Thursday, July 28, 2011

THE CHILDREN OF AL JOLSON

During his career, Al Jolson was often called "The World's Greatest Entertainer", and often he would be the first person to tell you. Jolson also was one of the busiest men in show business too - from his broadway debut in 1911 until his death in 1950. He had time to get married four times, but only one of the marriages worked. It was surprising that Jolson had time for anything personal, but in addition to his marriages, he adopted three children.


In 1935, Al Jolson and his third wife, Ruby Keeler, adopted a baby boy. This seven week old boy, of Jewish and Irish extraction, was named Al Jolson, Jr., although Al called him "Sonny Boy," and Ruby shortened that into "Sonny." According to Jolson biographers, Al Jr. seemed more attracted to Ruby than Al, as many children seem to prefer one parent over another. Jolson resented this and never really got close to the boy. After divorcing Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler married John Lowe, and at age 14 Sonny Boy became Albert Peter Lowe. After the divorce, Al Jr. never talked to Jolson again. He remained extremely close to his mother Ruby Keeler who died in 1993. Albert Peter Lowe passed away at age 72, in November, 2007.


With Erle Galbraith, Al Jolson's fourth wife, a six month old baby boy was adopted in late 1947. A proud father again, Al told reporters: “We’ll send him to a good school - and a hard one. Want no spoiling of the boy.” They hired a nurse though Erle enjoyed taking care of the baby herself. Naming him Asa Albert Jolson, Jr., Al and Erle became doting parents for the toddler. It was after Asa's adoption that Al bought the perfect home for his new family, buying the home he had built for Ruby and himself back from Don Ameche, it's current owner, at a loss.


In 1950, the Jolsons adopted a second baby, a girl they named Alicia. Not known at the time of adoption, she was later diagnosed as being mentally challenged. Jolson died before this was discovered, and Alicia eventually required institutional placement. Alicia died in 1982, at the age of about 32. She is buried in Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills along with Erle, Norman Krasna, and members of the Galbraith family.


Known to his family as "Jolie," Albert Jolson is alive and well, living in Nashville, and pulled the cord to reveal the "Al Jolson Way" sign at the ceremony in New York in August, 2006. Albert Jolson also has owned a music studio for a number of years in Nashville. Albert and his wife Victoria had a daughter in 1983 that they named Kate. Kate Jolson was an all-star athlete in high school and college. UPDATE: Albert died in 2015.


With Al Jolson's huge personality, it is hard to believe he ever had children. As is often the case, none of his children rose to the heights that Jolson did during his career. I also would be interested in knowing if Jolson was the greatest father as much as he was the greatest entertainer. That story is yet to be fully told...

61 comments:

  1. It's puzzling to me that in the Jewish religion, WE do NOT name our children after the "living"! Al Jolson had two sons named after himself, while he was still alive! Has anything ever been written, or discussed why this was done?

    SC

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    1. MAYBE THEY WERE SEPHARDIC JEWS,ALTHOUGH I HIGHLY DOUBT IT. JOLSON NEVER MARRIED A JEW EITHER, SO HIS KIDS WERE NOT JEWISH UNLESS HE HAD THEM CONVERTED.

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    2. More likely it was Al's GIANT ego.

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    3. WOW I thought he was a good father and husband

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  2. I think Jolson named two of his children after himself because he was so vain and full of himself.

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    1. Oh yeah, well, Jolson wasn't the only one who was full of "something". It just so happens that Al Jolson (Asa Yoelson),was named after his maternal grandfather Asa Cantor, who was very much alive at little Asa's birth. I do not know about Ruby Keeler, because I never met her, but I did speak with Erle Jolson Krasna, Al's wife at the time, and she told me she was the one who picked the name Asa Jolson for their baby and she did so to honor Al. In 1985, some thirty-five years after Jolson's death, she told me that Al was the "love of her life."

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    2. Actually, Al's grandfather, Eizer "Asa" Cantor died in Kedainiai, Kovno, Lithuania on February 1, 1883, more than three years before Al Jolson was born. The death record can be found online.

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    3. Hi everyone
      Happy to see they are many Joelson relatives!
      The internet is truly wonderful.
      Im also related via my grandmother , Berta Joelson who was Al Joelson second cousin . Her father , Benjamin Joelson was Al Joelson first cousin.
      Most of her close relatieves died in the Holocoust.
      Any way, Asa is not a very popular name for jews but it is a real name. Check king Asa. he ruled over Judea for 40 years.
      My grandmother looked so much like Al Joelson.
      It could be nice to meet new and far relatives.
      All the best.


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  3. The name Asa is va very unusual Jewish name. My sense is that it a mispronounciation of the name Asher ( one of the sons of Jacob).In Lithuania, the place of birth of Yoelson, the Jewish people could not distinguish the difference the " s" and "sh" sounds, and everything came out as an "s". Therefore,
    Asher ----->Asser -----> Asa
    the latter sounding like a variation of the others.

    As a note, I am a member of the Jolson family as my grandmother Fanny Jolson was born in Srednik, Lithuania and was a cousin of Al's stepmother ,who was also a family member

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Those were nice comments but I wonder what your motive is in stating you know a secret about them.

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    3. I am wondering to the anonymous who wrote that they were related via your grandmother being Fanny...I also am a Jolson my great grandparents were Phillip and for the life of me I cant remember my great grandmothers name...do you know how we would be related?

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    4. As a Jolson relative I am interested in your family connection to Al. Could you please explain how your Fannie was related to Chesya.

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    5. To answer the above two questions. Meyer (Philip) Jolson ( his wife was Sarah), and my grandmother Fannie Jolson Berger were brother and sister.Both were born in Srednik (Seredzius) Lithuania. They were both cousins of Rabbi Yoelson's second wife, Ida, who by the way was related to her husband.

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    6. Therefore we are related to Cantor Yoelson and the second wife.

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    7. Al would get after his daughters, which at the time was a much more common but private thing. Adopted little girls were a small indulgence in his old age but granted to one of his stature.

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  4. gotta love any new information on jolson. a unique character with the good and bad we all have. he must have been during his time what sinatra was during his time. i saw sinatra about 20 times. pure electric. the difference is in my opinion the adulation for sinatra is not only his singing but also his history. with jolson it was all his electricty on stage. he was the one in a million we have heard often of. joe materek. lifelong jolson cantor and sinatra fan.

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    1. I have his entire collection of vinyl originals.
      For sale.

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  5. Mr. Sinatra and his BIG body guard and driver would occasionally stop over Ruby's home and visit her,they were friends for many years, and I had the pleasure of meeting him on one Sunday while we played our weekly card games with Ruby, Al Jr., Alice, Jody and myself.Al Jr. had his landscape business and would maintain the half dozen Homes on their private street.I miss them all and thinking of them puts a smile on my face.

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  6. I also was a friend of Al Jolson Jr. in Rancho Mirage and I think it is wrong to say you know a secret of both Ruby and Al Jr.
    It has a distasteful meaning.. I also knew Al's lady friend and she loved her Volkswagon...
    Mel Johnson

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    1. You are anonymous for a reason,you can't even recall the name of Al Jrs. Girlfriend who owned the volkswagon,the truth is distasteful to all frauds like you and people like you know nothing. My neighbor owned the VW Bug and we all got together every Sunday to play cards.It was common knowledge Al Jr. slept in his mom's walk in closet,Ruby preferred to have him close in case she needed help during the night, she had a bunch of health problems, you should take your mind out of the gutter you pervert. Big Daddy.

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    2. I don't do this, so I only signed my name? Well, I had coffee with Al Jr. most mornings at Teddy's Donuts on Washington St and Country Club . Some times Alice would come in with Al. GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER IT COULD MEAN MANY OTHER THINGS----THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A NEGATIVE MEANING. Al always thought of his Mother first. Al and Alice would take care of Ms. Keeler daily.
      Mj

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    3. First.. this is not a chat room. You played a kids game I got a secret. I called you on it and you are mad at yourself and taking it out on me.

      Al Jr. told many stories of how his Dad would take him for a walk and when passing fire stations. His Dad would just sing for the firemen. Al Jolson was a great entertainer and did not do it just for the money.

      Mel Johnson

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    4. I don't know you, My father was a big fan of Al Sr. and he always gave us a 1/2 dollar when ever we could find anything about Al on Radio or TV. I was an honored sort of friend of Eddie Cantor who was friends with my father and while a very young child was told I was held by Al. I don't remember it, I know that I was held by others so to remember who it was would be amazing. My cousin who today is a Rabbi in Washington DC sang with the Metropolitan Boys chorus as a young boy. So many chances that what was told to me could be true but I don't know for sure.

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  7. Not sure I know what you are talking about a secret? Can you elaborate? The article doesn't say anything like that.

    What are some of your memories of Al Jr?

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  8. I loved Al Jr. was always very nice to me, I worked at the local grocery store he came in quite frequently and we became friends, years ago he even presented me with a signed and numbered poster of his Mom Ruby, which I treasure to this day. He said a biographer use to take him to Wally's Desert Turtle for lunch, I don't believe the book was ever written, Iam so heart sick of his passing which I did not know till now.

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  9. Al Jr. was a wonderful man so sorry to hear of his passing. He even presented me with a signed poster of his Mom Ruby, years ago which I still cherish to this day. He told me he use to go to Wally's Desert Turtle for lunch with a biographer, I don't believe the book was ever written. I worked locally in Palm Desert and all you wrote brought back memories for me, I miss Al Jr.

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  10. Yes, there was to be a book written about Sonny Boy and his Family. I AM Sorry it was never published, Al spent a lot of time working on it. There was to be a chapter telling about Sonny Boys time they lived in Newport Beach. Al loved talking about his Ocean Racing Boat, I am sure there would have some great stories in the book. Al said they were collecting meaningful times/stories about other celebrity kids he ran around with.

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  11. thank-you Mel for your reply, it really meant alot

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  12. I babysat for Ruby's granddaughter. I always wondered what happened to Al Jr. Thanks for the information.

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  13. I think it's just great that really old people are using the internet! Hope you guys also text! Anyway, I ended up here because my daughter discovered Eddie Cantor's music via Boardwalk Empire. We ended up seeing some performances of his in black face on YouTube and well, it's just not funny. So I ended up doing some internet research which led me to Al Jolson. Great stories you all have of people who are no longer with us. Please don't get into fights here. It's just great hearing the stories.

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  14. Sherri - really old people? I am 39.

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  15. No offense meant. Just thought that when someone says they are the last one alive from the Sunday Card party that they might be up there in age. That's all.

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  16. My grandmother, Dorothy, was married to Al Jolson Jr although I don't have many details because she passed away before I was born. Does anyone here that knew the Jolson's happen to have any information or any personal stories if you knew them together? I think they were married in 65 and divorced in 68. Thanks!

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  17. I've been researching on the web about Al Jolson & his family & friends. Al Jolson was quite a man! I was wondering if it was true that Al Jr. never talked to his father after his mom divorced. That's sad. We all need to forgive each other. Life is too short.

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    1. Hello Pat,Al Jr. was never really accepted by the Lowe's,we spoke about it a few times and it hurt his feelings,you are right Pat,life is way too short.I knew Al Jr.,Ruby,and Alice(our neighbor) very well and miss them very much. I see you are an early bird too:) take care.

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    2. I won a trip to Nashville from the company I worked for. My wife and oldest daughter went. I happened to see the Al Jolson recording studio, and being i have always love Al Jolson I had to go and see what it was. I met Al Jolson Jr. and we sat and talked for hours. I seemed to know more ab out his Dad than he did, which did not surprise him as he never got to really know him. I think we spent about 3 hours with me answering his questions. I found him to be a very nice individual. I did not know he passed away til just now, reading more of these comments. I sing karaoke, and do many of his songs when there are lots of older people there. I am 75 and was 11 when he passed away but he was and still is the greatest entertainer.

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  18. I would love to do a follow up story to this article. Is anyone willing to tell me stories about AL Jr and Ruby? If you are interested, please email me at dlobo74@gmail.com.

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  19. Hello for what it is worth my name is robert asa jolson my brothers name is joley mark jolson my fathers name is harrison robert jolson...from what my father told me he was born out of wedlock so al never clamed my father. I do remember him talking about ruby keyler when i was little...my father never persued the fact that he was als son becase he was embaresed.. and figured nobody would beleve him...my father passed about five years ago....my grandmother from my moms side is still alive today and she nows alot about the hole deal....i am not trying to prove i am als great grand son but i think i am ..i have my dads dna...if somebody could help me find sompthing of als with dna i could probilly prove my dads story...my e mail is welderjolson@yahoo.com..

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    1. Look up Harry Jolson (1882 - 1953) Find a Grave site - Al Jolson had a lot of relatives - maybe one of them would agree to a blood tissue test to prove or disprove your claim. Only thing is - make sure you make it clear that you are just interested in learning your father's connection with Al Jolson and not money - for that is what his family and friends will think. good luck.

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  20. Shalom, I am looking up my family tree. from my Mother's side I was always told that we are related to Al Joelson, My maternal Great-grandfather Max Rosenbloom was "related" to the father Moses Reuben Yoelson. Do you guys have a clue ????

    BTW I am sephardic - ashkenaz mix, recently we named my son after my Ashkenazi Father in law, relying on my Sephardic custom.

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  21. What happend al's first wife

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  22. There was a director/stage manager who I recall was Ruby Keeler's son...and I vaguely remember the story of him never speaking to Jolson after the divorce. Did the Lowe's have other children or was this Al Jr.?
    He directed "Pippin" in Oklahoma City and I think was the Broadway stage manager.

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    1. I think Ruby and John Lowe had three other kids, all natural childbirth (i.e., NOT adopted).

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  23. Several years back I had the opportunity to go to Nashville. While there I saw an ad fir the Al Jolson studio. Being an extreme Jolson fan, I had to go and see if there was any memorabilia. I met Al Jolson Jr. there and Sorry to say there was no memories there, but My wife got mad when I returned because I sat and talked to Jr. about his did for about two hours.
    I told him things he never knew about his dad, because his Mother led him into such a secluded life style.
    Sidney MKyers

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  24. Let's face it, Jolson apparently could not have children and there were none left behind, no matter how you spin it. Bottom line.

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    1. As neither Al no his older brother Harry had any children it is possible that they a broken gene Wf508 which is known as the Cystic fibrosis gene.
      In my family neither of my brothers had children though both married women who were previously married and bore children The only way to find out would be to look for the gene in his
      sister's descendants. The broken gene
      would have been on his mother's side because his father had no trouble fathering children.
      Perhaps someone with knowledge of the family can shed light on this issue.
      Those who carry the broken gene don't have full Cystic fibrosis but do exhibit minor incidences of the disease, such as asthma, digestive
      disorders, mood swings, etc.
      Good Luck

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  25. If anyone knows how to get in touch with Al Jolson, Jr., please have him contact me at julieholzen@comcast.net or call 615-264-4900. Al and I were the best of friends and I have lost contact with him...as he moved from University Square Condos in Nashville, Tn.. I lived in the same building for 12 years and worked at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Al was like my brother...I always took him out to dinner ....he could not drive..and he said he loved riding in my Porsche..as he said he use to own a Porsche and that was his favorite auto. However, I moved from University Square and bought a home out on the lake in Hendersonville, Tn., and have stopped by several times since moving to take Al out to dinner or just drive him around wherever he wanted to go...I am so worried about him and if his daughter Katie could send me an email and let me know how he is doing. I met Katie one time when she was in from California. Al was so proud of Katie and her tennis tournaments...several times at dinner the whole conversation was about Katie. He was so very proud of his daughter. He loved going out to dinner and just talking about his past and his eyes would light up as he spoke of his past and education and his traveling days. He is a sweetheart and I miss my best friend, so if anyone could please have someone contact me at the following email: julieholzen@comcast.net or call 615-264-4900 I would love to speak with Al to know how his health is and just talk to my friend. Thx.

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  26. The only thing I know is that Mr. Jolson brought a great deal of pleasure to many, many people....one of the greatest entertainers of all time!

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  27. My comment is about Al Jolson, Jr of Nashville, TN. I was friends with him in the early 1980's and in the strange way so many things happen in life, I was thinking about him today which led me to the sad news of his death, March 15, 2015. I wish I had known, I certainly would have attended the funeral.
    It was in the early 80;s that I met him and I can't remember whether I walked into his studio for tape duplication or met him through someone who worked there. Either way, we soon became friends and I would stop by at least several times a week and myself and a few others would have a few drinks and talk into the late hours of the night.
    Al was always gentleman and very intelligent. He could talk about anything and liked a good laugh as well as anyone, and I spent many happy hours at his studio on music row. He had limited mobility and sometimes his ability to communicate was impaired due to the car wreck in Switzerland which altered his life. I remember once talking about Princess Grace who of course died when her car went off the side of a mountain and how treacherous those mountain roads were. He seldom talked about his Father, but occasionally mentioned him along with "Ruby." In these days he was starting his business and hadn't been there long.
    One of the funniest things I remember is one evening we all had a few glasses of wine. Al's studio was in an older building and he lived upstairs. Apparently there was a mouse problem, and that evening Al proceeded to describe in detail how a family of mice would walk in single file across his window ledge every evening at the same time. He had studied them and their habits (I guess he eventually found a way to rid his apt of them) and to hear him telling the story of these mice was one of the funniest things I ever heard. I guess you would have had to be there!
    I had the pleasure of meeting his Mother Erle, who once visited from Switzerland and (we) attended a recording session. She was such a lovely lady and reminded me of 'old Hollywood." In all these years I have never forgotten her. I have never met a more graceful, kind and fabulous women, and I always felt Al was very close to her. I may be wrong on the timing but I believe right around this time or shortly after his sister had passed.
    Its funny how people come and go and touch our lives. Al touched mine, and I hope I touched his. RIP, Al Jolson, Jr., wherever you are and thanks for all the kindnesses. You will never be forgotten. LAP

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  28. It seems that people are talking about two different people. One is the son of Ruby and the other is about the son of Erle, I wish the person who runs this should say something to keep people from scratching their heads as to who are taling about

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    1. Asa Albert Jolson, Jr., the son of Al and Erle, is the correct name for the person who owned the recording studio in Nashville. He was usually referred to as Jolie and never as Al Jolson, Jr.

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  29. I was very young when Mr. Jolson passed away but Al Jolson was my father's favorite singer. When my father passed away in July 1986, I was training to be a floral designer and I think around my birthday in October that year, we were making funeral arrangements. I lived in Los Angeles and took that arrangement to the cemetery Mr. Jolson is buried in. I told the man at the gate that my father had recently passed away and I wanted to leave the funeral arrangement I had made at school at Mr. Jolson's gorgeous cemetary display in honor of my father and Al Jolson and the gentleman let me do that. I know that both the spirits of my precious father Sam and Mr. Jolson were with me that day appreciating my thoughts of them and the one and only funeral arrangement I ever made. I hope they are in heaven enjoying each others company and Mr. Jolson's songs. Bless them both.

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  30. Jolson had the Biggest ego of them all, he would be the first to tell you he was the greatest, jolson had no biological children, only quickie adoptions that are still going on illegally in the usa

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  31. I fell in love with Jolson when I was 12; The year 1959 and the world was dancing to rock, I sang "Mammy" with Jolson. He brought a smile to my face, helped me believe in the magic of living..I had one wish that I would wake up and find out he was my dad..children always have a hero, Al Jolson was mine. Today I am old, but my computer is on You Tube and I am listening to the greatest voice of any century, Al Jolson. Thank you to his family and his friends, thank you to those who allow us to remember how we cherished his music. It is 2017 and the world clicks forward, always with you keeping us smiling..

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  32. I can recall vividly seeing The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again at the Lincoln Theater in Schenectady, New York, during the late 40's. Al performed in Schenectady at least on one occasion at a venue which has since been converted into Schenectady Community College, part of State University of New York. As a youngster I all ways tried to emulate his singing style(In the privacy of my home, off course). I have video's of Al's motion pictures and his recordings, and still enjoy viewing them. My generation would probably not have discovered Al Jolson if not for his motion pictures. I still request his songs on our local AM radio station.

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  34. What about Harry Irving Brown who changed his name to Al Jolson Jr in 1964? He stated that his mother (Beatrice Lee - a dancer) had a romance with Jolie while he was still legally married to Miss Keeler. Didn't appear to be any objections from a court of law - Phoenix, Arizona court, to him changing his name to Al Jolson Jr. He even went on to perform doing the same numbers that his father did.

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