23 Facts About Larry Parks

Samuel Lawrence Klausman Larry Parks was an American stage and film actor.

Larry Parks's best known role was Al Jolson, whom he portrayed in two films: The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again .

Larry Parks was raised in Joliet, Illinois, and graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1932.

Larry Parks attended the University of Illinois as a pre-med student, and played in stock companies for a few years.

Larry Parks went to Hollywood at the suggestion of John Garfield, who said a part in a Warner Bros.

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Larry Parks could be seen in Mystery Ship and Harmon of Michigan .

Larry Parks could be seen in the "A" films You Belong to Me and Three Girls About Town .

Larry Parks was in an A-movie, They All Kissed the Bride with Joan Crawford.

Larry Parks was in A Man's World and had a bigger part in The Boogie Man Will Get You with Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre.

Larry Parks was in Power of the Press, Reveille with Beverly, Redhead from Manhattan with Lupe Velez, First Comes Courage directed by Dorothy Arzner, and Destroyer with Glenn Ford.

Larry Parks graduated to leads with The Black Parachute, Stars on Parade, Sergeant Mike, and She's a Sweetheart .

Now that Larry Parks was a fully-fledged star, Columbia kept him busy in elaborate productions.

Larry Parks appeared opposite the studio's biggest star, Rita Hayworth, in Down to Earth .

Larry Parks tried to break his contract with Columbia in 1948, but was unsuccessful.

Larry Parks made Jolson Sings Again, which was another huge box-office hit.

In 1951, Larry Parks was summoned to appear before the HUAC under threat of being blacklisted in the movie industry, but he begged not to be forced to testify.

Larry Parks eventually did so in tears, only to be blacklisted anyway.

Larry Parks eventually gave up the names of his former colleagues to the committee.

Larry Parks made a TV film for The Ford Television Theatre in 1953 and starred in the British film Tiger by the Tail in England.

Larry Parks continued to squeeze out a living acting on the stage and doing occasional television programs.

Larry Parks eventually left the film industry and formed a successful construction business.

Rather than sell them upon completion, Larry Parks decided to retain ownership and collect rents as a landlord, a decision that proved to be extremely profitable.

Larry Parks's starred in Hollywood films such as On the Town and on television as Archie Bunker's neighbor Irene Lorenzo on All in the Family and as landlady Edna Babish on Laverne and Shirley.