Jerry Lewis Series at the Wex

There is a generation, possibly two, that knows Jerry Lewis only through his annual Labor Day telethon for Muscular Dystrophy or as a part of simplistic, derogatory jokes about the taste of the French.

Inspired by a similar series at the Anthology Film Archives in New York last November and the publication of a new book on Lewis by Chris Fujiwara, we decided it was time to introduce the comic genius (yes, genius) to a new audience by presenting six of his best films as a director/actor in this month.

It's next to impossible to overstate what a popular entertainment personality Lewis was in the 1950s and first half of the 1960s. He partnered with crooner Dean Martin in the mid-1940s to form one of the most popular night-club acts on the circuit which led to a hit television show and a string of films at Paramount for the pair, the best of which remain Artists and Models (1955) and Hollywood or Bust (1956), both directed by Frank Tashlin. After Lewis's well-documented split with Martin, he embarked on a solo film career, creating some of the most creative comedies of the era including The Bellboy (1960), The Ladies' Man and The Errand Boy (both 1961), and The Nutty Professor (1963) all of which we're screening this month.

One measure of Lewis's popularity is the fact that he was a top 10 box-office draw for more than 10 years, ending with The Nutty Professor. But I prefer the fact that he was given his own DC comic book (first with Martin, and then on his own) from the 1950s through the early 1970s. Most were just goofy adventures that reflected the nature of his films. There were a handful of issues, however, in which DC cross-promoted the film star with some of its biggest super-heroes including Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

Here is a small gallery of four of the covers for your enjoyment. We hope to see you for all three double-features this month. (Click on the images for larger versions.)









- David Filipi, Curator, Film/Video