He formed a duo with Dean Martin, and found immediate success.
Jerry Lewis may have started out as a solo artist, but he really caught the attention of the world when he became part of a duo. The success came after he teamed with Dean Martin who was a New York City singer in the 1940s. They were not that similar, but their contrast worked.
Martin was the straight man for Lewis’ crazy character. They soon won over audiences. They began by performing on stage in nightclubs, and eventually earned their own radio program. The duo wanted to reach the highest possible heights with their double act.
Jerry and Dean became huge movie stars at Paramount Pictures
The pair quickly attracted TV and film producers as their popularity continued to grow. The pair appeared on a variety of talk shows, comedy programs and films. First up was a comedy film by Paramount Pictures called ‘My Friend Irma’
The duo, who were only ensemble players in this film, soon became the stars of the various studio productions. In the 1950s, the duo’s stardom was further cemented by other comedy films such as ‘Sailor Beware’, ‘The Stooge’, and ‘Pardners.’ This was not only great for the pair, who were enjoying incredible success, but also for Paramount Pictures whose profits were skyrocketing.
