Unknown Facts Of Hollywood's Most Violent Icon

Jerry Lewis was a singer actor director and comedic genius who had a knack for making people laugh he gained Fame for his use of physical comedy exaggerated facial expressions and slapstick humor notable sketches that brought him recognition were Nutty Professor the lunchtime and the Silly Songs his distinctive speech style characterized by stutters and malapropisms further contributed to his popularity additionally he was renowned for hisle collaborations with Dean Martin however his private life was marred by dark secrets that only came to light after his passing in a recent article by Vanity Fair in February 2022 it was revealed that some of Lewis's former co-stars from the 1960s had bravely spoken out about allegations of sexual assault harassment and verbal abuse these allegations have shocked many fans and tarnished the legacy of a beloved Entertainer the article detailed accounts from several individuals who worked closely with Lewis during his prime years in the entertainment industry they described instances of Lewis using his power and influence to exploit and mistreat those around him one former co-star who wish to remain anonymous recounted a disturbing incident where Lewis allegedly assaulted her during a film shoot she claimed that LS took advantage of his position as the Director and subjected her to unwanted advances and physical contact another actress spoke out about enduring verbal abuse from Lewis recounting instances where he would belittle and demean her on set Lewis known for his slapstick humor and charitable work had built a reputation as a beloved figure in the entertainment World however these allegations have forced many to question the true nature of The Man Behind the laughter the article also shed light on the culture of silence and fear that permeated the industry during that era making it difficult for victims to come forward and seek Justice many of Lewis's former co-stars admitted to feeling powerless and afraid to speak out at the time fearing the potential repercussions on their careers nonetheless it is possible to imagine that the esteemed individual whom we thought we knew could be the one accountable for these allegations and we will discuss more about this matter in today's video well then join us today as we uncover the truth behind Jerry Lewis's life from the onset of his career to his final days but before we begin please don't forget to like subscribe and feel free to let us know in the comment section below who you would be interested in hearing from in our next video Lewis born on March 16th 1926 in nework New Jersey to a Jewish family had conflicting reports about his birth name his parents were Daniel Danny levich a Master of Ceremonies and Vilan perform per former and Rachel b elevich a radio pianist Lewis had a reputation for pulling pranks in his teenage years and he was expelled from weic high school and dropped out of Irvington High School he changed his name to avoid confusion with other performers at the age of 15 Lewis developed his a record act and performed at burlesque houses although his first performance failed he continued to work OD jobs such as soda jerk and theater Usher eventually he gained success after being persuaded by Max Coleman to try again during World War II Lewis was unable to serve due to a heart murmur in 1945 a 19-year-old Lewis met 27 year-old singer Dean Martin at the glass Hat Club in NYC they performed together until their debut as Martin and Lewis in Atlantic City in 1946 their act gained attention with ls's zany Antics and liby segments they became popular nationally performing in nightclubs and on radio shows in 1948 they made their TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show they signed with NBC in 1950 to host the Colgate Comedy Hour Norman Lear and Ed Simmons were hired as writers for the show by 1951 they were a hit and began their film careers at Paramount Pictures they appeared in 14 movies together DC Comics even published a comic book featuring their Adventures they made appearances on various TV shows in the 1950s in 1956 they did their final nightclub act together both Lewis and Martin went on to have successful solo careers but there was no reunion they did have occasional public and private reunions over the years after parting ways with Martin in 1956 Jerry Lewis and his wife Patty went on on a vacation to Las Vegas to assess his career's Direction feeling lost and anxious Lewis received a request from his friend sidl Judy Garland's husband and manager asking him to fill in for her due to strep throat despite not having performed alone since childhood Lewis decided to take the opportunity he entertained the audience with jokes and clowning while Garland watched from offstage Lewis also sang childhood songs including a Rocka by your baby with a Dixie Melody and to come Rain or Come Shine receiving an overwhelming response from the crowd encouraged by his wife Lewis used his own funds to record these songs as a single Deca records liked the recording and insisted on making an album which became a major success reaching number three on the Billboard charts and selling over 1 and a half million copies in 4 months Jerry Lewis had a successful career in recording starting with his album more Jerry Lewis and eps somebody loves me he also recorded albums for children such as a Jerry Lewis sings Big songs for little people although his singles did not perform well on the charts he had previous success with his partner Dean Martin reaching number 22 with that certain party in 1948 Lewis also recorded novelty comedy numbers and music for children during this time in 1956 he began performing at the Sans Hotel and Casino in Los Vegas which marked a turning point in his career critics praised his solo performances and Lewis found peace of mind for the first time he appeared on various TV shows including a What's My Line and the Ed Sullivan Show and hosted the Academy Awards multiple times Lewis remained at Paramount and starred in films such as the delicate delinquent and the Sad Sack he collaborated with director Frank tashlin on several films but turned down a role in a Some Like It Hot Lewis's contract with Paramount made him the highest paid individual talent in Hollywood giving him creative control and ownership of his films Lewis's success and influence were so significant that the head of production at Paramount expressed unwavering support for him Jerry Lewis a renowned actor and director had a successful career in the film and television industry in the early 1960s Lewis completed his film contract with Wallace and directed and starred in films such as visit to a small planet and a Cinderfella he then directed The Bellboy for Paramount Pictures using his own funds to cover the movie's budget Lewis continued to direct films like The Ladies Man and the Aaron boy which were coriton with Bill Richmond these films showcase state-of-the-art sets and locations at Paramount additionally Lewis made appearances on popular shows like the Gary Moore Show and and gets only money he even achieved high ratings as a guest host on The Tonight Show Jerry Lewis's success led to networks vying for him to have his own talk show he capitalized on his talents by directing co-writing and starring in The Nutty Professor a parody of Dr Jackal and Hyde that is considered one of his best films throughout the 1960s Lewis appeared in various other movies and TV shows such as bits of mad mad mad mad world the who's minding the store and the Jerry Lewis show on ABC he also signed with Columbia Pictures to pursue more serious acting roles Lewis's prolific career included appearances on shows like Laughin the Danny Thomas hour and the sunny and share Comedy Hour he also had his own variety show called The Jerry Lewis show which aired from 1967 to 1969 in the later years Lewis took a break from from the movie business after the unreleased film The Day The Clown cried in 1972 however he continued to make television appearances on shows like Good Morning America and the dick cavage show Lewis also surprised his former partner Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra during their Las Vegas show Jerry Lewis's contributions to the entertainment industry are undeniable with his films and television appearances leaving a lasting impact on audiences Lewis made a comeback to the Silver Screen in 1981 after an 11-year Hiatus with the film hardly working which earned $50 million despite negative reviews in 1982 he received critical Acclaim for his role as a late night TV host plagued by obsessive fans in the king of comedy earning a bafta nomination Lewis appeared on various shows such as Saturday Night Live and Star Search and starred in films like cracking up and slapstick of another kind as as well as two French movies he hosted a syndicated talk show called The Jerry Lewis show directed an episode of brothers and received a standing ovation at the first comic relief in 1987 Lewis attended the funeral of Dean Paul Martin leading to a reconciliation with Martin he continued his career with hosting gigs interviews and film appearances including Mr Saturday night Lewis also made his Broadway debut in Dam Yankees in later years he appeared on various shows like The Simpsons Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show ls's final film was Max Rose and he also appeared in Comedians in Cars Getting [Music] Coffee Lewis married Patty Palmer a singer on October 3rd 1944 they had a total of six Sons together five of them were biological Gary born 19 45 Scott born 1956 Christopher Born 1957 Anthony born 1959 and Joseph Bourne 1964 they also adopted one son named Ronald Bourne 1949 their marriage was an Interfaith Union as Lewis was Jewish and Palmer was Catholic during his marriage to Palmer Lewis is believed to have fathered a daughter named Susan with Linn Dixon Kleinman in 1952 DNA testing revealed that there was an 88.7% probability of Susan being related to Lewis's acknowledged son Gary LS openly engaged in relationships with other women and spoke unapologetically about his infidelity in interviews he even disclosed his affairs with Marilyn Monroe and marinaa Dietrich to People magazine in 2011 Palmer filed for divorce from Lewis in 1980 after 35 years of marriage she cited Lewis's extravagant spending and infidelity as reasons for the divorce the divorce was finalized in 1983 as a result all of Lewis's children and grandchildren from his marriage to Palmer were excluded from inheriting any part of his Estate Gary Lewis's eldest son publicly criticized his father describing him as a mean and evil person and claiming that Lewis never showed love or care towards him or his siblings Lewis's second wife was Sandra as Andy a pnik a professionally trained ballerina and stewardess from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts they met when pnik won a small role in a dancing scene in Lewis's film hardly working they got married on February 13th 1983 in kisc Florida they adopted a daughter named Danielle in 1992 Lewis and pitnick remained married for 34 years until Lewis's [Music] death Vanity Fair reported in February 2022 that Lewis's 1960s co-stars including Karen sharp hope holiday Anna Maria alberghetti and Laney Kazan had accused him of sexual assault harassment and verbal abuse these allegations painted a troubling picture of Lewis's behavior during his time in the industry with multiple individuals coming forward to share their experiences of being subjected to inappropriate and abusive Behavior the the accusations ranged from unwanted advances and inappropriate comments to instances of physical assault and intimidation the revelations sparked a wave of outrage and condemnation within the entertainment industry leading to calls for accountability and justice for the victims of Lewis's alleged misconduct as the story continued to unfold it became clear that the impact of Lewis's actions had been far-reaching and deeply damaging to those who had been affected the Scandal served as a stark reminder of the prevalence of abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry and the urgent need for greater accountability and measures to prevent such behavior in the future Jerry Lewis a renowned comedian and Entertainer faced numerous health challenges throughout his life these included chronic ailments addictions and illnesses that were a result of aging and a back injury sustained during a comedic fall the fall in question Ur either from a piano performance at the Sans hotel and casino or during an appearance on the Andy Williams Show Lewis faced a variety of chronic health issues diseases and dependencies stemming from both the aging process and a back injury sustained in a comedic fall the fall was reported to have occurred either while he was performing at the Sans hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip on March 20th 1965 or during an appearance on the Andy Williams Show following this incident Lewis developed an addiction to the painkiller Percodan for 13 years but claimed to have been drug-free since 1978 in April 2002 he had a metronic Synergy and neuros stimulator implanted in his back which helped eleviate his discomfort and made him a prominent advocate for the company Lewis experienced multiple heart problems throughout his lifetime he disclosed in the 2011 documentary method to The Madness of Jerry that he had his first heart attack at 34 years old while filming Cinderfella in 1960 at the age of 56 in December 1982 he suffered his second heart attack followed by open heart double bypass surgery in February 1983 during a flight from New York City to San Diego on June 11th 2006 Lewis had his third heart attack at the age of 80 subsequent examinations revealed pneumonia and severe heart damage leading to a cardiac catheterization and the insertion of two stents into a blocked coronary artery despite having to cancel several engagements Lewis recovered fully within weeks with improved blood flow to his heart aiding in his recuperation from previous lung issues Lewis suffered from a multitude of health issues including heart problems prostate cancer type 1 diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis in the late 1990s he underwent treatment for pulmon AR fibrosis with prednizone resulting in significant weight gain and a noticeable change in his appearance unfortunately in September 2001 Lewis was unable to perform at a charity event in London due to sudden illness suspected to be related to cardiac problems he was rushed to the hospital for treatment after a challenging therapy process to wean off prazone Lewis was able to shed the excess weight and resume his work despite Health setbacks including collapsing from hypoglycemia in 2012 and hospitalization for a urinary tract infection in 2017 Lewis continued to face his health challenges with resilience his passing on August 20th 2017 at the age of 91 was attributed to endstage cardiac disease and peripheral artery disease Lewis was cremated and in his will he left his estate to his second wife and daughter explicitly disinheriting his children from his first marriage and their descendants Jerry Lewis was a major force in American popular culture from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s he was widely acknowledged as a comic genius and influenced generations of comedians comedy writers performers and filmmakers Lewis was often referred to as the bridge from Vaudeville to Modern comedy and his influence on Comedy was compared to the first guy in mankind that everyone tries to copy Lewis's films especially those he directed himself have received steady reappraisal critics have praised him as one of the most original and inventive directors of his time as well as one of the most skilled and original comic performers his Direction showcased his adrenaline fueled physical comedy and demonstrated his skill in Framing and presenting it for the camera Lewis was considered an explosive experimenter with a dazzling skill and an Innovative flare for cinematic techniques furthermore Lewis was at the Forefront of the transition to independent film making which later became known as New Hollywood in the late 1960s he dared to declare his independence from the studio system which tightly controlled the filmmaking process and preferred established directors despite this Lewis often LED and flouted the power structure to have control over his material exhibiting both entrepreneurial and mour qualities his audacity and control over his work paved the way for future comedic directors like Mel Brooks and Woody Allen in terms of his directorial style Lewis was uncommonly skilled he expanded and contracted space using purposeful lens selection generating laughs not only through the material but also visually and structurally his films were cinematically Innovative and utilized Tools in formally unique and humorous ways he Advanced the genre of film comedy by incorporating fragmented narratives experimental use of Music and Sound technology and near surrealist utilization of color and art Direction filmmaker Jean Luke Goddard praised Lewis as the only Hollywood figure who wasn't conforming to established categories and principles Lewis's films were characterized as ambitious visually and narratively experimental provocative commentaries on masculinity in post-war America and introspect inspections into the performers Neurosis Jerry Lewis was a comedic icon who left a lasting impact on American popular culture he was a talented comedian director and innovator who pushed the boundaries of film comedy and visual storytelling his influence can be seen in the work of subsequent generations of Comedians and filmmakers Jerry Lewis was a groundbreaking filmmaker known for his use of dark humor in exploring the human psyche he was one of the first to introduce satire as a fulllength film commenting on Celebrity culture and the struggle between staying true to oneself and fitting into society Lewis was a master of deconstruction often exposing the behind the-scenes aspects of comedy and filmmaking his belief in breaking the fourth wall and actors looking directly into the camera was unique in the industry Lewis's death was mourned by his collaborators including Robert dairo and Sandra burnhard who appraised his talent and friendship he was remembered as a Pioneer in comedy and film Lewis's work has been celebrated with retrospectives around the world highlighting his contributions to cinema in 2017 Lewis co-founded the legionnaires of laughter and Legacy Awards and was honored with a video display on the Las Vegas Strip throughout his career Lewis was a casino showroom headliner in Las Vegas and hosted an annual Labor Day MDA teleon Lewis's Legacy continues to inspire and entertain [Music] audiences

Channel: A Legend's Legacy

Views: 100,078

Keywords: Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lewis tragedy, Unknown Facts Of Hollywood's Most Violent Icon

Id: sAH2bWpefhc

Length: 21min 36sec (1296 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 11 2024