“The Martin and Lewis Show” contained the perfect mix of coolness and zaniness, and audiences could certainly attest to the fact that they weren’t too bad to look at either. It was also the unique chemistry and free-flowing improvisational bits that led to their stardom. Naturally, the comedy duo went from having their own nightclub act to their very own radio show “called The Martin and Lewis Show.”
They made their debut on “Toast of the Town” in 1948 and soon after on the “The Ed Sullivan Show.” By the year 1950, Martin and Lewis appeared on the “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” a shows that involved stand-up songs, dialogues, and dances.
Making a Name For Himself
There seems to be some confusion surrounding his real name; although he was supposedly born "Joseph" according to many legal documents,s his name was "Jerome." Still, the actor dropped those names altogether and went with Jerry as the official name, both on and offstage.
The reason for this was so that he would not be confused with other prominent figures, namely Joe E. Lewis and Joe Louis.
The Funniest Friendship in Showbiz
After World War II ended, the up-and-coming comedian hit the nightclub scene and shot to fame. There he met the one and only Dean Martin, and thus, a new era of the comedy bromance began. Audiences around the county instantly fell in love with the super-duo: The suave king of cool, Dean Martin, and the zany and hilarious Jerry Lewis.
They two met each other at the Glass Hat Club in New York City. The connection was instant, and on July 25, 1946, they began performing at Atlantic City’s 500 Club as "The Martin and Lewis Act."Soon. It was the perfect act.
A Strained Relationship
By the early 50s, Lewis and Martin were a national sensation and touring the country. The offers started to roll in. Their appearance at the Paramount Theatre in New York made them a cultural phenomenon, and so they ventured into the next arena; movies. The two starred in "At War with the Army" (1950), "The Caddy" (1953), and "You’re Never Too Young" (1955).
For a while, the films perfectly captured the duo's hilarious stage acts, bringing their unique dynamic to the big screen. This, of course, meant more money, but with more money came more pressured, and the cracks began to appear.
Losing The Balance
Sadly, the winning streak eventually wore off, and soon Lewis and Martin found themselves at loggerheads with the formulaic scripts of Paramount Pictures. The movies became repetitive and failed to give any range to the two actors.
Tensions began to grow, especially when Martin's roles diminished and Lewis's roles garnered more and more acclaim. It got so bad that in a 1954 article in "Look" magazine, Martin was purposely cropped out of a publicity photo. The world clearly chose their favorite half of the act.