Born Joseph Levitch into a show business family on March 16, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, Jerry Lewis was intermittently on-stage from the age of five and in his mid-teens had become a professional comedian and mimic. In 1946 he teamed up with Dean Martin, for whom Lewis has expressed great admiration. Their double act clicked instantly and they were soon one of the hottest show business duos of the era. Between 1949 and 1956 they made several films, headlined numerous radio and television shows, and toured the U.S. performing a standup comedy and song act at clubs and other ve...