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OF YOUR BEST LOVED STARS WOULDN'T BE BROADCASTING TODAY
In order to understand what Goodman could and did do for Jolson, you must understand what theater orchestras were like in those days. The musicians in them were musical snobs. They considered themselves above the music they were called upon to play, if that music held the merest taint of what people in those days called ragtime. They weren't at all in sympathy with Al Jolson and his vivid, energetic way of performing. They remembered that he'd come to the musical comedy stage straight out of minstrel
Al Goodman, below, was an obscure orchestra leader when Al Jolson hired him to pep up his Broadway extravaganzas. Now Goodman is musical director tor the Hit Parade and Show Boat.
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shows, and they thought he was just a coon shouter. Their music was stodgy, ordinary, and downright dull. They wanted to play for a Jolson extravaganza as if it were an operetta.
Jolson's efforts to get the kind of accompaniment he wanted from a long succession of musical directors had resulted in an unending battle which was almost a Broadway tradition. He couldn't help fighting with them, because all their ideas of how to play music were the exact opposite of his. He liked to have a good time on the stage, cavort around and enjoy himself, sing a song when and how he pleased at that particular moment; and because he was a clever showman, when he had a good time the audience did, too. But the usual Broadway orchestra conductor, with' his set ideas of how to do things, wouldn't let Jolson have a good time.
Al Goodman was different. He liked Jolson, in the first place, and sympathized with what he was trying to do. He was young, eager, anxious to experiment with new ideas. He came from the West Coast, where theater orchestras were less formal. When Jolson would suddenly decide to change songs in the middle of a performance, Goodman was always ready with the music at a moment's notice. Jolson could follow his whims, and know that Goodman would follow them, too, and that there would be no confusion in the orchestra, only an added spontaneity and excitement. Under Goodman's direction, "Sinbad" took on a new sparkle and color. Every performance was an adventure instead of a routine. The critics, when it opened out of town, were enthusiastic; and because they didn't know the whole story, they gave all the credit to Jolson. For the first time he was able to show them the full power of his great theatrical personality, with which he seemed to take every individual member of an audience into his confidence. Goodman was satisfied and happy. Jolson had given him his big chance, and in his gratitude he was well pleased to be able to further Jolson's career. Yet until tragedy struck at his private life, he never knew how far Jolson's friendship for him went past a mere professional relationship. H e knew he had a good boss — but he didn't know he also had a friend.
"Sinbad" was play(Cont. on page 67)
By DAN WHEELER
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