| He is such a forgotten figure today that it's hard to grapple with what a major star he was. And as the Times coverage indicates, he continued to be fondly remembered long after his death. I grew up seeing some of his films on TV and even then I could never see the appeal. It's probably worth noting that, two years after the Times coverage, the bio-musical Jolson & Co. was produced at York Theatre Company. (I didn't see it, but I don't think blackface was employed.) A biography was published in 2007. Because of his outsized stardom and his place in film history, I imagine that there will be further attempts at reckoning with him. It would be interesting if a Black writer with a specialty in theatre history would tackle the subject. |
