Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-02
AL JoIson
Cheers Army
In Alaska
Fin DIS Soldiers Hungry
\ for Entertainment
for Entertainment
BY DAMON RUNYON

"A ing fame in the American
theater. has just returned from
a whirlwind tour of army en-
campments in Alaska. bringing
touching tales of the hunger Of
the men there for entertain
ment.
saw Jolson just before he
left on his tour and he was then
loaded with various vaccines and
felt pretty tough-he is not as
young as he used to be. though
in saying this / realize / am
stepping on delicate footing with
AL, and / thought he had picked
out a rough assignment for an
old-timer. but he stood off the
hardships like an athlete and is
back livelier than ever.
He travelled from 600 TO 1000
miles by plane daily, the average
Jump taking about six hours
one required 13 hours. He had
audiences of from 20 TO 800
soldiers and gave from two 10
nine shows a day. He averaged
ID numbers at every show. He
appeared at Fairbanks, Anchor
age, Nome. Juneau. ST. Law
renee, McGrath. Whitehorse,
Anette Islands and other posts.
FOLSOM. who admits 10 be in
- his late fifties, looks rather
frail in his street clothes, but as
a matter of fact is well built
and husky because he has al
ways taken excellent care Of
himself.
His fetish for years has been
the sun, and you will find him
spread out at the beaches in
Florida in the winter and At
lantic City in the summer. He
is invariably as brown as an
Indian.
For a period of years that
stretches from Ministries on
down to swing. Jolson has been
a king in the field of American
entertainment.
l would say that no other per-
former in the past 40 years has
! surpassed him as single
handed entertainer. / have seen
him hold the stage alone for
over two hours by the power of
his personality and talent as a
singer.
His appearances in regular
shows have been somewhat in
termittent of late years al
though only a season back he
starred in hit. He is probably
a millionaire several times over
and can work as his fancy die
tates.
From the outbreak OF the war
he has been taking tremendous
interest in entertaining the SOL
diers and had many miles OF
travel between camps before he
went TO Alaska.
He says the boys in Alaska
outside Of Fairbanks are short
OF films for their camera equip
ment and reading matter. They
have only ancient magazines and
newspapers. They would keep
him singing for over an hour
wherever he appeared.
His only companion on the
tour was Martin Freed who has
been Jolson's pianist for years.
Al sang all his old songs and
many new ones and the voice
that charmed millions in the
theater held out nobly.
THE durability of AIS voice
Il has always been a marvel.
anyway.
He quotes prices in Alaska
that are reminiscent of the trail
of SO, what with eggs at a dol
lar each and shaves at dollar
and a half. and a Nome news
paper at Is cents per copy. This
paper, four page affair, gets
its news via radio.
OF course these prices are for
civilians, not soldiers.
Under ordinary circumstances
the journey would have taken
the entertainer many weeks, but
the planes whisked him from
place 10 place in quick time. He
has long been a great air trav-
eler so that suited him fine. He
probably saw much more than
he can discuss as the military
censorship on Alaska is rather
tight.
Jolson is going TO Washington
TO seek an assignment with the
American expeditionary forces
elsewhere. 1t would not be sur
prising to hear of him turning
up abroad. He is one of the
many men of the theater whose
efforts in this war are a credit
to their profession and them
selves.
Copyright, 1912. by King Features