Evening star., 1950-10-25
Tributes 10 Al JoIson
Pour In as Singers
Body Comes Home
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 25.-A
Jolson is home for the last time
today.
The cantor's son whose voice
thrilled millions will lie in his
suburban Encino residence as
friends pay their final respects.
The great entertainer died Mon
day night in a San Francisco
hotel room.
The body arrived by plane late
yesterday and the fower-draped
casket was taken to a mortuary
in small, grieving procession.
Mrs. Jolson-the singers fourth
wife, the former Erie Galbraith-
was too grief stricken to meet the
airborne cortege. A group of two
dozen friends was headed by Louis
Epstein, Mr.. Jolson's manager for
35 years.
Funeral services will be held
tomorrow noon at Temple Israel
on the Hollywood boulevard where
his name appeared in blazing
lights so many times. Rabbi Max
Nussbaum, assisted by Cantor
Saul Silverman, will officiate at
the public services. Burial will
be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park
in nearby Glendale.
The active pallbearers will be
Harry Brand and Harry Cohn.
film executives; Louis Epstein. the
singers manager: Harry Akst and
Martin Fried, Mr.. Jolson's ar
ranger and accompanist, respec-
lively, who were with him when
he died; Nathan Kramer, AL Goetz
and John Sneckenberger, the last
two of New York.
Wife Asks Heart Donations.
Mrs. Jolson requested that
flowers be omitted and money
that would be spent for them con-
,tributed to the American Heart
Association.
Friends and fans who sought a
glimpse of the star last night were
turned away disappointed.
Attesting the esteem given the
64-year-old king of the enter
tainment world" we're the four
floral sprays which met the body
at the airport. The cards at
tached to them read: Cecil B. De
Mile, the City of Los Angeles.
Joseph Schenck, and Sheriff Eu-
gene Biscailuz.
Both the City Council and the
Los Angeles County supervisors
passed resolutions paying tribute
to Mr.. Jolson, who had made his
home here since he scored his
talkie smash hit in THE Jazz
Singer" more than 20 years ago.
That was the film in which Mr..
Jolson successfully jumped from
his many Broadway hits into
new LlcOlulIl.
At the Jolson home is his latest
Sonny Boy" Asa, jr.. 2E2.
adopted by the Jolsons in 1948.
Years ago, the singer and his
third wife, Actress Ruby Keeler,
adopted Albert. now Is. Mr..
Jolson and Miss Keeler were
divorced in 1889.
"The world has lost a great
figure" said Miss Keeler, now
Mrs. John Lowe. That his end
was sudden is a blessing. Al had
too much driving energy to have
tolerated a lengthy illness"
Physicians said a coronary oc-
clusion-a blood clot in the heart
was the cause of death.
Mr.. Jolson also leaves brother,
Harry of Los Angeles.
Was Sports Enthusiast.
AIS enthusiasm for sports
particularly boxing-was almost
as great as his love of song. Last
night at Olympic Auditorium,
where only week ago he was call
ing fighters and their handlers by
first name, hundreds of fans stood
silent while a soft, final 10-count
was tapped on the gong.
He once owned part of Boxer
Henry Armstrong, and never
ceased kidding the late Eddie
Meade. who talked him out of it.
That was before Armstrong be-
came triple champion.
Much of his multimillion in
come through the years went to
charity Recently he was prom
inent in improving Cedars of
Lebanon Hospital here and gave
$160,000 mansion and grounds
to the hospital outright.
Tributes continued to pour in
from the big and little names of
the entertainment field. The Mo-
ton Picture Industry Council
summed it up:
"He was a great citizen and
fine American. He will shine
eternally in the memories of all
who looked up to him as Mr.. Show
Business"