Jerry Lewis 1926 - 2017

Jerry Lewis; actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, and humanitarian…has passed away at 91.

A natural at comedy and slapstick, he was born Joseph Levitch in Newark New Jersey, and already had a productive and successful career in stage and radio when he made a seamless transition to film in 1949 with MY FRIEND IRMA, which he filmed with his comedy partner Dean Martin. After their well-publicized split, Lewis went on to a solo career on the big screen, starring in over 45 films over five decades. His noteworthy roles included (but certainly not limited to) FUNNY BONES (1995), MR. SATURDAY NIGHT (1992), THE PATSY (1964), and IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963). He would star in Martin Scorsese’s THE KING OF COMEDY in 1982 alongside Robert DeNiro and would be nominated for a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor. His final big-screen appearance was in MAX ROSE in 2016.

Behind the camera, he would write and direct CRACKING UP (1983), THE FAMILY JEWELS (1965), and THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963). In 1972 he would direct the controversial and still unreleased THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED, in which he played a circus clown imprisoned at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II tasked with leading children to the gas chambers. The film has been left unfinished and Lewis has kept the material under tight lock and key, adding to his own legend.

Off the screen, he was one of the most successful philanthropists of all time raising over $2 billion dollars for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for his annual telethon which he hosted for over 40 years. In 2009, the Academy recognized him with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

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Jerry Lewis was not a direct influence on this Blogger growing up, as the man had already been around a long time by the 1970’s, and his legend was already cemented at that point. Over the years, this Blogger developed a deep appreciation for his comedic talents; his loose slapstick performances had an element of unpredictability which made his so fun to watch. In front of the camera and behind it, Jerry Lewis had a firm commitment to entertainment, and he may very well be one of the last great entertainers of our time. As the next generation of comedians and filmmakers rises, there is no better starting point than the life and career of Jerry Lewis.