Al Jolson Podcast | IAJS

Excerpt of the 23 Jul 1944 broadcast of Your All Time Hit Parade, starring Tommy Dorsey with guest star Al Jolson. Recovering from illness contracted while entertaining the troops in World War II, Al Jolson appeared on just this program during the summer of 1944. Singing two songs, one of which, April Showers, is featured in the podcast, he continued the work he started to maintain the morale of our fighting men and women. Harry von Zell is also featured on this broadcast. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 16 Jul 1940 broadcast from Arlington Park with Al Jolson. Appearing in Chicago promoting his last Broadway show then in preview, Al Jolson took time to call a race at the track. This is just the race, there is much more in the ten minute program. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 12 Jul 1937 Tribute to George Gershwin, featuring Al Jolson. This was one of two numbers performed by Al Jolson on a radio tribute broadcast the evening following George Gershwin's death. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the June, 1935, Go Into Your Dance radio promotion starring Al Jolson with Ruby Keeler. This is a brief clip from a ten minute radio promotion for the Jolson - Keeler flick which was then premiering all over the country. Enjoy Jolson singing "Mammy, I'll Sing About You," then listen to the rest of the show on the website, and then watch the movie! The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 15 Jun 1936 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast of Burlesque, featuring Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler. This segment features Al Jolson singing three songs from the program, some comedy scripted between Jolson and Keeler, and even some of Ruby's tap dancing. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 11 Jun 1937 Hollywood Hotel, featuring Al Jolson and George Jessel. This segment features Jolson singing an earlier version of "Ma Blushin' Rosie," and Jolson and Jessel doing a duet of "Give My Regards To Broadway." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 06 Jun 1945 Milton Berle Show, featuring Al Jolson with biographical musical vignettes of his life. Having just recovered from the loss of much of a lung, Jolson's appearance between V-E Day and V-J Day was a poignant look at the World's Greatest Entertainer in a fragile time of his life. Listen to his words about racial and ethnic tolerance, so moving from a man often painted as a racist. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 02 Jun 1947 Lux Radio Theatre, which featured a radio version of the movie "The Jazz Singer," starring Al Jolson, Ludwig Donath, Tamara Shayne, and Gail Patrick. This edited clip features a smattering of dialog from the program, along with Al Jolson singing "Toot, Toot, Tootsie," "Keep Smiling At Trouble," and "I'm Sitting On Top Of The World." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 26 May 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Groucho Marx. This was Al Jolson's

final broadcast as host of the Kraft Music Hall, and it happened to be his birthday as well. He sang the great Cole

Porter song, "Why Can't You Behave?" from Kiss Me Kate. With Groucho he engaged in the usual comedy banter, which

includes what may be the longest set up for a joke in radio history. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson

radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 19 May 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Dorothy Kirsten. Ms. Kirsten leads the segment with an operatic aria befitting her status with the Metropolitan Opera. Following that, she and Jolson banter about a bit with the subject of opera. Jolson and Kirsten end the segment with a great rendition of "People Will Say We're In Love." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.