All films listed below will be shown only during the days indicated, 24/7, unless otherwise indicated. Revisit this page soon to learn about new short films that will shown at the museum during these two months.

 Inquiries about our Film Program may be directed to info@museumoffamilyhistory.com.

The films are best viewed using Internet Explorer.

To learn the full extent of the Museum's multimedia collection, please visit the Museum's Audio and Video Indexes at www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/multimedia.htm.

Saturday, March 6 to Sunday, March 21

The Al Jolson Film Festival - "Show Business At War" (17:34).
During the Second World War, many in show business did what they could to support the troops and the cause.

On May 21, 1943, the short film titled "Show Business at War" was released. It was part of an effort put forth my various studios to show the newsreel audience the progress of the Hollywood war effort.

Many Hollywood stars appear in this newsreel, one of whom is Al Jolson, who is seen and heard singing "Mammy" to the troops. Many others in show business appear in this film.

Don't forget to visit the Museum's large Al Jolson exhibition titled "The Immortal Al Jolson" (and see and hear many more videos, not to mention more than forty sound clips) at www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/ajolson.htm .
 

World Jewish Communities:
Kovno, Riga, Krakow, Lwów and Bialystok
How quickly a Jewish community can be upended, a city transformed from a 'peaceful' one to one of destruction, occupation, imprisonment and death. Within this World Jewish Communities Film Series, you will have an opportunity to 'compare and contrast' life in these cities cir 1939, i.e. shortly before the Second World War began, and life not long after these cities were invaded, occupied and destruction of both people and property reigned.

Before World War II:

     "Jewish Life in Kovno, Riga and Lwów" (9:42). This documentary was made in the early spring of 1939, just months before the start of the Second World War in Europe.  Narration in Yiddish.

During World War II:

     "Lwów Lemberg 1941" (2: 38). This 1941 8 mm film depicts the Germans entering Lwów (Lemberg in German). You can see attacks against the Jews there, as well as provocative acts. Before the war Lwów was part of Poland, but was annexed by Russia on September 22, 1939. This time, the film short is narrated in German. From YouTube.

     "German Troops in Riga" (8:29). World War II, German troops near Daugavpils (Dunaburg) moving to Riga (Latvia). Fights and the liberation of Riga. Communist war crimes, Nazi behavior to Latvian Jews, Nazi propaganda, Fights near Liepaja (Libau).  Again the narration for this film short is in German. From YouTube.
 

The Museum of Family History's Yiddish World  Under the Stars presents --
Two excerpts of Maurice Schwartz in "Tevye the Milkman" (1939):

Tevye is a dairyman in the Russian Ukraine early in the 20th century. He lives in a cabin outside Boyberik with his wife Goldie, his widowed daughter Tseytl, her two children, and his younger daughter, the unmarried Khave. Khave is being courted by Fedya, a Christian, the son of a local government official. Tevye warns Khave against romance and marriage outside her faith, but Fedya is persuasive too. What will Khave decide, how will Tevye react, and when the Tsar initiates a pogrom, will Tevye's friends come to his defense? Can the stubborn Tevye reconcile his heart and tradition? On the other hand....From YouTube.

Don't forget to visit the Museum's Great Artists Series exhibition about Maurice Schwartz and his Yiddish Art Theatre.
 

Tuesday, March 16 to Sunday, April 4

The Al Jolson Film Festival - Jolson sings "Mammy" in "The Jolson Story" (3:27):

In 1946, Columbia pictures released "The Jolson Story," a highly fictionalized musical biography of Al Jolson. The film starred Larry Parks as Al Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as Julie Benson (based on Jolson's third wife Ruby Keeler), William Demarest (who played his manager), Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne (who played Jolson's parents), and Scotty Beckett, who played the young Jolson (though Beckett did not actually sing in the film, nor did he do young Jolson's whistling.)

"The Jolson Story" was highly successful and did much to revive Jolson's career which had been sagging during the years previous to the film's release. The film won numerous Academy Awards, i.e. for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, and Best Sound Recording. Larry Parks was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and William Demarest was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The film was also nominated for Best Cinematography, Color and Film Editing. The great success of "The Jolson Story" spawned a sequel "Jolson Sings Again" just three years later--also successful, but not as much as the first film.

"The Jolson Story" introduced the talents of Al Jolson to a new generation. From YouTube.