Jerry Lewis's Real Name: Joseph Levitch

Quick answer: The comedian and filmmaker was known professionally as Jerry Lewis. Britannica and the New Jersey Hall of Fame both give the name Joseph Levitch, place the birth on March 16, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, and record his death on August 20, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Real name and early life

Britannica identifies him as Jerry Lewis, also known as Joseph Levitch, and places the birth on March 16, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Hall of Fame independently says he was born Joseph Levitch on the same date in Newark, and that he later performed a pantomime act as Jerry Lewis. Britannica says he was born into a vaudeville family, developed a comedy act at age 12 in which he mimed to records, and dropped out of high school to perform in New York City theatres and nightclubs. The Hall of Fame independently says his father was a vaudeville song-and-dance man and his mother a radio pianist, that he attended school in Irvington, later dropped out of Irvington High School, and began performing between features at movie theaters in northern New Jersey.

Career highlights

Britannica says he first met singer Dean Martin in 1944 and that two years later they became a performing team, later appearing in films beginning with My Friend Irma (1949) and in 16 films in eight years, and as rotating hosts of NBC's The Colgate Comedy Hour. The Hall of Fame independently says they appeared as a team in July 1946 at the 500 Club in Atlantic City and performed together for 10 years. After the partnership ended, Britannica says Lewis began solo comedies, wrote and directed The Bellboy (1960), and directed and cowrote The Nutty Professor (1963). The Hall of Fame independently dates those films and says he hosted the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon beginning in 1966. Britannica independently records that his MDA involvement began during the NBC years. The Hall of Fame also records a dramatic role in Martin Scorsese's 1982 film The King of Comedy and a 2009 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Death

Britannica says he died on August 20, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The New Jersey Hall of Fame independently gives the same date and place.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Jerry Lewis or Joseph Levitch are looking for the same comedian and filmmaker, including the later film The Nutty Professor most often associated with his name. Search traffic often uses the professional name Jerry Lewis.