Jerr y Lewis
1926-2017
Legendary funnyman Jerry Lewis, whose slapstick antics with Dean Martin and tireless efforts to fight muscular dystrophy made him a household name for generations, died on Sunday. The Newark, NJ, native was 91.
Lewis died of natural causes at his Las Vegas home, with his family by his side, according to his publicist, Candi Cazau.
Actor Robert De Niro, who co-starred with Lewis in the 1982 Martin Scorsese film “The King of Comedy,” said, “Jerry was a pioneer in comedy and film. And he was a friend.
“I was fortunate to have seen him a few times over the past couple of years. Even at 91, he didn’t miss a beat. Or a punchline.”
Lewis was born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926, to a pianist mom and music-arranger dad. He appeared in their vaudeville act at age 5.
After dropping out of high school, Lewis worked as a soda jerk and theater usher while re- fining his comedy act — the beginning of a career that soared after he met Martin at age 20.
The wacky Lewis was the perfect foil to the suave Martin’s King of Cool. They began playing clubs and at one point, in the summer of 1948, had not one but two of the biggest gigs in the country: headlining at the original Copacabana on the Upper East Side and at the Roxy Theatre in Times Square.
They dominated the early days of TV and starred in movies such as “Scared Stiff ” in 1953, “The Caddy” in 1953, “Living it Up” in 1954 and “Hollywood or Bust” in 1956.
Lewis’ goofy, lowbrow hilarity made him a favorite of audiences. He was a megastar in the United States, of course, but even overseas, among non-English-speaking audiences, his physical brand of humor was a smash.
The “Nutty Professor” star was awarded France’s Legion of Honor 1983. He wore slippers to the ceremony.
Lewis once said he hoped that his antics helped put France in a better place in the decades after World War II.
The nation’s sense of humor “took France through all those difficult years and will take it through difficult times now because the French are not afraid to laugh,” Lewis observed.
France’s culture minister paid homage to the “laughter genius” on Sunday.
“He made people laugh, he made people happy,” François Nyssen said. “France will remember his life, his silhouette, his voice, his legendary comedy.”
Later generations knew Lewis for another kind of work — as the frontman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and its Labor Day weekend telethon. Lewis hosted the event from 1966 to 2011, raising $2.45 billion, the organization said. He was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
“Though we will miss him beyond measure, we suspect that somewhere in heaven, he’s already urging the angels to give ‘just one dollar more for my kids.’ Thank you, Jerry, you are our hero. God bless you,” said MDA Chairman Rodney Howell.
The MDA’s kind words on Sunday stood in stark contrast to the bitterness over how Lewis was abruptly bumped from the telethon in 2012 and denied a farewell show.
He was loathe to discuss his ouster and never gave an extended interview on the matter.
In the weeks immediately after the MDA-Lewis divorce, the comic’s protégé Richard Belzer explained how deeply wounded his pal was.
“This was a hurt man,” said Belzer. “It was a moral outrage, a p.r. nightmare and a sad commentary on this incredible philanthropic career.”
The telethon had done more than made Lewis a household name for a new generation; it also helped heal a rift between him and his old pal Martin. Both went on to enjoy great careers after they broke up in 1956, but there was still acrimony.
“I hated him for allowing the split to happen. He hated me for allowing the split to happen,” Lewis said in 2005.
Lewis found his solo groove in