Why did Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis split?
2 min read
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Singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis were a renowned comedy duo for a decade. However, they broke up following a feud.
Here is everything you need to know.
The bitter feud between Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis established a comedy duo called Martin and Lewis in 1945. Moreover, they went ahead to make their debut at the 500 Club in Atlantic City the following year.
In addition, the two were together for ten years and earned significant praise from people all around the world. However, they eventually decided to part ways.
Furthermore, their widely successful acts seemingly put enough pressure on them that sometime later it became unbearable.
For the unversed, Martin usually performed as a straight man. He was also yet to develop his singing style which became recognizable in the years to come.
However, Lewis’ critical acclaim led many people to believe that he was the real talent being the act.
Meanwhile, Martin and Lewis worked together in prominently sixteen films. During that time Martin’s singing was often overshadowed by Lewis’ comedy acts.
But while filming for their last movie together in 1956, the antipathy between Martin and Lewis finally came to an end.
In addition, Lewis talked about Martin in an interview following their split
He said, ‘I wouldn’t tell Dean what I thought of him, so [director] Frank Tashlin took all the flack.’
But Martin retorted by alleging that Lewis was ‘nothing to [him] but a f*cking dollar sign.’
Meanwhile, following their dissolution, Lewis and Martin did not speak to each other for nearly twenty years.
Lewis once shared his regret over their silence. He mentioned that ‘the stupidity of that, I cannot expound on. The ignorance of that is something I hope I’ll always forget.’
Frank Sinatra reunites Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin after a 20 year feud. If it weren't for Frank it may never have happened. #OldHollywood pic.twitter.com/YXxMEO2p26
— Trevor Donovan (@TrevDon) August 20, 2017
Who was Dean Martin?
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Dean Martin was born in June 1917 and went on to earn a name for himself as a singer, actor, and comedian. He was deemed to be among the most popular entertainers during the 20th century.
Additionally, Martin featured in more than 80 films and television programs throughout his career.
He was diagnosed in 1993 and passed away two years later due to acute respiratory failure.
Who was Jerry Lewis?
Jerry Lewis was born in March 1926. He was a comedian, actor, as well as a singer.
He became the host of the Jerry Lewis Telethon for several years. Furthermore, he was also a national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
However, Lewis died in his Las Vegas home in 2017 at the age of 91.
