cosmic60s

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Jerry with Jack Entratter, who was also known as “Mr. Show Business”

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February 1959 — A personalized autograph from Jerry to Ffolliott "Fluff" LeCoque, a dancer and a company manager for various entertainment productions in Las Vegas (sourced from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries)

As a side note, this is perhaps my absolute favorite photo of Jerry and I'll never get tired of seeing it, so handsome <3

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"Has Jerry Fooled the Critics?" by Bob Thomas - Photoplay, September 1957

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More lovely publicity shots of Jerry, alongside an onstage photo with a guitar <3 (or, a peek into an alternate reality where Jerry was a rock n roll singer)

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Screenland plus TV-Land, September 1956

Promotional material for Pardners

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"A Picture You'll Never See!"

A write-up of Jerry's home movie parody Come Back Little Shiksa in Photoplay magazine, August 1953. I had the pleasure of viewing this at the Library of Congress and it was such a treat! If you haven’t read it yet, my thoughts on the film can be found here on Letterboxd.

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February 1, 1955

Dean and Jerry promote the fight against polio via the March of Dimes

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"How Do They Ever Get On the Air? A Glimpse of a Martin & Lewis Rehearsal"

TV Guide, May 28 - June 3, 1955

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Jerry signing an autograph, 1954

(sourced from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Image Collection, Indiana State Library)

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Publicity photos of Jerry promoting one of Frank Sinatra's shows at the Sands Hotel

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"'I'm not Jerry Lee Lewis,' says Jerry Lewis" by Jim Hoffman (Photoplay, October 1958)

I've been meaning to post this article for some time. Fans of Jerry Lewis can relate to mentioning him and being met with, "You mean that guy who married his 13-year-old cousin?" NO! I've had to make this distinction with so many different people. I find it fascinating that this correction was being made as early as 1958 as it was causing issues for Jerry and his fans even then.

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From an article dated February 20, 1961

An excerpt from the article was included in the description of this photo:

"Ask any two moviegoers who is the top box-office movie star in the United States and the odds are that the reply will mention such personalities as Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, William Holden, Tony Curtis or Gary Cooper. Everyone who descends upon me with this interesting question gives me a 'Isn't-It-Too-Bad-About-Pam' look when I state unhesitatingly that the star is Jerry Lewis. For several years theater owner and managers throughout the country have been naming Jerry Lewis as the 'number one boxoffice star in the United States,' according to a poll taken of 18,000 United States movie houses and as recorded in several trade journals."

(sourced from the Valley Times Collection, Digital Collections of the Los Angeles Public Library)

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A few weeks ago I finally added this to my collection! I went looking for it at the record store and didn’t find it, but I had a nice chat with the owner of the shop and he told me he would keep an eye out for it. Not too long after that, I got notification they got a copy in stock and I went to pick it up :-) this makes such a nice addition to my collection!

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Happy 82nd birthday to Mr. Martin Scorsese, whose love for film is unlike anyone before or since. Thank you for letting Jerry shine and deliver a career-best performance in one of your most criminally underrated films <3 From everything I've read and watched, it seems like Jerry and Scorsese got along well on set and contributed a lot to one another when they worked together

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I hope this works to send this photo to you via askbox. Anyway, this is my Jerry Lewis record I was talking about with regards to your recent analysis of his work, The Ladies Man. The record is "More Jerry Lewis" released in 1957 via Decca Records.

I just think his message here on the back of the record goes right in line with your commentary on the way everyone expected Jerry the Comedian and not necessarily Jerry the Director, or Jerry the Artist, or just simply Jerry the Person. I think his more thoughtful side is there within him, and most people just stopped at the surface with his comedy and didn't always notice it. I think this also ties into your points on Jerry's desire to be needed in other ways besides "that guy who makes us all laugh." This message from him just seems like he put that wish right out there for us--- all hidden underneath the jokes he was expected to tell to make us laugh.

And yes, if you were curious, the record is delightful. I thoroughly enjoy listening to Jerry's singing voice. <3

Thank you so much for sending this over! I had to share your ask publicly too for anyone else who hasn't seen this little writeup on Jerry's record - and for your insightful comments on Jerry's life and career. On the Dick Cavett show in 1973, I recall Jerry stating how much he loathed being invited to parties with the expectation that he was going to show up and be "on." Rather, he wanted to be invited to parties as a man and as an equal. Of course, the joke telling and laughing might occur naturally, but it's the thought that people wanted him around for that sole reason that feels particularly hurtful.

I also love your comment about Jerry's desire to be needed in other ways besides the guy who makes everyone laugh. That's mentioned a little bit here, in an excerpt I shared from a short opinion piece about Jerry. The following quote from the author feels particularly relevant to your thoughts here:

"He'd fall on his rubber face to make any child laugh until our stomachs ached and we had to gasp; which wasn't always fun. Even as children we could see Jerry might be the one who really needed the laughs."

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Jerry with Jayne Mansfield at the Sands Hotel's fourth anniversary celebration in 1956 - her future husband Mickey Hargitay can also be seen in the background

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just spent over an hour writing an embarrassingly long review for The Ladies Man, which I watched for the first time. it can be found here, for anyone who's interested to check it out :) thoughts and comments always welcome!