Al Jolson Home Page|His Works|Radio|25 Nov 48 KMH with Victor Mature

Al Jolson's experience with radio began in the dawn of the medium, and continued until the birth of television, and his death. He started the Kraft Music Hall, along with programs for Lifebuoy Soap, Colgate Tooth Powder, and Chevrolet, and died while waiting to go on to Bing Crosby's Chesterfield program. On this page, I will be featuring full length radio programs for your enjoyment.

This program is from the Thursday night Kraft Music Hall series starring Al Jolson, which ran from October 2, 1947, through May 26, 1949.

Victor Mature and Al Jolson
Victor Mature and Al Jolson

This program was originally broadcast on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25, 1948. Rugged movie star Victor Mature joined Al and Oscar in this week's broadcast.

Starting out this Thanksgiving Day's show with a word to those who came before, Jolie moved right into a spirited rendition of "That Certain Party."

Next came a discussion of Thanksgiving, the first Thanksgiving, and other jokes involving Jolson's age, and Levant's family. There was even a prediction of the future, with a mention of turkey hot dogs. Breaking the pattern established in every preceeding show, Oscar Levant did not play a number next, but Jolie sang another song, accompanied by Oscar, Irving Berlin's "Lazy."

After a Kraft commercial, Jolson and Levant traded quips about old music, and old personalities. Then Al Jolson gave out with a new song, Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When?" He even got an encore on this song - or at least part of one! Then came an old song, with an old introduction many of us have loved for years: "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else."

After all this singing, Oscar Levant finally got his turn at the piano, playing the 3rd movement of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto. Without, as he threatened, Jolie singing along.

Little Pal

Clarifying just what genuine Philadephia Cream Cheese was, Ken Carpenter did his service to Kraft next. Movie "hunk" Victor Mature next came on the show, and joined the guys in a little prison movie skit. It had to be "Sing Sing," right!

A request for charitable giving at Thanksgiving time, and a return to one's own faith was made next. And it is as applicable today as it was then. Al Jolson closed the show with a song from his third movie, dedicated to his little boy, "Little Pal."



Listen to this radio program and watch a Video Podcast with an excerpt of the show illustrated with photos of the stars.

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     This is an excerpt of the 25 Nov 1948 Kraft Music Hall starring Al Jolson. Victor Mature was the guest star on this program, but this segment is from the end of the broadcast, and is a Thanksgiving message to people of all faiths from the World's Greatest Entertainer, concluding with "Little Pal." Singing about his new son, photos try to capture the emotion of that time.


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This listing and material Copyright © 1995-2024 Marc I. Leavey, M.D. Baltimore, Maryland
Updated 24 Nov 24