Comedy Legend Jerry Lewis, Dead At 91
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Legendary comedian Jerry Lewis passed away at his Las Vegas home on Sunday morning at the age of 91. The New Jersey native was perhaps best known as Dean Martin’s partner. The pair’s unique banter and brand of physical comedy made them an instant hit in 1946 and they continued to team up until 1956 starring in films like, My Friend Irma, The Caddy, The Stooge, Artists and Models, Pardners, and Copacabana.
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Spokeswoman for the comedian Candi Cazau told RadarOnline.com: “He passed away at 9:30 this morning at home, peacefully with family and close friends by his side after a brief illness. They are devastated.” Candi declined to name the illness, but went on to say that Jerry “had a heart of gold,” and that “He still had things he wanted to do. We had performance dates set up for him in the future. He was always like the energizer bunny.”
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Jerry’s brash sense of humor and slapstick style of comedy ensured him a long and successful solo career after his partnership with Dean Martin ended. He was a regular performer in Las Vegas until 2016. Jerry continued to do films staring in The Delicate Delinquent and Rock-a-Bye Baby. After singing the million-selling title single in the latter he recorded several albums on Decca Records.
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In 1961 Jerry added writer, producer and director to his film resumé. The Nutty Professor (1963) is widely regarded as his biggest hit but after inking a deal with Columbia he starred in a few films in which his exaggerated performance style fell flat. He himself freely admitted to either being either very funny, or awful, but never just okay.
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The down turn continued as the Hollywood icon directed films that were far from hits as well and tried his hand at Broadway and television shows without success. After filing for bankruptcy in 1974 Jerry suffered psychologically and physically and ultimately developed an addiction to painkillers. He adopted a healthier lifestyle after undergoing heart surgery in the early 1980s.
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The 80s also brought the comedian better luck professionally when he earned critical acclaim for his role in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy. Jerry spent the rest of his active career performing in films and shepherding a musical version of his 1963 hit The Nutty Professor. Although he was not in the best of health, he starred in Max Rose as a widowed jazz pianist.
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In May of 2104 Jerry received acknowledgment of his longstanding celebrity when his hands and footprints and signature were preserved in cement at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
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In addition to his long professional career, Jerry was famous for his philanthropic efforts. Over the years he raised millions of dollars for charity and served as the chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He hosted the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon broadcast live for 44 years. In 2009 he won the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Award for his charity work.
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The 91-year-old leaves behind second wife SanDee Pitnick. The couple shared an adopted daughter, Danielle Sarah Lewis. Jerry is also survived by five of the sons he had with his first wife, singer Patti Palmer, Ronnie, Anthony, Christopher, Scott and Gary Lewis. The couple had one other son, Joseph Lewis, who passed away in 2009.
Legendary comedian Jerry Lewis passed away at his Las Vegas home on Sunday morning at the age of 91. The New Jersey native was perhaps best known as Dean Martin’s partner. The pair’s unique banter and brand of physical comedy made them an instant hit in 1946 and they continued to team up until 1956 starring in films like, My Friend Irma, The Caddy, The Stooge, Artists and Models, Pardners, and Copacabana.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Spokeswoman for the comedian Candi Cazau told RadarOnline.com: “He passed away at 9:30 this morning at home, peacefully with family and close friends by his side after a brief illness. They are devastated.” Candi declined to name the illness, but went on to say that Jerry “had a heart of gold,” and that “He still had things he wanted to do. We had performance dates set up for him in the future. He was always like the energizer bunny.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Jerry’s brash sense of humor and slapstick style of comedy ensured him a long and successful solo career after his partnership with Dean Martin ended. He was a regular performer in Las Vegas until 2016. Jerry continued to do films staring in The Delicate Delinquent and Rock-a-Bye Baby. After singing the million-selling title single in the latter he recorded several albums on Decca Records.
Photo credit: Getty Images
In 1961 Jerry added writer, producer and director to his film resumé. The Nutty Professor (1963) is widely regarded as his biggest hit but after inking a deal with Columbia he starred in a few films in which his exaggerated performance style fell flat. He himself freely admitted to either being either very funny, or awful, but never just okay.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The down turn continued as the Hollywood icon directed films that were far from hits as well and tried his hand at Broadway and television shows without success. After filing for bankruptcy in 1974 Jerry suffered psychologically and physically and ultimately developed an addiction to painkillers. He adopted a healthier lifestyle after undergoing heart surgery in the early 1980s.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The 80s also brought the comedian better luck professionally when he earned critical acclaim for his role in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy. Jerry spent the rest of his active career performing in films and shepherding a musical version of his 1963 hit The Nutty Professor. Although he was not in the best of health, he starred in Max Rose as a widowed jazz pianist.
Photo credit: Getty Images
In May of 2104 Jerry received acknowledgment of his longstanding celebrity when his hands and footprints and signature were preserved in cement at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Photo credit: Getty Images
In addition to his long professional career, Jerry was famous for his philanthropic efforts. Over the years he raised millions of dollars for charity and served as the chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He hosted the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon broadcast live for 44 years. In 2009 he won the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Award for his charity work.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The 91-year-old leaves behind second wife SanDee Pitnick. The couple shared an adopted daughter, Danielle Sarah Lewis. Jerry is also survived by five of the sons he had with his first wife, singer Patti Palmer, Ronnie, Anthony, Christopher, Scott and Gary Lewis. The couple had one other son, Joseph Lewis, who passed away in 2009.
Photo credit: Getty Images
