Jerry Lewis (March 16, 1926-Aug. 20, 2017) was born as Joseph or Jerome Levitch (there is a dispute over the first name) in Newark, New Jersey, to vaudevillian Daniel Levitch, who performed under the stage name of Danny Lewis, and his wife Rachael “Rae” Brodsky, a radio pianist and music director. 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 an act of miming lyrics while a phonograph played offstage. Comedian Irving Kaye became a mentor and managed his appearances at hotels in the Catskills. A heart murmur disqualified Lewis for military service during World War II.
In 1945, 19-year-old Lewis met Dean Martin, who was eight years his senior, and the two developed a comedy act, in which Martin was a straight man and Lewis was a zany ad libber. The duo started with a radio show, moved to television, then to Paramount Pictures where they starred together in 14 movies between 1960 and 1956. DC Comics published The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from 1952 to 1957. The team ended the partnership in 1956. Lewis, scared that he could not sustain a solo show, was persuaded to substitue in Las Vegas one night for Judy Garland, who was suffering with a strep throat. He clowned around, and sang some songs, prompting thunderous applause from the audience and a Decca Records deal that resulted in a 1.5 million sold copies of Jerry Lewis Just Sings.
Thereafter Lewis established himself as a solo act, appearing on television specials, nightclubs, and casinos. He hosted the Academy Awards in 1956, 1957, and 1959. In 1960 through 1965, as part of a new contract with Paramount, he starred and directed The Bellboy. He went on to make more films including The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, The Nutty Professor, Who’s Minding the Store, The Patsy, The Disorderly Orderly, and Boeing Boeing.
Throughout these years, and for many years beyond, Lewis was a welcome guest on numerous television variety and comedy show. In 1970 he directed One More Time starring Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. and produced and starred in Which Way to the Front.
Lewis was signed in 1976 to star in a theatrical presentation of Hellzapoppin which never got to Broadway owing to feuds among Lewis, Lynn Redgrave and producer Alexander H. Cohen. In the 1990s, Lewis made his Broadway debut in a revival of Damn Yankees, in which he played the devil for four years.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association had Martin and Lewis deliver its first appeal in 1951 at the finale of The Colgate Comedy Hour, and again in 1952. Lewis “fought” Rocky Marciano in a boxing match for MDA in 1954. In 1956, Martin and Lewis hosted their first telethon, the same year Lewis was named national chairman. In 1966, Lewis hosted and emceed The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, and continued over 44 years in six decades. Ed McMahon was his co-host and announcer. The telethons were the most successful fundraising events in television history. His final telethon was in 2010.
Lewis married Patti Palmer in 1944. Her birth name was Esthere Grace Calonico. They had five biological sons together: Gary, Scott, Christopher, Anthony , and Joseph. They also had an adopted son, Ronald. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1983, Palmer charging Lewis with infidelity and extravagant spending. His second marriage was to Sandra Pitnick, who met Lewis after winning a bit dancing part in his film Hardly Working. They adopted a daughter, Danielle, and were married for 34 years until his death at his home in Las Vegas at age 91. He left his estate to his second wife and daughter, and disinherited his children and grandchildren from his first marriage
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SDJW condensation of a Wikipedia article