---
name: "Jerry Lewis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jerry-lewis"
fi1m_id: "jerry-lewis"
imdb_id: "nm0001471"
tmdb_id: 3663
wikidata_id: "Q294927"
roles: ["Actor","Director","Writer"]
born: "16 March 1926"
died: "20 August 2017"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-04T16:48:42.892567+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jerry Lewis

## Identity

Jerry Lewis

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jerry-lewis
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jerry-lewis
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001471
- **TMDB ID:** 3663
- **Wikidata ID:** Q294927
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Lewis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q294927, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001471/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3663

Actor and director. Born 16 March 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Died 20 August 2017.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director, Writer
- **Born:** 16 March 1926, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- **Died:** 20 August 2017
- **Active:** 1955–1982
- **Also known as:** Jerome Joseph Levitch, Joseph Levitch, The King of Comedy, Martin & Lewis, Τζέρι Λιούις, Τζερόμ Τζόζεφ Λέβιτς, Τζόζεφ Λέβιτς, Μάρτιν & Λιούις, Ο Βασιλιάς της Κωμωδίας, Τζερόμ Λέβιτς, 杰瑞·刘易斯, جری لوئیس
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 2 acting, 2 directing
- **Frequently works with:** [Bill Richmond](https://film.one/person/bill-richmond.md), [Kathleen Freeman](https://film.one/person/kathleen-freeman.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 72 (1), 1960s 72 (1), 1980s 66 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Lewis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q294927, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001471/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3663

## Fi1m on Jerry Lewis

> Jerry Lewis built his comedy on frantic movement and extravagant facial expressions. His restraint in *The King of Comedy* makes an even stronger impression on us, turning a celebrity’s weariness into something painfully funny.

Jerry Lewis lets the fatigue settle in his face while Robert De Niro keeps offering friendship. In Martin Scorsese’s *The King of Comedy* (1982), his talk-show host Jerry Langford has no wish to make Rupert feel welcome. He does not soften that response to make the encounter easier for us, either. The longer De Niro persists, the more reasonable Lewis’s coldness becomes.

This was a considerable change from the hapless, manic figures of his comedies. His partnership with Dean Martin ran from 1946 to 1956 and produced 16 films. Working alone, he became writer, director and star with *The Bellboy* (1960), a virtually plotless film built around visual comedy. By *The Nutty Professor* (1963), playing Professor Julius F. Kelp and Buddy Love, he was controlling the film as well as supplying its two central performances.

In *The Ladies Man* (1961), the elaborate multi-storey boarding-house set shows how far that visual ambition extended beyond his own face. Lewis was a director who thought about the space a comic body could occupy. But the extreme mannerisms and sentiment can be wearing, and control is no guarantee of judgement. We would not recommend the self-directed comedies indiscriminately.

Under Scorsese, a dead-eyed response is enough to make him funny. Langford has no intention of thanking an admirer merely for wanting his attention, and Lewis makes no attempt to disguise his impatience. We felt trapped by the exchanges, because De Niro’s eagerness survives every discouragement Lewis can give him. A more welcoming performance would make Rupert’s persistence easier to forgive, giving him an excuse that Lewis is careful to deny him.

It is the performance we would start with, provided an evening of repeated humiliation appeals. The film’s 109 minutes can feel long, because those encounters bring so little relief. It is not a promising choice for repairing a bad day.

## Biography

Jerry Lewis was an American actor, comedian, director and writer. Born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey, he began performing in vaudeville and nightclubs before forming the comedy duo Martin and Lewis with Dean Martin in 1946. The pair starred in a series of films until their partnership ended in 1956.

Lewis went on to direct and star in films including *The Bellboy* (1960) and *The Nutty Professor* (1963). He appeared in later roles such as Jerry Langford in *The King of Comedy* (1982) and in *Arizona Dream* (1993). He hosted annual telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association from 1966 until 2010.

*Sources: imdb.com, rollingstone.com, theguardian.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (2) — the average rests on these

- *The King of Comedy* (1982), Fi1m 88, as Jerry Langford — [page](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy.md)
- *Artists and Models* (1955), Fi1m 72, as Eugene Fullstack — [page](https://film.one/film/artists-and-models.md)

### Directed (2)

- *Hardly Working* (1980), Fi1m 45, as Bo Hooper — [page](https://film.one/film/hardly-working.md)
- *The Ladies Man* (1961), Fi1m 72, as Herbert H. Heebert / Mama Heebert — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladies-man.md)

## Complete filmography (95)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *100 Years of the Idiot: A Jerry Lewis Centenary* (2026), Actor
- *Mystery Reel* (2022), Actor
- *Max Rose* (2016), as Max Rose
- *The Trust* (2016), as Jim's Father
- *Till Luck Do Us Part 2* (2013), as Bellboy
- *Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis* (2011), Executive Producer
- *Joy Behar: Say Anything!* (2009), series, Actor
- *Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey!* (2009), as Stationmaster (voice)
- *The Nutty Professor* (2008), as Professor Julius Kelp / Buddy Love · Characters
- *Nutty Professor II: The Klumps* (2000), Executive Producer, Characters
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Andrew Munch
- *The Nutty Professor* (1996), Executive Producer, Original Film Writer
- *Funny Bones* (1995), as George Fawkes
- *Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey* (1995), as Sidney L. Pythias (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Arizona Dream* (1993), as Leo Sweetie
- *Mad About You* (1992), series, as Freddy Statler
- *Mr. Saturday Night* (1992), as Jerry Lewis
- *Boy* (1992), Director, Writer
- *How Are The Kids?* (1992), Writer, Director
- *Super Force* (1990), series, Director
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Professor John Frink, Sr. (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Cookie* (1989), as Arnold Ross
- *Wiseguy* (1987), series, as Eli Sternberg
- *Fight for Life* (1987), as Dr. Bernard Abrams
- *How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave* (1984), as Clovis Blaireau
- *Brothers* (1984), series, Director
- *The Defective Detective* (1984), as Jerry Logan
- *Smorgasbord* (1983), as Warren Nefron / Dr. Perks / Gangster / Speed Armeter · Director, Writer
- *The King of Comedy* (1982), as Jerry Langford — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy.md)
- *Slapstick of Another Kind* (1982), as Wilbur Swain / Caleb Swain
- *Pink Lady* (1980), series, as Jerry Lewis
- *Hardly Working* (1980), as Bo Hooper · Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/hardly-working.md)
- *Rire et sourire : Le Splendid* (1978), series, as Le Zinzin d'Hollywood, Jerry chez les cinoques
- *Which Way to the Front?* (1970), as Brendan Byers III · Director, Producer
- *One More Time* (1970), as Bandleader (voice) · Director
- *The Bold Ones: The New Doctors* (1969), series, Director
- *Hook, Line and Sinker* (1969), as Peter J. Ingersoll / Fred Dobbs · Producer
- *Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River* (1968), as George Lester
- *The Big Mouth* (1967), as Gerald Clamson · Screenplay, Producer, Director
- *Way... Way Out* (1966), as Pete Mattemore
- *Three on a Couch* (1966), as Christopher Pride / Warren / Ringo / Rutherford / Heather · Director, Producer
- *Boeing, Boeing* (1965), as Robert Reed
- *Red Line 7000* (1965), as Driver (uncredited)
- *The Family Jewels* (1965), as Willard Woodward / James Peyton / Everett Peyton / Julius Peyton / Eddie Peyton / Skylock Peyton / Bugs Peyton · Director, Writer, Producer
- *The Disorderly Orderly* (1964), as Jerome Littlefield · Executive Producer
- *The Patsy* (1964), as Stanley Belt · Director, Writer
- *Who's Minding the Store?* (1963), as Norman Phiffer
- *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963), as Driver Who Runs Over Hat (uncredited)
- *The Nutty Professor* (1963), as Professor Julius F. Kelp / Buddy Love / Baby Kelp · Director, Writer
- *It's Only Money* (1962), as Lester March
- *The Errand Boy* (1961), as Morty S. Tashman · Director, Writer
- *Ben Casey* (1961), series, as Dr. Dennis Green · Director
- *The Ladies Man* (1961), as Herbert H. Heebert / Mama Heebert · Director, Writer, Producer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladies-man.md)
- *Cinderfella* (1960), as Cinderfella · Producer
- *The Bellboy* (1960), as Stanley / Jerry Lewis · Director, Producer, Writer
- *Visit to a Small Planet* (1960), as Kreton
- *Li'l Abner* (1959), as Cameo / Itchy McGrathy
- *The Jazz Singer* (1959), as Joey Robin / Joey Rabinowitz
- *Startime* (1959), series, as Joey Rabinowitz / Joey Robin
- *Don't Give Up the Ship* (1959), as John Paul Steckler I / John Paul Steckler IV / John Paul Steckler VII
- *The Music Shop* (1959), series, Actor
- *The Geisha Boy* (1958), as Gilbert Wooley · Producer
- *Rock-a-Bye Baby* (1958), as Clayton Poole · Producer
- *The Sad Sack* (1957), as Private Meredith C. Bixby
- *The Delicate Delinquent* (1957), as Sidney L. Pythias · Producer
- *Hollywood or Bust* (1956), as Malcolm Smith
- *Pardners* (1956), as Wade Kingsley Jr. / Wade Kingsley Sr.
- *Nightmare* (1956), Director
- *Artists and Models* (1955), as Eugene Fullstack — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/artists-and-models.md)
- *You're Never Too Young* (1955), as Wilbur Hoolick
- *3 Ring Circus* (1954), as Jerry Hotchkiss
- *Living It Up* (1954), as Homer Flagg
- *Miss Glucksman Visits Hollywood* (1954), Actor
- *Money from Home* (1953), as Virgil Yokum
- *The Caddy* (1953), as Harvey Miller
- *Scared Stiff* (1953), as Myron Mertz
- *Road to Bali* (1952), as Woman in Lala's Dream (uncredited)
- *Jumping Jacks* (1952), as Hap Smith
- *Sailor Beware* (1952), as Melvin Jones
- *An Eye for an Eye* (1952), Director of Photography, Director
- *Come Back Little Shiksa* (1952), Director
- *The Stooge* (1951), as Ted Rogers
- *The Re-Inforcer* (1951), Director, Screenplay, Producer, Director of Photography
- *That's My Boy* (1951), as 'Junior' Jackson
- *Watch On The Lime* (1951), Director, Writer, Director of Photography
- *Fairfax Avenue* (1951), Writer, Cinematography, Director
- *A Spot In The Shade* (1951), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *Nightmare* (1951), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *At War with the Army* (1950), as Private Korwin
- *The Jack Benny Program* (1950), series, as Lewis
- *My Friend Irma Goes West* (1950), as Seymour
- *My Friend Irma* (1949), as Seymour
- *How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border* (1949), Writer, Director
- *The Day the Clown Cried*, as Helmut Doork · Director, Screenplay
- *A Suite at the Sands*, Director

## Gallery

- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-857720ee8acf.jpg) Jerry Lewis — According to Bonhams, the reverse side was stamped with "Paramount Photo by Bud Fraker". According to mptvimages.com, Fraker was born in 1916, died in 2002, and worked as Director of Still Photography at Columbia and later Paramount., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Jerry_Lewis_%28Paramount_photo_by_Bud_Fraker%29.jpg/1280px-Jerry_Lewis_%28Paramount_photo_by_Bud_Fraker%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Photo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from the television program Colgate Comedy Hour. (1955)](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-4bf7a658f5ca.jpg) Photo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from the television program Colgate Comedy Hour. (1955) — The Ettinger Company, Hollywood (public relations), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Dean_Martin_Jerry_Lewis_1955_Colgate_Comedy_Hour.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from The Colgate Comedy Hour.](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-4d22862cadcc.jpg) Photo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from The Colgate Comedy Hour. — NBC Photo-NBC., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Dean_Martin_Jerry_Lewis_Colgate_Comedy_Hour_1955.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-2b2c00f5f4e2.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-feca31f830f9.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-2be9c2fe37cb.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-50daedbeb1da.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-560772cadaea.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB
- ![Jerry Lewis](https://film.one/media/person/117854/gallery-eaacec6fda56.jpg) Jerry Lewis — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 4 won, 1 nominated

- Honorary Member of the Order of Australia 2013: Honorary Member of the Order of Australia (won)
- Trustees Award 2010: Trustees Award (won)
- Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award 2009: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (won)
- New Jersey Hall of Fame 2009: New Jersey Hall of Fame (won)
- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor 1985: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor (nominated), for *Slapstick of Another Kind*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jerry-lewis