About
Born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey, Jerry Lewis formed the comedy duo Martin & Lewis with Dean Martin in 1946, which achieved great success in film and television before splitting in 1956. As a solo performer, he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in films such as The Bellboy (1960) and The Nutty Professor (1963). He also innovated technically with the video assist system. His dramatic role in The King of Comedy (1982) was critically acclaimed. Committed to humanitarian causes, he served as national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and hosted the annual telethon from 1966 to 2010, raising over $2 billion. He died in 2017 in Las Vegas.
* 1926-03-16 — † 2017-08-20
Major works
- The Bellboy (1960)film
- The Nutty Professor (1963)film
- The King of Comedy (1982)film
Key milestones
- 1946Forms the comedy duo Martin & Lewis with Dean Martin.
- 1966Begins hosting the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon.
- 2009Receives the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Themes
Slapstick comedyComedy duoHumanitarianismTechnical innovationDramatic performance
Sources: britannica.com · mda.org · televisionacademy.com