Bombshells • Landmines • Shockers • Eyeopeners
A Preview of The REAL Jerry Lewis Story by Rick Saphire
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis’ second daughter, born March 23, 1992, was a blessing that brought much joy to Jerry and his wife, and rightly so. Finally, having a daughter he could love and publically call his own was very important to the man who had been previously denied that privilege. Sadly, a legal question arose during the planning stages of the adoption, causing dissension which resulted in a bitter breakup between the comedian and a close lifelong friend, one who had been instrumental in Jerry Lewis’ entrance into show business and his rise to fame. Author Rick Saphire was well acquainted with both parties in this matter and was unwittingly thrust into the middle of the firestorm. The author will discuss his personal observations in the book.
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is not a biography of the famous American comedian but serves as an addendum to all that has been written about entertainer Jerry Lewis in the past. It offers corrections to the myriad of misinformation in past publications, media reports, and legal documents dating back to the day Jerry Lewis was born. The book exposes never-before-revealed details about Jerry Lewis' family, career, and life.
For clarity, Jerry Lewis is the alias, stage name, professional name, and theatrical name of entertainer Jerome Levitch. This book will explain, with the aid of court documentation, that Jerome Levitch’s name was never legally changed to Jerry Lewis, despite the fact that he signed that name on legal documents, including his draft card and his final will.
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is scheduled to be officially announced on March 16, 2024, with a release date shortly thereafter. the author is entertainer and celebrity representative Rick Saphire, who first met Lewis in 1953. As a young performer, Rick Saphire was often referred to in the media as "Jerry Lewis’ protégé." Saphire appeared on network TV with Jerry Lewis in the 1960s and was his theatrical representative in the 2000s. The author also had the unique advantage of being close to Jerry Lewis' family, friends, and business acquaintances. Rick Saphire’s uncle and mentor, Ernest D. Glucksman, was the executive TV producer and director for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis during their peak period in movies, and on television. when Jerry Lewis went solo, Glucksman remained Lewis’ executive producer while serving as the star’s personal manager.
As a child, Rick Saphire was the proverbial “fly on the wall,” witnessing much of the private interactions behind the scenes between Martin & Lewis and with Jerry Lewis himself. Saphire has also represented Jerry and Patti Lewis’ oldest son, the rock ’n’ roll legend Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & the Playboys. He has shared his insights with Rick Saphire in preparation for this book.
BREAKING NEWS: The Forward for The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is written by Gary Lewis, who, for the first time, has authorized a frank discussion of family matters, some of which are pretty revealing and surprising.
NOTICE: A special chapter in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is dedicated to Rick Saphire’s attempts to reunite Suzan Minoret with her biological father, Jerry Lewis. Minoret, who called herself Suzan Lewis, contacted the author by phone while she was homeless and living in her car in the State of Florida. She described herself as disabled and desperate to be acknowledged by the man she knew as her birth father. The author’s disturbing story of Suzan “Lewis” Minoret is told in-depth for the first time in chilling detail. It is a book within a book with exclusive photographs.
From beginning to end, the story of Jerome Levitch is that of a lonely child from Newark, New Jersey, who spent much of his youth hiding from himself. It’s the sad account of a man who portrayed some of the most beloved screen characters of all time, yet he spent much of his life trying to convince his fans that he was much more intelligent and far more sophisticated than the clown they loved. Although temporarily satisfying, Jerry Lewis knew that laughter and applause were no substitute for the safe, warm, and loving childhood Jerome Levitch craved but never knew.
The following previews some topics detailed in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story. Please get in touch with Rick Saphire to secure interviews and additional information.
EYE-OPENER: A story containing interesting information and a topic for discussion
SHOCKER: A story that will be very surprising to the reader and the media
LANDMINE: This story has details that are impactful and fascinating
BOMBSHELL: An explosive story that should make media headlines
BOMBSHELL: Jerome Levitch was Jerry Lewis’ legal name from his birth in 1926 until the day he died in 2017. His petition to the New York courts in 1948 to change his legal name and the names of his family members was based on fraudulent documentation. His name was never changed from Jerome Levitch to Jerry Lewis. The entire story, plus the documentation, is in the book.
SHOCKER: Throughout his career, Jerry Lewis often told the story that he changed his stage name in the early days so he wouldn’t be confused with the Heavyweight Champion of the World, but another entertainer told the same story.
EYEOPENER: Because Jerome Levitch’s parents were professional entertainers who often lived in hotel rooms as they traveled the vaudeville, burlesque, resort hotel, and nightclub circuits, their son was left in the care of relatives. As a teenager in November of 1943, Jerome Levitch found work as a comedy record mine, a performer who silently lip-syncs the words to popular recordings while acting them out in pantomime, frequently living in New York City hotel rooms with an older male companion. The book will provide details.
SHOCKER: Starting in the early days of his career, Jerry Lewis would often dine in the finest restaurants. Learn how easy it was to tell where Jerry had been sitting by looking up at the telltale stains on the ceiling.
BOMBSHELL: Media reports that Jerry Lewis did not serve in World War II due to various physical problems are unverifiable. The REAL Jerry Lewis did not register for the draft using his legal name. Was Jerome Levitch a draft dodger? The documents related to this deception will generate intrigue and many discussions.
BOMBSHELL: Did Jerry Lewis really have a love affair with Marilyn Monroe? Learn the truth in ten words as uttered by Jerry to Rick Saphire. A lot of the tales of Jerry Lewis’ affairs and sex behind the cameras, whether actual or fictitious, were brought to the public’s attention by Jerry Lewis himself. However, the most serious extramarital romances in the star’s life did not make headlines. This book will discuss Jerry Lewis’ 1948 separation from his wife and his affair with a Hollywood starlet who reportedly planned to marry the up-and-coming comedian as soon as his divorce from Patti Lewis was finalized. That divorce took place 32 years later. The most intriguing and secretive extramarital tryst was with a beautiful New York model. Jerry Lewis never bragged about this affair, maybe because Lynn Dixon was not a movie star, but more likely because the 2-year-long romance ended just months before the birth of their daughter. Powerful details in the book.
LANDMINE: Jerry Lewis’ record mime act was suggested by his teenage friend, Lonnie Brown, at a resort hotel in Lakewood, New Jersey. Together they presented his act for $3 to $5 per show in local New Jersey nightspots.
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis was a teenager when he met a band singer who was performing on the same bill. Jerry was a record mime, and she was singing with the featured band. He was positive that this was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. She was a beautiful Italian lady with great style and a superb singing voice. Jerry Lewis met her eight months before he met his future wife and mother of their six sons. This startling story is revealed in detail in the book
LANDMINE: Jerry Lewis was dubbed the “King of Comedy” based on a 1982 movie in which he was featured. However, Sammy Petrillo, a comic, movie personality, and Jerry Lewis look-alike humorously used that title in his newspaper ads many years earlier. Learn how Jerry Lewis had this popular 1950s Jerry Lewis clone blackballed from show business and stifled Petrillo’s career.
BOMBSHELL: Did Jerry Lewis coerce his future bride Patti into committing acts of perjury on a legal New York State document? At least ten documented lies and “lies by omission” on her affidavit could have landed the future Patti Lewis in legal peril and prematurely ended the marriage between the two entertainers, even though a child was on the way. The disturbing details and documentation are in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Patti Lewis wrote and published her autobiography in 1996, describing her life as a child and her marriage to Jerome Levitch. Patti neglected to report on some of the most critical events in her young life. That information was carefully guarded and kept from the press, her family, her fans, and even her future husband’s parents. Was Patti’s future husband Jerome aware of these years-old secrets before and after his marriage to Patti? The secrets are revealed in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story, along with Patti’s sound reasoning for keeping her secrets secret!
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis’ career did not begin at Brown’s Hotel in the famous New York Catskill Mountains as Urban legend would have us believe. Learn who started those tall tales and why. The fabricated stories about Jerry’s beginnings as an entertainer and how he went from being a busboy and waiter to a social director and then a record mime in the Loch Sheldrake, New York, resort in the early 1940s just were not so.
LANDMINE: On National TV, Jerry Lewis teased Rick Saphire’s stage name telling him in front of 36 million people that “Rick Norman” made him sound like a goy (non-Jew) from Port Chester (New York)! Why did Ernest D. Glucksman choose “Rick Norman” as Rick’s stage name? It’s all in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis and Patti Palmer both kept important secrets from one another that could have curtailed their relationship before they were married. One of these secrets could have could have landed one of them in prison if discovered.
EYEOPENER: In 1958, Rick Saphire’s 16-year-old sister Joan spent the summer in Beverly Hills, California, where she often visited Jerry Lewis and his family. During the shooting of his film, “The Geisha Boy,” Jerry asked Joan, who was on the set, her opinion of a scene that had just been shot. Joan’s surprising answer caused Jerry Lewis to delay production and reshoot the scene. Details in the book.
BOMBSHELL: During a heart-to-heart discussion about Jerry Lewis’ anger problems, the star admitted to Rick why he was terrified of seeing psychiatrists. Learn why.
SHOCKER: In the name of comedy, Jerry Lewis often cut off men’s neckties or burned holes in their pocket handkerchiefs. In a cruel and dangerous practical joke, Jerry Lewis handcuffed one of his claustrophobic musicians to the pipes in a hotel room shower and left him there for the entire day. These are just a few examples of the star’s reckless behavior. Why was Jerry Lewis so mean-spirited?
BOMBSHELL: How did a fax from Rick Saphire inspire Jerry Lewis to arrange for another comedy star’s medical help? The star told Rick that Jerry’s intervention prolonged his life.
SHOCKER: in July of 1956 when Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis first performed on the same bill at the 500 Café in Atlantic City, they were not advertised as a team and continued to be advertised separately for months afterward. The REAL Jerry Lewis Story will reveal that for a month after their teaming in Atlantic City, Jerry resumed his record act as a “single”! Learn the surprising details.
SHOCKER: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis became a “team” in 1946 but did not become “partners” until 1950.
EYEOPENER: In 1954 with help from his mother (not his father), Gary Lewis created a successful rock ’n’ roll band, which debuted in Disneyland as Gary & the Playboys. Find out why the band was not initially called Gary Lewis & the Playboys.
*** BOMBSHELL: During the 1970s, Jerry Lewis reported to the media that his son Gary Lewis admitted that while serving in Viet Nam, he saw his army buddies blown up in front of him while having a meal in the mess hall. Jerry Lewis even named the victims. The comedian claimed this tragic incident was why the young rock ’n’ roll star returned from the service a different person. Lewis described his son as depressed with no desire to work, devoid of humor, and addicted to narcotics. Jerry Lewis said his son would have been better off if he had been killed in Viet Nam. In a passionate newspaper interview, Lewis threatened to leave the United States and move his family to Switzerland to protect his other sons from being drafted into the Viet Nam war as Gary was. Yes, it was a compelling and politically charged story in 1971 and gave Jerry Lewis much-desired media attention. With the permission of Gary Lewis, Rick Saphire will reveal for the first time the details behind Jerry Lewis’ insidious newspaper interview. Learn why Gary Lewis has kept mum about the bizarre interview to protect his father’s reputation.
SHOCKER: Jerry Lewis did not invent nor patent the video assist system for which he often took credit. However, Lewis did, in fact, use the system to aid in filming his most successful comedies. More details about the video assist system are discussed in the book.
SHOCKER: Documentation in our files indicates that York Productions, a production company owned by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and then later operated solely by Jerry Lewis, was merely a front to secure appearances for Jerry Lewis and not a production company at all. This accusation came from the Director of the FBI himself. Details in the book.
BOMBSHELL: During a 1960s TV interview show hosted by Joan Rivers, Jerry admitted to her (and the studio audience) that for a poor report card, he beat his son Gary with a thick leather belt that raised welts on the child’s bottom and also raised questions about Jerry’s volatility with his own kids. Jerry then told Rivers that he secretly listened over the intercom for his son’s sobs. Gary Lewis verified these facts in conversations with Rick Saphire. In June of 2014, in an attempt to distance himself from his earlier disturbing comments to Joan Rivers, Lewis announced in a video interview for Sirius-XM that he had never met the comedienne. Full details are in the book.
EYEOPENER: Rick Saphire’s family show business connections are fascinating. From the 1920s to the 1940s, Rose Sober Saphire, Rick’s mother, was the personal assistant, librarian, stenographer, and “Gal Friday” to songwriter Irving Berlin. Rose’s sister Judy Sober was part of a world-famous dance team, Buddy & Judy Allen. Eventually, Judy married Ernest D. Glucksman, executive producer and director for Martin & Lewis. From 1950 to 1964, Ernie Glucksman was Jerry Lewis’ comedy mentor, executive producer and director, and personal manager. Buddy Allen and Ernie Glucksman both represented Rick Saphire theatrically. Fifty years later, Glucksman’s nephew, Rick Saphire, served as Jerry Lewis’ representative throughout the USA and Europe. Learn more about family ties in the book.
LANDMINE: Lillian Brown, co-owner of the famous Brown’s Hotel in the Catskills where Jerry Lewis supposedly got his start, once told Rick Saphire, “Tell Jerry he can kiss my ass!” Did “Aunt Lil” really owe Jerry $50,000 for a personal appearance at Brown’s Hotel? The real reason Jerry Lewis and the beloved Mrs. Brown never spoke again has been a well-kept secret. Details in the book.
BOMBSHELL: As a belated birthday gift from his mother, 11-year-old Jerome Levitch went to a special event that unexpectedly turned into a disaster. She and her son witnessed the deaths of 35 people and the injuries of many others. Read how Jerry Lewis described this haunting episode to author Rick Saphire in a private, emotional conversation.
SHOCKER: In a 1965 letter to Rick Saphire’s mother, Jerry Lewis apologized for his hurtful behavior towards Rick earlier that year at Brown’s Hotel in the Catskills. In the letter, Jerry’s convoluted response blamed his humiliating treatment of the 18-year-old on both his own father, Danny, and Rick’s father, Herb. It appeared then that Rick and Jerry’s friendship had ended, but 40 years later, the topic resurfaced during a discussion when Jerry Lewis and his personal manager Rick Saphire rehashed the bizarre episode. The details of their discussions and the original letter are in the book.
LANDMINE: In July 1956, Dean Martin broke more than his partnership with Jerry Lewis. During a routine they had performed many times before, Dean jammed his foot down on Jerry’s, fracturing two of Jerry’s toes on July 16. A week later, the team performed their last show together.
EYEOPENER: Dean Martin once said, “Jerry and I had a good week. Nobody sued us!” The book will examine some interesting legal actions taken by and against both Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
EYEOPENER: Did Jerry Lewis dislike female stand-up comics? The author knows the answer, which he shares in detail with the readers. Rick Saphire also knows that Jerry Lewis never enjoyed ANY comic, female or male, who relied mainly on “blue” material to get laughs. Oh yes, the author will also define “blue” material.
NOTE: Ed Sullivan helped save Martin & Lewis’ career by educating them in 1948 to stop adding so much profanity into their act.
SHOCKER: While having lunch with his friend George Jessel, affectionately known as “The Toastmaster General of the United States,” Rick Saphire and the eavesdropping lunch crowd were stunned when Georgie expressed his strong opinion of Jerry Lewis. As if in a comedy scene, when the words came out of Jessel’s mouth, the food flew out of the mouths of the laughing patrons.
BOMBSHELL: What threats kept Jerry Lewis away from his biological daughter Suzan in the 1950s? The answers are shocking and heartbreaking. Learn why Lewis was never permitted to be a real dad to his lovechild, although he voluntarily took financial responsibility for her when she was young. Read how Jerry Lewis was victimized and warned to stay away from his baby girl.
SHOCKER: While Jerry Lewis sang “Think Pink” on his live 1963 TV show, the nation rooted for his pregnant wife Patti to have a girl. As Patti and their sons watched from the audience, Jerry's 11-year-old biological daughter, Suzan, remembers sitting at home with her mother (Jerry’s former paramour) viewing this same TV broadcast. Did Suzan know she was watching her birth father on TV? When and how did Suzan’s mother reveal the well-guarded secret to their daughter? This is a bizarre, complex, and tragic story about a father and the little girl he was never permitted to hold in his arms and love as his own. Details are unraveled in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Reports indicate that in the early 1950s, Jerry Lewis and his wife Patti made several failed attempts to adopt a baby. Were they trying to adopt Jerry’s own biological lovechild? This is discussed in the book.
LANDMINE: Author Rick Saphire had known Jerry Lewis since 1953, appeared on national television with him in 1962, and was his international theatrical representative in the 2000s. At the same time, Saphire represented Jerry Lewis, he also represented Jerry’s son Gary, the popular lead singer of Gary Lewis & the Playboys. This association was often quite tense as Jerry and his son Gary were no longer on speaking terms. Although Rick Saphire arranged for Gary Lewis to cohost a few hours of the Atlanta local cutaway of the MDA Telethon, Jerry Lewis or someone else did not let that happen. Find out why.
EYEOPENER: Jerry Lewis was NOT the founder and president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. What was his position with the MDA?
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis invited Rick Saphire to sit on the dais of his Friars’ Club roast and induction as their abbot. A few months later, Jerry sadly admitted to Rick that he had no memory of the lavish banquet, the roast, the induction ceremony, or the round-trip flights to and from NYC. Details are in the book.
BOMBSHELL: For 60 years, Jerry Lewis told a tale of how the owner of the 500 Club in Atlantic City accepted Jerry’s recommendation for a replacement act at the club. Jerry reportedly recommended his pal Dean Martin, promising a funny show with comedy and songs. Then Jerry boasted of teaching Dean a few routines, which created the most incredible comedy team in history. Oops, the lie detector just went off! The REAL Jerry Lewis Story documents the actual series of events that led to the hiring of Dean Martin to perform at the 500 Café, the club’s official name. Learn how Dean Martin’s two-week contract happened with two hard-nosed, powerful theatrical managers and two tough club owners with underworld ties. Read why Jerry Lewis’ manager strongly suggested Dean Martin, even though he did not represent him then. Martin & Lewis' act was initially made up mainly of material lifted from another talented comedy team. The reader will discover who was sent to steal their comedy routines covertly. This is a triple bombshell.
BOMBSHELL: Why did Jerry Lewis shoot Bar Mitzvah pictures of his son Gary, who was raised Catholic? Read how Jerry used these photos to get even with his Jewish parents. Learn the bizarre family secret of Jerome Levitch’s traumatic bar mitzvah.
EYEOPENER: Appearing together on NBC's Tonight Show in front of 36 million people in 1962, Jerry Lewis and 15-year-old Rick Saphire discussed the similarities of how they both got started in show business.
EYEOPENER: A few months before the 1976 MDA Telethon, a reliable source gave Rick Saphire a heads-up regarding the “surprise” walk-on by Dean Martin. Learn the clue that convinced Rick afterward that Jerry Lewis knew the “surprise” was coming.
LANDMINE: After his split with Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis appeared at the Palace Theater in Manhattan. Rick Saphire attended opening night and described Lewis’ performance, observing how Jerry seemed lonely on the stage. The author also saw the beginnings of Jerry’s tongue wagging and maniacal sounds at the end of his jokes in an attempt to fill the void left by Dean Martin, who would, in the past, react to Jerry’s antics. Jerry did that till the end of his career; he always missed Dean.
EYEOPENER: From the first time Jerome Levitch stepped onto the stage to perform his record act through the days of Martin & Lewis’ fame, and until Jerry Lewis embarked on his solo career, he was a musical comedy performer. In addition to his singing, most of Jerry’s comedy routines relied heavily on music. The majority of the Martin & Lewis motion pictures were musical comedies. The author discusses the difference between a stand-up comic and a comedian and how Jerry Lewis straddled both categories.
EYEOPENER: The author discusses two elements of Martin & Lewis’ early fame that are rarely considered. Their first important national exposure came from their largely forgotten NBC radio series beginning in 1949. Initially, the team of Martin & Lewis was not an act for children, who first became aware of Martin & Lewis through their popular comic book series, The Adventures of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, debuting in 1952. Many of the young readers were unaware that the characters in the comic book were real people. More details are given in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Although bandleader Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & the Playboys was the firstborn son of Patti and Jerry Lewis, Gary’s legal name, as per his birth certificate, will surprise his fans and even his family.
SHOCKER: How did the National Broadcasting Company trick Rick Saphire into recording an obituary piece on video about his client, Jerry Lewis?
BOMBSHELL: While staying at a New York hotel with Jerry Lewis and his associates in 1962, 15-year-old Rick Saphire came in contact with three strangers. After Saphire told Jerry’s manager (Rick’s Uncle Ernie) about that chance meeting, why was a stranger assigned to stay with Rick? Learn what this all had to do with a $185,000 jewelry heist.
BOMBSHELL: Was Jerry Lewis’ signature authentic on his last will? Learn what Rick Saphire’s assessment was when a national publication asked him to compare Lewis’ “John Hancock” to dozens of authentic specimens on checks, contracts, and letters in Rick’s personal archives.
BOMBSHELL: The media touted Martin & Lewis as the highest-paid comedy act in showbiz from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, yet in 1948 at New York’s Copacabana, each man was paid merely $84 per show. At the height of their career, the team of Martin & Lewis had a 4-week engagement at the Copacabana in 1952 where Dean and Jerry were each paid the paltry sum of $143 per show- and this is all before commissions, taxes, and expenses. The shocking contract is in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Ironically, the year before Jerry Lewis received France’s highest civilian award, the “Legion of Honour,” he revealed his true feelings about his French fans. In his own words, captured on video during a 2005 personal appearance in Germany and transcribed into the book, the American superstar shockingly ripped into the famed French film director François Truffaut. Lewis then expressed his disdain for his French fans by using ridicule and an offensive expletive that will stun his international followers.
EYEOPENER: Rick Saphire saw what happened backstage between Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis at their last live TV appearance together. What WAS that stuff Dino was drinking during the station breaks? What WERE those injections Jerry was getting during the long telethons? Learn the facts in the book.
EYEOPENER: Jerry Lewis often claimed that at five years old, he got his first stage laugh while singing “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” Why is this a myth?
BOMBSHELL: Learn the two words (and explanation) that describe Jerry Lewis’ most significant problems in his later career, resulting in canceled performances and early exits from the stage.
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis’ worst addiction was incurable and eventually destroyed his career. The addiction was his insatiable craving for attention at any cost. When his desire or ability to be “lovable” was gone, he resorted to politically incorrect and violent comments to gain media attention. These and other compulsions caused the dilution of his fanbase and the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s loss of confidence in him. Once that happened, Jerry had little hope of turning around his career. The unfortunate details are discussed in the book.
SHOCKER: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis publicly ended their careers together on July 25, 1956, ten years to the day after debuting their act in Atlantic City. The REAL Jerry Lewis Story will report that, in reality, their partnership and business relationship continued for several months until January 1957.
BOMBSHELL: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has given author Rick Saphire permission to share some details of interoffice letters and memos between special agents and Director J. Edgar Hoover regarding Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Fascinating facts will be revealed and discussed.
BOMBSHELL: The FBI claimed that neither Dean Martin nor Jerry Lewis was under investigation, yet they did keep records of various “improprieties” attributed to the entertainers, both as a team and individually. For example, a promotional audio recording of Martin & Lewis classified as “obscene” by the FBI was the subject of an intense investigation to determine if this recording violated “Interstate Transportation of Obscene Matter.” Learn the outcome of the investigation and read the written transcript of the questionable recording in the book.
BOMBSHELL: From 1950 to 1953, America and the rest of the world were riveted to the “trial of the century.” Unintentionally, Jerry Lewis infuriated agencies of the United States government by attempting to profit, both financially and professionally, from this divisive story. Learn why one agency refused to have any dealings with Jerry Lewis and his production company and how this secret project was partly responsible for the expedited breakup of the most successful musical comedy team of the 20th century. See the documented and staggering details in the book.
BOMBSHELL: On October 29, 1956, the 14th District of Optimist International nominated Jerry Lewis as their choice for “Man of the Year.” In a Western Union Telegram to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, a representative of the Optimist organization asked Director Hoover for a “clearance” for Jerry to receive the award, noting that the recipient must be “a man of impeccable honor.” On October 30, 1956, in a speedy return telegram, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover refused to provide the requested clearance. Learn the surprising decision of the Optimist International organization in the face of the FBI’s refusal to endorse Jerry Lewis.
BOMBSHELL: At the height of their popularity in the early 1950s, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis risked destroying their reputations and ending their careers. Given the moral standards of the day, had Martin’s and Lewis’ conduct been leaked to the public, together and individually, they would have been subject to ridicule and contempt. This book will explain how the comedy duo risked losing all their TV, radio, recording, and film contracts. Moreover, their publication contracts, personal appearances, and fundraising efforts could have been canceled overnight. Engaging in adolescent and self-destructive behavior jeopardized their livelihood and would have offended millions, if not all, of their fans. The billions of dollars raised on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association through the efforts of Jerry Lewis would have been sacrificed. The thoughtless behavior of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had the potential of making some creative blackmailers quite wealthy for many years … and maybe it did! Learn the naked truth in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story.
SHOCKER: Learn why in 1954, the first scheduled Muscular Dystrophy Telethon with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis was reduced to a mere 2-hour variety show because Dean and Jerry and other performers refused to accept payment to host a full-length telethon. This confusing story will be explained in the book.
BOMBSHELL: While Jerry Lewis was sometimes accused of being paid for appearing on the MDA telethons, the public was unaware that the Muscular Dystrophy Association had to pay an organization representing theatrical unions 10% of the donations earmarked for “Jerry’s kids.“ Learn why the MDA had to “share” the needed funds because Jerry Lewis wasn’t paid for his appearance on the telethons.
BOMBSHELL: During the last decade of the Jerry Lewis’ MDA telethons, Rick Saphire was witness to and involved in some of the conflicts that ultimately led to Jerry Lewis’ termination as MDA telethon host and as the MDA National Chairman. When Rick Saphire recommended ventriloquist Mallory Lewis, daughter of ventriloquist Shari Lewis (no relation to Jerry), to appear on the 2007 MDA Telethon, Jerry was sold. Eddie Foy III, MDA’s talent coordinator, and Jerry Lewis were not on speaking terms, which put Rick Saphire and his clients in the middle of their fight. Rick not only refereed between Lewis and Foy, but he fended off blows to his clients. Even the legendary Mickey Rooney was a casualty of the infighting. The complex and outrageous details are in the book.
LANDMINE: In 2022, a major magazine in the United States published a print and video story depicting Jerry Lewis as a dangerous sexual predator. In an over-acted video for a popular magazine, actress Hope Holiday (not to be confused with the great Judy Holiday) painted a disturbing account of her time alone with Jerry Lewis during the talk-over of a scene in which the actress had to slap Jerry Lewis in the face. Did Jerry use an unorthodox method to “motivate” Hope Holliday into making that hateful movie slap seem real? Analysis in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis was a career-maker yet often and inexplicably destroyed those he “discovered.” When Jerry Lewis saw singer Judy Scott at the Copa in NYC, he wanted her as his opening act in Las Vegas, his first engagement after parting with Dean Martin. After receiving stellar reviews in Vegas, Jerry Lewis asked her to join his theater tour and appear on the comedy star’s first solo TV special. Judy was also promised a featured spot on the bill with Jerry at New York’s well-known Palace Theater. While on tour the 18-year-old singing sensation was relentlessly teased by Jerry Lewis and his cast for her moral virtues. When she retaliated with a prank of her own, her engagement at the Palace Theater was canceled, and she was replaced by Jerry’s third choice, Eydie Gormé. Jerry Lewis invited Judy Scott to his opening and summoned her to his dressing room after the show. What transpired behind closed doors was unexpected, unprofessional, and inappropriate. He pulled the rug from under Judy Scott, breaking her heart but not her spirit. The outrageous details are in the book.
BOMBSHELL: Skinny Dimato, frontman for Atlantic City’s 500 Café, was usually credited by both Dean and Jerry for bringing Martin & Lewis together as a team in July of 1956. The REAL Jerry Lewis Story will confirm that It was a New York nightclub owner and professional boxing promoter who was the first person to present Martin & Lewis on stage together many times between January and July of 1956.
LANDMINE: After Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis appeared at the 500 Café in Atlantic City during the summer of 1956, they appeared separately on the same bill many times at the Havana-Madrid, a Manhattan nightclub. During October and November of 1956, after Martin & Lewis was announced as being represented by Abby Greshler as his newest comedy team, Jerry Lewis returned as a single, reverting to his record mime act at the same Havana-Madrid nightclub. Where was Dean? Learn the details in the book.
In Rick Saphire’s opinion, Jerry Lewis was a sensational all-around entertainer but a terrible celebrity. He often took pleasure in hurting his family, friends, fans, and those with whom he worked emotionally and physically. When performing live with Dean Martin or as a solo entertainer, he “owned the stage.” However, he frequently became overconfident, dismissing others’ more viable suggestions. For that, he often paid dearly. Jerry had a hard time adapting to change. Performing his pantomime to “The Typewriter” song, decades after the typewriter ceased to be in common use, left most of his audience clueless regarding the meaning of his gestures. Jerry Lewis was a genius at producing, writing, directing, editing, and starring in Jerry Lewis movies. He was a dedicated and exceptionally influential fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association during his career. Jerry Lewis was, at best, a part-time humanitarian. Jerry Lewis did not fit the over-used definition of a "philanthropist.” Often imitated but never duplicated, Jerry Lewis was one of a kind- and maybe one was enough. Whatever his flaws Jerry Lewis was a talent whose body of work continues to bring laughter and enjoyment to those who love quality entertainment. This book will attempt to understand the life and ways of Jerome Levitch, the REAL Jerry Lewis.
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story
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