Al Jolson
Jacob "Jakie" Rabinowitz (Jack Robin)
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Synopsis
A cantor expects his son to continue the family's religious musical tradition, but the boy dreams of popular entertainment. Years after leaving home, the singer approaches a major stage opportunity under an Americanised name. His father's illness forces him to choose between opening-night ambition and the duty that first drove them apart.
Cast
DirectorsAlan Crosland
Historical context
The film's synchronised singing and brief spoken passages helped accelerate Hollywood's move to sound features. Al Jolson's use of blackface is also central to its history, connecting the narrative of assimilation to a racist entertainment tradition rather than an uncomplicated story of technological progress.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Al Jolson — Film studio · Public domain
- May McAvoy — Clarence S. Bull · Public domain
- Warner Oland — Unknown author · Public domain
