gaffer (uncredited)
Charles Marsh	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Oscar Hammerstein (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Robert Mitchell	...	Choir Conductor (uncredited)
Helen O'Hara	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Joe Palma	...	Worker in Railroad Yard (uncredited)
Eddie Rio	...	Nightclub Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
Adele Roberts	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Alex Romero	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Fred F. Sears	...	Oscar - Cutter (uncredited)
Harry Shannon	...	Policeman Reilly (uncredited)
Ted Stanhope	...	Electrician (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
Ann E. Todd	...	Ann Murray as a Child (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Railroad Watchman (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Jonsey (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Henry the Butler (uncredited)
Rudy Wissler	...	Asa Yoelson (singing voice) (uncredited)
Will Wright	...	Sourpuss Movie Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred E. Green

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sidney Buchman		uncredited
Harry Chandlee		adaptation
Stephen Longstreet		screenplay
Andrew Solt		adaptation

Produced by
Gordon Griffith	....	associate producer (as Gordon S. Griffith)
Sidney Skolsky	....	producer
Sidney Buchman	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
George Duning		(uncredited)
Hugo Friedhofer		(uncredited)
Arthur Morton		(uncredited)
Marlin Skiles		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker

Film Editing by
William A. Lyon		(as William Lyon)

Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson
Walter Holscher

Set Decoration by
Louis Diage
William Kiernan

Costume Design by
Jean Louis

Makeup Department
Clay Campbell	....	makeup artist
Helen Hunt	....	hair stylist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wilbur McGaugh	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	sound recordist (as Hugh McDowell)
Richard Olson	....	sound re-recordist
John P. Livadary	....	sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Donald C. Glouner	....	matte paintings camera (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ned Scott	....	still photographer
Victor Scheurich	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Saul Chaplin	....	vocal arranger
Martin Fried	....	music arranger
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director (as M.W. Stoloff)
Edwin Wetzel	....	music recordist
George Duning	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Saul Silverman	....	singing voice: Ludwig Donath (uncredited)

Other crew
Lawrence W. Butler	....	montage director
Jack Cole	....	choreographer
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Joseph H. Lewis	....	director: production numbers
James T. 'Bud' Nelson	....	singing double
Morgan Padelford	....	associate technicolor color director
Robert Gordon	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Roy Hamilton	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Thelma Hoover	....	research director (uncredited)
Al Jolson	....	original singing voice: Larry Parks (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1946) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sony Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

128 min | USA:124 min (re-release) | West Germany:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #11154, General Audience) | West Germany:12

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The film's accuracy was severely compromised by the fact that Al Jolson's third wife, Ruby Keeler, refused to allow her name to appear on screen.

Goofs:

Continuity: Julie's shoes change to a different style when she walks out to the balcony after singing "California Here I Come".

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Goodfellas (1990)

Soundtrack:

The Spaniard That Blighted My Life

They Don't Get Any Better Than This

I could sit and listen to Jolson music endlessly. First of all,he had to be the originator of soul music, sung right from the heart. We heard what he felt and then felt what he felt. Secondly,he was the only singer I ever heard whose voice sounded like a trumpet. Perfect pitch, clear,crisp and resounding. Hence, we put together those two attributes, add his showmanship, charm and charisma and we end up with the greatest single entertainer in the history of American show business. Larry Parks is truly astounding and gives a performance, including perfect lip synching, that should have earned him the Oscar. Politics came first, apparently.

The film, even with its occasional flaws, was amazingly entertaining. From the first scene to when his Julie Benson walks out by realizing that she could have never taken the music out of Jolson and vice versa,the entire production was pure hypnotic joy. Unbeatable music, warmth, tenderness and humility run wild. A superb feast for the ears and eyes. A never-to-be-forgotten film.