The Jolson Story Page #5

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Mammy, look at me

Don't you know me? I'm your little baby

I'd walk a million miles

for one of your smiles

My mammy

Asa smashed something?

That actor you wanted to interview

for the new show...

- want to see him now?

- Send him in.

Hello, Steve. Haven't seen you

in a long time. How have you been?

Fine. Glad to see you, Al.

Sit down. Just cleaning up.

Look, about this part, Al.

It's nice of you to think of me,

but it might not be right.

- I'm considering a few other things...

- Sure, I realize that.

But it's like this. I've clicked on Broadway

and things are piling up on me.

Music contracts, record-making,

sheet music.

Now we're putting together a new show

starring Al.

It's a great show.

You should hear the songs.

- We go into rehearsal next week.

- But what's this got to do with the part?

I'm telling you the part.

I need a man who knows show business.

I need a man to move in

and help me run my career.

I need a manager. What do you say?

It's a nice part, Mr. Jolson,

but not in my line.

You old dog, you got to do it.

I need you, been looking all over for you.

Quit kidding. You got Tom.

I have to run the shows.

Somebody's got to run Al.

- Come on, say you'll ride along with me.

- At my age, ride on a comet?

Tom, meet my new manager,

Mr. Steve Martin.

Great pleasure, Mr. Martin.

Great pleasure, Mr. Martin.

And I'm sittin' on top of the world

I'm rollin' along

Just rollin' along

Don't want any millions

I'm getting my share

I've only got one suit

just one, that's all I can wear

A bundle of money don't make me feel gay

A sweet little honey

is making me say

I'm sittin', sittin' on top

Top of the world

I'm rollin' along

Just rollin' along

And I'm quittin' the blues of the world

I'm singin' a song, just singin' a song

Glory Hallelujah, I just phoned the parson

Hey, Par, get ready to call

Just like Humpty Dumpty

I'm going to fall

And I'm sittin', sittin' on top

Top of the world

I'm rollin' along

Rollin' along

11:
40 p.m. Why doesn't he phone?

- The show isn't over yet, that's all.

- So what are you worried about?

Mama, when will you learn

about show business?

Running time is everything.

You can have a smash show,

but if it's too long, it can take a nosedive.

It happens all the time.

What's the matter, Miss Sally?

Just tell your old Uncle Gus everything.

It can't be as bad as all that.

Henry will never believe I love him

and not Lester.

Why don't you just explain it to Henry?

He won't even listen to me.

- He won't?

- No.

Honey, Henry better listen pretty soon

or this show's going to run till 1:00.

A lot of these folks live in Brooklyn.

They got to catch a train.

He really loves her and she really loves him,

and it comes out all right anyway.

Henry, please come here and tell her

you love her so we can get to the finale?

Come on, Henry. Come on out.

You remember Henry.

Go ahead, kids, do your stuff.

That's enough. Besides, you're getting paid.

Now that we got that set,

take this curtain up.

Has he lost his mind?

Go ahead, take it up.

Hello, kids, how are you?

Wait a minute. Hold it. Don't go.

Don't mind the customers. Do like I tell you.

Everybody, come back and sit down.

Anyway, kids, you're tired...

and this may go on for a long time.

Because I got another dozen songs in me

and I'm raring to go.

Wait a minute.

I've made up my mind.

If I'm going to sing to you,

I want to see you.

Steve, tell the electricians

to turn up the lights.

Go ahead.

All the houselights. Every one of them.

Houselights? Why?

How else you going to see faces?

That's more like it.

I've been waiting for this a long time.

I've been waiting for this a long time.

Professor, You Made Me Love You.

And if that ain't a song cue,

I never heard one.

You made me love you

I didn't wanna do it

I didn't wanna do it

You made me want to

And all the time you knew it

I guess you always knew it

You made me happy sometimes

You made me glad

But there were times, baby

You dog

You made me cry for

I didn't wanna tell you

I didn't wanna tell you

I want some love that's true

You know I do, indeed I do, yes, I do

Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme

what I cry for

You know you got the kind of kisses

that I'd die for

You know you made me love you

Beginning of the second year

and still socko, Mama.

I want to get past those footlights

and a lot closer to the audience.

I want a runway from the stage

running right down the center of the house.

Then I can sing right at them.

Put a thing like that up,

you lose 100 seats every performance.

And your show has twice as long a run,

a clear profit.

Look, right down here...

Swanee, how I love you, how I love you

My dear old Swanee

The folks up north will see me no more

when I get to that Swanee shore

I love the old folks at home

Swanee, how I love you, how I love you

My dear old Swanee

The folks up north will see me no more

When I get to that Swanee shore

"Robinson Crusoe, after two years,

still sockeroo."

What is "sockeroo," Papa?

Sockeroo, Mama? That's double socko.

Take a big Broadway show like this on tour?

Drag it all over the country into tank towns?

Al's out of his mind. It's never been done.

Neither was lighting up the audience,

or runways.

But why this, Steve?

Because it's a brand-new audience,

he says, millions of them.

People who never saw a Broadway show

and never heard him sing.

But you go ahead, Tom, talk him out of it.

I will.

Here's a laugh.

Some boys at the club were saying,

"Give Sunday night concerts...

"so actors and people in show business

can get a chance to see you perform."

How do you like that?

That's the most exciting audience

in the world.

That's a great idea.

Make a note of it, Steve.

Tell Tom to arrange it.

Wait. The minute we get back to New York...

you want to start to work on the new show,

without even a day's rest.

So what?

Soon, you're doing eight performances

a week again...

like you've done steady for five years.

And now you want to add

an extra show on Sunday.

That's a shortcut to the morgue.

Sweetheart, what you like doing

keeps you healthy.

I know you'd rather sing

to a live face than eat...

but I call this winding up

with nothing for yourself.

I'm talking about some life

outside of a theater.

Like what?

Like slowing down a little

and having some other kind of fun...

like a family, like some girl.

Don't worry, pal, there's always been a girl.

- Look, when do we play Washington?

- Two weeks.

The night we open there,

let's make it a real celebration.

Get a box for Mama and Papa,

Ann Murray and her folks...

and tell Papa to bring the president.

- Of the United States?

- No, the synagogue.

Hamburgers

Hamburgers

Hamburgers

List'n to me while I tell you

of the Spaniard who blighted me life

List'n to me while I tell you

of the man who stole my future wife

- 'Twas down at the bullfight we met him

- Yes! Yes!

- And during his daring display

- What then?

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