Al Jolson on Milton Berle Show

|His Works|Radio|06 Jun 45 Berle Show

Al Jolson's experience with radio began in the dawn of the medium, and continued until the birth of television, and his death. He started the Kraft Music Hall, along with programs for Lifebuoy Soap, Colgate Tooth Powder, and Chevrolet, and died while waiting to go on to Bing Crosby's Chesterfield program. Here is another full length radio program for your enjoyment.


Milton Berle and Al Jolson

In June, 1945, Al Jolson was not a "has been," but he might as well have been one. Jolson had spent the last year or so entertaining servicemen all over the world. He returned to the States an old man, suffering from malaria.

After touring military hospitals, he had a relapse in December, 1944, which landed him in the hospital where, in January, 1945, surgery was performed to removed two of Al Jolson's ribs, and a large section of his left lung. At the same time, the first efforts were underway to bring his life story to the screen at Columbia Pictures.

While The Jolson Story would help rekindle Al Jolson's career, it was a not yet so popular Al Jolson who guest starred on the Milton Berle Radio Program of June 6, 1945. Milton Berle was one of the hottest of radio personalities, whose transition to television in the early 1950s would help to establish the new medium. But in 1945 it was Berle who was in awe of the man he acknowledged as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" as he welcomed Jolie to his show. Show people still remembered and respected the man the public was beginning to forget.

Jolson sang some songs, of course, but he also told a little about the story of his life. Well, one version of it, anyway. Listen carefully to his clear condemnation of prejudice and racism, especially poignant coming from a man who many label a racist for the makeup he wore.

At the end of his routine, he even tips to just how he was feeling, as he went into a chorus of "My Mammy." Listen as Milton Berle lauded him as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" over the cheers of the audience.

Included in this broadcast are "Ma Blushin' Rosie," "Swanee," "April Showers," "Avalon," "My Blue Heaven," "California, Here I Come," "Sonny Boy," and "My Mammy," in whole or in part. But even more than these musical vignettes, Al Jolson revealed a little piece of himself to each of us in this broadcast. A piece which will remain fresh and new fifty years or five hundred years from its first utterance.

Listen to this radio program and watch a Video Podcast with an excerpt of the show illustrated with photos of the stars.

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		This is an excerpt of the 06 Jun 1945 Milton Berle Show, featuring Al Jolson with biographical musical vignettes of his life, and illustrated with images of the stars, real and composite, to get a feeling for the broadcast. . Having just recovered from the loss of much of a lung, Jolson's appearance between V-E Day and V-J Day was a poignant look at the World's Greatest Entertainer in a fragile time of his life. Listen to his words about racial and ethnic tolerance, so moving from a man often painted as a racist.

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Updated 08 Jun 25