Al Jolson Podcast

Excerpt of the September 7, 1937, Lifebuoy Program starring Al Jolson with guest George Jessel. This clip from the existing 16 minute transcription of the broadcast features Al Jolson and George Jessel having fun with "Toot, Toot, Tootsie." There's more, of course, in the existing segment, which is currently on the Jolson website. The broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the September, 1949, polio drive program in Baltimore featuring Al Jolson. In this edited segment, Jolson recalled his boyhood in Charm City, and sang "April Showers," accompanied by Harry Akst. 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 04 Jun 1941 Eddie Cantor Program with guest star Al Jolson. Jolie did not sing a lot of songs during this great show, but this tribute to Eddie Cantor's wife is a singular gem. Enjoy it, and all of the material from the show in the full 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 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.

Excerpt of the 12 May 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Victor Moore. Jolson and Moore join in some typical radio comedy, and end the routine in a duet of "Pretty Baby." After that, you can hear Al Jolson solo in the great song from South Pacific, "Some Enchanted Evening." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 05 May 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Dennis Day. In this edited segment, Dennis Day shows his talent for dialect, and even a little Yiddish, as he paired with Al Jolson in a comdey routine, capped off with a duet of "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon." Al Jolson finished the segment with a rarely heard tribute to Mother's Day, "Remember Mother's Day." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 28 Apr 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Doris Day. In this edited segment, Al Jolson sings "You'll Always Be Beautiful" and "That Wonderful Girl Of Mine," Doris Day and Al Jolson do a great duet, and there is a comedy segment with Ken Carpenter and Oscar Levant featuring the usual assortment of blown lines and gags. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 21 Apr 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Jimmy Durante. In this edited segment, Jolson and Durante explore the possibility of a world tour, aided by the acting skills of Oscar Levant. They end the segment with a great version of "Real Piano Player." The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.

Excerpt of the 14 Apr 1949 Kraft Music Hall, starring Al Jolson with Margaret Whiting. The daughter of songwriter Richard Whiting, Margaret joins Al in two duets along with a turn of her own in this edited portion of the broadcast. The complete broadcast, along with other Jolson radio shows, is available at the Official Al Jolson Website at www.jolson.org.