A TRIBUTE TO JERRY LEWIS
Jerry Lewis was my personal friend for the last 25 years of his life. The last time I talked to him was on what turned out to be his final birthday, March 16, 2017.
The first movie I ever saw in the theater was a Jerry Lewis comedy. It was a week or so after the JFK assassination, an earth shattering event. It was the first time I saw grownups cry. When I sat in the packed theater and heard the audience roaring with laughter, I realize that the silly man was making a lot of people happy during a very sad time. That is when I fell in love with film and with comedy. Over the next many years I watched and studied comedy films as a sort of hobby, extending to all of film history by the time I was 13. I acquired so much info, I was already getting paid to write articles on film history by 16, and had two books written by the time I was 30.
When Ted Okuda and I set out to co-write a film-by-film book called The Jerry Lewis Films, we sent word to Joe Stabile, Jerry’s manager, in hopes of securing a quick phone interview. We were surprised to be invited to meet with him on his boat in the San Diego harbor, where he patiently answered our questions with candid detail.
He wasn't exactly sure of us at first. While he investigated the fact that both Ted and I had a few published books already out by then, and was friendly and welcoming right away, he did have an underling on the boat with us, who was obviously scheduled to end the interview with, "hey Jerry, we have that thing to do now." Well, Ted and I managed to charm and impress Lewis with our questions, proving our knowledge about his work, and comedy history in general. We even corrected him a few times when he got something wrong -- which impressed him even more. So, when the guy said, "we have that thing..." Jerry waved him off. We spent the entire afternoon together. When Jerry actually did have to leave, he invited us to meet with him at his home in Las Vegas several weeks later so we could complete our interview.
Ted and I went to Las Vegas for the second interview at Jerry's home. We had a cab driver take us there, and when we arrived, Jerry was waiting out front by the gate. "You're early!" he hollered at us. "What if I was taking a bath?" Ted and I laughed as we reached into our wallets to pay the cab driver. Jerry pushed past us and yelled at the cab, "Who said you could come in my yard?" The cabbie laughed, Jerry paid our fare, and left the guy a pretty impressive tip. Then we walked up to his house for the interview.
As we walked into his home, the first thing I saw was the original Norman Rockwell art for Jerry's movie "CinderFella" framed and hanging in the living room.
Our interview continued and once again Jerry was very thorough and candid. He was honest about films of his he did not like ("Don't Raise The Bridge/Lower the River," "Hook Line and Sinker," "Way Way Out," "Hardly Working"). He was proud of his association with Martin, but this did not extend to the movies. He acknowledged a few of the films that they opened up with better production, but he actually rolled his eyes in a comical manner at our appreciation of "Sailor Beware." We didn't always agree with him. He liked "CinderFella" better than we did. We liked "It's Only Money" and "The Big Mouth" better than he did.
At one point he wanted lunch, so he called a nearby Wendys and hollered Jerry Lewis-style into the phone. “This is Jerry Lewis! Drop what you’re doing because I have friends over and we’re hungry. We want hamburgers, fries and cokes!” It was delivered, in abundance, only moments later, giving me an “I ate fast food with Jerry Lewis at his house” story.
Once the book came out, Jerry Lewis bought hundreds of copies for family and friends. He would refer to our book as “the Bible” and would call each of us and go on and on about how much he appreciated what we did. It was the greatest praise Ted or I could get.
It didn’t stop there. Jerry recommended me whenever he was contacted about a documentary on his films (I’ve appeared in three). He wrote the Foreword for Ted’s and my book on the Stan Laurel solo films. He agreed to be interviewed for my book on the Elvis movies because he knew Elvis at Paramount. When he made an appearance nearby he agreed to see us for lunch because I wanted my son to meet him (in a Limo ride to the restaurant, Jerry wanted to watch golf and my son kept changing the channel to wrestling!). Jerry would randomly call just to see how I was. One of those calls happened while I was at work, and I let my assistant talk to him. He later sent her a couple of autographed photos. He also talked on the phone to my next assistant (after the previous one retired). Same thing.
But it wasn't just business. Jerry would randomly phone me just to talk. We'd discuss whatever might be going on. Once it was shortly after Hal Roach died (Jerry said "he created a real legacy with some of the most important comedies ever made."). Another time it was when I was writing a book about Charley Chase ( Jerry said, "I used to go to the theater that was playing a Charley Chase short and leave after the comedy. I had no interest in the feature picture, I just loved Charley Chase.").
Jerry would tell me, “Don’t say a bunch of swell stuff over my grave when I'm not around to hear it. Say it to me now while I'm here!” I did. Often. And each and every time, he would respond by saying how much HE appreciated ME. "Respect goes two ways, Jim."
Yeah, I know. There are all kinds of stories about Jerry being mean, being difficult, being insufferable. And I know there are those who go out of their way to bash him, while being completely forgiving of every other Hollywood star with his or her own list of foibles. None of that matters to me. Because I knew the man for the last 25 years of his life, so I can respond based on my own personal experience. No he wasn't always in a great mood. Are you?
When I talked to Jerry on his final birthday when he turned 91, I told him he owed me a call on my 91st birthday. He laughed and said, "absolutely, you can count on it." It was the only time he let me down. A few days after Jerry Lewis died, I phoned the house and spoke with his daughter. I was invited to the private memorial service. My son was having some health problems so I could not go (sadly, my son died the following year).
Most think of Jerry Lewis as the wildly funny comedian who commanded show business for decades. Some realize he was also a master filmmaker who made great creative decisions regarding the succession of shots, editing rhythm, and use of color in his films. But the Jerry Lewis I miss most is the one I could call if I had a question about anything showbiz related. I miss the Jerry Lewis who would call me, for no real reason other than to say hello.
Jerry Lewis's work will forever entertain new generations. And I will always miss my friend.