The bitter feud between Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin: “Nothing but a dollar sign”
For a while, the idea of light entertainment was about as close to on-screen perfection as producers could hope for. A charismatic performer who could sing a little, dance a little and crack a few jokes along the way was like gold dust, and, for a while, there was a double act on the scene worthy of gaining all the plaudits. Singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis formed the comedy duo Martin and Lewis in 1945 and first performed in Atlantic City at the 500 Club the following year.
Wise cracks and high notes were to order of the day as Martin’s undeniably charismatic demeanour made him a perfect cool guy to Lewis’ more energetic and enthusiastic character. For a minute or two, it seemed as though they would end up in the entertainment history books. Martin and Lewis stayed together for exactly ten years, earning significant praise before splitting up and calling it a day.
Their time together took place, of course, before either of their respective careers took off. Martin would go on to become a part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr as lounge singers who would entertain the masses at nightclubs across the land. Swigging drinks and making jokes between songs, Martin became an icon for many. The same can indeed be said for Lewis, too, who would become a massive influence on cinema, least of all inspiring Jim Carrey to become an actor. However, the double act certainly cemented their positions in the minds of the American public and helped them both on their way to their future successes.
The act proved to be wildly successful, so much so that the pressure on them both eventually became too much to bear. Martin was often given the task of being the straight man, and he had yet to develop his singing style that would be revered in the years to come. This led to the critical acclaim of Lewis, with many believing that he was the real talent behind the act.
This semi-rivalry was played out most prominently in the 16 films that they performed in together, with Martin’s singing often being overshadowed by Lewis’ excellent comedy routines. When shooting their last film together in 1956, the aptly named Hollywood or Bust, the antipathy between the two came to a head. Lewis later said, “I wouldn’t tell Dean what I thought of him, so [director] Frank Tashlin took all the flack,” while Lewis retorted by saying that Lewis was “nothing to [him] but a fucking dollar sign.”
The movie would be the signal for the end of their time together. As ever in Hollywood, egos had got the better of both men. Martin saw his name in lights alone, while Lewis felt he deserved to take the lion’s share of the plaudits as he had been. Following the film’s completion, the pair split.
After the dissolution of Lewis and Martin, neither spoke to the other for 20 years, although Lewis later expressed regret over their silence: “the stupidity of that, I cannot expound on. The ignorance of that is something I hope I’ll always forget,” he said. We have all had issues we wish we had resolved sooner, and the friendship as bountiful as theirs would be one that it would hurt to lose.
From there, Martin embarked on a successful career as a singer for Capitol Records and as an actor – considered a vital part of the Rat Pack. Meanwhile, Lewis also enjoyed success in the film industry with his movies The Bellboy and The Nutty Professor.
While the bitterness continued for 20 years, eventually, the two men made up when Frank Sinatra organised a surprise Dean Martin appearance on Jerry Lewis’ Labor Day telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It was a gorgeous moment of TV splendour that certainly had audience sin applause at home.
The formerly-loved duo shared a loving embrace, which was celebrated across America, and they reportedly “every day” after their friendship was renewed. Thankfully, this led to Lewis gracefully attending Martin’s son’s funeral in 1987, offering support for his old friend when he needed him the most.
