Customer Reviews

When Jolson Was King

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Even the seasoned Jolson fan who has read all of the biographies and discographies of their idol will find this engaging portrait of the incomparable Jolson. Richard Grudens patented profiling give a well-rounded view of Jolson as seen by those who knew him and were influenced by him. This book could also be subtitled "Jolson for Dummies" as it illustrated the appeal that Jolson still holds for fans worldwide who weren't even born when he departed this earth in 1950. Grudens goes further than other authors by capturing the legacy of Jolson.

There have been several biographies written of Al Jolson, the World's Greatest Entertainer, but none has the point of view of Richard Grudens' new book. This 300 page text looks at various facets of Jolson's personality and fame, with sections devoted to Jolson's personal and professional history, and commentaries from those that knew and worked with him. Anyone interested in the first superstar, who was the first and only person to have two film biographies made of his life while he was alive, should add this book to their collection.

I am the author and can understand why the last reviewer, who expected something different, was disappointed. My point of view was to provide a novice's guide to Jolson and his times, not the detailed day by day life story. The book contains many facets of Jolson' career including those around him, his competition, employers, and comments from those he inspired enough to form their own careers, the issue of minstrel, blackface performers, fabled stories of the famed Friar's Club,a chapter of the infamouos Shubert Brothers, and chapters covering Jolson's experiences in film, radio and his extensive USO travels. Covered too are vignettes of the theaters in which Jolson performed, and of those great theatrical competitors like the Barrymore's and where they were voicing their talents while Jolson was pulling them in at the Winter Garden,and a full feature on Jolson's films from the first talkie, The Jazz Singer to his famed bio-pics The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again. Included too are full acknowledgments of the songwriters who provided the great songs for Jolson to perform, as well as a treatise of vaudeville and burlesque of the times. As Kathryn Crosby, Mrs. Bing Crosby, commented on the book today, " The book is encylopedic. In addition to Jolson, it offers insights into the lives of four generations of leading entertainers, writers, and producers. We are also vouchsafed milestones in the development of the cinema, radio and television."

When Jolson Was King: Sittin' On Top Of The World by musical historian and biographer Richard Grudens is the engaging life story of the life and remarkable rise to fame of world famous actor, singer and entertainer Al Jolson. When Jolson Was King showcases Jolson's wonderful career, including his personal and professional relationships with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Patty Andrews, Jack Benny, George Jessel and so many more figures in the Hollywood of his day. When Jolson Was King is very strongly recommended reading for its complete and entertaining coverage of Al Jolson's inspiring life, and a welcome addition to personal, academic, and community library Theatre/Cinema Studies reference and biography collections.

Richard Grudens has written an entertaining and informative (must read) book for anyone interested in the legendary, Al Jolson "The World's Greatest Entertainer".

For me, having been a co-star of the icon Al Jolson and happily that he and I were friends til the very day he died, I enjoyed Richard Gruden's book WHEN JOLSON WAS KING very much. I am most grateful that it lacked the usual and exaggerated cliches about Mr. Jolson's ego which for the most part was epochryphal except for those who were in competition with him. Of course I knew Ruby Keeler very well. She and Jolie appeared as just two of my many guests in my WB short A DAY AT SANTA ANITA but I also knew his last wife Erle, whom I just adored. She had a great sense of humour and we shared many a private session of stories not for publication about Al.
I have enjoyed MR. Grudens other books as they are all well researched and to the point and I think that's what all readers are looking for......not fairy tales.
Congratulations Richard on a really good book about Al Jolson. Blessings as ever Sybil Jason from our movie THE SINGING KID and my technicolor short A DAY AT SANTA ANITA.

Got "When Jolson Was King" today. What a disappointment. It's the kind of book you can read straight through at one sitting. Not because it's so engrossing, but because there's so little there.

I had hoped for a history of the Jolson era, placing him and his achievements in context and including comments by those who were there. Instead there were often entire (two or three page) chapters on peripherally related people or places without even a relevant Jolson citation. The writing is uninspired and often in need of proof-reading. There are short semi-biographies of Jolson contemporaries, often including only a sentence or two of quotes concerning Jolson. Plus many pages devoted to contemporary Jolson Tribute Artists who are well intentioned and complimentary, never actually met the man.

Sorry, but it's a waste of money.