Al Jolson
Al Jolson (1886–1950) was an American entertainer, singer, and actor, born Asa Yoelson in Lithuania.
He became one of the most popular performers of the early twentieth century, known for theatrical exuberance and songs like "Swanee" and "My Mammy." Jolson starred in *The Jazz Singer* (1927), the first feature-length film with synchronized dialogue, marking the end of the silent film era.
His performances in blackface, standard in vaudeville of that period, make his legacy contentious today.
First feature with speech
- talkiesMovies with audible dialogue
- Warner BrosMajor film studio
- silent filmSoundless motion picture
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
cinema · biopic · box office · studio system
Dramatic, attention-grabbing performer
- entertainerOne who amuses others
- headlinerTop-billed performer
- starLuminous astronomical object
- celebrityWidely recognized public figure
vaudevillian · Broadway · blackface · minstrel · crooner · balladeer · belter · personality
Racist performance makeup tradition
- burnt corkCharred stopper for cosmetic use
- mammyNursemaid or mother
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
- Jim CrowRacial separation laws
racism · stereotype · caricature · cultural appropriation · minstrel show · cakewalk · interlocutor · controversial legacy
Soft-voiced romantic vocalist
- vocalistOne who sings professionally
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- belterPowerful vocalist or stunner
- balladNarrative poem or song
standards · phonograph · radio
State of being diverse
- skitsBrief theatrical comedy pieces
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- troupeTraveling group of performers
- circuitClosed electrical pathway
monologue · impersonation · slapstick · sketch · revue · hoofer · soft shoe · musical comedy
Prosperous 1920s era
- ProhibitionConstitutional alcohol ban era
- speakeasyIllicit liquor establishment
- Tin Pan AlleyMusic publishing district
- ragtimeSyncopated piano genre
syncopation · swing · Harlem · flapper · Jazz Age · popular music · sheet music · Charleston
The Jazz Singer
First feature with speech
- talkiesMovies with audible dialogue
- Warner BrosMajor film studio
- silent filmSoundless motion picture
Hollywood · cinema · biopic · box office · studio system
showman
Dramatic, attention-grabbing performer
- entertainerOne who amuses others
- headlinerTop-billed performer
- starLuminous astronomical object
celebrity · vaudevillian · Broadway · blackface · minstrel · crooner · balladeer · belter · personality · icon
blackface
Racist performance makeup tradition
- burnt corkCharred stopper for cosmetic use
- mammyNursemaid or mother
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
Jim Crow · racism · stereotype · caricature · cultural appropriation · minstrel show · cakewalk · interlocutor · controversial legacy
crooner
Soft-voiced romantic vocalist
- vocalistOne who sings professionally
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- belterPowerful vocalist or stunner
ballad · standards · phonograph · radio
variety
State of being diverse
- skitsBrief theatrical comedy pieces
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- troupeTraveling group of performers
circuit · monologue · impersonation · slapstick · sketch · revue · hoofer · soft shoe · musical comedy
Roaring Twenties
Prosperous 1920s era
- ProhibitionConstitutional alcohol ban era
- speakeasyIllicit liquor establishment
- Tin Pan AlleyMusic publishing district
ragtime · syncopation · swing · Harlem · flapper · Jazz Age · popular music · sheet music · Charleston
Al JolsonMarlon Brando
James Dean · Montgomery Clift · method actors · Frank Sinatra · Bing Crosby
Al JolsonBessie Smith
Legendary blues vocalist
Louis Armstrong · Paul Robeson · Billie Holiday · Duke Ellington · Josephine Baker
Al JolsonBuster Keaton
Gary Cooper · Fred Astaire · Bing Crosby · Dean Martin · Henry Fonda