Description

From the early days of his stage career in the decades before World War I through his unparalleled comeback after World War II, Al Jolson was billed as The World's Greatest Entertainer. This book provides an insightful sketch of Jolson's life and a comprehensive record of his extensive career. The volume begins with a biography which discusses the factors that shaped Jolson's development as a performer. A chronology of the chief events in his life follows. Chapters are then devoted to his stage, film, recording, and broadcast career. Each of these chapters contains annotated entries for Jolson's performances. A bibliography follows, with entries for books, periodicals, and newspaper articles. Appendices list stage shows based on Jolson's life, along with newsreels, cartoons, awards, and endorsements related to his career. Name and title indexes conclude the work and add to its reference value.