When Radio Was in Its Madcap Youth
a Writer Recalls Jolson, Benny, Cantor

By CHARLOTTE DUBIN.
thropy. At a campaign dinner, he
Al Jolson may have brought joy would stand up and say, 'What are
to the hearts of Jewish mothers, you giving?' and if he felt it wasn't
but as far as one Jewish boy with enough, he'd say so."
the improbable name of Carroll
Fanny Brice "was a wonderful
Carroll was concerned, "there was woman. But such a tragic life.
nothing about Jolson to like."
The film ('Funny Girl') was
Carroll knew them all—Jolson, really unfair. Her husband Micky
Cantor, Benny, Burns — and he Arnstein) wasn't as nice and
mentions them lovingly (and some- intelligent as the film showed.
times less than) in his book, "None He was really a dangerous man,
of Your Business—or My Life With a hood . . . The first time I saw
Fannie Brice I was- a young
J. Walter Thomp-
man. She was singing 'My Man'
son (Confessions
in
the Ziegfield Follies. It's some-
of a Renegade
thing you remember forever and
Radio Writer),"
ever."
published by Cow-
Carroll, born 68 years ago in
les.
For Carroll,
New York, was himself the product
here to promote
of a liberal Jewish home. He
the book, this was
writes: "From a 100 per cent
somewhat less
WASP society in Buffalo, my
than a sentimen-
mother and I moved, when my
taljourney.
father died, to what was then a
CalTOn
("Have you ever
plush enclave of bluestocking Jews,
tried to find a restaurant open for the Kenwood-Hyde Park area of
dinner on a Sunday evening in Chicago's 1n-the-chips South Side.
Detroit?" he asked with some Here there was an electric -auto-
malice, first in his book and again mobile, called either 'Yiddisha
when he was here. "Around the showcase' or 'mezuza' because
company," he wrote, "the first there was one in front of every
prize in every comedy contest is a Jewish door."
week in Detroit. The second prize
He "went to a synagogue that
is two weeks.")
was called a temple, held services
But being good natured, he only on Sundays and was probably
warmed up to his hosts and man- the one that inspired the gag about
aged to be interviewed by every the synagogue that was 'so Reform
leading disc jockey in Detroit. it closed on the High Holy Days'."
Their interest in Carroll was no
His mother was "semi-Jewish"-
accident: when radio was in its her father a Bavarian Jew named
golden era, he was there, writing Strauss, her mother an Irish Cath-
material for some of the best re- olic named Haggerty. "Thus, al-
membered names ever to hit the ready mixed up religiously, she
air waves.
followed the words of Ruth, 'Your
As an employe of the J. Walter people shall be my people,' and
Thompson advertising agency for took the faith of her husband."
Carroll says he "didn't know
25 years, he wrote Bing Crosby's
Kraft Music Hall for a decade, as there was such a thing as a Jew
well as comic dialogue for George till Chicago" because his father
(Nat) Burns and Gracie Allen, had wanted the boy to make his
Victor Borge, W. C. Fields, Edgar own decisions. "So in Chicago, I
Bergen and Charlie' McCarthy, Bob discovered Vdaism and got con-
firmed by m father's dear friend,
Hope, Cantor, Jolson.
He recalls his first meeting with Dr. Emil G. Hirsch."
Carroll was in Israel eight yeais
Jolson—a "dinner meeting" to
discuss a script in Jolson's hotel ago, when radio was emerging
suite. "He called room service from its embryonic stage. "They
and ordered a tomato and lettuce also were beginning to import cow-
salad with vinegar and oil dress- boys for the cattle industry, and I
ing, a minute steak medium rare, remember thinking: Gee, what a
lyonnabe potatoes, creamed spin- wonderful country to make wes-
ach, a pieceof cherry pie and a terns." Now, some Hollywood film
pot of coffee. Then he motioned companies are getting the same
me to a leveseat where, it turn- idea. His son Adam, 26, who is
ed out, I'd ultimately be able to with Universal Pictures, is toying
get a good view of him eating his with the idea of producing a film
in IsraeL (An older son, Bruce.
dinner .. ."
is a bureau chief with ABC-TV
When Jolson was through eating, 31,
network
news; and his daughter,
writes Carroll, he "opened a large Leda Goldsmith,
married to an
box of Rose Marie candy (the most attorney active in is Bronx
politics.
expensive in town at the time), Carroll and his wife Norma
have
took one piece, closed the box two grandchildren).
tightly, walked back to the table,
"None
of
Your
Business"
is
got the script, handed it to me, and
liberally laced with anecdotes
said, 'Fix it'."
about
the
big
names
and
the
un-
The next time Carroll had a 6
who helped package those
p.m. appointment with Jolson, he knowns
for radio. For example,
stopped first at the bakery for some names
David
Freedman,
the scholar
salt sticks.
son of an editor of the Jewish
Referring to that incident in an Daily
Forward,
who
interview, Carroll shook his head. owned and operated" "created,
the "joke
"How could a Jew act like that?
that turned out Eddie
First you're supposed to eat, then factory"
Cantor's
Chase
and
Sanborn
do business."
To other Jewish personalities, Hour. Freedman was not above
lifting
a
story
from
the
Carroll is kinder. His deep affec- and converting it into a Talmud
routine
tion for 'George Burns (Naftalis
for hmnyman Lou Holtz.
Birnbaum) is undisguised.
Why
are
so
many
of
Carroll's
George Jessel "has been a pro-
fessional Jew all his life—a re-
markable, well read man. When I High Priority
first met him, he almost printed
Were it left to me to decide
his name. But he acquired a vast whether we should have govern-
store of information."
ment without newspapers or news-
Jack Benny, who is four years papers without government, I
shy of being 39 twice, "has reach- should not hesitate for a moment
ed wonderful old age. In a highly to prefer the latter. But I should
competitive, dog-eat-dog business, mean that every man should re-
he's a remarkably gentle man." ceive those papers and be capable
Eddie Cantor, "as he grew older, of reading them. —Thomas Jeffer-
got deeper into Jewish philan- son.

If you want the most for your money
be sure to call

541-

• •••....0

7040

■

iir .all 60.4 0•rai&aggog-Alkigaralfa

comedians Jewish? "It's no secret
that a sense of humor has kept
the Jew going," he said. "I sup-
pose that just as Blacks go into
athletics; the Jew goes into show
business—it's an outpouring of his
personality. The trouble with
comedians today is they're trying to
be 'relaxed.' They haven't had the
kind of training Lou Holtz and
Benny had: vaudeville. Their kind
of training will never be duplicat-
ed."
As for writing comedy, "We've
all gotten a little sensitive over
ethnic humor. Some of it is jus-
tified; there's no room for bad
dialect jokes. But you take Yid-
dish; it's the only international
language-there is. The real test is,
is it funny?"
Carroll could not have forgotten
there was a Jewish listening audi-
ence, had he tried. Certainly, one
incident would have convinced him
otherwise. It was while he was do-
ing the Kraft Music Hall with
Paul Whiteman, a talented music-
ian with fuzzy diction.
"After one show, letters began
to pour in accusing Whiteman and
the Kraft Cheese Co. and even Lou
Holtz, who was on the show at the
time, of anti-Semitism. It took a
lot of examination of the program
. . . before we found the solution.
Miss Helen Jepson of the Metro-
politan Opera had sung 'The Jewel
Song' from Faust . . ."
He's shit not 100 per cent sure,
but Carroll suspects that listeners,
hearing Pops Whiteman announce
the Jepson number, thought he
said, "The Jew Song."

THE CALL
OF THE SHOFAR

May the New Year Bring Peace

and Contentment to all Israel

and to the Nations of the World

nzsizri nub uri5

To The Entire Community and Our Many Friends

Mr. and Mrs. Irving Hermelin and Family

Mr and Mrs. David B. Hermelin and Family

Dr. and Mrs. Melvin Weinberg

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
10—Friday, October 9, 1970

ve up

. . . to your own
private castle
in the sky.

You deserve to live "royally" at least
once ... with a sense of well-being and
security you've never known before ...
with a panoramic view of the world below
and the glimmering lights miles away.

Charter House is an exciting place,
no matter what your age or marital status.
Near shopping, theaters, restaurants,
expressways. You relax by the pool or on
your private balcony.

Charter House living is gracious,
but not pretentious. Laundry and storage

on each floor. Closed circuit security
television. Charter House has a large game
room, barber shop and beauty salon.

Charter House apartments
are spacious,

complete, and beautifully finished.

Two bedroom, two bath ... with balcony
and a view — from ;277 through $291 per
month. Other 1 and 2 bedroom apts. for less.

Our furnished models are open 7 days from
11 to 6. Just stop in ... if only to enjoy the view.

Charter Noose

Ten stories of luxury hi-rise living in the Northland area.

Phone 356-8100. 16300 W. Nine Mile, west of Greenfield.

HisTADR T TOUR

NEW ADDRESS: 12701 W. 10 MILE RD., OAK PARK

