An early bio-pic was about the man billed The World’s Greatest Entertainer. Al Jolson. He was a singer with a tremendous voice. Jolson died in 1950.
Yes, he did mistrels and black face, and, while it’s not acceptable now, it was then and so we just accept it for what it was.
The bio-pic, The Jolson Story, was pretty much totally made up. His mother, who features prominently, had been dead since he was little.
Ruby Keeler, one of his many wives, hated him so much she refused to let her name be used, so a fictional wife was made up with fictional stories.
Nearly all the film is not true, even the bit at the beginning singing as a choir boy. And the manager.
Jolson was apparently not a nice man. He himself said once, on a Bing Crosby radio show, that the film really made him look good.
But it’s an entertaining film. Larry Parks does a great job, Jolson really sings and there are some memorable songs.
