Jerry Lewis, (born March 16, 1926, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.—died August 20, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada), American comedian, actor, and director whose unrestrained comic style made him one of the most popular performers of the 1950s and '60s.

When did Jerry Lewis become famous?

The success of "Irma" and their nightclub acts helped to raise the volume on the buzz surrounding Martin and Lewis to considerable levels, and by 1950, they were nearly inescapable, with regular appearances on TV's "Colgate Comedy Hour" (NBC, 1950-55) and the radio series, which ran until 1953.

When did Jerry Lee Lewis get big?

He signed with Sun Records in 1956 and quickly became a star. He was the first person inducted into the first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. With his innovative and flamboyant piano playing style, Jerry Lee Lewis emerged as one of rock music's early showman in the 1950s.

At what age did Jerry Lewis pass away?

Jerry Lewis dead at 91, remembering the legendary comedian. On this day in history, Aug. 20, 2017, 91-year-old Jerry Lewis died of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How old was Jerry Lewis 1958?

The adulation came to a screeching halt when the 22-year-old Lewis went to England in June 1958 on tour, and British reporters asked about the pretty young girl at his side. It was Lewis' new wife, Myra — who was just 13 years old.

The Dark Side of Hollywood Icon Jerry Lewis | Vanity Fair

What was Jerry Lewis's net worth when he died?

Lewis filed for bankruptcy in 1988. His petition listed over $3 million in debts, including $2 million in Internal Revenue Service debt, tens of thousands in attorney fees, and medical bills. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated to be between $10 million and $15.4 million.

What was Jerry Lewis first hit?

"Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies in the Southern United States, but it was his 1957 hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that shot Lewis to worldwide fame. He followed this with the major hits "Great Balls of Fire", "Breathless", and "High School Confidential".

What disease did Jerry Lewis have?

Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said Monday that Lewis' official cause of death was end-stage cardiac disease and peripheral vascular disease. Lewis was the clownish comic hailed as an artistic genius and the host for decades of annual muscular dystrophy telethons.

Did Jerry Lewis sons attend his funeral?

He says he and his brothers Gary and Ron were not invited to the funeral. However, his brothers Scott and Chris were. But even the brothers who got invited to the funeral where shut out of the will. Lewis left his entire estate to his second wife and their adopted daughter, Danielle.

How old was Jerry Lewis when he married his 13 year old wife?

A public memorial service will be held today at Hernando Funeral Home in Hernando from 5 to 8 p.m. He will be laid to rest on Saturday in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana. Williams was Jerry Lee's second cousin once removed and married the singer in 1957 when she was only 13 years-old and he was 22.

How much is Jerry Lewis's net worth?

with an estimated net worth of $872,504 in 2012.

Who was older Jerry Lee Lewis or Elvis?

Ferriday was Jerry Lee's Tupelo. He was born in that Louisiana town on September 29, 1935, just about 10 months after Elvis' birth a couple of hundred miles to the northeast in Mississippi. Both were born into poverty, raised in the tenets of Christianity, and drawn to music at an early age.

What is Jerry Lewis most famous for?

Jerry Lewis (born March 16, 1926 - August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis.

What is considered the best Jerry Lewis movie?

Did Jerry Lewis serve in the army?

During World War II, he was rejected for military service because of a heart murmur.

Who is Jerry Lewis's illegitimate daughter?

Inside Edition reports Suzan Lewis, who is homeless, was born out of wedlock in the 1950s after her mother, Lynn Dixon, had a three-year affair with the comedian. DNA tests show that there is an 88.7 percent certainty that she is his daughter, according to Inside Edition.

Did Jerry Lewis have any kids with his cousin?

Since his passing last week, people have been remembering rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis. Including his marriage, to h his 13-year-old cousin Myra Williams. The teen, who was Jerry's second cousin once removed, was nine years Jerry's junior when they eloped, and went on to have two children together.

What happened to Jerry's kids?

The fact is, Jerry's kids, children who suffer from the degenerative disease muscular dystrophy, are still here. However, Jerry Lewis, the entertainer revered for the amazing national telethon he hosted each Labor Day from 1966 to 2010, seems nearly forgotten.

Was Jerry Lewis diabetic?

He also battled prostate cancer, Type 1 diabetes, pulmonary fibrosis and viral meningitis in his lifetime, and suffered a major back injury during a fall at a Las Vegas performance in 1965 that almost paralyzed him. Lewis was surrounded by his family at his Las Vegas home when he died on Sunday.

What did Jerry Lewis invent?

Jerry is also credited with inventing the video assist, a device widely used in movie production today and often referred to as Video Village. He created the closed-circuit television system to facilitate motion picture production.

What singer married his 13 year old cousin?

Myra Gale Lewis Williams (née Brown; born July 11, 1944) is an American author, best known for her controversial marriage at the age of 13 to rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis, who was her first cousin once removed and was 22 at the time.

Who was Jerry Lewis friends with?

Singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis formed the comedy duo Martin and Lewis in 1945 and first performed in Atlantic City at the 500 Club the following year. Martin and Lewis stayed together for exactly ten years, earning significant praise before splitting up and calling it a day.

Why did Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis break up?

But problems in the relationship were developing. Deana started to feel that Jerry was taking control over their work, and began talking about going solo again. Jerry, who still idolized Dean, felt shocked and betrayed, and before long, tensions reached the boiling point and they stopped speaking altogether.