Jerry Lewis: The King of Comedy
Jerry Lewis (March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. Regarded as one of the greatest comedians of the 20th century, he raised $2.45 billion for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through his annual Labor Day telethon.
Early Life and Education
Lewis was born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family. His father, Daniel “Danny” Levitch, was a master of ceremonies and vaudevillian whose parents had immigrated from the Russian Empire. His mother, Rachael “Rae” Levitch, was a WOR radio pianist and Danny’s music director, originally from Warsaw. Conflicting records exist about his birth name and birthplace, with some sources listing him as Jerome rather than Joseph.
He was expelled from Weequahic High School in the ninth grade and dropped out of Irvington High School in the tenth grade. By age 15, Lewis had developed his “Record Act,” miming lyrics to songs while a phonograph played offstage. After an unsuccessful performance at a burlesque house in Buffalo, he worked as a soda jerk and theater usher in New York City. Irving Kaye, a Borscht Belt comedian, became his manager after witnessing his mime act at Brown’s Hotel in Loch Sheldrake, New York. During World War II, Lewis was rejected from military service because of a heart murmur.
Career and Achievements
Lewis met singer Dean Martin in 1945 at the Glass Hat Club in New York City. The two debuted as Martin and Lewis on July 25, 1946, at Atlantic City’s 500 Club. Their partnership quickly rose to national prominence through their nightclub act and radio program The Martin and Lewis Show. They made their television debut on CBS’s Toast of the Town on June 20, 1948, and in 1950 signed with NBC to serve as rotating hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour, a live Sunday evening broadcast.
The duo made sixteen buddy-comedy films together, beginning with ensemble roles in My Friend Irma (1949) and My Friend Irma Goes West (1950), followed by their own series including At War with the Army (1950), That’s My Boy (1951), Sailor Beware (1952), Jumping Jacks (1952), The Stooge (1952), Scared Stiff (1953), The Caddy (1953), Money from Home (1953), Living It Up (1954), 3 Ring Circus (1954), You’re Never Too Young (1955), Artists and Models (1955), Pardners (1956) and Hollywood or Bust (1956). They split in 1956. Lewis went on to appear in thirty-five motion pictures from 1957 to 1984 as a solo filmmaker and actor.
Beyond his film work, Lewis guest hosted The Tonight Show a record fifty-two times and helmed his own nightly series. From 1950 to 1989, he performed closely with Sammy Davis Jr. As a singer, Lewis recorded numerous albums and performed standards from the Great American Songbook across concert stages, nightclubs, radio, and film and television productions.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lewis’s partnership with Dean Martin was dramatized in the 2002 biopic Martin and Lewis. The duo’s popularity extended to comic books, with DC Comics publishing The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from 1952 to 1957. They appeared on What’s My Line? in 1954, the 27th annual Academy Awards in 1955, The Steve Allen Show and The Today Show in 1956.
In 1966, Lewis began his annual Labor Day telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as its honorary national chairman and spokesman. Through 2009, the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon raised $2.45 billion for the organization.
Awards and Honors
Lewis was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to entertainment. France awarded him the Legion of Honor in recognition of his career and humanitarian work.
Additional Resources
Jerry Lewis’s seven-decade career spanned comedy, film, music, and philanthropy, making him one of the most versatile entertainers of the twentieth century. More detailed information about his life, filmography, and charitable work is available through Wikipedia and other biographical archives.
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