On August 20th, Hollywood lost a comedy legend as Jerry Lewis passed away at the age of 91 due to an undisclosed illness.
Born Joseph Levitch on March 16th, 1926, Lewis quickly established himself as the comedy sidekick to singer Dean Martin in the mid-1940’s. The duo rose to prominence through their nightclub act followed by their own broadcast program and, eventually, film. Both men also achieved success as solo acts following their split in 1956.
Jerry Lewis went on to be a star while acting in some of his biggest roles in films like The Bellboy and, of course, 1963’s The Nutty Professor. The latter film was eventually remade with Eddie Murphy in the starring role. Lewis was also responsible for writing and directing the two aforementioned films along with others like The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and The Patsy.
Along with his work in entertainment, Lewis served as the chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association in which he hosted the Labor Day weekend Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon for 44 years. Though, the telethons were discontinued in 2011 which also marked the end of his tenure as chairman.
All respects go to the family and friends of Jerry Lewis.
