The Jolson Story

The Jolson Story
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlfred E. Green
Written byStephen Longstreet (screenplay)
Sidney Buchman (uncredited)
Harry Chandlee (adaptation)
Andrew Solt (adaptation)
Produced bySidney Skolsky
StarringLarry Parks
Evelyn Keyes
William Demarest
Bill Goodwin
CinematographyJoseph Walker
Edited byWilliam A. Lyon
Music byMorris Stoloff
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Columbia Pictures
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • October 10, 1946 (1946-10-10)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[1]
Box office$7.6 million (US/Canada rentals)[2]

The Jolson Story is a 1946 American biographical musical film, a highly fictionalized account of the life of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as Julie Benson (approximating Jolson's wife, Ruby Keeler), William Demarest as his performing partner and manager, Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne as his parents, and Scotty Beckett as the young Jolson. Some of the film's episodes are based on fact but the story is extremely simplified, with people disguised or combined into single characters.

The Columbia Pictures production was written by Sidney Buchman (uncredited), Harry Chandlee, Stephen Longstreet, and Andrew Solt. The dramatic scenes were directed by Alfred E. Green, with the musical sequences directed by Joseph H. Lewis.

  1. ^ "Al Jolson Sequel", Variety, 16 July 1947, p. 1
  2. ^ Finler, Joel Waldo (2003). The Hollywood Story. Wallflower Press. pp. 356–357. ISBN 978-1-903364-66-6.