Special Sub-Topic: The Career of Jerry Lewis Click Here To Play: The Career of Jerry Lewis

When was Jerry Lewis born?

March 16, 1926. He was born on March 16, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey. His birth certificate says his name is Jerome but he insists it's Joseph!

In 1956, Jerry Lewis recored an album that made it onto the charts.

t. The album was called "Jerry Lewis Just Sings" and made it into the Top 20 Albums on Billboard.

Jerry Lewis taught a film classes in the late 1960s. Two of his pupils were George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

T. He taught at the University of Southern California.

Jerry Lewis invented the video-assist in 1960, a small television monitor to watch the playbacks, during what movie?

The Bellboy. "The Bellboy" (1960) was the first movie that Jerry was the writer, producer, director and of course he starred in it. Since he was on screen he couldn't see what the scene looked like so he invented the video-assist. "The Patsy" was made in 1964. "The Errand Boy" was made in 1961 along with "The Ladies Man".

Jerry Lewis began hosting the MDA telethon on Labor Day in 1966.

t. He was appointed National Chairman of the MDA in 1952, and 14 years later began hosting the MDA Telethon every Labor Day in the U.S. (Muscular Dystrophy Association)

In the movie "Cinderfella" (1960) Jerry runs up a huge staircase of 68 steps, after the clock strikes midnight. How long does it take him to go up the stairs?

8 seconds. He only did the run up the stairs in one take. Once he got to the top he passed out and had to be taken to the hospital.

After the break up of the Lewis & Martin duo, what was Jerry Lewis's first solo film?

The Delicate Delinquent. "The Delicate Delinquent" was made in 1957. It was orginally a Martin & Lewis movie but they split up so Jerry still went ahead with it. "The Sad Sack" was made in 1957, "Rock-a-Bye Baby" in 1958, and "The Patsy" in 1964. The last film to see them as a duo was "Hollywood or Bust" (1956).

Jerry Lewis was a great actor, director, producer, and writer: during the 1960s he wrote a total more than half a dozen scripts.

t. The scripts he wrote included: "The Bellboy" (1960), "The Ladies Man" (1961), "The Errand Boy" (1961), "The Nutty Professor" (1963), "The Patsy" (1964), "The Family Jewels" (1965), and more.

What is the name of his first born son?

Gary. Gary was born on July 31, 1945. Was the lead singer of Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Made a cameo in Jerry's movie "The Family Jewels"( 1965).

In 2006, for Lewis's 80th birthday, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

f. He was given Legion of Honor by France and given the honorary title of "Legion Commander". He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.