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Who is the Greatest Entertainer Al
Jolson or Elvis Presley? Al Jolson Story
"You
Ain't Heard Nothing Yet?" Al Jolson "Thankyouverymuch"
Elvis Presley
Usually
the heroes
of a
generation
pass with
the
generation,
and
rightly or
wrongly,
it’s the
Historians
of the
incoming
generation
who will
pass
judgement
and
interpret
a pecking
order for
posterity.
Elvis
Presley is
considered
by his
generation
to be the
greatest
entertainer
who ever
lived. Is
he ?
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Thankyouverymuch |
You
Ain't
Heard
Nothing
Yet |
Elvis
Presley or
Al Jolson
How would
you know ?
If you are
reading
this
article
the odds
are you
weren’t
born
before
1940, and
naturally
nothing
existed,
or
interested
the
majority
of us
prior to
the
commencement
of our own
personal
life
time....Elvis
is
King....
Who dares
question
this.
Some have even suggested that his life time was the second coming of Jesus Christ. Comparisons are difficult to make because of the time and population differences between the generations, along with the relative value of the dollar. But we do know that Elvis has sold in excess of one billion records, however none of his movies figure in the list of All -Time Hit Musicals. "Love Me Tender" and "Jailhouse Rock" are listed only as runners up, both each grossing rentals under $US23 million, adjusted.
Al Jolson on the other hand is a Box-Office Champion, featuring in the first talking movie "The Jazz Singer" and the smash "Singing Fool" both films feature in the top ten biggest grossing Box-Office hits between 1914 and 1931, and feature in the top 40 All -Time Hit Musical charts. Out of the "Singing Fool" came the worlds first Hit Record to produce a million sales, titled "Sonny Boy," eventually climbing to 3 million sales. In 1928 this would be the equivalent of 40 million sales today. Al Jolson called himself "The Worlds Greatest Entertainer" and his catch cry was Wait a minute,..... wait a minute, You ain’t heard nuthin’ yet’...
Even Elvis paid tribute to him when he recorded the Jolson hit "Are You Lonesome Tonight" Both stars in their time were known as The King. Eddie Cantor referred to Jolson as the King, and the biggest hunk of entertainer in show business. Both stars experienced successful comebacks. Elvis with the NBC, 68 "Comeback Special", and Jolson with the Columbia Pictures 1946 production "The Jolson Story" featuring Larry Parkes and the voice of Al Jolson. The Jolson Story was a box-office giant, grossing $US53 million adjusted, and was the fifth biggest grossing film for the period 1941/1950.
For three decades Al Jolson was the undisputed "King of Show Business". Within four years of Al Jolson’s death, Elvis Presley was to commence the journey of his brilliant career. Who is the Greatest Entertainer in the history of show business. Both Elvis Presley and Al Jolson were the Kings of their generations. Try and separate them, you may not have a winner
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