Jerry Lewis's Parents Were Entertainers
Jerry Lewis's rise to stardom probably could've been predicted just by looking at his parents. Lewis, was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1926 and named Joseph Levitch (maybe, but more on that it in a bit). His parents were Daniel "Danny" Levitch and Rachael "Rae" Levitch, the latter of whom was a music director and pretty accomplished pianist. His father was a vaudevillian, or basically a stage performer.
As you might imagine, just from their job titles, Lewis's parents were reportedly very busy, which some say contributed to his need for attention and eventual entry into show business.
Nobody Knows Jerry Lewis's Real Name
It's pretty common for artists and performers to adopt a fake name. And while most people are pretty sure that Jerry Lewis wasn't actually Jerry Lewis's real name, that's not all there is to the story. All during his life, Lewis told conflicting stories about his name. In a 1982, biography, Lewis wrote that his name "Joseph" was given to him in honor of his grandmother, but that's not what his birth certificate says.
Curious historians have pointed out that both his birth certificate and census records from the time list him as "Jerome." However, we may never know the real story behind his name.
A Young Jerry Lewis's First Performance
It shouldn't be all that surprising that Jerry Lewis took part in his first performance when he was only five years old, considering that both his parents were performers themselves. Lewis "toured" a number of different theaters in the Catskill Mountains when he was just a kid, traveling from summer camp to summer camp, and he wasn't the only famous performer to get their start in the Catskills, apparently.
The theaters in the mountains were known for hosting famous Jewish comedians, and names like Rodney Dangerfield and Jerry Stiller performed there when they were just starting out. The area was nicknamed the Borscht Belt.
Dropping Out Of Highschool To Perform
There have been a lot of pretty big names who've dropped out of high school, only to go on and make it in showbiz or in business, and Jerry Lewis was one of those names. He left school in 10th grade and released his "Record Act." It involved him pretending to sing some famous songs, but he was really just miming. The practice was popular at the time, but Lewis put his on spin on it.
It gave him his first taste of fame, and he'd return to the act throughout his career. It was similar to something you'd be likely to see on social media today.
Jerry Lewis Changed His Name To Avoid Confusion
While it's not entirely clear what Jerry Lewis's actual birth name was, we do know why he decided to switch from Joseph or Joey to Jerry and when he first began performing. At the time, there was another pretty famous comedian going around who had the same name, and then there was the boxer Joe Lewis, who's still a household name even today. Looking back, it seemed like the right move.
The name Jerry Lewis has a certain ring to it, and you'd never confuse it with anyone else's name. Lewis made the right decision, even if it does make the origins of his original name a bit murkier.
Jerry Lewis Almost Gave Up Comedy
Despite his early success with his record act, Lewis failed to find that spark that he hoped would ignite his career. It wasn't long before he settled on working as a soda jerk, which was the term for a person who worked at the soda fountain. Luckily, his father's friend urged him not to give up just yet. During his next stage performance, a man named Irving Kaye was there watching.
Kaye loved Lewis's performance, so much so that he offered to work with him as his manager. It was the beginning of a very illustrious career and it almost never happened.
Jerry Lewis Teams Up With Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis met Dean Martin in 1946, and the two hit it off immediately. Their chemistry was amazing, and it translated to their work together. Unlike a lot of other acts made up of two people at the time, Lewis and Martin each brought something different to the act. Lewis was a bit zany, while Martin was far more reserved, and the two always seemed to be able to bounce jokes off one another.
The two found so much success that NBC even gave them their own show, called "The Martin and Lewis Show." It wasn't long before they started making guest appearances on other shows as well.
Lewis And Martin Land Another Show
Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin's chemistry was hard to ignore, but it could also be a bit difficult to replicate outside of their usual club performances, which is what happened when they were tapped to help host the "Colgate Comedy Hour" in 1950. The comedy show allowed for fewer spontaneous moments since the two had to mainly follow the script that was written for the show. This caused their performance to lose some of its magic.
It wasn't bad, but it did lack some of that spark that had catapulted the two to fame in the first place. However, it didn't mark the end of their time together, far from it.
The Two Were A Cultural Phenomenon
If you needed any more evidence of just how popular Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were at the time, then look no further than the photo below. It's from a special series of comics featuring the two comedians. In the issue below, Lewis's character ended up meeting Superman. Not long before this, they held a performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York, where they were pretty much mobbed by adoring fans.
This series of comics actually ran for a really long time, from 1952 to 1957. This may have been when the two were at the height of their fame.
It Was Hollywood or Bust
Around the same time they were appearing in the comics, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were racking up film credits. They appeared in around 16 different movies throughout the 1950s together, the final of which was "Hollywood or Bust." All of the movies were produced by a man named Hal B. Wallis, but the pair eventually ended up growing tired of always being cast as the same types of characters.
This would lead to them breaking up with Wallis, but there was another split on the horizon, which would prove to be much more of a surprise to everyone.
Jerry Lewis And Dean Martin Split Up
While everything seemed pretty rosy on the outside, tensions were reportedly brewing inside. Some began to say that Dean Martin was latching onto Jerry Lewis's talents to propel him to stardom. Lewis did seem to get all of the attention, but that was also just a side effect of the more zany comedy that Lewis was known for. Officially, the two said that Lewis wanted to continue to make films.
Martin, on the other hand, wanted to take more time away from work and actually enjoy some of the perks that came with fame. Either way, the two split in 1956.
A Very Public Rift
While we may not know what the real reason for the split actually was, the two did have a very public argument right before that, which some say led to them going their separate ways. The two were performing in "The Delicate Delinquent" when Dean Martin was asked to play the part of the cop. He refused, and Jerry Lewis said “Then we’ll just have to get someone else.” Martin ended up getting very angry.
Martin yelled, “Start looking, boy!” before walking off. The two continued to perform together for the rest of their tour, but the relationship was reportedly very strained after the incident.
Jerry Lewis Goes Off On His Own
By the time Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin split up, they'd worked as a duo together for around 10 years. Not only was that a long time in Hollywood, but that was 10 years of their lives that they'd spent together. By most accounts, Lewis himself was pretty broken up about the whole thing and he probably wondered to himself what he would do now that Martin wasn't in the picture.
Luckily, it wouldn't take long for Lewis to get another big break that would set the tone for the rest of his career and help restore his confidence as a solo performer.
A Comeback In Las Vegas
After the split with Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and his wife went to Las Vegas to take some time to themselves. The trip was also meant to plan out Lewis's career now that Martin was no longer around. "I was unable to put one foot in front of the other with any confidence. I was completely unnerved to be alone," Lewis later said of that time. Luckily, it just so happened that Judy Garland's husband and manager called Lewis up while he was in town.
Garland was supposed to perform but had come down sick, and he wanted to know if Lewis could fill in. After performing some jokes, he broke out into song. When it was all over, he received a standing ovation. The song led to a record, which led to millions in sales. Lewis was back.
Jerry Lewis On His Split With Dean Martin
Despite all the success, it was still pretty obvious that Jerry Lewis missed performing with Dean Martin. He'd write so years later in a book called "Dean And Me: A Love Story," and he even attributed the split to his own actions. "I was just too impressed with myself. I was too worried about me, I was selfish in those days, and I wasn’t thinking about anybody but me, and I ignored my partner.”
They would appear with one another every so often, but it'd take around 20 years for them to actually begin to mend their relationship with one another and become friends again.
The Affairs Took Their Toll On His Marriages
It probably shouldn't come as that much of a shock that Jerry Lewis had a number of affairs with multiple women while he was married. He and his first wife, Patti Palmer, separated in 1983, but he continued to be unfaithful throughout his other marriages and even said as much. Lewis bragged about having affairs with the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe. It's unclear if all of these actually took place.
However, what is clear is that he certainly wasn't faithful. The same year he divorced his first wife, he remarried to SanDee Pitnick, and he would go on to have seven wives throughout his life.
A Fall Nearly Leaves Him Paralyzed
Jerry Lewis's life is filled with a lot of what-ifs. However, one of the most extraordinary may just be the injury he sustained during a performance in 1965. The comedic act involved a fall from a piano, but it went terribly wrong during this particular performance and left him severely injured. Reportedly, his fall almost left him paralyzed, and it would lead to another issue. After he recovered, he became addicted to pain pills.
He later said that he was hooked for around 13 years before he was finally able to get completely sober from painkillers and leave that part of his life behind him.
One Of His Most Iconic Roles
Jerry Lewis had no shortage of iconic bits, but the most iconic part he's ever played probably came when he helped write and star in "The Nutty Professor." The movie was about a professor who seemed completely normal, if a bit eccentric, but who turned into a darker version of himself after taking a concoction he made. It was sort of like the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The movie was a hit, and it would even go on to inspire a couple of remakes years later. To movie also influenced the comedy in countless other films.
Eddie Murphy's Nutty Professor
In 1996, comedian and actor Eddie Murphy released his own take on "The Nutty Professor." The film wasn't a critical success, but it did find an audience. Jerry Lewis also worked on the remake as a producer, which was a nice little tie-in with the original. Murphy also did a really good job and brought similar energy to the character that Lewis himself brought to the screen way back in 1963.
In addition to Murphy's rendition of the professor, "The Simpsons" also has Professor Frink, which was based on Lewis's character. If you've ever watched episodes involving Professor Frink, it makes a lot of sense.
Jerry Lewis's Influence On Comedy
It's hard to overstate just how much Jerry Lewis influenced comedy. His specific style of comedy is easy to see in the likes of Jim Carrey, but more than that, his work influenced Ricky Gervais, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and Larry David and led to shows like "The Office" and "Seinfeld." He's been touted as “a virtually unprecedented force in American popular culture” and "one of the most original, inventive, ... profound directors of the time."
The only thing he never achieved was winning an Academy Award, but even without that specific accolade, it's easy to see just how important he was to comedy.
Ties To Famous Directors
It isn't just comedy that owes a lot to Jerry Lewis; he also had a huge influence on directing and Hollywood as a whole. During the 1960s, Lewis worked at the University of Southern California teaching film. It just so happened that he had two students named George Lucas and Steven Spielberg pass through his classes while he was teaching there. Stories like this really do make you realize how small the world is.
Both directors have talked about how huge an influence Lewis had on them and their work, not only when it came to teaching but also when it comes to Lewis's own filmmaking work.
His Popularity In Europe
As you might imagine, it took Jerry Lewis's special brand of comedy a bit of time to catch on in his home country. However, the opposite was true in Europe, specifically in France, where he was and still is an icon. The New York Times even wrote an article titled "Why France Understood Jerry Lewis as America Never Did" in 2017, exploring the comic's fame in France and his early reception at home.
"Americans mocked the French for falling for this crass clown, while the French couldn’t understand why Mr. Lewis’s genius was not obvious to his compatriots," the article read.
Frank Sinatra Suprises Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis With a Reunion
It'd been nearly 20 years since their split when Frank Sinatra's 1976 telethon aired. Jerry Lewis was making an appearance at the event, but he never suspected that Sinatra had his own surprise in store. While the telethon was being aired live, Sinatra said that there was an "old friend" who wanted to say hello. He then introduced Dean Martin to a chorus of applause, and Lewis's face lit up.
The two hadn't been enemies, but they also weren't really on what you could call good terms. Still, as soon as they saw one another, it was as if they'd never split up years earlier.
The Gamble Paid Off
What Frank Sinatra did was really a gamble since he had no way of knowing how both Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis would respond to seeing one another. Luckily, it paid off, and the two quickly made up with one another. Not only that, but it was as if the past 20 years didn't even happen. Lewis later said that after the event, they talked again nearly every day.
During a 1988 reunion for Martin's birthday, Lewis said “Why we broke up, I’ll never know!” It's likely nobody will ever know all the details, but we're glad the two reunited.
Jerry Lewis's Stalker
Not long after the reunion celebration, a man began stalking Jerry Lewis and the rest of his family. However, he'd largely go unnoticed for a couple of years before actually sending Lewis a threat that he'd kill him. Still, Lewis had no idea who the man was or why he was stalking him and his family. Those questions would be answered in 1994, when the man was arrested outside Lewis's home.
It turned out that the man was the former boyfriend of a housekeeper. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but he continued to send Lewis death threats while he was in jail.
A Broadway Appearance
Despite all of his years in show business, Jerry Lewis never appeared in a hit Broadway show, which is a bit perplexing. His stage presence and his style of performance seemed well suited for Broadway. Either way, he got his chance in 1995, when he was picked to play the part of the devil in "Damn Yankees." It's a play about a baseball player who sells his soul to the devil to play for the Yankees.
Lewis was around 69 years old when he finally got his chance at Broadway, and he made the most of the role and even put his own spin on it.
He Was Notorious For Making His Own Cuts
It turns out that Jerry Lewis didn't just enjoy creating his own films; he also enjoyed editing films by other directors. Reportedly, he'd edit the films, often completely cutting out long scenes he didn't like or splicing other scenes together, and he'd show them to his guests. It's also worth noting that he did this in a time before digital editing, meaning it was all by hand and took hours.
We're not sure what other directors thought about his hobby or if he ever showed the edited films to anyone in the actual movie, but it probably aided in his own understanding of what makes a great film.
Technical Contributions To Film
Not only is Jerry Lewis remembered for the way he changed how film and comedy are approached, but he also came up with a really ingenious tool that's still used by directors to this day. While he was working on one of his early films, he invented a device that allows a director to view a scene from the cameraman's perspective. So, if a scene isn't framed just the way they want it to be, they can make adjustments.
It's called a "video assist," and it's still an important tool for directors, which is pretty amazing considering Lewis is more known for zany comedy than his inventing skills.
Jerry Lewis's Early Filmmaking
Even though Jerry Lewis started out as a performer, there were some signs that he had a knack for filmmaking right from the start. Lewis dabbled in making home and amateur movies in the 1950s, when he was just starting out with Dean Martin. In 2012, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Science and Technology Council threw a special celebration to honor Lewis and his contributions to film.
The celebration focused on the films that Lewis worked on when he was with Paramount, such as "The Nutty Professor" and "The Bellboy," along with around three others.
Jerry Lewis Had A Large Family
Considering he was married to seven different women, it might not come as a surprise to learn that Jerry Lewis had a lot of kids. Maybe a bit more surprising is the fact that he had six sons, all with his first wife. In 1992, he and his second wife adopted a daughter, bringing the total to seven. At the time, Lewis was 66 years old, and his youngest son was born in 1965.
However, Lewis wasn't the ideal father, according to some of his children, who would make some pretty shocking allegations later in life about growing up with their dad.
Jerry Lewis's Youngest Son Said, "My Father Doesn't Love Me"
Jerry Lewis's youngest son, Joe, who was born in 1965, finally succumbed to depression in 2009 and committed suicide. Joe struggled with depression and addiction throughout his life, and many think the cause of all these problems was his father. “Living with him was pure hell. I’ve tried [substances]. I’ve tried therapy and the truth still hurts, my father doesn’t love me," Joe said once. Reportedly, his father was disappointed that he never fathered a daughter.
So, when Joe was born, he just didn't give him any love or attention. Joe had been disowned by his father for 20 years at the time of his death, and it's said that he didn't even pay for the funeral.
Joe Wasn't The Only Child To Speak Out
In addition to Joe, Jerry Lewis's oldest son also spoke out about their father later in life. The son, Gary said their dad was “a mean and evil person” and that he never expressed any love towards his children. Gary went on to become a musician and work for a couple of different charities. He was a pretty famous musician in the 1960s, and he and his band are still touring.
Fortunately, he did eventually reconcile with his father, and before he passed away, they had a good relationship. Gary and his band often play for veterans since he himself served in Vietnam.
Jerry Lewis Fathered A Daughter in 1952
While he never officially fathered a daughter, he may have had a daughter during one of his affairs. A woman named Suzan Minoret approached Jerry Lewis, claiming that she thought she might have been his daughter. Her mother was a model in 1952, and the timelines added up. Lewis even met with her, and the two hit it off. However, for some reason, Lewis's manager called Minoret the next day and told her never to try and reach out again.
It's unclear what happened from the time of the meeting to the call, but that wouldn't be the end of the story. Years later, she had a DNA test done, and the results were pretty convincing.
A Sad Ending To Suzan Minoret's Story
In 2009, Suzan Minoret had a DNA test done, with Inside Edition announcing the results. The test confirmed with an 88% confidence rate that Jerry Lewis was the father of Minoret. Unfortunately, the test didn't really change anything. Lewis never acknowledged his daughter. She did eventually write a book about her experiences, but the book failed to generate any real income for Minoret. In a 2017 report, she was found living on the streets.
What's worse, she only learned that her father had passed away after a friend told her. She was also left out of Lewis's will and received nothing when he died.
Jerry Lewis's Will
Not only did he not leave his daughter nothing in his will, but he also didn't leave anything to the rest of his children. “I have intentionally excluded GARY LEWIS, RONALD LEWIS, ANTHONY JOSEPH LEWIS, CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH LEWIS, SCOTT ANTHONY LEWIS, and JOSEPH CHRISTOPHER LEWIS and their descendants as beneficiaries of my estate, it being my intention to that they shall receive no benefits hereunder," it said in his will.
When he passed away, it was estimated that his entire net worth was somewhere around $75 million, which is a huge fortune. But he did end up leaving it to someone.
Everything Went To His Wife
While he failed to leave anything to his first wife or biological children, Jerry Lewis did name his other wife, SanDee, and their adopted daughter in his will. But what's probably more heartbreaking is that not long after he passed away, the money that he was paying so that his first wife got the care she needed suddenly stopped flowing into the nursing home. This was the straw that broke the back.
His biological children decided to sue in order to get access to some of their father's estate. Even his biological daughter joined in with her siblings, arguing that what he did was wrong.
His Charity Work
While things weren't at all rosy when it came to his own kids, Jerry Lewis certainly did a lot for other children through his charity work. For example, he'd host a telethon every year, which he did for 44 years, to raise money for Jerry's Kids. The money went towards raising awareness and helping children with muscular dystrophy. Over the 44 years he did it, Lewis raised $2.5 billion.
Lewis was a person full of contradictions. On one hand, he left a lot to be desired when it came to being a father, but on the other, he did astounding work to raise money for a good cause.
A Life Full Of Achievements
While Jerry Lewis never actually won an Oscar or an Academy Award for his work, the organizations did find other ways to honor him. In 2009, he won an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement. He was also made an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia, among many other notable achievements, but his most prestigious accolade probably came from all of his work to raise money for kids with muscular Dystrophy.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association once nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. He didn't end up winning it, but even being nominated is an honor and one that's worth countless trophies.
Health Problems Later In Life
For much of his life, the only health problem Jerry Lewis had was a heart murmur. However, that began to change in the 1980s and 1990s. During those two decades, Lewis would be diagnosed with diabetes, prostate cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis. He would also put on a noticeable amount of weight that would take him years to get rid of. While performing in 2012, Lewis collapsed on stage in front of the audience.
Luckily, it just turned out to be a case of low blood sugar, but everyone in the audience was probably immensely worried that their favorite performer had just passed away right before their eyes.
Jerry Lewis Passes Away
Jerry Lewis was 91 when he died in 2017. A couple of months before that, he'd gone into the hospital for a urinary infection. His beloved friend, Dean Martin, passed away years earlier in 1995. The death of Lewis marked the end of an era since he was one of the last from that golden age of Hollywood. While Lewis may be gone, there are still some things related to his death that have to be settled.
Mainly issues with his will and his children. However, there's no doubt that Lewis's legacy lives on and that his comedy performance will continue to influence actors, comedians, directors, and performers for years to come.