Custom "GI Al" Jolson figure ... PAT MOOREA head sculpt

[bucketfoot-al]

Soooo ... as some of you know, I am a BIG Al Jolson fan. I have listened to his songs since 1983, and I have been performing his songs and comedy for various audiences since 2015 (my OTHER hobby ).

I have wanted to do a series of Jolson action figures for about 13 years ... but the dozen or so times I approached various sculptors with the idea for a resin head, they were all always too busy .... so I put it in the back of my head and would ask every new sculptor I'd notice, every few years, getting the same answer.

THEN

I saw Patmoorea start his "Rockwell Barbershop Quartet" sculpting thread earlier this year. The lifelikeness he put into his sculpts jolted me, so I contacted him.<p>To my surprise (and elation), he agreed to do a Jolson 1/6 scale head for me ... I sent him a bunch of photos of Jolson on his last concert tour in 1949 ... and Pat polished off the finished sculpt for me in a little over a WEEK!!!!!

So, he made me a half-dozen resin casts - more than I would ever need (I plan on making no more than 4 of these - one for me, three for fellow "Jolson friends".<p>This is what the CH is ... a place where fellow modelers become friends and make each other's dreams come true ... nothing can beat that, can it?

OK, now on to the progress report!!!

[bucketfoot-al]

I have procured some pretty high end action figure bodies and clothes. This "Jolie" will be wearing the finest replica 1940s-styled suits - like he wore during his tour (he would take off his tie and undo his shirt collar in front of the audience before singing).

I decided that surgical slices to the neck of both pieces would give the me ability to "marry up" both pieces. The gap will be puttied, of course. Then I will paint up the figure and the head.

Mr Jolson will be on a stage in front of a microphone with his arms outstretched, smiling at the audience. I also enclose a couple of photos that this head sculpt was based on. Stay tuned!

[Rocketeer]

Wow, what an interesting project!

[MadMonstaPlastick66]

Very cool indeed!

[bucketfoot-al]

A little progress today ... took a day off to do stuff around the house ... it was HOT in the garage, but I managed to glue/putty the head and start slapping on a preliminary coat of acryllic paint. The body won't be painted as the figure will be wearing either a suit or a military uniform. This is the first of the series, so I hope that as I build up the 3-4 figures that I am making, it will go faster. That's my past experience.

Will make a couple of figures with suits, and a couple (including the one for MOI) wearing a WW2-era uniform as Jolson wore while entertaining the troops in WW2 and Korea - like in the photo below where he's clowning around with a US Army Colonel in Japan or Korea in Sept. 1950 ...

[bucketfoot-al]

Haven't been able to do any painting due to our crazy work schedule ... but ... I HAVE come up with ideas and picked up lots of accessories ... I'll make a few of these with suits and ties ... BUT ... it has become obvious to me that using various uniforms to create "GI Al" figures is gonna be way cooler. Here's an idea in a couple of photos (though I will need a larger base to properly develop the 'stage') ... and a couple of photos of Mr Jolson with Gen Patton and performing for the troops in Sicily in 1943 ...

[Tim Fortuna]

That's pretty cool Al. Love these passion projects.

[bucketfoot-al]

Got a chance to move the painting along a little bit ... did the first over on the eyes ... hit the skin with an oil wash ... hair, lips, teeth and eye detailing to follow ... then matte spray, then clothes ... take a peek ... ordered several custom metal plaques 2"x1" which I will glue or screw onto the base ... three lines of text that will read: WW2-Korea; "GI AL" JOLSON; "I want to sing for those kids" ...

[patmoorea]

Wow Vlad, it turns out really great ! I'm glad and proud to have made this happen for you. This is the way things start as business and ends as friendship.
Look forward to see this "Al" finished, my friend.

[bucketfoot-al]

Thank you Pat! You ain't seen nothing yet! I have 4 different WW2 GI uniforms for making 4 different "GI Al" figures. I'll put photos of each finished one up on this thread (I am giving them to several "Jolson friends" and keeping the last one for myself ...)

And once that's done I will make at least one in a 2-piece suit .... this is really turning out better than I could have imagined ... as experience doing a series of figures in the past has taught me, the process gets faster with each successive figure as you solve problems and get quicker ...

[overspray]

Can't wait to see the finished projects! Going with the uniforms is a great idea, and those folks who entertain(ed) the troops deserve all the recognition they can get. A fitting tribute.

[bucketfoot-al]

"G.I. Al" figure number 001 is progressing along .... the uniform is now fitted ... still need to put gloss on the eyes/lips, get a new right hand with fingers extended (ordered one tonight), tie his boot laces (no joke - these are actual miniature LEATHER boots from China with real laces!!!! ), and paint/build up the base.

Oh, I also sprayed the mic a military gray (primer actually ) Note the black 'n gold plaque that will be screwed to the base of each figure. More updates to come soon!

[Heavy Metal Spike]

Now THAT is what you call a labour of love.

Wonderful to see one of your hobbies/talents meeting another of your hobbies/talents face-on (no pun intended . . . well . . . maybe a BIT intended )

Great work Vlad

.

[bucketfoot-al]

You ain't seen nothing yet ... I have 2 more completely different uniforms for figures #2 & 3 .... then the 3-piece suit figure ... best of all I can do this "on the side" as I work on more traditional projects ...

I have to say something about Pat Moorea who sculpted the head for me. There are guys out there who can sculpt a 1/6 head that looks like a 3D photo ... *BUT* ... it takes a true artist to sculpt a head that is not only accurate, but captures the personality of the subject.

Jolson was without a doubt the most electric personality to ever grace the stage. Irving Caesar (George Gershwin's lyricist), who lived well into his 90s, knew Jolson for 30 years and said that "he had an electricity about him. (Any time) he walked into a room you felt the electricity."

So I sent Pat a bunch of photos that I thought illustrated some of that impish, electric personality that Jolson had (as much as photos ever can). Without me prodding him, he focused on the single photo that is one of the maybe 2 photos I've seen that captures that "feeling" the best. And that's the one he carved the head to resemble.

Any time I walk into the garage and see that face, I immediately break into a huge grin - just like I do when I see the photo it is based on.

Creating a figure that evokes such a response is the mark of a true artist. Pat Moorea is such an artist.

[Heavy Metal Spike]

. . . Creating a figure that evokes such a response is the mark of a true artist. Pat Moorea is such an artist.

Ah - he's OK I suppose - strange tastes in music though (he likes that "heavy rock" stuff - not my cup of tea - but live and let live)

• • (* my apologies - I forgot to say what a great job you did with the sculpt Pat *)

.

[tay666]

That is looking great.
Definitely can tell it is a true labor of love.

[bucketfoot-al]

More progress ... "G.I. Al"'s boots are now tied (with the help of a magnifying glass), and I placed him in what I will call a "suggested pose" in the instructions ... holding the helmet with his right hand, as if he just took it off and is greeting the boys upon alighting the stage ... I will also include a second optional right hand that will be opened like his left ... more to come ... now I need to work on the base ...

[patmoorea]

Wow Vlad, you did a fantastic work !! The pose is awesome
And thanks again for the kind words, you make me blush.

[/quote]"Ah - he's OK I suppose - strange tastes in music though (he likes that "heavy rock" stuff - not my cup of tea - but live and let live)"[/quote]
Beware Ian, i'm coming for you

[kevtk135]

I don't check out this section nearly as often as I should. And this is one example why I should be here more. I think this is a terrific idea. I love seeing "not the same old thing." Pat did a great job on the face, and your builds look terrific!

[bucketfoot-al]

Thanks Kev! Base should be done this week and then I'll do some 'real' photos. Then I'll start on figures #2 and #3. The first two are gonna be Christmas gifts to two of my "Jolson Friends" who have really touched me with some of their projects that have helped to keep Mr Jolson's legacy alive (one has colorized hundreds of old Jolson photos so that they look like they were taken yesterday - the other one has done a couple of videos in HD and even rare color footage that are fabulous!).

WTH, I'll link to them here:

The first is an "Al Jolson Concert" with HD footage from the 1939 film "Rose of Washington Square" matched up perfectly with near-stereo quality original master recordings made for the picture that only survived thanks to a music director at Fox who kept everything in his personal library. The second is a re-imagined episode of 1963's "Hollywood and the Stars" Jolson episode - the narration is original, the footage has been boosted to HD with tons of extra footage (including color) added. Links below:

10-minute "Jolson Concert" (should be watched on a big screen with powerful speakers):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sfRGX6 ... WEzD1hL-w4

"Hollywood and The Stars" Re-imagined Jolson episode:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mPVaCf ... 4RzX60IWUE