About
"We were doing a Colgate Comedy Hour every six weeks. We took most of what Martin and Lewis did physically and worked it into the television program. I was so nuts and I was out of the rules and I never hit the marks and I was going into the cameras. I knew the importance of physicality and we were good together on it. We knew when to pull back and when to feed one another and when to get up close. It was incredible."
In his nearly two-and-a-half-hour interview, Jerry Lewis (1926-2017) describes his rise to stardom as a performer in the famed Borscht Belt and expresses how his father profoundly shaped his own philosophy on showmanship. Lewis recalls the formation of his legendary partnership with Dean Martin and comments on the remarkable chemistry the two shared. He details his work on early television, including Martin and Lewis' roles as rotating hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour, and discusses the pair's appearances on The Eddie Fisher Show and on Ed Sullivan's very first show. He speaks of his memorable gig as host of the 1959 Academy Awards (a broadcast that ran twenty minutes short), his television specials and animated series, and his work both in front of and behind the camera in over forty films, including favorites like The Bellboy, Cinderfella, and The Nutty Professor. Lewis also discusses the break-up of his partnership with Dean Martin and tells the touching story of how he came to host his annual telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Sam Denoff conducted the interview on October 27, 2000 in San Diego, CA.
Highlights
Jerry Lewis on creative control on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Jerry Lewis on directing for film and television
Jerry Lewis on hosting the 1959 Academy Awards telecast, which ran short
Jerry Lewis on naming the lead character of The Nutty Professor
Jerry Lewis on Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on his outlook on life
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences
On the Borscht Belt
On meeting Dean Martin
Chapter 2
On forming his partnership with Dean Martin
On clubs he played at with Dean Martin and on their movies
On his radio show with Dean Martin
On his exposure and involvement in early television - color TV tests, The Ed Sullivan Show, Texaco Star Theater, and The Colgate Comedy Hour
Chapter 3
On The Colgate Comedy Hour
On the rise and fall of Martin and Lewis; on their film career
On his television specials and television work
On hosting telethons with Dean Martin
Chapter 4
On hosting MDA telethons; on Jerry's Kids
On "Damn Yankees"
On directing films - The Bell Boy, Cinderfella, The Nutty Professor
On directing television - Ben Casey and The Bold Ones; on his animated series Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down
On his reception in France
Chapter 5
On his international popularity
On his television and film work - Saturday Night Live, Fight For Life, An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis, The King of Comedy
On celebrity and his advice to aspiring performers; on how he'd like to be remembered
On people with whom he's worked
On family and values
Shows
Academy Awards, The
Jerry Lewis on the infamous end of the April 6,1959 Academy Awards telecast for which he was co-host
Ben Casey
Jerry Lewis on directing an episode of Ben Casey, "A Little Bit of Fun to Match the Sorrow"
Ben Casey: "A Little Bit of Fun to Match the Sorrow"
Jerry Lewis on directing an episode of Ben Casey, "A Little Bit of Fun to Match the Sorrow"
Bold Ones, The
Jerry Lewis on directing an episode of The Bold Ones with E.G. Marshall
Colgate Comedy Hour, The
Jerry Lewis on hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour with Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Jerry Lewis on appearing on Ed Sullivan's first show, Toast of the Town
Eddie Fisher Show, The
Jerry Lewis on chatting with Dean Martin on The Eddie Fisher Show after they were no longer partners
Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis, An
Jerry Lewis on his HBO Special with Sammy Davis, Jr.
Ford Startime
Jerry Lewis on Ford Startime's "The Jazz Singer" for NBC
Ford Startime: "The Jazz Singer"
Jerry Lewis on Ford Startime's "The Jazz Singer" for NBC
Garry Moore Show, The
Jerry Lewis on performing with Carol Burnett on The Garry Moore Show
Jerry Lewis Show, The (1963)
Jerry Lewis on his live show for ABC, The Jerry Lewis Show
Jerry Lewis Specials
Jerry Lewis on his television specials
Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon
Jerry Lewis on the MDA Telethon
Jerry Lewis on the genesis of and his work on the MDA Telethons
Person to Person
Jerry Lewis on appearing on Person to Person
Saturday Night Live
Jerry Lewis on Saturday Night Live
Texaco Star Theater
Jerry Lewis on his appearance with Dean Martin on Texaco Star Theater
Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down
Jerry Lewis on the animated series Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down
Wiseguy
Jerry Lewis on the five episodes of Wiseguy he did for CBS
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Jerry Lewis on creative control on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Jerry Lewis on his father's influence on his career
Jerry Lewis on his father and grandmother
Fame and Celebrity
Jerry Lewis on celebrity
Pivotal Career Moments
Jerry Lewis on his father's influence on his career
Jerry Lewis on his father and grandmother
Pop Culture
Jerry Lewis on celebrity
Technological Innovation
Jerry Lewis on appearing on color TV tests in 1942 and meeting Albert Einstein in the process
Jerry Lewis on the creation of the video assist
Television Industry
Jerry Lewis on creative control on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Jerry Lewis on celebrity
Professions
Comedian
Jerry Lewis on his father's influence on his performances
Directors
Jerry Lewis on directing for film and television
Performers
Jerry Lewis on his father's influence on his performances
Genres
Awards Shows
Jerry Lewis on hosting the 1959 Academy Awards telecast, which ran short
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Jerry Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour
People
Danny Arnold
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Jack Benny
Jerry Lewis on Jack Benny's performance on the MDA Telethons
Milton Berle
Jerry Lewis on his appearance with Dean Martin on Texaco Star Theater
Jerry Lewis on hosting a telethon with Milton Berle
Peter Bogdanovich
Jerry Lewis on performing in Broadway's "Damn Yankees"
Carol Burnett
Jerry Lewis on performing with Carol Burnett on The Garry Moore Show
Harry Crane
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Jerry Lewis on Sammy Davis, Jr.
Albert Einstein
Jerry Lewis on appearing on color TV tests in 1942 and meeting Albert Einstein in the process
Bob Finkel
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Arthur Freed
Jerry Lewis on hosting the 1959 Academy Awards telecast, produced by Arthur Freed, which ran short
Robert Goulet
Jerry Lewis on Robert Goulet's performance on the MDA Telethons
Alfred Hitchcock
Jerry Lewis on his awe of director Alfred Hitchcock
Cy Howard
Jerry Lewis on his films with Dean Martin and restructuring a film role with writer Cy Howard, and on the film My Friend Irma
Peter Lawford
Jerry Lewis on Peter Lawford
Norman Lear
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Jerry Lewis on studying director Joseph Mankiewicz
E. G. Marshall
Jerry Lewis on directing an episode of The Bold Ones with E.G. Marshall
Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on meeting Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on his first time "working" together with Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on his films with Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on hosting telethons with Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis on the genesis of and his work on the MDA Telethons
Jerry Lewis on a reunion with Dean Martin thanks to Frank Sinatra
Ed McMahon
Jerry Lewis on Ed McMahon
Ethel Merman
Jerry Lewis on Ethel Merman guest-starring on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Robert De Niro
Jerry Lewis on the film The King of Comedy with Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro
Arthur Penn
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
David Sarnoff
Jerry Lewis on David Sarnoff
Martin Scorsese
Jerry Lewis on the film The King of Comedy with Martin Scorsese
Tom Shales
Jerry Lewis on Tom Shales' description of the MDA Telethon
Frank Sinatra
Jerry Lewis on a reunion with Dean Martin thanks to Frank Sinatra
Jerry Lewis on Frank Sinatra
Red Skelton
Jerry Lewis on Red Skelton
Ed Sullivan
Jerry Lewis on appearing on Ed Sullivan's first show
Mel Tolkin
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Lew Wasserman
Jerry Lewis on Lew Wasserman
Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver
Jerry Lewis on Pat Weaver's suggestion for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Bud Yorkin
Jerry Lewis on staff members of The Colgate Comedy Hour