Jerry Lewis Biography

Jerry Lewis, the comedian who rose to fame as one of the wildly popular duo ‘Martin and Lewis’ during the 1950s is more than just a funny man—he is also an accomplished actor, film producer and screenwriter. The son of professional entertainers, he was introduced to the world of show business when he was just five years old. By the time he was in his teens he had developed his own comic routine, ‘Record Act’, an exaggerated mime of popular songs. He met Dean Martin, a nightclub singer with whom he formed the comedy pair, Martin and Lewis. The pair performed at nightclubs before making their transition to radio, films and television. Famous for their slapstick comedy and exaggerated physical acts, the duo reached the heights of popularity when they appeared in a series of comedy films. In spite of working as a team, each member carved his own individual niche which enabled both to embark into successful solo careers after the team dissolved. Jerry appeared in ‘The Delicate Delinquent’—his first film without Martin—which went on to become a huge hit and established him as a solo actor. The actor eventually moved on to film direction and production winning the Best Director of the Year award eight times in Europe.