Dean and Me - A Love Story Author:Jerry Lewis, James Kaplan They were the unlikeliest of pairs—a handsome crooner and a skinny monkey, an Italian from Steubenville, Ohio, and a Jew from Newark, N.J.. Before they teamed up, Dean Martin seemed destined for a mediocre career as a nightclub singer, and Jerry Lewis was dressing up as Carmen Miranda and miming records on stage. But the moment they got to... more »gether, something clicked—something miraculous—and audiences saw it at once.
Before long, they were as big as Elvis or the Beatles would be after them, creating hysteria wherever they went and grabbing an unprecedented hold over every entertainment outlet of the era: radio, television, movies, stage shows, and nightclubs. Martin and Lewis were a national craze, an American institution. The millions (and the women) flowed in, seemingly without end—and then, on July 24, 1956, ten years from the day when the two men joined forces, it all ended.
After that traumatic day, the two wouldn’t speak again for twenty years. And while both went on to forge triumphant individual careers—Martin as a movie and television star, recording artist, and nightclub luminary (and charter member of the Rat Pack); Lewis as the groundbreaking writer, producer, director, and star of a series of hugely successful movie comedies—their parting left a hole in the national psyche, as well as in each man’s heart.
In a memoir by turns moving, tragic, and hilarious, Jerry Lewis recounts with crystal clarity every step of a fifty-year friendship, from the springtime, 1945 afternoon when the two vibrant young performers destined to conquer the world together met on Broadway and Fifty-fourth Street, to their tragic final encounter in the 1990s, when Lewis and his wife ran into Dean Martin, a broken and haunted old man.
In Dean & Me, Jerry Lewis makes a convincing case for Dean Martin as one of the great—and most underrated—comic talents of our era. But what comes across most powerfully in this definitive memoir is the depth of love Lewis felt, and still feels, for his partner, and which his partner felt for him: truly a love to last for all time.« less
Rita K. (bklyn) reviewed Dean and Me : (A Love Story) on
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Those of us over a certain age will remember just how funny Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were on TV in the 50s. Reading this book will bring back the memories. Learning the story behind the comedy - the relationship between Martin and Lewis - is a bonus!
I enjoyed this book very much much! Jerry talks about the big brother relationship he had with Dean. He discusses how they met, their relationships with the mob, the rat pack, women, and many of the good times they had together. Jerry talks about the break up, and the reunion that Frank made possible. Jerry is very sentimental and loving where Dean is macho and sometimes aloof. He talks about Dean's death,Dino's death, and how difficult the relationship was for him.
I own two copies of this book. You will pry the first copy from my cold dead hands. I will give one away. I am a Dean Martin impersonator and this book means the world to me. Jerry Lewis is an Athiest. That makes the book so much more poignant. He misses his first love, Dean, so much you don't know. He says in this book that he believes that our souls are "put away" never to be heard from again. But the love that he feels for Dean is soooooo incredible. If noone requests this book from me, I will be so much more than happy to keep it. I don't know why, but you guys at the swap seem to LOVE your books like I do. I would never just toss this book away. get this book and read it and then share it. You will not be sorry. And as for me.... I love Dean. Check out our web site and see: www.dbmagic.net . Get this book as a gift. Trust me!
Having been born in the early 70's, I completely missed the hey-day of Martin & Lewis. This book is Jerry Lewis' honest story of their 10 year working relationship and what went on afterward. Having no reason to disbelieve his tale, this was a very odd relationship and outgrew itself. I think it was very interesting and I enjoyed learning about that great comedic team.