“THE SINGING FOOL”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 649, 29 April 1929, Page 15

“THE SINGING FOOL”

AL JOLSON’S ROMANTIC STORY A 1 Jolson, the world-famous entertainer, who is shortly to be heard in “The Singing Fool,” New Zealand’s first all-talking film, has a tremendous sense of loyalty to the Schuberts, who first gave him his start. He was offered an incredible contract once to go on the concert stage. The man who was authorised to talk business with Jolson had tried for weeks to see him, but Jolson managed to avoid his quite expertly. The representative, however, who was as expert in finding people as Jolson was in dodging them, succeeded in unearthing him at the barber’s sfiop in the Plaza Hotel one morning, and made him listen while a clay pack was drying on his face. After all, it would have been rather uncomfortable for Jolson to remonstrate with him just then. The terms were something like this: £2,000 a week, 50 per cent, of the profits, a private car, £SOO for every concert over four every week, and £IO,OOO deposited as security for the contract in the National Bank. The man who was making the offer talked at length about the advantages of the contract, and finally asked him what his decision was. “I am sorry,” said Mr. Jolson, “I am happy where I am.” “But, think,” objected the other, “of how much more you could get under the contract. Think of—” “I am sorry,” interrupted Mr. Jolson. “I am happy where I am. I intend to remain with the Schuberts.” And that was final. The life story of A 1 Jolson has the glamour and romance of a colourful novel. Every part of it —his home life in a typically orthodox Jewish family, the plaintive singing at the Sunday school which his religious father insisted on, his running away, and his experience with the circus, reads like a romance. All this glamour, this romance, has been put into the screen story of “The Singing Fool,” which embodies the life of a Broadway cabaret singer, and which has been produced by Warner Bros, with AL Jolson as the leading light. Aucklanders will welcome the advent of “The Singing Fool,” which opens shortly at the Plaza Theatre.