Jerry Lewis

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.