Tonight, see Jerry Lewis’s directorial debut and the film that for many confirms him as a comic auteur.

The Nutty Professor is Lewis’s singular take on the Jekyll and Hyde story. When a mild-mannered scientist drinks one of his own potions, he transforms into the suave but overbearing Buddy Love—perhaps an impersonation of Lewis’s one-time partner, Dean Martin. (107 mins., 35mm)

In The Bellboy, Lewis, plays the title character, bumbling and stumbling with brio through one comic setup after another. Remarkably, the movie was shot at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Hotel by day while the tireless comedian performed stand-up there at night. (72 mins., 35mm)

Special thanks to May Haduong at Academy Film Archive for assistance with this series. Prints provided by Academy Film Archive.

The Bellboy begins at 9 PM.

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The Nutty Professor