Blackface to Blacklist: Al Jolson, Larry Parks, and the Jolson StoryThe Jolson Story, a landmark Hollywood musical biography, brought has-been blackface singer Al Jolson one of show business' great comebacks, made a star of Larry Parks, the young "B" movie actor who played him, and spawned a sequel. For the first time, McClelland tells the story of how these films were made. Subsequently, in the anti-Communist climate of 1951 America, Larry Parks's career was destroyed when he admitted he had been a Communist. The story of Parks's downfall is a major section of the book, as is the graphic portrayal of that dark period in American history. With biographical profiles of all significant contributors to the Jolson sagas and many rare photos. |
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20th Century-Fox actor actress Al Jolson Ann Todd asked audience Barbara Hale Betty Garrett Bill Goodwin blackface Broadway called camera Cantor career Chaplin Cohn's Columbia Pictures comedy Communist dance director dubbed entertainer Erle Evelyn Keyes film's George Girl going Harry Cohn Henry Levin Hollywood Humberstone Jack Cole Jazz Singer Jean Louis Jo-Carroll Dennison Jolie Jolson Larry Parks Jolson Sings Jolson Story Julie Benson Larry Parks later Lawson Longstreet look Ludwig Donath make-up Mama Yoelson married Morris Stoloff movie musical never night Papa performance play Jolson portrayed production number radio recalls recording remembered Rita Hayworth role Ruby Keeler sang scene Scotty Beckett screen screenplay script sequel show business Sidney Buchman Sidney Skolsky songs soundtrack stage star Steve Martin Story and Jolson studio talking Tamara Shayne Technicolor theater thing told vocals voice Walker wanted Warner Bros wife William Demarest writer wrote York young