Perfect Fools—Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, maddest, freshest and funniest comedy team in show business, have their own solution for solving the world’s problems. “Tax the sourpusses!” is their platform and any time they’re on any platform, Hollywood’s sides split at the seams.

The success of Martin and Lewis dates back to the time they decided to go hav-vies on everything. Jerry was appearing in an Atlantic City night club. When the management found itself minus an act, he suggested they hire his friend Dean, who was a singer. “He’s very funny, too,” Jerry promised. “He could be a straight man for me and we could be very funny together.” It so happened—they weren’t! A whole week went by with nary a snicker.

One night because they knew they were about to be fired, Jerry decided anything was in order. First he rattled dishes. Next he broke trays, gave weird impersonations and kidded the customers. Unexpectedly, they loved it! Dean got their message, pretended to protest, and thus an impromptu and spontaneous act was born.

It happened over four years ago and they’ve never been known to do an act more than once. They’ve never been known to have an argument, because all along the way they’ve honestly shared.

Jerry is the younger. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 16, 1926, at which time Dean was a nine-year-old schoolboy in Steubenville, Ohio. Jerry’s been married for six years to Patti Palmer, a former vocalist, and they have a son, four. Dean is now married to Jeannie Biegger, and divorced from Betty MacDonald, the mother of his four children.

Probably the only living man (besides Martin) to top the lean and lanky Lewis was Hal Wallis, the producer of “My Friend Irma Goes West.” Pierre, a chimpanzee playing a prominent part in the picture, not only “aped” the comedian sensationally, but according to Martin, there was also quite a striking resemblance. “You’d better watch yourself,” dead-panned Wallis, who was also watching the overhead. “You know, Jerry, it wouldn’t be difficult to replace you!”

—BY JERRY ASHER

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE JULY 1950