Wasn't the original title of this movie called "Jolson Sings" and the follow-up called Jolson Sings Again ????
shareI've only ever seen it as "The Jolson Story" and I've loved it since I was a kid. It would be nice if TCM had shown "Jolson Sings Again" as well.
"It's as red as The Daily Worker and just as sore."
The only other title I've heard for this movie is April Showers. I heard that there was some discussion of naming the movie that before settling on the eventual title that was used.
shareAccording to Stephen Longstreet who was responsible for the script of The Jolson Story, it was intended to call the film April Showers. The scripts had the words Jolson Story written on them as the actual title was in doubt and eventually it just seemed to be the accepted title to use.
You can hear Stephen repeat that story in an interview he did with broadcaster Larry Wilde.
There were several working titles for the film, including:
"All About Al"
"Gone With The Mammy"
"Citizen Mammy"
"All Quiet on The Mammy Front" and,
"Yankee Doodle Mammy"
All kidding aside, from the beginning Harry Cohn (head of Columbia and big Jolson fan) insisted the title should be, "The Jolson Story."
That's what my VHS copies say, my dvd copies however say The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again
I've danced with you, I'm never gonna dance again - Lucky to Penny in Swingtime, 1936