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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) For other persons named Jerry Lewis, see Jerry Lewis (disambiguation). Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (right) with Laurie Nelson Alexander in March 16, 1926 (1926-03-16) (age 82) Newark, New Jersey, USA Other name(s) The King of Comedy Le Roi du Crazy Picchiatello Occupation Comedian, actor, film producer, writer and director and singer Years active 1931-present Spouse(s) SanDee Pitnick (1983-present) Patti Palmer (1944-1982) Official website [show]Awards won Academy Awards Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award 2009 Emmy Awards Governors Award 2005 Other awards Hollywood Walk of Fame 6150 Hollywood Boulevard 6801 Hollywood Boulevard Jerry Lewis (born March 16, 1926) is an American comedian, actor, producer, writer, director and singer. He is best-known for his slapstick humor on stage, screen and television, his singing ability in a string of music album recordings and his charity fund-raising telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Lewis has won several awards for lifetime achievements from The American Comedy Awards, The Golden Camera, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and The Venice Film Festival, and he has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2005, he received the Governors Award of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors, which is the highest Emmy Award presented.[1] On February 22, 2009, the Academy Lewis was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. In addition to the team's popular nightclub work, they starred in a successful series of comedy films for Paramount Pictures. The act broke up ten years later. Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Martin and Lewis 2.2 Controversy 2.3 Comedy acting star 3 Personal life 3.1 Health concerns 3.2 Family 3.3 Concealed weapon 3.4 Honors and awards 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External links // Early life Jerry Lewis was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Jewish parents Rachel "Rae", piano player for the radio station WOR and musical arrangement performer, and Danny Levitch, a master of ceremonies and vaudeville entertainer.[2][3][4] His birth name is usually reported as Joseph Levitch, although Shawn Levy's biography, King of Comedy, claims this is untrue and that Lewis's name at birth was Jerome Levitch, despite the fact that Jerry Lewis has stated that it was Joseph, named after his grandfather.[citation needed] His father, however, didn't like the name so he called him Jerry. Lewis started performing at the age of five, and by the age of fifteen had developed his Record Act, in which he mimed | ||||
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