Posted on 08/20/2017 12:32:47 PM PDT by Jim W N
He had critics?
“Not everyone loves slapstick. My wife hates it. I love it.”
Yep. Sometimes I think that maybe the best advice for finding the perfect woman should include that she loves to laugh, doesn’t like to criticize, and can appreciate a good Stooges episode. If you play for her the Stooges episode in which they are trying to deliver ice up a set of steep steps, and she doesn’t laugh or at least chuckle, maybe you should keep looking..
Not that I know of. LOL
What a POISONOUS write-up by Variety:
Over the past ten years of his life, the cranky icon’s reputation soured
The high regard in which his comic abilities were held in France — he received the Legion of Honor award in 1983 — became a running joke in the U.S. long after Lewis’ style of broad physical comedy fell out of fashion.
His parting with Martin was acrimonious. And the telethons were awash in claims that there was a disparity between the money pledged and the money collected.
For the next 10 years, Martin and Lewis turned out one silly film after the next
The premises of the films grew tired
But by then his mugging and exaggerated body gyrations had become out of control, as had the syrupy moments in his films.
Lewis signed a nonexclusive deal with Columbia that resulted in several uninspired films
While Americans largely dismissed him, Lewis had developed a following at French film journals Cahiers du Cinema and Positif.
In the early ’70s he continued to direct uninspired fare
He attempted a live TV variety show that failed, as did an attempt at a Broadway musical, “Feeling No Pain”; it was followed by the acrimonious “Hellzapoppin,” which was ditched out of town in Boston at a loss of $1.25 million.
Lewis was offscreen until 1979’s low-budget “Hardly Working,” which he also directed; it did not reverse his fortunes.
in “The King of Comedy” he reportedly resented being upstaged by Robert De Niro and Sandra Bernhard,
Most of his later film work, however, failed to impress,
Given the time frame you mention, must have seen some of those but not frequently. When the two broke up do remember many were under the impression that Lewis would go to greater heights and Martin would rapidly decrease in box office appeal. In reality, the reverse was promptly proven true.
Later in life, the Dean Martin Variety Show was seen on a weekly basis and SELDOM missed. Really enjoyed watching and was greatly disappointed when it ended its run. He had great aplomb. Lewis, OTOH, could be tolerated only a very short time, in the same vein as Jim Carrey, Robin Williams.
a pinch of a good thing is enough.
As per my tagline, Lewis was part of the Rat Pack wing of the GOP.......bawdy entertainers who lived large, but had respect for God and country.
All we left now is Jackie Mason, Wayne Newton......and Trump, whose hilarious routine with Jeb Bush during the primaries easily rivaled Martin and Lewis’s stage act!
First I heard of his reputation souring. The dreaded gay slur. OHMIGAWD. RIP Jerry Lewis. He made me laugh a lot when I was a kid and I will always love him in The King of Comedy.
Maybe now we’ll finally get a look at that clown movie.
What else could it have been?
LOL!!
Pauline Kael once did an interesting piece, before all the other pieces I suspect, comparing the transition of Lewis’ life and career with his character transition in the Nutty Professor, from Julius F. Kelp to Buddy Love who Keal said was his alter ego of suave, girl-magnet Dean Martin. A lot to that.
I think Lewis’ persona of “Julius F. Kelp” ended up being more entertaining than that of “Buddy Love”
Not a fan but RIP.
My brain and eyes read Jerry Lee Lewis
I agree.
Many fond memories of Mr. Lewis.
RIP sir.
Jerry himself would have loved the last line of my post up-thread, LOL!
Leni
I was surprised to see some film website had Barbarella categorized as a French comedy.
They more I think about it, though...
Excuse me, but, say what??
Drop off Dino from those photos and the remainder were greats to me.
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Drop off Dino? Are you kidding? The guy was a great all-around entertainer. He did everything well: Sing, comedy, acting...
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