WALTER WILLISON brings down the house with "The Ultimate Jolson Medley", a tribute to Al Jolson, the man proclaimed "The World's Greatest Entertainer" in the first half of the last Century, Al Jolson, introduced by Chairman David Haines, in "YOUR OWN, YOUR VERY OWN': A Night at The Music Hall, a 1975 music hall/vaudeville revue at Milt Larsen's Legendary Mayfair Music Hall, in Santa Monica, California. The medley includes: "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy", written for Jolson by Irving Berlin in 1928; "Swanee" with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Irving Ceasar [1916] which became Gershwin's first major success when interpolated by Jolson into "SINBAD", the biggest hit of the 1918/1919 Broadway season]; "You Made Me Love You", music by James V. Monroe, lyrics by James McCarthy [1913]; "Rockabye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody", music by Jean Schwartz, lyrics by Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young [1918]. These same songs subsequently became identified with another of The World's Greatest Entertainers, The Legendary Judy Garland. Walter Willison first learned these songs back when he was as a kid, while riding in the car with his Dad [who had run away from home in 1928, at age 12, and himself performed Jolson songs in blackface in a double act at Vaudeville Theaters in Wheeling, West Virginia] and they became a staple in Willison's nightclub acts, from New York to Vegas to Los Angeles, in the 1970s and 80s. In 1982 he starred as Kid Kotten, a character based on Jolson, in the hit Off-Broadway musical "BROADWAY SCANDALS OF 1928", for which he also wrote the book [loosely based on the truth as told to him by The Legendary Ruby Keeler, herself, one time wife of Jolson], and lyrics and directed the production, Supervised by Richard Maltby, Jr. Mr, Willison received a Tony Award nomination and Theatre World Award for the Richard Rodgers-Martin Charnin-Peter Stone musical "TWO BY TWO" [costarring with Danny Kaye, Joan Copeland, Tricia O'Neil, Marilyn Cooper, Madeline Kahn, Michael Karm and Harry Goz], and has also appeared on Broadway in shows including the Tony Award winning Robert Wright & George Forrest & Luther Davis' "GRAND HOTEL": The Musical, directed by Tommy Tune; Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens, Mike Ockrent & Susan Stroman's "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" at Madison Square Garden; Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's Tony Award winning "PIPPIN" directed by Bob Fosse; as The Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Schwartz' "MASS" at The Kennedy Center, and he starred in the title role of the first ever New York revival of Robert Wright & George Forrest & Peter Stone's "KEAN" at The York Theater. In 1971, Milt Larsen,who along with his brother Bill had founded Hollywood's famed Magic Castle, had taken an old movie theater that had fallen on hard times -- renovated, remodeled and redecorated it with crystal chandeliers, antique fixtures and statuary gathered from old Movie Palaces and Vaudeville Theatres all over Los Angeles and the surrounding areas -- and created an Intimate and Ornate Vaudeville Palace of Crystal and Gilt. So authentic was the décor that the theatre served as the set for many theatrical films, as well as countless TV films, series and specials of the day. [For "Harry and Walter Go to New York" which starred James Caan, Elliott Gould, Diane Keaton, Michael Caine, Joe Layton staged an operetta sequence there, written by Marilyn & Alan Bergman & David Shire, in which Mr. Willison serenaded Lesley Ann Warren.] Stars of the day headlined at The Mayfair Music Hall, but its mainstay were the revues, which played to SRO crowds made up of everyone who was anyone [Cary Grant was a frequent visitor] as well as the regular audience, who came week after week, for the good ol' fashioned music hall/vaudeville entertainment. The show, "YOUR OWN, YOUR VERY OWN": A Night at The Music Hall, written by Milt Larsen, with Special Musical Material by Milt & Richard M. Sherman [of Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman/"Mary Poppins" fame], musical staging and choreography by Rita Abrams ["No, No, Nannette" on Broadway and choreographer of Peter Bogdonovich's "At Long Last Love" and "Nickelodeon"], directed by Milt and Dr. John Heric, starred Walter Willison, Marcia Lewis, Lette Reynolds, Dale Phillips and David Haines as "Mr. Chairman". Sadly, The Mayfair Music Hall is now but a memory, but Milt Larsen's Legendary Magic Castle in the Hills of Hollywood is still thriving, and he is still producing good ol' fashioned family entertainment. Most recently a successful touring show called "PAZAZZ!", written with longtime collaborator Richard M. Sherman. Videotaped live in performance by Jim Keller on July 13, 1975.
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Los Al vs Mayfair 2010by VIOTTO58721,036 views
What a wonderful voice and exciting charisma! Jolson would've been jealous!
showtunestarpower 1 year ago
@showtunestarpower -- WOW! Not THAT is some compliment. I am humbled indeed. Thanks so much.
Best, WW
BroadwayGoldnAge 1 year ago