Customer Reviews

Blackface to Blacklist: Al Jolson, Larry Parks, and "the Jolson Story"

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I could probably add another "star" to the rating of this book if McLelland would make at least one correction. This is really not a review but rather an important comment. Important, at least, to me.

On a back page of "Blackface to Blacklist" is a photo of Saul Silverman. He is credited as having dubbed the cantorial voice for papa Yoelson (Ludwig Donath) in both the Jolson Story and Jolson Sings again. Doug is HALF right. Silverman did the cantorial dubs for Donath in The Jolson Story. In Jolson Sings Again, however, the voice was that of Ray Carnay who was the Cantor at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills. Since I am the one who did the cantorial vocal I'd like to set the record straight. My Columbia press releases, photo with thanks inscribed by Donath and countless news articles in my files lend credence to my claim. I'd like to get this information to McClelland. The International AL Jolson Society has already received this information and corrections will be made in their archives and future releases.

Great memories!

Ray Carnay 1336 Emerald Park Dr. Eugene, OR 97404-2708 541/461-6161 541/688-2242 541/688-1234

This book is just what I needed. One of my favorite actors is Larry Parks. Trying to find movies and any information about him nearly impossible, it was wonderful to find a book about two of his movies, with pictures.

This book will also interest all Al Jolsen fans and classic movie buffs or anyone interested in how movies are made. It took you backstage to how the movies about Jolsen were conceived and made, with intereview with the actual participants. Lots of backstage gossip.

For me it was the pictures and information about Larry Parks. I wish to thank the author when trying to find anything about Parks is like trying to navigate a Black Hole, which is a pity and a great loss.

I couldn't wait to read the book, so you can imagine how excited I was when it arrived. I have seen both movies many times, I own them both, and needless to say they are my favorites. I already know the story of Jolson, both the truth, and what the two movies tell us, but I would have loved to learn more about the real star of the two movies, Larry Parks. The problems he and his wife had with the stupid blacklisting, how it affected his wife and two sons. The one real cute thing in the book was when a small girl met the real Jolson in person and said, "Gee Mr. Jolson, you're much better looking in the movie then you are in person." To use the terms the young girls now a days use, I think Larry Parks was a Hottie. I first saw The Jolson Story when I was seven years old, got the biggest crush on Larry Parks, I am now 64 years old, and still swoon when I see him in the two movies. I wonder if Betty Garrett has any idea how much the public loved her husband. It was because of him that Jolson's career got going again.

This gives woefully little information about the HUA witchhunt and how it impacted on the life and career of Larry Parks. (Read Betty Garrett's bio for that information.) This is a moment by moment synopsis with photos of The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again" with some biographical information on the performers. I love both movies and could have written the synopsis myself. I wanted to learn more about Larry Parks and the disgraceful blacklist period. Also, this is a very short book (minus photos) and is more like a term paper than a serious discussion on the title's topic.

I just wanted to say that for a long time I have been looking for a book which dealt mainly with The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again. I probably stumbled on it with this book. Although the name implies a book on the blacklisting, I was pleasantly surprised to find alot of pages dedicated to these two films. Don't be fooled by the name. There's much more than the blacklisting.

I thought I was the only one that loved "Jolson Story" and "Jolson sings again." I remember as a child staying up for the late movies to watch and sign along with these movies. I was so interested in the detail about how these movies weremade. thank you Doug for writing this book.

I have spent a lot of time in libraries and have studied theatre extensively, but have not seen the
time spent and the extensive examination of a movie
as is done in this publication. I believe it is well
worth the effort as these two movies stand alone as
the best bio pics to date. True, today's fascination
with all things computerized, etc. tend to make it seem
dated. However, if you set it in the time it was made
and the reception it received, you can peel back the
gimmicks and see it for the movie it is about the man who is probably and always will be the world's greatest
entertainer.